Cardiac Cane
Fansided

The Best Deadline Trades in Carolina Hurricanes History

By Alex Ohari

SUNRISE, FL - JANUARY 19: Jussi Jokinen #36 of the Carolina Hurricanes prepares for a faceoff against the Florida Panthers during the season opener at the BB&T Center on January 19, 2013 in Sunrise, Florida. The Panthers defeated the Hurricanes 5-1. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
SUNRISE, FL - JANUARY 19: Jussi Jokinen #36 of the Carolina Hurricanes prepares for a faceoff against the Florida Panthers during the season opener at the BB&T Center on January 19, 2013 in Sunrise, Florida. The Panthers defeated the Hurricanes 5-1. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next
PITTSBURGH, PA – DECEMBER 27: Jussi Jokinen #36 of the Carolina Hurricanes skates against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the game at Consol Energy Center on December 27, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – DECEMBER 27: Jussi Jokinen #36 of the Carolina Hurricanes skates against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the game at Consol Energy Center on December 27, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

Acquiring Jussi Jokinen

Though this trade happened in the weeks heading into the deadline as opposed to on actually on Deadline Day, I couldn’t omit this deal from the list as it was more or less a deadline deal and had great implications on the team’s success.

The Carolina Hurricanes acquired Jussi Jokinen from the Tampa Bay Lightning on February 7th, 2009 in exchange for defenseman Wade Brookbank, forward Josef Melichar and the team’s 4th-round pick in 2009. Neither of the 3 assets Carolina gave up ever made any impact in the NHL.

As such, in hindsight the deal was an absolute stunner by the Canes. Jokinen immediately fit in with the Canes, and was an absolutely integral piece in their 2009 playoff run to the Eastern Final.

Jokinen, who scored the unforgettable goal to win Game 4 in the first round against New Jersey with 0.2 seconds left (which remains the latest regulation game-winning goal in NHL playoff history) scored 7 goals and 11 points for the Canes during their run.

Though that playoff run would go on to be the highlight of Jokinen’s Canes career, he did go on to have an outstanding 30-goal, 65-point season in 2009-10, and spent parts of 5 seasons with the team before eventually falling out of favour in the lockout-shortened 2013 season.

“The Juice”, who became a fan favourite during his time as a Hurricane, played 285 games for the team and scored 185 points for them. The package of players the Canes gave up in the deal played just a combined 24 games in the NHL after the deal, so it’s safe to label this deal as a big win in favour of Carolina.

Home/Analysis