<p>The NHL Trade Deadline is fast approaching on March 7th, and Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman is on the hot seat to improve his hockey club.</p>
<p>Given that, what does he have in store for Oilers fans? He’s recently mentioned <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/general-manager-stan-bowman-told-insider-the-oilers-dont-need-to-add-a-goalie-ahead-of-the-trade-deadline">he’s not in the market for a goaltender</a>, or maybe he’s just the type who doesn’t reveal his cards. Ideally, a second-pairing right-shot defenceman and a bottom-six player with some grit are needed, but either way, regardless of what happens, this part of the season is always exciting and full of anticipation.</p>
<p>As we wait for the action to heat up, let’s take a look at Bowman’s top four most impactful trades when he was GM of the Chicago Blackhawks, both leading up to and during the trade deadline.</p>
<p></p>
<h2>Bowman Traded Cam Barker with Nick Leddy as the Key Return Piece Leading Up to the Deadline</h2>
<p>Cam Barker was Chicago’s third overall pick from the 2004 NHL Draft, and for history buffs, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/cam-barker-top-4-defenseman">he also played a brief stint with the Oilers,</a> playing 25 games from 2011 to 2012. He put up 40 points from the blue line in his third NHL season; however, on Feb. 12, 2010—just 12 days before the trade deadline—Bowman traded him to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Kim Johnsson and Nick Leddy.</p>
<p>Johnsson played only the remainder of that season with Chicago before retiring; however, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/stan-bowman-on-the-oilers-they-came-up-one-game-short-but-its-a-new-year">the big gem of the deal was Leddy</a>, the 16th overall pick in the 2009 draft. While that trade for Leddy before the 2010 trade deadline didn’t pay off immediately for Bowman, it&#8217;s impact was felt in the long run.</p>
<p>Leddy was playing at the University of Minnesota during the Blackhawks&#8217; 2010 Cup run, but he went on to play 258 regular-season games for Chicago under Bowman’s watch, recording 93 points. More importantly, he established himself as a reliable puck mover and played <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/6-significant-trades-made-by-oilers-new-gm-stan-bowman-throughout-his-career">a key role in the team’s 2013 Stanley Cup win</a>, appearing in 23 playoff games while recording two assists and averaging 14:28 of ice time per night.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Congratulations to client Nick Leddy and the Blackhawks on the Stanley Cup. Incredible run, incredible guy who pays price everyday..class</p>
<p>&mdash; PAUL OSTBY (@ICEHockeyAgency) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICEHockeyAgency/status/349390305008685056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2013</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>That said, after the 2014 season, Leddy emerged as a potential cap casualty. In one of Bowman’s most criticized moves, he traded the blueliner, along with Kent Simpson, to the New York Islanders for Ville Pokka, T.J. Brennan, and the rights to goalie <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/on-this-day-in-2015-the-edmonton-oilers-acquired-goaltender-anders-nilsson">Anders Nilsson</a>—none of whom ever played a game for the Blackhawks.</p>
<p>Still, Bowman pulled off a solid deal for Leddy in 2010, flipping Barker—who was playing in the KHL just four seasons after the trade—for a rising puck mover in Leddy, who was a valuable piece of Chicago’s 2013 Cup-winning squad.</p>
<h2>Bowman Struck a Savvy Deal at the Trade Deadline to Land Johnny Oduya</h2>
<p>Bowman struck gold at the 2012 NHL Trade Deadline when the Blackhawks <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/news/winnipeg-jets-trade-johnny-oduya-for-draft-picks-pick-up-defenceman-on-waivers">traded a second and third-round pick</a> for D-man Johnny Oduya.</p>
<p>The impact of trading for Oduya wasn’t felt right away, with the team ousted in the second round that season, but the trade was impactful because Oduya turned into a solid top-four blue liner. Overall, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/ten-thursday-thoughts-bowman-kane-mcdavid-milestones-and-more">Bowman’s trade for Oduya was a home run</a>, as he played a crucial role in the team’s Stanley Cup victories in both 2013 and 2015.</p>
<p>When the Swedish D-man won his first Cup with the Blackhawks in 2013, he played an average of 21:56 minutes in 23 playoff games. Most notably, in Game 6&#8217;s Cup-clinching moment, his point shot was tipped toward the net, leading to Dave Bolland burying the go-ahead goal with just 58 seconds remaining. During the 2015 Cup win, the Blackhawks once again leaned heavily on Oduya, <a href="https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/o/oduyajo01/gamelog/playoffs">averaging 24:51 minutes in 23 postseason games</a> on the blue line.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">In 2012, the <a href="https://twitter.com/NHLBlackhawks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NHLBlackhawks</a> traded two draft picks for Johnny Oduya.</p>
<p>The stay-at-home defenseman helped them win the Stanley Cup the following year and again in 2015 👊<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlackHistoryMonth?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BlackHistoryMonth</a> <a href="https://t.co/4a8gmAT75v">pic.twitter.com/4a8gmAT75v</a></p>
<p>&mdash; NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHLNetwork/status/1623837024032636930?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Overall, Bowman’s decision to trade a couple of draft picks for Oduya was a brilliant move. All things considered, a player like him would be the perfect fit for the Oilers&#8217; right side of the D-corps. Hopefully, Edmonton&#8217;s GM can strike gold again and find another player like him.</p>
<h2>Bowman Bolstered Center Depth with Michal Handzus two Days Before the Trade Deadline</h2>
<p>During the 2012-2013 season, Bowman’s Blackhawks were looking to bolster their center depth. Two days before the NHL trade deadline, the then-GM made a deal with the San Jose Sharks, sending <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/trade-options-for-oilers">a fourth-round draft pick in exchange for Michal Handzus</a>.</p>
<p>At the time, Handzus was a 15-year NHL veteran who had previously played eight games with the Blackhawks during the 2006-07 season. The centerman recorded six points in 11 regular-season games down the stretch but was key in the playoffs. The Slovakian was eventually bumped up to the second line, where <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/larkin-the-10-best-trade-deadline-deals-of-the-cap-era">he played with a rotating cast of players</a> such as Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, Marian Hossa, and Bryan Bickell. He averaged up to 16 minutes a night and recorded 11 points in 23 playoff games.</p>
<p>Additionally, the Blackhawks faced the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Final, and Game 1 went to triple overtime, with Handzus playing just under 30 minutes and winning 50% of his faceoffs. On top of that, in a crucial Game 4, a 6-5 OT win, <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/news/chicago-beats-boston-6-5-in-ot-to-cap-crazy-roller-coaster-stanley-cup-game">Handzus scored a shorthanded goal</a> to open the game.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackhawks</a> 2013 Stanley Cup champion Michal Handzus to retire from professional hockey.</p>
<p>Reliving his key playoff moments in Chicago: <a href="https://t.co/H3dUo9HGk4">https://t.co/H3dUo9HGk4</a> <a href="https://t.co/tMEUkVRwp2">pic.twitter.com/tMEUkVRwp2</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) <a href="https://twitter.com/CRoumeliotis/status/1031954591527653376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2018</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>All in all, Bowman made a clever move in acquiring Handzus, who provided depth at center, supported the star players, and was a key factor in their Stanley Cup win. That said, this is precisely the kind of deal the Oilers should be looking for, finding a dependable center who can chip in on the scoresheet and play 15 minutes a night.</p>
<h2>Bowman Traded a First-Round Pick for Antoine Vermette, Who Scored three Game-Winners</h2>
<p>Just days before the 2015 NHL trade deadline, Bowman made a bold move, <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/what-the-past-10-stanley-cup-winning-teams-did-at-the-trade-deadline">trading the Blackhawks’ 2015 first-round pick</a> (later used to select Nick Merkley) and a prospect to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for forward Antoine Vermette, a veteran two-way center who had recorded 35 points in 63 games with Arizona before the trade.</p>
<p>Vermette’s transition to Chicago wasn’t seamless initially. During the final 19 games of the 2014-15 regular season, he struggled to find his footing, recording just three assists and no goals while adapting to a reduced role as a depth player.</p>
<p>However, Vermette’s impact emerged when it mattered most—in the playoffs.</p>
<p>He scored his first goal as a Blackhawk in the opening round against Nashville and finished with four goals and three assists in 20 playoff games. More importantly, three of those goals were game-winners, turning Bowman’s deal from a potential flop into a huge success, as Vermette was a major factor in the 2015 Cup win.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Five years ago today&#8230; </p>
<p>More on the double-overtime hero, Antoine Vermette: <a href="https://t.co/qXo7MmoQgb">https://t.co/qXo7MmoQgb</a> <a href="https://t.co/ts1pSPwfho">pic.twitter.com/ts1pSPwfho</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHLBlackhawks/status/1264269870134226944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2020</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Vermette’s first game-winner came in overtime <a href="https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/vermette-goes-from-healthy-scratch-to-2ot-hero/">against the Ducks in the second round</a>, tying the series at 2-2. His second was in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, where he scored with five minutes left to help Chicago steal a road win against the Tampa Bay Lightning.</p>
<p>His final clutch winner came in Game 5, when he buried the decisive goal in a 2-1 victory over the Lightning, ultimately helping Chicago win its third Cup in five seasons. After winning his first Stanley Cup, Vermette returned to the Coyotes the next season and hung up his skates after the 2017-2018 campaign.</p>
<p>With that in mind, given the impactful trades Bowman made leading up to the trade deadline with the Blackhawks, how confident are you in him to make the right moves for the Oilers by the deadline?</p>
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The NHL Trade Deadline is fast approaching on March 7th, and Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman is on the hot seat to improve his hockey club.

Given that, what does he have in store for Oilers fans? He’s recently mentioned <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/general-manager-stan-bowman-told-insider-the-oilers-dont-need-to-add-a-goalie-ahead-of-the-trade-deadline">he’s not in the market for a goaltender</a>, or maybe he’s just the type who doesn’t reveal his cards. Ideally, a second-pairing right-shot defenceman and a bottom-six player with some grit are needed, but either way, regardless of what happens, this part of the season is always exciting and full of anticipation.

As we wait for the action to heat up, let’s take a look at Bowman’s top four most impactful trades when he was GM of the Chicago Blackhawks, both leading up to and during the trade deadline.


<h2>Bowman Traded Cam Barker with Nick Leddy as the Key Return Piece Leading Up to the Deadline</h2>
Cam Barker was Chicago’s third overall pick from the 2004 NHL Draft, and for history buffs, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/cam-barker-top-4-defenseman">he also played a brief stint with the Oilers,</a> playing 25 games from 2011 to 2012. He put up 40 points from the blue line in his third NHL season; however, on Feb. 12, 2010—just 12 days before the trade deadline—Bowman traded him to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Kim Johnsson and Nick Leddy.

Johnsson played only the remainder of that season with Chicago before retiring; however, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/stan-bowman-on-the-oilers-they-came-up-one-game-short-but-its-a-new-year">the big gem of the deal was Leddy</a>, the 16th overall pick in the 2009 draft. While that trade for Leddy before the 2010 trade deadline didn’t pay off immediately for Bowman, it's impact was felt in the long run.

Leddy was playing at the University of Minnesota during the Blackhawks' 2010 Cup run, but he went on to play 258 regular-season games for Chicago under Bowman’s watch, recording 93 points. More importantly, he established himself as a reliable puck mover and played <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/6-significant-trades-made-by-oilers-new-gm-stan-bowman-throughout-his-career">a key role in the team’s 2013 Stanley Cup win</a>, appearing in 23 playoff games while recording two assists and averaging 14:28 of ice time per night.

https://twitter.com/ICEHockeyAgency/status/349390305008685056

That said, after the 2014 season, Leddy emerged as a potential cap casualty. In one of Bowman’s most criticized moves, he traded the blueliner, along with Kent Simpson, to the New York Islanders for Ville Pokka, T.J. Brennan, and the rights to goalie <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/on-this-day-in-2015-the-edmonton-oilers-acquired-goaltender-anders-nilsson">Anders Nilsson</a>—none of whom ever played a game for the Blackhawks.

Still, Bowman pulled off a solid deal for Leddy in 2010, flipping Barker—who was playing in the KHL just four seasons after the trade—for a rising puck mover in Leddy, who was a valuable piece of Chicago’s 2013 Cup-winning squad.
<h2>Bowman Struck a Savvy Deal at the Trade Deadline to Land Johnny Oduya</h2>
Bowman struck gold at the 2012 NHL Trade Deadline when the Blackhawks <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/news/winnipeg-jets-trade-johnny-oduya-for-draft-picks-pick-up-defenceman-on-waivers">traded a second and third-round pick</a> for D-man Johnny Oduya.

The impact of trading for Oduya wasn’t felt right away, with the team ousted in the second round that season, but the trade was impactful because Oduya turned into a solid top-four blue liner. Overall, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/ten-thursday-thoughts-bowman-kane-mcdavid-milestones-and-more">Bowman’s trade for Oduya was a home run</a>, as he played a crucial role in the team’s Stanley Cup victories in both 2013 and 2015.

When the Swedish D-man won his first Cup with the Blackhawks in 2013, he played an average of 21:56 minutes in 23 playoff games. Most notably, in Game 6's Cup-clinching moment, his point shot was tipped toward the net, leading to Dave Bolland burying the go-ahead goal with just 58 seconds remaining. During the 2015 Cup win, the Blackhawks once again leaned heavily on Oduya, <a href="https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/o/oduyajo01/gamelog/playoffs">averaging 24:51 minutes in 23 postseason games</a> on the blue line.

https://twitter.com/NHLNetwork/status/1623837024032636930

Overall, Bowman’s decision to trade a couple of draft picks for Oduya was a brilliant move. All things considered, a player like him would be the perfect fit for the Oilers' right side of the D-corps. Hopefully, Edmonton's GM can strike gold again and find another player like him.
<h2>Bowman Bolstered Center Depth with Michal Handzus two Days Before the Trade Deadline</h2>
During the 2012-2013 season, Bowman’s Blackhawks were looking to bolster their center depth. Two days before the NHL trade deadline, the then-GM made a deal with the San Jose Sharks, sending <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/trade-options-for-oilers">a fourth-round draft pick in exchange for Michal Handzus</a>.

At the time, Handzus was a 15-year NHL veteran who had previously played eight games with the Blackhawks during the 2006-07 season. The centerman recorded six points in 11 regular-season games down the stretch but was key in the playoffs. The Slovakian was eventually bumped up to the second line, where <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/larkin-the-10-best-trade-deadline-deals-of-the-cap-era">he played with a rotating cast of players</a> such as Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, Marian Hossa, and Bryan Bickell. He averaged up to 16 minutes a night and recorded 11 points in 23 playoff games.

Additionally, the Blackhawks faced the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Final, and Game 1 went to triple overtime, with Handzus playing just under 30 minutes and winning 50% of his faceoffs. On top of that, in a crucial Game 4, a 6-5 OT win, <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/news/chicago-beats-boston-6-5-in-ot-to-cap-crazy-roller-coaster-stanley-cup-game">Handzus scored a shorthanded goal</a> to open the game.

https://twitter.com/CRoumeliotis/status/1031954591527653376

All in all, Bowman made a clever move in acquiring Handzus, who provided depth at center, supported the star players, and was a key factor in their Stanley Cup win. That said, this is precisely the kind of deal the Oilers should be looking for, finding a dependable center who can chip in on the scoresheet and play 15 minutes a night.
<h2>Bowman Traded a First-Round Pick for Antoine Vermette, Who Scored three Game-Winners</h2>
Just days before the 2015 NHL trade deadline, Bowman made a bold move, <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/what-the-past-10-stanley-cup-winning-teams-did-at-the-trade-deadline">trading the Blackhawks’ 2015 first-round pick</a> (later used to select Nick Merkley) and a prospect to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for forward Antoine Vermette, a veteran two-way center who had recorded 35 points in 63 games with Arizona before the trade.

Vermette’s transition to Chicago wasn’t seamless initially. During the final 19 games of the 2014-15 regular season, he struggled to find his footing, recording just three assists and no goals while adapting to a reduced role as a depth player.

However, Vermette’s impact emerged when it mattered most—in the playoffs.

He scored his first goal as a Blackhawk in the opening round against Nashville and finished with four goals and three assists in 20 playoff games. More importantly, three of those goals were game-winners, turning Bowman’s deal from a potential flop into a huge success, as Vermette was a major factor in the 2015 Cup win.

https://twitter.com/NHLBlackhawks/status/1264269870134226944

Vermette’s first game-winner came in overtime <a href="https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/vermette-goes-from-healthy-scratch-to-2ot-hero/">against the Ducks in the second round</a>, tying the series at 2-2. His second was in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, where he scored with five minutes left to help Chicago steal a road win against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

His final clutch winner came in Game 5, when he buried the decisive goal in a 2-1 victory over the Lightning, ultimately helping Chicago win its third Cup in five seasons. After winning his first Stanley Cup, Vermette returned to the Coyotes the next season and hung up his skates after the 2017-2018 campaign.

With that in mind, given the impactful trades Bowman made leading up to the trade deadline with the Blackhawks, how confident are you in him to make the right moves for the Oilers by the deadline?

<hr />

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Looking back at Stan Bowman’s most impactful in-season trades with the Blackhawks

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