Let’s get one, entirely too often forgotten reality out of the way: A trade deadline acquisition is rarely going to win your team a Stanley Cup. And why would it?

Part of the satisfaction of winning the Cup is the delayed payoff resulting from all the years of hard work that goes into building a championship core and then tweaking around the margins to get them over the top. And most of that work occurs during the offseason.

Sometimes, I fear we lose the plot on this point – the best team shouldn’t have to make too many major adjustments, and too many big moves might actually harm the chemistry of a team complete enough to contend for a Cup.

The point is, just because your favourite team took a home run cut or two at the deadline doesn't mean they're going to connect on a Stanley Cup. A lot o