August 18th, 2020

While Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion is focused on who to select in the upcoming NHL Draft, he would be wise to also take a look at successful non-draft acquisitions made by Stanley Cup-winning teams. For example, in the lead-up to the 2009 NHL trade deadline, the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Chris Kunitz. At the time, he was a 29-year-old winger who had scored 186 points in 292 games for the Anaheim Ducks since they reclaimed him off waivers from the Atlanta Thrashers early in 2005. Related: 5 Worst Trades in Senators History Everyone should be aware of how it worked out — Kunitz helped the Penguins achieve great success over the next several seasons. I'm going to take a look at this deal, along with a few others from Stanley Cup-winning teams that helped take their young core group of players over the top. The Senators should use these deals as examples of the type of move they should make to help their promising young team become true contenders. Chris...