March 6, 2000: Colorado sent to Boston left wing Brian Rolston, center Samuel Pahlsson, defenseman Martin Grenier and a first-round choice in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft (right wing Martin Samuelsson). The Bruins sent back defensemen Ray Bourque and Dave Andreychuk.

Bringing Bourque and Andreychuk aboard I feel made Colorado the best team in the Western Conference that season. The Avalanche won their sixth consecutive division title and for the second straight year they made it to the Western Conference Finals, but lost to Dallas, falling one win short of the Stanley Cup Final.

The next season with Colorado Bourque finally won a Stanley Cup. For an all-time great like Bourque winning the NHL championship was one of the sweetest ends to a career that has ever occurred.

March 19, 2002: The Devils sent a package to Dallas of center Jason Arnott, right wing Randy McKay and their first-round choice in the 2002 Entry Draft (which was later traded by the Stars). In return they obtained center Joe Nieuwendyk and left wing Jamie Langenbrunner.

Both Nieuwendyk and Langenbrunner are the kind of people you need on a team to win. They helped the Devils, who were seeking their third straight Stanley Cup Final, win 11 of their last 14 games. But the Eastern Conference Cinderella team that season – the Carolina Hurricanes – stunned the Devils by beating them in six games in the first round of the playoffs.

But the next season Nieuwendyk and Langenbrunner played pivotal roles as the Devils won the Stanley Cup. Langenbrunner is the current captain of the Devils.

March 8, 2006: Edmonton landed goalie Dwayne Roloson from Minnesota for a first-round draft pick in 2006 (which the Wild later traded to Los Angeles) and a conditional third-round selection in 2006.

Roloson’s superb netminding got the Oilers into the playoffs (as the eighth seed in the Western Conference), but the best was yet to come from him. He started the first 18 games of the playoffs, going 12-5 while posting a .927 save percentage and a 2.33 goals-against average. He was in one of those magical zones as he helped the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1990.

Unfortunately for Edmonton, Roloson sustained a playoff-ending knee injury in Game 1 of the Final, which the Oilers lost in seven games to Carolina. But there’s no doubt that the postseason run that Edmonton had would not have happened without Roloson.

MORE FROM NHL

NHL Section Front

Crosby pointless again as Pens fall to Bruins Perron has hat trick, paces Blues' rout of Canucks Boyle's late goal lifts Sharks over Predators NHL GMs keep trapezoid, will discuss headshots Sabres F Mair clears waivers, to stay in Buffalo Breaking down the perfect NHL player Live odds Matchups/Injuries Vote: Who will win the Stanley Cup? Rotoworld: Latest NHL player news, rumors, more NHL Section Front   Add NHL headlines to your news reader: