During every season and in every league, there's a trade deadline that leads to a number of prominent players switching cities and logos during the middle of the season. While it's often discussed how those trades affect the immediate outlook of the teams and players involved, the personal impact that such deals have on players (and their former teammates) is discussed far less frequently.
However, those personal shockwaves exist and can be felt, and sometimes they can be quite evident in the aftermath. For example, take the trade of Mats Zucarello this weekend. On Saturday night, the Dallas Stars acquired the longtime Rangers forward in an effort to bolster their depth for a playoff run.
On Sunday afternoon, after the Rangers played the Capitals in Washington, Henrik Lundqvist was asked about what Zuccarello has meant to him as a teammate and friend over the years. The veteran goaltender got choked up in his attempt to answer, only managing to let out an emotional "it's tough" response before eventually deciding to move on from the question.
Lundqvist and Zuccarello had played together in New York since Zuccarello's rookie year in 2010, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals three times in that span -- including a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2014. Neither player had played for another team before Saturday's deal shipped Zuccarello to Dallas.
After the announcement of the deal, Lundqvist took to Instagram to pay tribute to Zucc.
"One of the most unique player and teammate I ever played with," wrote Lundqvist. "Brings so much to the table. Will miss you a ton!"
Lundqvist certainly isn't the only one who will miss Zuccarello in New York. The offensively gifted forward was a fan favorite due to his production and his energetic personality. The team quickly posted a tribute video paying tribute to his lengthy tenure with the Blueshirts on Saturday night.
