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Host, TSN The Reporters with Dave Hodge

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For all the time spent covering the trade deadline, it can be asked how important it really is. The important trades are supposed to help teams do well in the playoffs, and how often does that happen?

Well, in fact, all four of the conference finalists did make moves on March 2, so there will be at least one player who can thank a deadline deal for helping to get his name on the Stanley Cup. But, for the most part, the traded players are in supporting roles.

Still, let's single out one for praise by saying "thumbs up" to defenceman Simon Despres of the Anaheim Ducks. He's the former first-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins who became more famous than that with Pittsburgh general manager Jim Rutherford's confession that he regretted trading Despres for Ben Lovejoy. Despres has been very useful for Anaheim, assisting on five playoff goals and playing close to 19 minutes a game behind the big four on Bruce Boudreau's blueline - Francois Beauchemin, Hampus Lindholm, Cam Fowler and Sami Vatanen.

The trade deadline matters more to some than to others - it mattered a lot to Simon Despres.

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The matchups in the conference finals lack a certain something. Not enough to warrant a "thumbs down", but what do you think when you contemplate Tampa Bay vs. New York Rangers and Chicago vs. Anaheim? Okay, you might be intrigued by re-visiting the Martin St. Louis-Ryan Callahan trade.Martin St. Louis

Anaheim general manager Bob Murray used to play for Chicago, and so did Ducks' coach Bruce Boudreau. But as rivalries go, there's not much in Lightning-Rangers or Blackhawks-Ducks. That's because they've never met in a playoff series.

Fans who think Original Six matchups are the best ones might be hoping for a New York-Chicago Stanley Cup final. Guess what? There has never been one of those, and there hasn't been a playoff meeting of any sort between the Rangers and Blackhawks since 1973.

Tampa Bay vs. Anaheim? I think you get the idea.