It's the stuff that Stanley Cup dreams are made of.
A contending team looking for a final puzzle piece—a scorer, a goalie, a defender or a glue guy—pulls the trigger on a late-season transaction that ultimately puts it over the top.
It makes the days leading up to the trade deadline among the most fascinating of the NHL season.
Last year, the Tampa Bay Lightning dealt a minor leaguer and a first-round pick to the New Jersey Devils for third-line center Blake Coleman, who went on to score 13 points in 25 playoff games as the Lightning marched to the second championship in franchise history.