The amount of information available to us all is both a blessing and a curse. In the NHL, the major information networks made through social media, podcasts, and streaming mean that we know the day-to-day happenings around the league like never before. The downside is that we are rarely surprised. A "big trade" is usually a weeks-long trickle of information. Most of the parts are assembled in public conscience well ahead of time be.
That makes this trade extra special. Not only is it one of the biggest in-season hockey trades of the salary cap era.