Since the salary cap was introduced to the NHL for the 2005-06 season, contractual matters are a heightened consideration in the weeks leading up to the trade deadline.
It's no longer enough for teams to get the right players, as cap considerations must be kept in mind for that season and down the line. Here are the 10 best examples of teams that have struck the perfect balance in getting the help they need without wrecking their cap situations in the short or long term:
1. Tampa Bay Lightning acquired Ben Bishop from the Ottawa Senators for Cory Conacher and a fourth-round pick (Tobias Lindberg), April 3, 2013
At the time, Bishop was a 26-year-old backup with a career .