from Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic,

Are we looking at a trend or a one-off?

No one can say for sure, of course, but the unprecedented number of trades in the period leading up to Friday’s NHL trade deadline sure makes you wonder.

Is this how it’s going to be from now on?

It was rather unbelievable for the league, at least. Quality and quantity. Day after day after day for weeks. Banger after banger....

But in all seriousness, is this the way the NHL is going to conduct business in the weeks leading up to the deadline, going forward?

The first word on it goes to a general manager who has half a century of trade deadlines under his belt.

“My two cents: I think we’re very competitive people, and I don’t think it’s necessarily a trend. I think every year is different,” retiring Predators GM David Poile told The Athletic. “I believe in a domino effect — that certain things happen and people react to that, whether they were planning to or not.

“I think the (Bo) Horvat deal was a big deal that got things kicked off, and things just snowballed from there.”

read on ($)