Draft day trade grades: Devils win big, how will Preds use cap space?

The first round of the 2019 NHL Draft on Friday lacked the blockbuster deals some were expecting, but Day 2 did not disappoint. Let's dive into Saturday's three major trades:

P.K. Subban ➡️ Devils

Even after flipping this year's 34th overall pick to Philadelphia for the 45th and 65th choices in Saturday's selection, this is a pretty underwhelming return for the Predators. Santini is a No. 5 or 6 defenseman at best. Davies, a 2016 seventh-rounder, has been nearly a point-per-game blue-liner the last two years at Northeastern University and, by all accounts, appears to be a promising prospect. Not a blue-chipper, though.

This deal was obviously about clearing cap space, as Subban carries a $9-million cap hit for the next three seasons. Nashville already has Ryan Ellis, Mattias Ekholm, and Roman Josi on defense. With Josi needing a new extension after this coming season and youngster Dante Fabbro ready for an increased role, having Subban on the payroll was a luxury the Preds could no longer afford.

It remains to be seen what Nashville will do with its newfound cap space. If they can land Matt Duchene or Artemi Panarin in free agency, the Predators receive an A on this trade. If they whiff and fail to acquire a much-needed game-breaking forward, pencil them in for a D-grade.

For the Devils, it's quite simple: They acquired one of the best blue-liners in the league and didn't give up much of anything. Subban is coming off a poor season by his standards, but it would be foolish to think he won't rebound. The cap hit may be high, but New Jersey has plenty of room to work with and the term is very tolerable.

Devils: A
Predators: TBD

Patrick Marleau ➡️ Hurricanes

The Carolina Hurricanes spent $6.25 million in cap space to acquire a first-round pick. For an organization that rarely approaches the cap ceiling - and won't need to this coming season - this is a pretty savvy move. The Hurricanes will make their pitch to Marleau to stay. If they're unsuccessful, he'll be bought out and can potentially return to the San Jose Sharks as a free agent.

The cost of doing business was likely higher than the Leafs expected, but this is in no way a loss for Toronto. Given the organization's position right now, cap space was much more valuable than a first-round pick. Just in case everything goes wrong in 2019-20, the pick is top-10 protected for next season.

Just because the trade was necessary for the Leafs, however, doesn't mean it warrants a high grade. In the grand scheme of things, they parted with a first-rounder so they could re-sign their own RFAs. This obviously isn't ideal.

Hurricanes: A+
Maple Leafs: C+

J.T. Miller ➡️ Canucks

J.T. Miller had to go. The Lightning need cap space to sign Brayden Point, and Miller was one of their few expendable players who didn't have a full no-movement clause. His deal carries an eight-team trade list that kicks in July 1, so it was rather obvious he'd be on his way out before then. Despite most GMs in the league likely knowing this, the Lightning still managed to get a nice return for a player they had to move.

Miller is a versatile, two-way forward capable of playing up and down the lineup and is signed for the next four years at a $5.25-million cap hit. The 26-year-old will certainly help the Canucks throughout the duration of his contract, but the cost to acquire his services seems a tad steep. He had 13 goals and 47 points last season after setting career highs with 23 goals and 58 points the year prior.

Vancouver did give itself some insurance, though. If the Canucks fail to make the playoffs next year, the Lightning receive Vancouver's first-rounder in 2021 instead. Regardless, a first-rounder and third-rounder should net a better player than Miller, especially considering the Lightning didn't have much leverage.

Canucks: B-
Lightning: B+