Music: {allcanada} NHL trade deadline: Five questions after the frenzy

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The dust has settled on the NHL trade deadline, but it remains to be seen how much of an effect the moves will make on Stanley Cup aspirations across the league. Let's take a look at some of the biggest post-deadline questions:

Are the Ducks the team to beat in the West?

The Ducks revised one-third of their defense on deadline day by acquiring James Wisniewski and Simon Despres. Of the Ducks' defensemen, two regulars -- Hampus Lindholm and Francois Beauchemin -- have been a positive part of their team's ability to drive possession this season. Wisniewski is an offensive-minded, high-energy blueliner who keeps his team on the right side of the puck and is capable in his own end. He has 29 points, which ranks second on the Ducks, and he's a season away from scoring 51. The Penguins made a mistake in parting with Despres, and he now has become Anaheim's upgrade. Despres, a good shot suppressor, will fit well on the third pair. Anaheim, especially when Sami Vatenen returns from a lower-body injury, now has a championship-caliber defense. The Ducks also added Tomas Fleischmann, a roll-of-the-dice play, before the deadline.

How much will Keith Yandle help the Rangers?

Make no mistake, Yandle is a big upgrade over John Moore. The Rangers easily have one of the better defense corps in the game. Yandle provides them with a heady, roving-type defenseman who isn't afraid to jump into the offense. It's a mindset that should fare well in coach Alain Vigneault's uptempo scheme. However, Yandle needs to be sheltered with offensive-zone starts because he's not good in his own zone. His difference-making capabilities will be on the power play; of his 41 points this season, 25 have come on the man advantage for a power play in Arizona that ranked fifth in the league (the team is 29th in the league in goal scoring). Another key to this trade will be how the Rangers deploy their defensemen at even strength. If Yandle means less five-on-five time for Dan Girardi, Kevin Klein or Marc Staal, this becomes more of a win.

Did the Bruins address their scoring issues?

Boston is still a very good possession team (Corsi of 52.2%), but it has struggled to find the back of the net consistently, ranking 21st in goals per game with 2.6. Second-line center David Krejci will still be out another month with a partially torn MCL. Patrice Bergeron leads the Bruins with 44 points and is tied for the team high with 18 goals. Milan Lucic has had a bad season with 13 goals and 34 points, so secondary scoring has been lacking. Acquiring Brett Connolly from the Lightning is a smart move because he drives play and has offensive promise, but he's still inexperienced and has only 12 goals and 15 points this season. Maxime Talbot is ineffective at this point of his career, and he will generate next to nothing offensively. Boston is two points ahead of the Panthers for the final wild-card spot, but it needed to make a bigger splash in the top-six to truly become a threat.

Which contender didn't do enough?

The top seven Eastern Conference playoff teams at this point are separated by nine points. A number of the contenders made moves to improve their team as well. The Washington Capitals, however, operated on the fringes in acquiring forward Curtis Glencross and defenseman Tim Gleason. Glencross is a bottom-six forward whose game is declining. Gleason is a sixth defenseman who provides little offense, doesn't drive play or defend particularly well. The Capitals had a chance to vault themselves as one of the top threats in the East with an all-in move. They were almost better off doing nothing.

Are the Flames done?

General manager Brad Treliving did the smart thing at the deadline -- he didn't sacrifice multiple parts of the future or make rash decisions because the Flames are in playoff position, barely. Calgary is the league's third-worst possession team, this year's version of the Avalanche that is due for some major regression because it doesn't hold onto pucks enough. Sven Baertschi has potential, but in moving him and Glencross, the Flames stockpiled more picks for the long-term sustainability of the team. The news that Norris Trophy front-runner Mark Giordano is done for the season with a torn biceps tendon is the nail in the coffin for the Flames' faint playoff hopes, especially because the team added nobody else worthy of first-pair minutes, along with T.J. Brodie. The Kings are a lock to pass them in the standings.

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