So, now what?

Only in an hour in which two Norris-caliber defensemen are traded for each other and Taylor Hall is sent packing to New Jersey can the news that Steven Stamkos took a significant discount to stay in Tampa Bay become overshadowed.

But that’s exactly what happened yesterday and when the dust settled, the teams most in need of Stamkos' services lost out on the chance to lure him before it ever really began.

Now, a group of teams flush with high hopes and salary cap space have to move on to Plan B and for some of them, maybe that’s not such a bad thing.