The NHL trade deadline lived up to expectations and then some with numerous stars from around the league changing addresses for better and for worse. Of the plethora of trades, none was more exciting for short term and the long term than the Ryan Callahan for Martin St. Louis trade between the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning.

The trade has many moving parts, but it does leave the door open for a potential Callahan reunion in New York for 2014. Callahan has played his entire eight-year career with the Rangers and was the team's captain. He calls New York home and, if not for a snag in contract extension talks, would have chosen to play his entire career with the Rangers. Callahan returning to the Rangers isn’t out of the realm of possibility and would swing the trade considerably in the Rangers favor. Pairing Callahan with the newly acquired St. Louis could make for as good a tandem in the NHL.

Callahan, St. Louis and Miller Deadline Updates

The possibility of Callahan taking is talents to a team that is neither the Ranger or the Lightning seems to be the most likely scenario here. Callahan could play the rest of the season with the Lightning and fall in love with a team and city that could offer him the money the Rangers wouldn’t. Playing with Steve Stamkos could prove beneficial for Callahan and the Lightning, but possibly only in the short term considering both their playing styles and familiarity issues.

The Rangers also traded two draft picks to the Lightning including a 2015 first rounder and a 2014 conditional second which would become a first rounder if the Rangers make the Eastern Conference Finals.

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