I think it basically boils down to, would you trade our first for a Stanley Cup? If buffalo was a contender down the road, added a guy at the deadline and won a Cup, we could crap the bed on deadline deals for the next decade and if still say it was worth it.
Injuries play a big part too can never be too prepared.
I big part I don't understand is why teams don't do it sooner in the season? Ya alot of teams want to know where they stand at the deadline I get that. But take a look at clb, are they first in metro if they acquired duchene and dzingel in December?