Some years ago, after the NHL trade deadline had passed, the Philadelphia Flyers offered Peter Forsberg a contract for the rest of the season. He would not have been eligible for the playoffs but the Flyers wanted his help down the stretch.
Forsberg declined, because his foot was in such bad shape by that point that it would no longer allow him to play. That was why he did not play at all that season.
Nevertheless, I have wondered why more NHL teams -- ones on the bubble or fighting for home ice -- do not more seriously explore the avenue of post-deadline additions. The "trade deadline" is a misnomer. It's actually a playoff eligibility deadline. Trades can happen (and sometimes do, although they are almost always minor deals involving teams that are already eliminated). In some cases, post-deadline injuries in particular, could make a pickup a good idea for a team on the bubble.
What do you think?