With the world junior hockey championship and Memorial Cup finally back together in their normal places on the calendar this year, another annual hockey tradition has returned.
The days that follow the WJC traditionally are filled with trades in the CHL as big names head to contenders in search of league championships.
This year was no exception.
The QMJHL trade deadline was last week, and the OHL and WHL had their deadlines on Tuesday -- and there was plenty of action in the days after Canada struck gold in Halifax.
Here's a look at how each league shapes up after the big moves.
OHL
The playoffs should provide excellent entertainment after several teams indicated they are all-in at the deadline.
The Windsor Spitfires (second in the West) landed the big fish, acquiring Canadian captain Shane Wright from the Kingston Frontenacs for two younger players and seven draft picks after the No. 4 overall pick in last year's NHL draft was sent back to junior by the Seattle Kraken.
The West-leading London Knights were rumoured to be in the hunt for Wright, which will make this longstanding rivalry that much better.
But London and Windsor aren't the only teams with eyes on a conference title.
The fourth-place Sarnia Sting also loaded up, acquiring Canadian world junior defenceman Ethan Del Mastro and Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Luca Del Bel Belluz, a forward, from the Mississauga Steelheads. They join a team featuring the OHL's leading scorer: Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Ty Voit.
In the East, a number of teams also added major pieces.
The East-leading Ottawa 67's acquired top defenceman Pavel Mintyukov (10th overall, Anaheim, 2022) from the Saginaw Spirit for nine draft picks and added OHL second-leading scorer Logan Morrison from the Hamilton Bulldogs. Mintyukov is third in OHL scoring.
The fourth-place Barrie Colts got a star back when the Los Angeles Kings returned Canadian world junior defenceman Brandt Clarke after the tournament. The Colts also added Florida Panthers prospect Braden Hache, another blue-liner, from the Frontenacs for five picks.
The third-place Peterborough Petes were busy, trading for Canadian junior forward Owen Beck from the Steelheads after adding fellow Canadian junior forward Brennan Othmann from the Flint Firebirds earlier this season. Peterborough also acquired two players with Memorial Cup experience -- defenceman Gavin White, a Dallas Stars prospect, and forward Avery Hayes -- from Hamilton -- at the deadline.
If you live in Eastern Ontario, by the way, remember these dates: Wright's Spitfires are in Peterborough on Feb. 23, Ottawa on Feb. 24 and Kingston on Feb. 26 as the Kraken prospect returns to his old stomping grounds to wrap up what should be a fun road trip.
WHL
The Kamloops Blazers host the Memorial Cup this year -- and clearly are going to leave no stone unturned as they try to win it.
The Blazers acquired Canadian world junior defenceman Olen Zellweger, an Anaheim Ducks prospect, and centre Ryan Hofer, a Washington Capitals prospect, for four players and up to 10 picks. Kamloops is third in the Western Conference standings.
The West-leading Seattle Thunderbirds got a big break this week when the Winnipeg Jets returned first-round pick Brad Lambert, a forward, to the WHL after he played for Finland at the world junior and Manitoba in the AHL to start the season.
He's not the only big name joining Seattle. The Thunderbirds landed Canadian world junior forward Colton Dach, who was injured in the preliminary round, from the Kelowna Rockets.
The Jets also helped the Portland Winterhawks, who are second in the West and chasing Seattle, by returning first-round pick Chaz Lucius. The centre played for the U.S. at the world juniors and also opened the year with Manitoba.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Conference-leading Winnipeg Ice added Canadian world junior forward Zack Ostapchuk, an Ottawa Senators prospect, from the Vancouver Giants for four players and four picks.
The Ice host the Thunderbirds on Wednesday in what promises to be a great game.
The Saskatoon Blades, third in the East, landed Edmonton Oilers prospect Jake Chiasson, a defenceman, in a deal with the Brandon Wheat Kings.
The biggest name, however, is staying put. The Regina Pats, seventh in the East, did not trade Connor Bedard.
QMJHL
The Sherbrooke Phoenix, who are tied for first in the Western Conference with the Victoriaville Tigres, made a big move to acquire Czechia winger Jakub Brabenec from the Charlottetown Islanders for a player and five picks. The Vegas Golden Knights prospect was a point per game player for the silver-medal-winning Czechs at the world juniors. He joins Czech teammate David Spacek in Sherbrooke.
The Gatineau Olympiques, who are just two points behind the leaders in the West, acquired Montreal Canadiens prospect Riley Kidney, a centre, from the Acadie-Bathurst Titan for two players and a first-round pick.
The East-leading Quebec Remparts, who have seven NHL drafted players, and second-place Halifax Mooseheads, who have the league's top two scorers in Jordan Dumais and Alexandre Doucet, both were relatively quiet.
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