The day of the trading deadline in any sport is always the most cold-hearted day of the year, when players are uprooted from their homes and sent far from their families as part of an organization's relentless pursuit of a title or a rebuild.

But on Monday, one NHL trade helped bring a family closer together, at least partially due to a handwritten letter by an 11-year-old girl.

Veteran defenseman Jordan Leopold started the 2014-2015 NHL season with the St. Louis Blues. In November, he was traded to the struggling Columbus Blue Jackets.

Now, Leopold is a Minnesota native. He played collegiately for the University of Minnesota's Golden Gophers, and his wife Jamie and their four children live in the Twin Cities area. One day in January, Jamie Leopold found a letter written by her 11-year-old daughter, Jordyn, to the coaching staff of the Minnesota Wild, urging them to make a trade for her dad.

In the letter, Jordyn Leopold said she, her mother and three siblings have been lonely without their dad around.

"It has been since November and we cannot take it anymore," she wrote. "Can you guys please, please, please ask the [Blue] jackets if you guys can get him!"

Jamie Leopold told KMSP that she never went so far as to deliver the letter to the Wild.

"I was too nervous to go to that length, even though all my friends wanted me to," she said. However, she did post it on her Facebook page, and hours before the 3 p.m. ET trade deadline Monday, the letter was circulating online.

Finally, Jordyn Leopold got her wish. In exchange for defenseman Justin Falk and a 5th round pick in this summer's draft, the Wild brought Leopold home.

Blue Jackets General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen gave a subtle stick tap to the letter's role in facilitating the trade on Twitter.


"We wanted to do the right thing with Jordan Leopold. That's what we had talked about the whole time. We knew that his family was in Minnesota and he was here alone. His family visited a few times," Kekalainen said in Columbus after the deal was done.

"There is a human side, believe it or not, to our business. I think it's great that he can go home, join his family. To see that letter, it's pretty touching."

Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher saw a photo of the note, too.

''After I saw it there was a pressure to close the deal, that's for sure," Fletcher said. "I've only spoken to Jordan once this afternoon, and he's been away from his family for most of the year, and that's hard and you've certainly got to feel for him, but I know he's extremely excited to play for the Wild and to join our team. I think we're going to have a very motivated player and a very excited family, so those are two very good things to have."

Kessel: Media treatment of Phaneuf ‘embarrassing’

It’s not an easy time to be a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Fresh off an NHL trade deadline day where seemingly every roster player was rumoured to be available, Phil Kessel was looking to get something off his chest.

Kessel told assembled media in Sunrise, Florida ahead of Tuesday’s meeting with the Panthers that he’s had enough of the media finger-pointing at captain Dion Phaneuf for the Maple Leafs’ continued struggles.

“I’m disappointed today,” Kessel said. “I think the way the media treats Dion Phaneuf in this city is embarrassing. A lot of people should be ashamed of themselves. I’m embarrassed for them. I don’t think anyone deserves to be treated like that.”

Sportsnet reporter Shawn MacKenzie was on the scene and noted that Kessel was not asked specifically about Phaneuf. The winger was clearly frustrated and took the opportunity to unload.

Kessel was asked to specify with regards to his comments.

"Just in general," he told reporters. "I think you guys unfairly criticize Dion. He's our best defenceman and you guys act like he's not trying out there."

Both Phaneuf and Kessel have come under fire this season while the Maple Leafs have slid down the standings since a 10-1-1 hot stretch came to halt midway through December.

Kessel, who has just five goals since January 1, has been oft-mentioned as a player the Maple Leafs could look to move as part of a 'scorched-earth' rebuild plan. Phaneuf was linked to trade talks with the Detroit Red Wings on Monday, but nothing materialized amid reports that the Maple Leafs' asking price for its captain was too high.

The Maple Leafs will look to snap a mini two-game slide as they face the Panthers, winners of two straight, tonight at the BB&T Center.

Gall Legge Grant & Munroe LLP Release a Statement on Behalf of Their Clients Dion Phaneuf, Elisha Cuthbert and Joffrey Lupul
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - March 3, 2015) - The following is a statement by Peter A. Gall, Q.C. of Gall Legge Grant & Munroe LLP on behalf of their clients Dion Phaneuf, his wife Elisha Cuthbert and Joffrey Lupul.
"On behalf of our clients Dion Phaneuf, his wife Elisha Cuthbert and Joffrey Lupul, we have sent a letter to TSN demanding that TSN issue a formal apology and pay a significant amount of damages to each of our clients for broadcasting a false and defamatory tweet during their trade deadline show yesterday. We are sending a similar letter to the author of the tweet, Mr. Anthony Adragna.
"It is bad enough that there are people who spend their time using social media to publish such false and malicious stories, but it is made much worse when a reputable media outlet like TSN gives broad circulation and credibility to these false stories by republishing them as TSN did.
"If TSN and Mr. Adragna do not immediately comply with the demands set out in our letters, we have instructions from our clients to immediately commence a lawsuit against them.
"Our clients will not be discussing this matter with the media. Any questions should be directed to the undersigned."