The NHL trade deadline is only as crazy as it is because of the LTIR "loophole", which is not a loophole and is working exactly as intended. The league would rather have exciting trade deadlines than close that loophole.

The problem with the SHL is that there's no stakes involved that are high enough to prompt either a GM to yeet a good locker room presence for an unknown, or for someone who really loves their locker room to want to move to a different team for a chance at a cup with their current player. I don't think this is a solveable problem.