With two weeks left until the trading deadline, Thomas said he is "not looking to make any changes."

"The trading deadline is always a problem for players," said Smith.

"I didn't feel it was necessary to wait for the trading deadline to do something," Thomas said.

They've been actively talking to us since the trading deadline.

I'd like to do our part up until the trading deadline and rather than decrease maybe increase by a little bit.

Then it all changed at the trading deadline on July 3.

The date of the meeting, next Monday, is one day before the trading deadline.

At the end of that span comes the trading deadline.

"But we wouldn't have won without Mike making all the deals he did at the trading deadline."

He was obtained last night, just four hours before the trading deadline.

The days before the trade deadline could be the most important of the four-year Smith administration.

When you get close to the trade deadline, I like to talk to veterans especially.

"We've gone this far so I don't know why you would wait until the day before the trade deadline to let something happen," he said.

He pulled off three deals before last year's trade deadline.

At the trade deadline, the Rangers did what they have been doing all season: nothing.

But we won't sign anything until after the trade deadline.

"There's a lot of time before the trade deadline, so more than likely something will probably happen, but who knows?"

I may not be here when the trade deadline comes.

"Nothing presented itself that we thought would make the team better, so the trade deadline comes and goes."

In his first cut at the trade deadline, however, he was shut out.