Official NHL Trade Deadline Thread

[skatingtripods]

Please post all pertinent/big name trades in here. It'll keep things a bit more orderly.

As a starting point, Columbus traded F Curtis Glencross to Edmonton for D Dick Tarnstrom.

Tarnstrom's pretty much a purely offensive guy. I don't know if it's a very good deal for Columbus, so much as it looks like a precursor to further moves. Tarnstrom is a UFA at season's end, so he is a rental. He'll be a good puck mover in transition. He'll probably be paired with Hejda.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

I liked Glencross he was young and had potential. This team needs a spark they look flat. The Phoenix game was embarrassing and Nashville owns us. I never thought we would miss Foote that much till I watched that Phoenix game. Its redundant but if we can get Modin and Vyborny going that could fix some of the problems except our slow Defensemen.

[skatingtripods]

I liked Glencross he was young and had potential. This team needs a spark they look flat. The Phoenix game was embarrassing and Nashville owns us. I never thought we would miss Foote that much till I watched that Phoenix game. Its redundant but if we can get Modin and Vyborny going that could fix some of the problems except our slow Defensemen.

Not really meant for this thread, but Vyborny doesn't want to be here at all. He wants to go back to the Czech Republic and has already informed the team that he will go there after the season. They'll likely try to trade him but not find any suitors.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

Thats why I like you Tripods we may disagree on politics but you got that inside hockeye info I love. I think this forum is pretty much You, buckeyehoppy, and me. Do you see any big names out there we can land? Im gonna miss Vyborny has been here awhile and is well-liked by the fans but if home is where he wants to be then happy trails Davey V.

[skatingtripods]

Big names...hmm

Depends on what you consider a big name. Honestly, no. Not an earth shattering move. I think they could get Bobby Holik. They could get Brian Campbell, but Tarnstrom makes me think they won't. If they get anyone, it'll be a forward. I heard that they offered Federov to Ottawa for Joe Corvo, an offensive defenseman from Ottawa, but like I said, that rumor holds little water now because of the Tarnstrom acquisition.

As for big names that are impending UFA and on teams that might not or will not make the playoffs: Miroslav Satan (NYI), Ladislav Nagy (LA), Mike Comrie (NYI)* (would be perfect playing with Nash and Zherdev), Mike York (PHX), Dan Boyle (TB), Vaclav Prospal (TB),
and Sundin, who we've mentioned.

Still, my favorites names aren't earth shattering. What they need are character grinders. I think that they need to get defensive-minded guys to shutdown the opposition's top line. Marty Reasoner is a great one. Matt Cooke from Vancouver would be another awesome addition.

Mike Comrie and Ladislav Nagy are two guys I would go after, sure to cost you Brule and probably a 1st rounder, likely more. That's a stiff price for those two, but with Federov and Foote off the books, it might not be all for naught.

[skatingtripods]

The Jackets are still uncertain if they will be buyers or sellers on February 26th, according to the Ottawa Sun.

http://www.ottawasun.com/Sports/Hockey/ ... 1-sun.html

The Jackets are fielding calls for D Ron Hainsey, but they haven't decided if they're going to be a buyer or seller at the deadline

Hainsey has quite a bit of value and I guess this is a chance for Dick Tarnstrom to play his way into Hainsey's role.

There are lots of other interesting names in that article. Miro Satan is intriguing because he'd be another finisher. The Jackets desperately need a playmaker, but any offense is beneficial at this point.

The most notable thing I took from that article is the idea of Brian Campbell to Chicago. The Sabres are looking at a sign-and-trade. I would have to assume that the Sabres would want forward prospect Jack Skille as part of that deal, maybe former first rounder Cam Barker as well. I bring that up because that is the equivalent of Brassard and a high pick from Columbus, as they don't have a D prospect that is NHL-ready as Barker, and Russell isn't close.

[skatingtripods]

In a related story from the Edmonton Journal, the Jackets are looking at re-signing Adam Foote for 3.25 mil a season with a two-year extension. It's a hell of a lot better than the 4.5+ he earns now, and gives him a very tradeable contract in its final year.

[skatingtripods]

Take Joe Corvo off the list for the Jackets.

Per TSN, Ottawa trades Joe Corvo and Patrick Eaves to Carolina for Mike Commodore and Cory Stillman.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=229406&hubName=nhl

It's actually a pretty even trade here. Ottawa gets another thumper to log bottom pairing minutes on D and Stillman is an offensive upgrade over Eaves. Nothing beats Stanley Cup experience and both Stillman and Commodore have it.

[skatingtripods]

Another defenseman off the board.

Jaroslav Modry to the Flyers, a 3rd rounder to the Kings.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=230038&hubname=

[skatingtripods]

Well, the deadline is tomorrow at 3 p.m. As it stands now, the Jackets are 5 points out, but Vancouver has 2 games in hand.

I will post all trades here and a brief analysis as they come across the wire.

The most notable thing so far for the Jackets is that Brad Richards (C-TB) has agreed to waive his no trade clause. One of the teams rumored to be a front runner for him is the Columbus Blue Jackets. He's on the books for the next 3 years at 7.8 mil.

[skatingtripods]

Word from Aaron Portzline's Jackets' blog is that Adam Foote is NOT skating at practice today. His agent is also not in his Pennsylvania office. Take of that what you will.

Nothing on the trade front yet. The Jackets' offer to Tampa Bay for Richards is apparently F Gilbert Brule, F Dan Fritsche, and D Ole-Kristian Tollefson.

All quiet for now. I'll keep everyone updated.

[skatingtripods]

Peter Forsberg has signed a 1 year deal with the Colorado Avalanche per TSN.

This may start to spring some activity.

[skatingtripods]

Word from Aaron Portzline's Jackets' blog is that Adam Foote is NOT skating at practice today. His agent is also not in his Pennsylvania office. Take of that what you will.

Just to update this. Foote and his agent are about 500k/season away from coming to an extension with the Jackets. It's believed to be a 2 yr extension worth 6-8 million.

If they don't get something together tonight, trade offers will be entertained for him.

[skatingtripods]

Well, the first trade is done.

The Philadelphia Flyers receive F Vaclav Prospal from Tampa Bay in exchange for F Alexandre Picard and a conditional 3rd '09, per Vs.

The condition on the pick: If the Flyers reach the Eastern Conference Final, the pick becomes a 2nd '09.

Prospal's a good rental piece here. Picard is a puck moving defenseman, probably a #4-#6 or so when he reaches his potential.

[skatingtripods]

The Lightning have reached an agreement with D Dan Boyle on a 6 yr 40 mil extension.

Meanwhile, the Blues have reached an extension with D Barret Jackman at 4 yr/14 mil.

The market went up for Foote if he doesn't reach an extension with CBJ.

[skatingtripods]

First activity on deadline day...


The New York Islanders agreed to a 1 yr 4 mil deal with C Mike Comrie.

The first trade:

The New Jersey Devils have acquired D Bryce Salvador for F Cam Janssen.

Not earth shattering, but Salvador is a sound defensive defenseman and will be able to slow down some of the East's forwards in the playoffs.

[skatingtripods]

Another blockbuster.

The Florida Panthers have acquired F Wade Belak from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a 5th round draft choice.

The 5th has more upside than Belak.

[StewieG]

Hey ST, I just wanted to tell you thanks for keeping this updated. I'm a casual fan of the Jackets (and can't watch any of their games, because apparently where I'm at is just outside of the viewing area on FSN), but I love trade deadline stuff just to see who goes where. Just wanted to let you know it's appreciated.

[skatingtripods]

No problem Stewie.

Our first big deal of the day.

The San Jose Sharks have gotten D Brian Campbell and a 7th round draft pick from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Steve Bernier and a 1st round draft pick.

This is an excellent deal for both teams. Having seen Bernier a lot as a Baron, he's a late blooming power forward. He's got a big body and excellent hands.

Soupy Campbell makes San Jose an immediate impact team deep into the playoffs in the Western Conference. He's a fantastic skater, sometimes a bit disinterested in his own zone. He's definitely an offensive guy and a perfect fit in San Jose.

[skatingtripods]

And the Campbell deal gets the ball rolling...

The Dallas Stars have acquired C Brad Richards and G Johan Holmqvist from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for G Mike Smith, F Jeff Halpern, and F Jussi Jokinen.

Dallas really got away with one here. The Tampa return is not that good at all. Dallas should have had to include D Mark Fistric, a prime prospect. Smith is already 26 and has never held a starting job. Jokinen and Halpern are talented, but barely top 6 forwards.

[skatingtripods]

Here we go..

The Washington Capitals have acquired G Cristobal Huet (what a name) from the Montreal Canadiens for a 2nd round draft pick in 2009.

Huet will back up Kolzig, unless Kolzig is for some reason on the move. It's kind of a medium-risk high-reward deal for Washington, in that it costs them a top half pick in the 2nd round of a great draft, but Huet still has some upside and Kolzig is aging.

[skatingtripods]

Another defenseman I really like off the board.

The Colorado Avalanche have acquired D Ruslan Salei from the Florida Panthers in exchange for Karlis Skrastins and a 3rd round pick.

Salei is a stopgap for the bleeding of injuries on the Colorado blue line. With Clark and Finger hurt, Salei helps out a ton.

[skatingtripods]

Two young, very strong forwards change addresses.

The Carolina Hurricanes have acquired F Tuomo Ruutu from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for F Andrew Ladd.

Kind of a lateral move here. I think Chicago gets the better of the deal due to Ladd's more offensive game.

[skatingtripods]

Senators add a vet.

The Ottawa Senators have acquired F Martin Lapointe from the Chicago Blackhawks for a 6th round draft pick.

The fact that Wade Belak was worth more than Martin Lapointe is embarrassing.

[skatingtripods]

First Columbus Blue Jackets trade..

The Colorado Avalanche have acquired D Adam Foote from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a conditional 2008 1st round draft pick.


'08 if Colorado makes the playoffs. '09 if not.

Another conditional pick to Columbus if Foote re-signs in Colorado.

This leads me to believe that Adam Foote was a very sought after commodity. A first for a rental is a pretty steep price given the underpayments so far today.

This also leads me to think that Federov/Peca and Vyborny will almost certainly be dealt.

[skatingtripods]

And right as I say Federov goes...


The Washington Capitals have acquired C Sergei Federov from the Columbus Blue Jackets for D Teddy Ruth, a freshman at Notre Dame.

Howson's dumping salary like crazy, maybe for a big move today or a big move this offseason.

[skatingtripods]

Washington's excellent day continues.

The Washington Capitals have acquired F Matt Cooke from the Vancouver Canucks for F Matt Pettinger.

[skatingtripods]

An overpriced immobile defenseman moves.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired D Hal Gill from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a 2nd round draft pick and a 5th round draft pick.

[skatingtripods]

Also, another defenseman moving.

The New York Rangers have acquired D Christian Backman from the St. Louis Blues for a 4th round draft choice.

[skatingtripods]

The prize fish is off the board.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired F Marian Hossa and F Pascal Dupuis from the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for F Erik Christensen, F Colby Armstrong, F Angelo Esposito and a 1st round draft pick.

More analysis on this later.

[StewieG]

The prize fish is off the board.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired F Marian Hossa and F Pascal Dupuis from the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for F Erik Christensen, F Colby Armstrong, D Angelo Esposito and a 1st round draft pick.

More analysis on this later.

Wow...Pittsburgh's going for it

[skatingtripods]

The deadline has passed, but trades and parts of trades tend to filter in for about the next hour.

[skatingtripods]

The Minnesota Wild have the market cornered on cheap shot goons by acquiring F Chris Simon from the New York Islanders for a 6th round draft pick.

[skatingtripods]

The strong get stronger...

The Detroit Red Wings have acquired D Brad Stuart from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a 2nd round draft pick in 2008 and a 4th round draft pick in 2009.

[skatingtripods]

Interesting deal here

The Phoenix Coyotes have acquired G Al Montoya and F Marcel Hossa from the New York Rangers in exchange for F Fredrik Sjostrom, G David LeNeveu, and F Josh Gratton.

Phoenix hosed the Rangers in this one.

[skatingtripods]

Also...

The Florida Panthers have acquired F Chad Kilger from the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 3rd round draft choice.

Kilger's a great depth guy and an outstanding penalty killer. Good deal by Florida.

[skatingtripods]

The Anaheim Mighty Ducks have acquired D Marc-Andre Bergeron from the New York Islanders in exchange for a 3rd rounder.

Another offensive minded puckmover heading westward in a depth move.

[skatingtripods]

The Anaheim Mighty Ducks have acquired some depth goaltender Jean-Sebastien Aubin from the Los Angeles Kings for a 7th round draft pick.

[skatingtripods]

Another minor depth move

The Washington Capitals have acquired D Alexandre Giroux from the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for F Joe Motzko.

[skatingtripods]

And to round out the day.

The Nashville Predators acquire F Jan Hlavac from Tampa Bay for a 7th round draft pick.

Also, Nashville acquired F Brandon Bochenski from Anaheim for future considerations.

The New York Islanders acquire D Rob Davison from San Jose for a 7th round pick.

[skatingtripods]

Well, now that everything has settled down, I'll recap this here so as not to clog the main page.

23 trades on Deadline Day, and one late last night. The big names that did not get traded include Olli Jokinen (C-FLA), Miroslav Satan (RW-NYI), Ladislav Nagy (LW-LA), Dwayne Roloson (G-EDM), Rob Blake (D-LA), Robert Lang (C-CHI), John-Michael Liles (D-COL), and various others who signed extensions before the trade deadline.

Most predictable: Campbell to San Jose for Steve Bernier + 1st. This was definitely expected. San Jose's been looking for someone to shoulder some of the PP burden currently held by Christian Ehrhoff. Campbell gives them another mobile defenseman in a group that is very stay-at-home. A good deal for San Jose, and Buffalo got back good value.

My take: Great trade for both sides. Bernier is still growing into his frame as a hockey player, and even a late 1st in this year's incredibly deep draft is a great piece to have. Campbell instantly makes San Jose a top 4 team in the West. The only question mark remains how hot Evgeni Nabakov can stay. He has to play a lot of games the rest of the way.

Best trade: Sergei Federov to Washington. For George McPhee to only have to give up a 2nd round pick for Federov is quite a steal. Because Federov was arguably the second best center on the market (Richards), I, and many others, expected the price would go up for him. It didn't happen and Howson cut his losses with Feds.

My take: Jackets' GM Scott Howson did good to get something for Federov, but I really expected it to be more than this. A mid-round 2nd will give them a player with potential, but not a game breaker. I'd have liked to a good prospect and a 3rd rounder. For Washington, Federov is on the downside of his career, but he'll be great for fellow Russian Alexander Ovechkin.

Worst trade: Brad Richards to Dallas. Look, Dallas really pulled one over on Jay Feaster today. Initially, it was reported that Feaster was going to demand Mark Fistric, a very promising young defenseman, be included in the deal. In the end, Feaster got a 26 year old goaltender with no real NHL starting experience, a 3rd line crafty Finn and a solid PKer, and a pretty good faceoff guy and 2nd line centerman. It may sound good, but for Brad Richards, it's not. The best part of this deal is to get Richards 7.8M off the books for the next three years. Nevertheless, Tampa Bay got no youth to build with. I wasn't expecting them to get Matt Niskanen, but Fistric certainly would have looked better.

My take: Dallas is now a top two team in the Western Conference. They have incredible depth down the middle in Modano, Ribiero, and Richards. Once Zubov and Boucher get healthy, they're poised to make a deep run. If Marty Turco can get over his playoff struggles, I would not be surprised in the slightest to see them representing the West. As for Tampa Bay, as I said, they didn't get any real youth in this. They did get the necessary funds to pay for Dan Boyle's expensive extension, but they didn't solve any of their problems. Mike Smith is probably not the answer in net.

Most surprising trade: Al Montoya to Phoenix. I really never saw this coming. Phoenix was in trouble with their goaltending situation until Mighty Ducks GM Brian Burke made Ilya Bryzgalov available on waivers. Phoenix jumped all over that and, though he's been inconsistent at times, it was a huge upgrade over their situation. LeNeveu was once a promising prospect, but has toiled in the AHL since he left college. Getting Montoya was great for Phoenix. I realize that New York has Lundqvist cemented as their starter for many years to come, but they could have gotten a much better return.

My take: Fredrik Sjostrom is likely the player to make the most impact this year. Marcel Hossa is right there as well. Other than that, Montoya will probably take the reins within 2-3 years for the Coyotes. Montoya was the netminder that won the World Junior Championships Gold Medal for the U.S. team in 2004 over Canada and Marc-Andre Fleury.

Biggest gamble: Marian Hossa to Pittsburgh. This is a no brainer. Pittsburgh will have an impossible time trying to agree to an extension with Hossa. Giving up some great young talent in Christensen and Armstrong made them a better team now, but not for the future. Angelo Esposito was their first round draft pick last year, yes of the famous Esposito line, and is still very young. The fact that they also gave up a first is an enormous gamble.

My take: I really don't like this deal for Pittsburgh. Certainly they have Crosby and Malkin, but their D remains suspect, and Hal Gill won't help. Marc-Andre Fleury is tested on the big stage internationally, but not in the NHL. Hossa's a great piece to put alongside Crosby or Malkin, but not at the outrageous cost. Don Waddell finally did Atlanta proud by making a great deal. He got valuable youth, cut Hossa out of the picture, and with any luck, gave himself some talent to surround Ilya Kovalchuk with.

Most pointless trade: Chris Simon to Minnesota for a 6th rounder. Chris Simon brings an element of toughness to a trap system that already has enough personnel to clog up the middle of the ice.

My take: Simon's a useless goon. Having been suspended this year for stepping on Jarkko Ruutu's leg, he'll fit right in with noted tough guy Todd Fedoruk. At least Fedoruk has some talent.

Best salary dump: Adam Foote to Colorado for a Cond. 1st rounder. Foote and the Jackets could not agree on an extension. Now, he's reunited with the city he's most familiar with. He will save the Jackets between 6-8 million over the next 2 years.

My take:Great move by Howson here. It was reported that Foote and the Jackets were about 500k/season apart from an extension. Though Foote was the captain and really hampers the team's psyche heading into a playoff run, getting a first rounder, especially if Colorado makes the playoffs, is a huge addition. Foote was going to want 2 years 8 million and the Jackets can spend that money much more wisely this offseason on a centerman to play between Nash and Zherdev.

Biggest steal: Cristobal Huet to Washington for a 2nd in '09. Huet, the former starter in Montreal, apparently got bypassed for a rookie with no playoff experience. Carey Price takes the reins now in Quebec, while Huet likely becomes the starter in Washington.

My take: Huet was worth much more than this. With the available goaltenders so few in number this year, to get Huet for a mid-round 2nd is an outstanding move. George McPhee was a wizard today (I especially love the Matt Cooke deal). Huet's still a young goaltender and should fit well in Washington.


Other items of note:

Ottawa and Detroit only get slightly better. Ottawa picks up winger Martin Lapointe and Detroit gets defenseman Brad Stuart. Stuart was a former thumper with the Sharks, but injuries have hampered his career. It's a great trade for them now because of how banged up the blueline is with injuries to Kronwall, Lidstrom, and Rafalski. In the end, they only gave up two picks for a serviceable 6th defenseman in the playoffs.

Montreal really screwed themselves this year. They were reportedly the front runners for Hossa all along until Pittsburgh stepped in and overpaid. Losing Huet leaves them to go with a rookie in net for the stretch run. Bob Gainey's desire to hold on to pieces like Chris Higgins and Mikhail Grabovsky may have really crippled his team's chance of making a deep run.

Colorado was the most proactive, albeit, not the smartest team. Ruslan Salei is an excellent addition for a banged up blueline, and Foote will be a good acquisition for the playoff push. Their best pickup was Forsberg signing, but they've still got a lot of work to do out west, with a banged up blueline and mediocre goaltending.



Moves that should have been made:

Ottawa needed to trade headcase Ray Emery. Emery is a team cancer, being in the news several times in recent months for legal trouble, skipping practice, etc. They couldn't unload him on anyone, but should have accepted absolutely anything for him.

San Jose needed to acquire a backup goaltender. With Johan Hedberg out there, as well as Fredrik Norrena, and numerous others, Thomas Greiss is unlikely to play a lot down the stretch, leaving Evgeni Nabakov to continue playing nightly and wearing down for the playoff push. Also, San Jose needed to get some secondary scoring from somewhere. Miroslav Satan, Ladislav Nagy, or Robert Lang would have been great fits.

Columbus should have traded David Vyborny. Whether he goes back to the Czech Republic or not, he will not be a Blue Jacket next year. This year's deadline was very weak on wingers and he had to hold some value, at least a 3rd rounder.

Nashville did nothing. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. They're going through lots of ownership difficulties and hanging on to a low seed out west. They didn't get any better, and potentially got worse given everything that Colorado did.


Moves that weren't made and rightfully so:

Florida did a good thing by not trading Olli Jokinen. In a very wide open Southeast Division, Jokinen has a manageable 5.25M a year contract and is signed through next year. The Panthers have lots of good youth (Horton, Weiss) and a sound goaltender in Tomas Vokoun. The ball is in their court now. They can trade him on draft day, keep him until next year's deadline, or outright re-sign him.

San Jose holding on to Patrick Marleau was very wise. Because of his disinterested play lately, he would not have gotten full value on the market and that's probably why the Sharks held on to him. They needed to get a secondary scorer (Satan) to play with him, but I would still hold out hope that Marleau gets it together.

Columbus holding on to Mike Peca is actually a good thing. Peca's got to be a good influence inside the locker room and a calming influence during this tough time of year. Columbus probably will not make the playoffs, with or without Peca, but he's a good leader to have around.


Solid trades that weren't earth shattering:

I love New Jersey adding Bryce Salvador. At such a low cost, he fits perfectly into their system and is a very sound defenseman.

I love the Matt Cooke acquisition by Washington. I think he's an upgrade over Pettinger and will be a great piece for their division title run. He also fits well to shutdown the other big lines in the East.

Biggest winners: Washington
Biggest losers: Montreal

[Funky Cold Luis Medina]

Before you get too down on Chris Simon, don't forget he has a 29-goal season to his credit, as well as 6 other 10-goal seasons. He's far more than a goon, and should make a nice combo with Fedoruk and/or Boogaard for checking and fighting. Not too bad a pickup for a 6th round pick.

Half Girl, err, Hal Gill is useless. 6'7" 255, plays like he's 5'7" 155. Can't contribute offensively, can't play defense worth a damn. How does he still have a job?

The Hossa deal sucks. The guy is a one-year rental (they can't afford to sign him AND give contracts to Malkin and Staal in 2009) and while I don't think Esposito is all he's cracked up to be, and Armstrong and Christiansen are just third liners, it's still a bit much. But, I'm glad they were able to keep Staal in it all.

The Richards trade isn't as bad once you consider that Tampa Bay just wanted to dump him but couldn't convince themselves just to release him. Crappy trade for TB when just comparing talent acquired to talent lost, but all things considered, not too bad.

LA Kings fans need to organize a lynch mob to go after Rob Blake and Dean Lombardi.

What is Washington going to do with three goalies? I expected Johnson to be sent somewhere (SJ or Montreal), but it didn't happen. San Jose solved their backup goaltending issues (may be not solved, but at least helped) by signing Brian Boucher.

I think the Jackets tried to move Vyborny but no one wants to take him. He's leaving for the Czech leagues at the end of the season, no one would want to give up anything for him. Even a third rounder is a waste for him, and I'm sure the Jackets would take nothing less.

Matt Cooke's acquisition means Donald Brashear had better be willing to fight.

And I agree, the Capitals were the big winners, while Montreal blew it badly.

[skatingtripods]

Before you get too down on Chris Simon, don't forget he has a 29-goal season to his credit, as well as 6 other 10-goal seasons. He's far more than a goon, and should make a nice combo with Fedoruk and/or Boogaard for checking and fighting. Not too bad a pickup for a 6th round pick.

That was ten years ago. Sure, he'll help on the checking line...till he gets suspended for something stupid.

Half Girl, err, Hal Gill is useless. 6'7" 255, plays like he's 5'7" 155. Can't contribute offensively, can't play defense worth a damn. How does he still have a job?

That was baffling to me as well. The fact that he was worth 2 draft picks, one of them a 2nd rounder, made no sense.

The Hossa deal sucks. The guy is a one-year rental (they can't afford to sign him AND give contracts to Malkin and Staal in 2009) and while I don't think Esposito is all he's cracked up to be, and Armstrong and Christiansen are just third liners, it's still a bit much. But, I'm glad they were able to keep Staal in it all.

I wouldn't say it sucks. Granted, they gave up a ton of talent, Hossa puts them as a favorite to get to the ECF and, more importantly, grab that 4 seed for home ice if they don't catch New Jersey. Don't underestimate Dupuis either. He's been around the league and will make a good 3rd line C.

I'm not sure that you fully understand the potential of Christensen. He's shown to have great one on one ability and really has some skills. He's only 24 years old, and as he got more playing time, had 6 points in 9 games since the break. He's also a kid still growing into his frame. He'll never be a prolific scorer, but I see him molding into a good, sound two-way player.

Same goes for Armstrong. He's certainly better than his brother, former Cleveland Baron, Riley, and continues to get better. He's only 25, and showed lots of promise in his first year with 46 points in 40 games. He's going to get better.

You said that the trade sucks, but then you state that Christensen and Armstrong are nothing more than third liners (which is true on Pittsburgh's roster, not Tampa Bay's) and then say that Esposito isn't all he's cracked up to be. While his draft stock did drop by not going in a year previous, he still has quite a bit of talent.

How can you say that Espo isn't all he's cracked up to be? First of all, he is 19 years old. Second, he is a first round draft pick, who averaged over a point per game in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League throughout his tenure there. He'll grow into his 6'1" frame and probably be 190-200 when he's done.

All that being said, Pittsburgh took a huge gamble here. They know that they cannot keep Hossa, so they're going for it. They gave up some quality youth, including that 1st rounder in a super deep draft, all for a rental. However, I think it makes them a top 2 team in the East. I would put them above Ottawa and below New Jersey. If they can handle Ottawa's forwards for a long series, they can beat them.

The Richards trade isn't as bad once you consider that Tampa Bay just wanted to dump him but couldn't convince themselves just to release him. Crappy trade for TB when just comparing talent acquired to talent lost, but all things considered, not too bad.

Here's why the Richards trade is terrible. Brad Richards is far and away the best player in that deal. While Hossa is the best player now, he may not be later, if Espo or that future 1st matures. There is no opportunity for very much improvement from any of the three that TB acquired. Mike Smith was a mediocre goalie on a damn good team. I realize that he's never gotten a shot as a starter in the NHL, his AHL numbers aren't all that impressive. He was a .500 goaltender there.

Like I said, since Niskanen wasn't going to be possible, they had to have Fistric. If not Fistric, Grossman (http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/niklas_grossman) or Khomitski (http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/vadim_khomitski) would have done fine. At least there was potential there. Halpern was likely thrown in the deal to balance the money a little bit. Jussi Jokinen is a fine player, but he's not Richards worthy. They needed a more promising return, not just getting the money off the books.

LA Kings fans need to organize a lynch mob to go after Rob Blake and Dean Lombardi.

I can't believe they didn't deal Nagy either. They've got great pieces for the future (Kopitar, Brown, Cammalleri). I was surprised by that as well.

What is Washington going to do with three goalies? I expected Johnson to be sent somewhere (SJ or Montreal), but it didn't happen. San Jose solved their backup goaltending issues (may be not solved, but at least helped) by signing Brian Boucher.

Yeah, I overlooked the Boucher signing. I think Johnson gets waived and winds up in Ottawa. There are some waiver deals well after the deadline, so we'll keep an eye on those.

I think the Jackets tried to move Vyborny but no one wants to take him. He's leaving for the Czech leagues at the end of the season, no one would want to give up anything for him. Even a third rounder is a waste for him, and I'm sure the Jackets would take nothing less.

I agree with you, but I think that there are enough teams that need secondary scoring that would have taken him. Nashville strikes me as a place where he would have fit in. Also, Minnesota.

I stress that when I said he was going back to the Czech leagues, that was a pretty educated guess, not a fact. Either way, he won't be in Columbus.

Matt Cooke's acquisition means Donald Brashear had better be willing to fight.

And I agree, the Capitals were the big winners, while Montreal blew it badly.

Matt Cooke is a player I have always loved. To get him for Pettinger may be a lateral move down the line, but for now, it's a great trade for Washington. They definitely got a lot better and it'll be interesting to see what they do in the playoffs against Buffalo, the Rangers, or whoever else may slide into that 6 spot.

[buckeyehoppy]

Lots and lots of action on the deadline.

Johnson to Ottawa sounds plausible enough, but how about Colorado? They need a GK desperately. Neither Budaj nor Theodore is much of a long-term solution.

Gretzky stole Montoya from the Rangers, flat out! Getting Bryzgalov to the desert was a gift, but picking up Montoya to be the heir-apparent will help the Coyotes long range picture by leaps and bounds.

I don't really mind that the Jackets unloaded Foote. It didn't sound like he was in the picture past this campaign anyway, but I wouldn't have given him the $$$ he wanted either, so big ups to Howson. Now, do they play hard for Hossa in the off-season? Possibly, but I won't be holding my breath.

Speaking of Hossa, he gives the Pens first line some amazing firepower between him, Sid and Malone. If Conklin can keep up his most recent level of play, the Pens may just have something. Also keep in mind that despite giving up Christenson and Armstrong, they also kept Letang and Staal, which was no small feat.

Richards also gives Dallas immediate legitimacy for the finals, so long as Turco figures out how to play in the playoffs.

And Bernier is a nice add for the Sabres. He's at least more relevant for their stretch run than Campbell.

If Campbell reaches the level of play he's capable of, he'll take the weight of the world off Ehrhoff.

All in all, a pretty active deadline.

[skatingtripods]

I don't really mind that the Jackets unloaded Foote. It didn't sound like he was in the picture past this campaign anyway, but I wouldn't have given him the $$$ he wanted either, so big ups to Howson. Now, do they play hard for Hossa in the off-season? Possibly, but I won't be holding my breath.

Personally, I say they should go real hard after Jokinen at the draft. Give them Brule, CBJ 1st '08 and a conditional first in 2010 if he re-signs with Columbus (3rd '09 if not).

[buckeyehoppy]

I don't really mind that the Jackets unloaded Foote. It didn't sound like he was in the picture past this campaign anyway, but I wouldn't have given him the $$$ he wanted either, so big ups to Howson. Now, do they play hard for Hossa in the off-season? Possibly, but I won't be holding my breath.

Personally, I say they should go real hard after Jokinen at the draft. Give them Brule, CBJ 1st '08 and a conditional first in 2010 if he re-signs with Columbus (3rd '09 if not).

I'd be OK with that, since the Blue Jackets seem to have given up on Brule.

I'm not so sure I give the Panthers two 1sts for him at this point. His +/- is atrocious this season, so he's on the ice a lot when the defense breaks down.

A 1st for this year is OK (he's definitely a first line C for the Jackets anyway), but the second pick is definitely conditional anyway, based on the contract extension and his play in the first season. The only way they get the second 1st is after his first season in Columbus. If he can get back to being +, then the 1st in 2010 seems reasonable.

Either way, Jokinen would address the first line C and would pair really well with Nash. Somehow or other, the Jackets need to address their first line if they ever want to make a serious long term push to be a playoff team.