Trade Deadline: Winners

Winners:

Toronto Maple Leafs
No, the Leafs weren't able to pick up any big names, nor any big prospects, but they were the envy of many teams in their successful attempts to drop bad players with bad salaries and get some useful assets in return. They dropped Hal Gill (making over $2 million next year), Wade Belak (UFA at end of season), and Chad Kilger ($700k next year).

11:18 am, Tuesday February 26, 2008
Acquire: Wade Belak	Acquire: 5th round draft pick

2:47 pm, Tuesday February 26, 2008
Acquire: Hal Gill	Acquire: '08 2nd round pick, '09 5th round pick

3:20 pm, Tuesday February 26, 2008
Acquire: Chad Kilger	Acquire: 2008, 3rd round pick

Overall, Toronto gets a 2nd, 3rd, and a couple of 5ths which is pretty good considering they got rid of a guy they had no intention of resigning, a defenceman that practically doesn't belong in the NHL, and a guy that can be replaced by a youngster who might have a big(ger) upside. The Toronto media called Toronto losers, but truly they are the winners.

Dallas Stars
I suppose I'm being a bit hypocritical after my last post, but I don't consider Brad Richards to be a rental in the same way Brad Stuart was a rental for Calgary. This is a move more in the tradition of the New Jersey Devils picking up a player like Joe Niewendyk ( March 19, 2002: Dallas traded C Joe Nieuwendyk and RW Jamie Langenbrunner to New Jersey for C Jason Arnott, RW Randy McKay and New Jersey's 1st-round pick in the 2002 Entry Draft.) who's a champion who will be a cornerstone of the team for years to come. It didn't pay off that year for New Jersey who bowed out in the first round to the upstart Carolina Hurricanes who made it all the way to the final. Turns out Niewendyk had the flu that year. He didn't the next year as he played his way to the final and won the cup for a third time on a third team. If you ever looked up champion in the dictionary I am sure Niewendyk's name would be mentioned one way or another.

Is Brad Richards a Joe Niewendyk type guy? I don't know, he doesn't have the experience, but he certainly has a good pedigree. Nonetheless, this wasn't just a short term 2008 playoff run move, this was a long term move where Dallas said we want our team to have championship pedigree. In my books, collecting champions is always a good move, especially if you can afford it.

11:46 am, Tuesday February 26, 2008
Acquire: Brad Richards Johan Holmqvist	Acquire: Mike Smith Jussi Jokinen Jeff Halpern 2009 fourth-round pick

Oilers' Options Running Out

With the Flyers trading for and signing both Kimmo Timonen and Scott Hartnell, the Oilers have missed out on two of the top leading candidates for reinforcement positions. Many Oilers fans around the blogosphere had speculated that Hartnell would replace Ryan Smyth on the top line. Back at LT's, many even drew up line combinations with Scott Hartnell as a 'best case' scenario. In that case, best case just went out the window.

Timonen was certainly a nice potential option on defence. AOTR had a nice post up about Timonen's game impact with a comparison to various other '#1' defenceman, and I think they proved pretty well that Timonen stacks up very nicely.

LT has also been predicting that Lowe would make some sort of a splash at the draft, and I have no reason to disagree with him. Lowe's job is very much on the line, and his options are running out.

Some possible predictions for draft day (and July 1st) and probability of event happning:

Brad Richards is traded to Edmonton (30%) I agree with LT and others that his albatross of a contract has made him a trade target. Plus it would be a huge splash on the level of Peca+Pronger.
Upside - Oilers get one of the best players in the league
Downside - The Oilers pick up an albatross contract and lose a very good players as well

Scott Gomez is signed by Edmonton (50%) - His speed and playmaking ability make him a typical Oiler prospect. The fact he played on a defensive team shows he's MacTable (whatever that means)
Upside - Edmonton picks up a very very good playmaker who I would also consider a playoff performer.
Downside - Gomez may take up more cap space then his ability justifies. Think $6 million or so.

Joni Pitkanen is traded to Edmonton (35%) - Aquiring Timonen makes a move of another Philly defenceman more likely
Upside - Young, relatively cheap puck moving defenceman
Downside - large potential to give up a lot of assets and get an over-rated guy in return, + an add on albatross (Hatcher)

Wade Redden is traded to Edmonton (50%) - One year left on his contract, Ottawa potentially wants roster shakeup
Upside - Oilers get a two-way defenceman who reignites the Oiler offence and steadies the defence
Downside - Oilers could also get a guy who tends to lose often and is best when the rest of the team picks up his slack, also, the price may be high

Ryan Smyth is signed by the Oilers (1%) - Ryan somehow forgives and forgets, comes home.
Upside - The Oilers get their heart and soul back, Lowe looks like genius (again?)
Downside - None, unless the Oilers sign the Mullet for 6+

The Rematch (in pictures)

Kipper makes a diving save in the 1st.

Tampa strikes first

Good timing too!

St. Louis dominates the PK forecheck. Seriously, this guy is a machine.

Brad Stuart continues to struggle, firing a phantom shot in the second. This is just a picture of him pretending to play defence though.

Holy shit! Zyuzin, Rhettsky and Friesen hook up for a goal? Luckily they didn't panic like the fan beside me who screamed at Zyuzin to 'DO SOMETHING' as he set up the play behind the net.

Did Dion Do Good? No, his stick just exploded into the net.

It looked like Conroy put one in here, but Tampa players politely disagreed.

God damn right.

"So did you guys see 300 yet?"

Tampa's luck runs out.

Gratuitous Shane O'Brien shot for Finny.

The game has been so entertaining, why not 5 more minutes?

Oh for god sakes. I'm not sure Hamrlik deserved a 4 minute for this one, but I guess thems the breaks.

We at least show some fight on the 5-3.

An all too familiar result.

That about sums up my feelings at the end.

Brad Richards and Vincent Lecavalier Are Just Like Me!

Except they're really good at hockey...