It's early, yes, to look at the effects of the deals made at the NHL's trade deadline, but we can make some "observations" (at least) and see who made what look to be right moves, and wrong moves. No, I won't be declaring any winners or loser from the trade deadlines.. right now. Let's look at the big movers and shakers:
Calgary Flames
Get: F Olli Jokinen, 3rd round pick 2009, D Jordan Leopold
For: F Matthew Lombardi, F Brandon Prust, 1st Round Draft Pick (09 or 10), D Lawrence Nycholat, D Ryan Wilson, 2nd round pick 2009
Get: F Olli Jokinen, 3rd round pick 2009, D Jordan Leopold
For: F Matthew Lombardi, F Brandon Prust, 1st Round Draft Pick (09 or 10), D Lawrence Nycholat, D Ryan Wilson, 2nd round pick 2009
It was a fair bit to give up, but the Flames have finally gotten a top line center and added a decent puck mover in Leopold. They lost some high draft picks, but managed to procure a 3rd rounder in the Jokinen deal.
It really was a monkey that GM Daryl Sutter needed to get off his back, to make a few BOLD moves like this at the deadline, and with his team playing so well, why not?
Since this trade, the Flames are 1-3. All road games on an extended trip, sure, but losing to Atlanta is not acceptable if you even want to be in the same conversation as the Sharks and Red Wings. The chemistry isn't there yet, but let's remember: it's early.
Long run, this is a good move for the Flames (assuming you ignore the salary cap for the moment), it's obvious that this deal was made to give the Flames that push they've needed the last several years at the deadline. There is no reason the Flames should fall in the first round, save for Kiprusoff getting injured. Unfortunately, this means Mike Cammalleri is gone after this season, and likely others if they are to retain Jokinen, much less Leopold. Look for the Flames to make the conference final.
It was a high price, but it was the right one for this year's playoffs. Look for the GM Sutter to really have to work hard to get under the inevitable tumble of the salary cap.
Grade: A-
It really was a monkey that GM Daryl Sutter needed to get off his back, to make a few BOLD moves like this at the deadline, and with his team playing so well, why not?
Since this trade, the Flames are 1-3. All road games on an extended trip, sure, but losing to Atlanta is not acceptable if you even want to be in the same conversation as the Sharks and Red Wings. The chemistry isn't there yet, but let's remember: it's early.
Long run, this is a good move for the Flames (assuming you ignore the salary cap for the moment), it's obvious that this deal was made to give the Flames that push they've needed the last several years at the deadline. There is no reason the Flames should fall in the first round, save for Kiprusoff getting injured. Unfortunately, this means Mike Cammalleri is gone after this season, and likely others if they are to retain Jokinen, much less Leopold. Look for the Flames to make the conference final.
It was a high price, but it was the right one for this year's playoffs. Look for the GM Sutter to really have to work hard to get under the inevitable tumble of the salary cap.
Grade: A-
Get: F Erik Cole, 5th Round Pick (2009 - EDM)
For: F Justin Williams (essentially)
In a funny pair of moves, the 'Canes got a pick, fan favorite Erik Cole, and basically the old form of their franchise player, Eric Staal - who has 8 points in 3 games with Cole's return - back. Justin Williams was a decent player in Raleigh, but his injury troubles rendered him nothing more than dead weight. Good job by GM Jim Rutherford jettisoning him.
For a team on the brink of the playoffs, this was a great move by a GM who realized he errored in trading a player (who has six points in his three games back) who just worked for his team.
Grade: A
New York Rangers
Get: F Nic Antropov, D Derek Morris
For: 2nd Round Pick (2009), Cond. Pick (2010), D Dimtri Kalinin, F Petr Prucha, F Nigel Dawes
Get: F Nic Antropov, D Derek Morris
For: 2nd Round Pick (2009), Cond. Pick (2010), D Dimtri Kalinin, F Petr Prucha, F Nigel Dawes
Like usual, the New York Rangers brought in some established names from other teams. Antropov is a good second liner, while Morris provides decent offensive pop from the backend while playing well enough in his own end. Both are coming from struggling clubs, but both are UFAs are season's end and both are undoubtedly together going to make more that the nearly six million they make now collectively. And it's safe to say neither of these guys will improve much.
Losing draft picks is always a necessary evil of deadline deals, and it is nice to trim some fat off of your roster (Kalinin, Prucha), but losing Nigel Dawes is a major misstep by the blueshirts. He's got tremendous upside, and had the Rangers actually given him the minutes to flourish, you can be certain he wouldn't be getting traded for a rental D-man. It looks to be another dunderhead move by GM Glen Sather who seems to be in power with the Rangers until he chooses to leave.
This move won't hurt the Rangers playoff hopes, but it doesn't help much either.
Grade: B-
Losing draft picks is always a necessary evil of deadline deals, and it is nice to trim some fat off of your roster (Kalinin, Prucha), but losing Nigel Dawes is a major misstep by the blueshirts. He's got tremendous upside, and had the Rangers actually given him the minutes to flourish, you can be certain he wouldn't be getting traded for a rental D-man. It looks to be another dunderhead move by GM Glen Sather who seems to be in power with the Rangers until he chooses to leave.
This move won't hurt the Rangers playoff hopes, but it doesn't help much either.
Grade: B-
Phoenix Coyotes
Got: F Lombardi, F Prust, 4th Round Pick (2009 - BUF), 1st Round Pick (09 or 10 - CGY), D Kalinin, F Prucha, F Dawes, F Scottie Upshall
For: C Jokinen, 3rd Round Pick (2009) D Morris, F Daniel Carcillo, G Micheal Tellqvist
Phoenix was the clearest seller this deadline, giving up their second best forward, second best D-man, backup goalie and their resident agitator. You may think this leaves the Coyotes with nothing, but just look at how many actual players they received in return along with that golden first rounder they got.
The team, which is struggling to stay afloat financially, did a good job of cutting costs while setting themselves up for the future. Dawes and Upshall are the crown jewels of their sale with their dymanic upside, while Lombardi and Prucha may yet yield fruit that they never did for their former clubs. This team did a masterful job of ditching some expensive players and brought in cheaper ones which will help to augment their already good-looking rebuilding plan. Assuming the team doesn't fold, they look to continue being another exciting, young, western conference team.
Grade: A+
