NHL Trade Deadline: It is NHL Trade Deadline Eve and Some Big Moves Are Happening. Minnesota, Ottawa, New York, Washington and More Have Made Some Pretty Good Moves Thus Far. See the Updates Here.
If you've kept up with the latest deadline deals, you're probably aware that some surprising deals went done, some very controversial and some we all saw coming. Here's a breakdown of a few deals that went down recently.
Ottawa Senators Add Forward Depth
Ottawa has added some additional forward depth, being in the spot they are, these deals work out in favor of Ottawa right now. Adding veteran forward Alexandre Burrows benefits Ottawa having depth on the right wing side. Ottawa gave up Jonathan Dahlen, 2016 2nd round pick for Burrows, as well as signing him to a 2-year extension worth 5 million.
Now that leaves Ottawa with Burrows until he is 37 years old. Not the most optimal situation giving a 35-year-old 2.5 mil a year, but Ottawa is currently 4 points away from atop the Atlantic, in route to play Boston in the 1st round of the playoffs. Around the deadline these deals happen, a playoff team looking to add depth to their roster for a playoff run is normal, which in that case why it will benefit the Senators. Along with adding Viktor Stalberg to add more depth to this roster now gives Ottawa 3 strong forward lines. The price was low on Stalberg only giving up a 2017 3rd round pick and does wonders for this Ottawa team.
Capitals Add Another Top-Four D-Man
If this Capitals team wasn't scary enough they just go even scarier. Adding top 4 defensemen Kevin Shattenkirk just adds fuel to this Capitals Stanley Cup journey. The price may have been high, but the Capitals are all in at this point. Given their offseason decision, expansion draft, this seems to be the year for Washington. Now Shattenkirk will more than likely play an immediate top 4 d-man role. Powerplay 1 possibly, but more than likely Powerplay 2. At this very moment Washington already gives up the least amount of goals per game, with adding Shattenkirk, opposing teams are going to have a tough time scoring. What interest me though is, Shattenkirk will more than likely test the free agency market come July, so expect to see his name on another team come October.
Minnesota is Going All In
The price Minnesota paid for Martin Hanzal and Ryan White left some confused and questioning the Wild's assessment of Hanzal. Coming into this Wild team Hanzal will play either a #3 center role or fourth line center role, given he is a great defensive center. The price was still absurd, as well Ryan White will most likely not even crack this Wild lineup for the remainder of the season. Forking up a 2017 1st round pick, 2017 2nd round pick a conditional 2017 pick is a little much for an aging Martin Hanzal and grinder Ryan White. This just shows Minnesota's all in status. With this trade, Minnesota now has three very solid forward lines, if depth scoring wasn't good enough it just got even better.
Kings Add Another #1 Goaltender
Probably the most surprising trade in terms of where Ben Bishop landed, we all knew Bishop was on the move, being in his last year of his contract and the expansion draft Bishop was bound to exit Tampa Bay at the deadline. But what is the reasoning behind this, I'm not too sure, currently trying to wrap my head around this bizarre move.
Being that LA needs some forward scoring, like really badly. Anze Kopitar's abysmal of a season continues and this team is within reach of a playoff spot, forward scoring would have been the more logical option. With Jonathan Quick coming back, understandable LA does not want him to play every game for the remainder of the season, but backup goaltender Peter Budaj has had himself a pretty good year. I'm not sure about this trade, in the end, LA now has two #1 goalies, we've seen how that's worked out for other teams, bad.
Rangers Grab Another Solid Lefty D-Man
Ok well…. The Rangers needed another defenseman heading into the playoffs. Along with Dan Girardi out two plus weeks with an ankle injury, acquiring Brendan Smith was not the worst of them all. But the value is just not there, a 2018 2nd round pick and 2017 3rd pick for Smith is a little much. The 28-year-old is not going to produce crazy numbers, he'll chalk up some minutes on the penalty kill and finish with 12 points on the year. This was more than likely a rental move by the Rangers, that's why the value is just not there. Adding depth to the backend is never a bad thing, but Smith is not going to be a game-changing piece.
Other notable deals:
Patrick Eaves to Anaheim; for conditional 2nd round pick
Jordie Benn to Montreal; for Greg Pateryn & a 4th round pick
Brian Boyle to Toronto; for Byron Froese & 2017 2nd round pick
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