Wrapping Up The Trade Deadline

For a while it seemed that the NHL’s trade deadline day was going to be a damp squib, the first deal of the came with just three hours left. Proceedings did pick up though; particularly in the last 30 minutes, and when the dust settled many were left thinking “Well – that escalated quickly!”

Here’s a run through of the major deals made over the last week or so.

Pittsburgh seems the logical place to start, the Penguins had most of their business done well in advance and at the time were putting together one of the longest win streaks in NHL history.

Jarome Iginla, Brendan Morrow and Douglas Murray all came across for various picks and prospects and was clear evidence of GM Ray Shero loading his team up to win right now, especially as each player’s contract is up for renewal in the summer anyway.

Iginla is still a player to fear, especially on a line with either Crosby or Malkin and both he and Morrow are power forwards that have a scoring touch. Murray filled a void too as a big, physical stay at home defenceman to sure things up in front of Marc-Andre Fleury.

They also added Jussi Jokinen on the final day for some scoring depth, only giving up a conditional late round pick in return because of his $3 million a year contract.

A lock for the playoffs, the Pens’ roster is now absolutely stacked and they have to be considered favourites to lift the Stanley Cup.

Next to get out early were the St Louis Blues, bolstering their defence firstly with Jordan Leopold for 2nd and 5th round picks, an all around blueliner who should slot nicely in to their third pair.

Two days later came Jay Bouwmeester, I thought they paid a little too much in a deal that included a first round pick simply because of his hefty contract but for the moment the Blues have more than enough to cover that.

Bouwmeester on the ice is an extremely reliable presence; he’s played 621 consecutive games in fact. With those two guys in St Louis now possess perhaps the best defensive group in the league, I like their chances of making an impact in the playoffs if they make it in.

On to deadline day itself and Buffalo’s captain Jason Pominville was top of TSN’s trade bait list throughout their coverage, within that last hour it emerged the Minnesota Wild were making their move. In the end  Minny paid a high price for a winger who isn’t an elite scorer, sending goalie Matt Hackett and forward Johan Larsson who both project to have good futures in the major league along with 1st and 2nd rounders. That said they’ve been stockpiling young assets for a while now and with the arrivals of Parise and Suter in the summer made a commitment to be good now, it was great to see them carry that momentum on. Pominville will be extremely reliable if not spectacular and the Wild already looked like a dangerous opponent in the playoffs, they now look a real threat.

Undoubtedly the highlight of Wednesday though was the Blue Jackets welcoming Marian Gaborik to Columbus.

The Jackets got two defensive prospects as part of the deal that saw center Derick Brassard, winger Derek Dorsett (injured for remainder of the season with a broken collarbone) and defenceman John Moore go to the New York Rangers.

Rick Nash and Gaborik have now effectively swapped places, Nash’s arrival seemingly making Gaborik expendable in the big apple but he could be galvanising for the Jackets if he rediscovers his previous 40 goal form.

This was a landmark moment for Columbus though, so often the selling team at this point in the season.

Now they have a genuine playoff shot and they’ve gained even more momentum with a bold move, I don’t think I’m the only one secretly hoping it pays off for them.

So what does all that do to the New York Rangers? Well remarkably Brassard and Moore both played and scored in a win over Pittsburgh the same evening.

Even better for them Ryane Clowe; their other major addition, netted twice to put all three of their new guys in the goal column.

Even more remarkably those were Clowe’s first goals of the season, so a perfect start for all involved. Brassard gives them flexibility at center and I think Moore just might be the underrated part of this trade, he’s a former first round pick with a lot of potential upside.

The Rangers haven’t been the playoff lock that many expected, however they should sneak in and have a chance from there if the additions continue in the same vein.

Finally to the big deal that didn’t happen, Roberto Luongo’s proposed move from the Vancouver Canucks to the Toronto Maple Leafs dominated the day but failed to materialise.

What followed was a brilliantly classy press conference where Luongo bemoaned his contract for being the stopping point of any potential deal and that he’d happily “scrap it” if he could to enable a move.

Vancouver did scoop a much needed center though, with Ryan Kesler and Manny Malholtra’s injuries hurting their depth through the middle they brought in Derek Roy from Dallas to man the second line.

A good trade for both sides as the Stars get a return for someone unlikely to stay with them past the summer and the Canucks get a 70 point player slightly cheap, maybe this is the year they go all the way.

All things considered it wasn’t the biggest of trade deadlines, the shortened season has proved incredibly tight and because so many teams are still in contention GM’s were hesitant about making major changes.

Still, there were some highlights and the focus can now shift to what is likely to be one of the most dramatic playoff races.