Blogging NHL trade deadline day 2014
Another season gone wrong has made dealing Thomas Vanek a necessity for the Islanders. (Getty Images)
By Allan Muir
Welcome to our coverage of deadline day. Here's a running log of the trade action with my thoughts on each deal and rumor:
You can check out Tuesday's action here.
TRADE TRACKER: All deals since Jan. 1
MUIR: Luongo trade highlights Canucks' failure
MUIR: Yzerman, St. Louis pay price for trade to Rangers
MUIR: Blues go all-in with trade for Ryan Miller
https://twitter.com/Real_ESPNLeBrun/status/441321031890767872
My Take: And this is the final deal of the day: Penguins send a third rounder to Calgary for Stempniak. It's a nice depth add for the Pens, but was he was really a better option than Mike Cammalleri? Bigger, sure, and that's always an issue in the playoffs, but Cammy is a gamer and a proven playoff performer. He would have been a better fit for their top six than Stempniak.
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https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/441333946047950848
My Take: Sounds like an upgrade. Been a long time since Richards and St. Louis worked their magic in Tampa, but you can bet it's still there. Should be fun to watch them together again for the first time tonight against Toronto.
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https://twitter.com/BuffaloSabres/status/441333017886208001
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https://twitter.com/helenenothelen/status/441327950995013632
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TSN says Detroit is sending Patrick Eaves, a conditional pick and a prospect to the Predators for David Legwand.
UPDATE: Did Preds GM David Poile just win his second consecutive deadline day? It appears that the prospect going Nashville's way is Calle Jarnkrok, arguably Detroit's top young forward. He's a small (6', 176 pounds) for an NHL center, but he has world class hockey sense and creativity to go along with a well-rounded defensive game. TSN speculates that he has a deal to return to Sweden after this season, and that may have been why the Wings were willing to part with him. Of course, that plan may change with his new circumstances. I expect Detroit fans to be distraught after this one, which should tell Nashville's faithful how thrilled it should be. Add in the pick, which is a third rounder that turns into a second if Detroit makes the playoffs, and Poile exacted more from the Wings for Legwand than Garth Snow was able to get from Montreal for Thomas Vanek.
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https://twitter.com/NicholsOnHockey/status/441311170004135936
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https://twitter.com/BuffNewsVogl/status/441304317891317760
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https://twitter.com/JSportsnet/status/441307157560963072
My Take: Waiting for the return on this one, but rumor has it as a second rounder and a prospect. That's a bold move for GM Marc Bergevin and a huge win for Montreal, which struggles to score five-on-five and desperately needed some size up front. But for the Isles....wow. This is an epic disaster on a level that would get the general manager of a responsible franchise fired. Snow misread the market from the beginning because he counted on Vanek's reputation overshadowing his recent play. Instead, opposing managers watched him play miserably in Sochi and struggle on Long Island, going eight games without a goal before he netted a pair on Saturday. Demand fell and Snow waited too long to figure it out.
UPDATE: Prospect identified as winger Sebastien Collberg, a second-round pick (33rd overall) in 2012 and one of Montreal's top five prospects.
https://twitter.com/PumperNicholl/status/441309122000982016
https://twitter.com/bruce_arthur/status/441309362624008192
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Rumors have David Legwand to Detroit. Mike Cammalleri and Paul Stastny have not been traded.
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Rumors swirling that Matt Moulson has been dealt to Minnesota and Thomas Vanek has been traded, possibly to Montreal. No further details at this point.
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https://twitter.com/adater/status/441305236771065856
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https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/441303700842094592
My Take: Not surprising. There was no pressure to make this deal before the deadline and it's likely there's a better deal to be had ahead of the draft when Mike Gillis can play off some team's postseason disappointment.
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https://twitter.com/NYP_Brooksie/status/441303444997943296
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Darren Dreger: "99 percent" that Martin Brodeur is staying in New Jersey.
Pierre LeBruin: "Pens close on Lee Stempniak."
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And at 3 pm EST, we have the bell. The deadline has passed, although there's still a chance that more deals could be announced. As long as the league has been informed of agreements by this point, the deals will go through. I'd expect a few more to materialize over the next half hour.
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https://twitter.com/RealKyper/status/441300903178407936
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https://twitter.com/RealJackEdwards/status/441298742676058112
My Take: Return is apparently a third-round pick, which seems like a fair deal for both sides. The Bruins needed blueline help with Dennis Seidenberg gone for the season and Adam McQuaid's health uncertain. Meszaros has probably been Philly's best defender over the past six weeks or so and should fit in nicely with the B's. He's just 28 and there's a sense Boston may be able to re-sign him past the season. The Flyers get a pick, which they wanted, and now have nearly $6.5 million worth of cap space to play with. The buzz is picking up that Paul Holmgren might look to make one last big move ahead of the deadline.
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https://twitter.com/LavoieRenaud/status/441296161677516800
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https://twitter.com/dantencer/status/441294232754470912
My Take: In case that's tough to decipher, the deal is Nick Schultz from Edmonton to Columbus for a fifth rounder. The Jackets needed some blueline reinforcements with Fedor Tyutin and Ryan Murray on IR and the Oilers needed to turn Schultz into something before he headed to free agency this summer.
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https://twitter.com/Russostrib/status/441294015317549057
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https://twitter.com/cotsonika/status/441293033112236032
My Take: As I mentioned earlier when this rumor first surfaced, Dan Ellis wasn't doing enough to earn the faith of the coaching staff in Dallas and that made it tough to rest Kari Lehtonen. Thomas is the stable backup who can take the pressure off and steal the occasional game. Looks like a big win for Dallas, although we're waiting on the return.
UPDATE: Ellis goes to Florida in this swap. He has one year remaining on a deal with an AAV of $900,000. Saves the Panthers a few bucks this year and gives them a ready backup for Roberto Luongo next season. Word is Scott Clemmensen is headed to San Antonio (AHL).
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https://twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/status/441291453453463552
My Take: The Wild rank 25th in the league, averaging just 2.36 goals per game--worse than every contender save for Los Angeles. Adding a legitimate top-six forward makes them a much more dangerous team.
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https://twitter.com/SNHockeyCentral/status/441291428170199040
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https://twitter.com/BurkieYCP/status/441290781752844288
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https://twitter.com/ice_chip/status/441287977742786560
My Take: No surprise here. Justin Peters was recalled earlier today from the AHL after completing his conditioning assignment, but there's no market for Cam Ward and his salary. The Canes will have to wait for the offseason to settle this issue.
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https://twitter.com/TGfireandice/status/441285270781325313
My Take: No word on the return yet, but it doesn't matter. Hurricanes win this one just by scraping Ruutu's salary (two years remaining at $4.75 million) off their cap shoe. His play has deteriorated considerably over the past few seasons as his aggressive style has taken a heavy toll on his body and it's hard to imagine he has much left in the tank. The question is, why would New Jersey want to take him on? Between the contract and his production, there's no upside to this deal.
UPDATE: Devils send small center Andrei Loktionov and a conditional 2017 third rounder to the Canes for Ruutu. Lokti plays a classic Russian game, shifty and explosive, but lacks the size and strength to be an impact performer.
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https://twitter.com/GeorgeRichards/status/441283955627937793
My Take: Nice add for Florida's bottom six, but what does it say that he went for the same package as Ottawa paid for Hemsky? Either the Sens got a great deal or the Pens got fleeced on this one.
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https://twitter.com/Proteautype/status/441277218845511680
My Take: Funny, but true. Gaborik obviously brings something to table, including speed and game-breaking potential --huge assets for a team that's slow and can't score. Still, he seems like a horrible fit for a Kings system that demands defensive commitment. That he was the player they settled for, especially with so much time left on the clock, suggests that the prices are too high for snipers like Vanek, Moulson and Cammalleri.
UPDATE: The Kings sent Matt Frattin (acquire last year in the Jonathan Bernier trade) a second rounder and a conditional third rounder to Columbus in the deal. The Jackets picked up a large chunk of his contract in exchange. Even taking his bust potential and impending free agency into consideration, that's not much for someone with Gabbo's track record. Think the Sabres and Isles are starting to sweat about Moulson and Vanek yet?
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https://twitter.com/BroadStBull/status/441276715919474689
My Take: Carchidi's follow-up really says it all.
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https://twitter.com/LavoieRenaud/status/441275992783732736
My Take: Kings now have those second rounders from Buffalo to play with. Think those might be of interest to the Jackets?
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https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/441274613012525056
My Take: Hey, maybe the guy had a bad case of lace bite or something ... or maybe he's been dealt. We'll find out quickly either way. I know the Habs were kicking the tires on him. They could really use his size in the middle of their Smurftastic lineup.
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https://twitter.com/NYP_Brooksie/status/441272316295524353
My Take: News to me. The Wild have a lot of faith in rookie Darcy Kuemper and needed a backup, not a replacement starter, which is how the Sabres priced Halak. Sounds like GM Tim Murray overplayed his hand and now has to scramble to avoid being stuck with the netminder he acquired in the Ryan Miller deal.
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https://twitter.com/Dave_Stubbs/status/441270182791901184
My Take: Dubnyk had a .921 save percentage playing behind Edmonton's defense in 2012-13, so the guy can stop a puck. But let's be honest: if he gets into more than two or three games, the Habs are in serious trouble.
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https://twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/status/441268179617062912
My Take: Need to see all the particulars on this, but it feels like a good deal for both sides. It's obvious that Sabres GM Tim Murray had a real desire to grab Fasching, a promising power forward who slipped to 118th in last year's draft but has shown some progress as a freshman with the University of Minnesota. He's a big, physical player who projects as a top-six scoring winger. The Kings get McNabb, who was passed on Buffalo's depth chart by blueliners Nikita Zadorov and Rasmus Ristolainen, but the real prize was the pair of second rounders. Look for those picks to be flipped in short order as the Kings seek to grab a top-six scoring winger.
UPDATE: The second prospect going to Buffalo is Nicolas Deslauriers, who was the drafted as a defenseman with the 84th overall pick in 2009. Interestingly, he switched to forward this year when his defensive game lagged. A scout tells me he plays a gritty, will-to-win game.
The two picks in the deal were originally acquired from the Kings in the Robyn Regehr deal, which means Murray held on to his own, more valuable picks. Makes the deal even better from the perspective of the Sabres,.
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https://twitter.com/RealKyper/status/441264873926709248
My Take: Makes sense for Florida to test the market for Thomas, and Dallas seems like a reasonable landing spot. Kari Lehtonen leads the league in starts and he's worn out down the stretch in the past. The Stars are in the hunt for a wild card in the West and need someone more reliable than Dan Ellis (who lost last night in Columbus) to spell him on occasion. Why not Thomas?
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https://twitter.com/Aportzline/status/441262501972291584
My Take: Hemsky's long anticipated exit from Edmonton has arrived. The Oilers were looking for draft picks and ended up with Ottawa's 2014 fifth rounder and a 2015 third rounder. As for the Sens, Hemsky has his flaws (he passes up prime scoring chances and appears uninterested at times), but there are more than a few people in the game who think he just needs a fresh start to get himself back on track. He scored a couple of beauties in Sochi to remind everyone just how dangerous he can be with the puck when he decides to pull the trigger. After watching Bobby Ryan fail to gel with Jason Spezza earlier this season, it'll be interesting to see if Hemsky can fit the bill.
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https://twitter.com/Real_ESPNLeBrun/status/441250373253079040
My Take: Still not a good deal, but this could make it more palatable for the Bolts. With the East wide open, there's a real chance the Rangers make it to the conference final. Here's my complete reaction to this trade.
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https://twitter.com/LavoieRenaud/status/441246260730028033
My Take: If your French is a bit rusty, Renaud is confirming that St. Louis to the Rangers is done. Bolts gets Ryan Callahan, a 2015 first rounder and a second rounder. Huge for the Rangers who add the 2013 NHL scoring champ and a player who brings the speed, grit and clutch scoring that could be the difference in a tight playoff series. An absolute disaster for the Lightning, who give up the speed, grit and clutch scoring that could be the difference in a tight playoff series. Hard to believe that Steve Yzerman couldn't convince his captain to stick it out through a potential run to the Eastern Conference title with the promise that he'd look to move him this summer. It'll be interesting to see if his departure impacts Steven Stamkos, who returns to action just in time to find his regular linemate has been dealt. It'll certainly impact the legacy of St. Louis, who will be remembered not as the Little Engine That Could, but as someone who took something personally that was never personal and couldn't figure out how to let it go. Sad.
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https://twitter.com/reporterchris/status/441242550154719232
My Take: Outside of Vancouver, a team that is frying bigger fish at the moment, there doesn't seem to be a viable landing spot for Halak. He might be stranded in Buffalo.
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Bob McKenzie reports that Martin St. Louis to the Rangers is "close." Return would reportedly be Ryan Callahan and two significant draft picks. That's a terrible return for a Tampa team that has legitimate aspirations to make a deep playoff run. Callahan is still on the ice with the Rangers for the morning skate. We'll watch to see if he gets pulled off.
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https://twitter.com/imacVanSun/status/441241233197785088
My Take: Does anyone believe Gillis would know "the right deal" if he saw it?
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https://twitter.com/Russostrib/status/441237189922275328
My Take: Makes sense if the hole they're trying to fill calls for a winger who brings a level of effort likely to drive Darryl Sutter into a Hulk-like rage. They'd also need to move out about $4 million AAV in salary to fit Gaborik under the cap. Pretty sure he's not the guy you do that for.
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https://twitter.com/Real_ESPNLeBrun/status/441236476747988992
My Take: As with Markov, I get the sense that the passing of the trade deadline doesn't equate to Stastny heading to free agency. He likes what's going on with this team, and the Avs appreciate what he brings to the table. There's a deal to be made here before July 1.
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https://twitter.com/RogMillions/status/441231166335512577
My Take: Nothing all that shocking here. Having a couple of farmhands on site makes sense for a team looking to move at least one forward (Cammalleri).
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https://twitter.com/Real_ESPNLeBrun/status/441229570553819137
My Take: It's not just a matter of the Canucks listening to offers and weighing the benefits of moving an established defender in his prime. Edler has a no-trade clause and there's been no indication he's willing to waive it.
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https://twitter.com/RealStamkos91/status/441227526200111104
My Take: Unless another team manages to land a 60-goal scorer today, the Tampa Bay Lightning just won the trade deadline.
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https://twitter.com/JonathanWillis/status/441228446941720577
My Take: Sadly, I have to agree.
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https://twitter.com/LavoieRenaud/status/441227622492930048
My Take: I wouldn't take that to mean he'll be traded today. The Habs desperately need his minutes to retain their spot in the playoff pecking order, and there's a sense a deal can still be struck well before he enters free agency in July.
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https://twitter.com/Proteautype/status/441223984160735232
My Take: Tlusty and Zidlicky, sure (think the Pens will be in hard on Zids with Kris Letang's status up in the air). Ruutu? The guy has two years remaining on a deal with an AAV of $4.75 million, he gets hurt (a lot) and has just five goals and 16 points in 57 games this season. Can't imagine many GMs shopping for a package like that.
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https://twitter.com/BuffNewsVogl/status/441223700407676928
My Take: At this point, the Sabres will consider moving anyone on the roster not named Zemgus Girgensons. Stafford's game would be a good fit for the Wild--he's willing to drive the net and has a decent pair of mitts--but his effort can be inconsistent.
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https://twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/status/441221405770670080
My Take: The market keeps shrinking, making it tougher to get the most out of a deal now.
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https://twitter.com/BNHarrington/status/441219529733971968
My Take: A Buffalo beat writer handicaps the most likely shoppers at the Sabres fire sale. Tallinder to Boston makes a lot of sense, as does Ehrhoff to Los Angeles. Don't believe the Sabres are actively shopping Ehrhoff, but they'll listen if someone wants to make them an offer. He has still has six years left on a deal that carries a very reasonable $4 million cap hit. That cost certainty means someone will have to part with a significant asset if they decide to go that route. The Kings might have to put Tyler Toffoli in play.
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Multiple sources have Detroit bowing out of the Ryan Kesler sweepstakes.
My Take: They seemed like a lousy fit to me from the start. Despite an obvious need for help at center, they couldn't afford to give up on youngsters like Tomas Tatar or Tomas Jurco or Gustav Nyquist with both Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk entering their golden years.
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https://twitter.com/reporterchris/status/441216273762877440
My Take: Rossi says the Pens have offered center Brandon Sutter, either defensemen Simon Despres or Brian Dumoulin and a first-round pick in exchange for Kesler. That may not be their final offer--Derick Pouliot isn't off the table--but it's not likely to improve beyond that. More importantly, Rossi says that Vancouver GM Mike Gillis "may not be authorized" to move Kesler. That's not a good sign for his future with the organization. At this point, I'd be surprised if Kesler is dealt today.
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https://twitter.com/reporterchris/status/441213877913518080
My Take: Vatanen is small, listed at 5-10, 185, but he's coming off a berth with Team Finland in Sochi, was a 2013 First Team All-Star in the AHL and has a terrific set of tools, including game-breaking speed. Dallas seems like a good fit--I thought he might be involved in the Stephane Robidas deal yesterday--but they won't be the only bidders.
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Speculation: Brodeur is believed to have asked Lou Lamoriello to move him to a Cup contender that will play him. That team doesn't exist, so the likelihood of him being moved today seems slim.
https://twitter.com/JSportsnet/status/441211428876193792
My Take: Brian Burke is not inclined to burn the Flames to the ground, especially since he plans on handing the reigns of the team over to a new GM this summer, so I'd be surprised if anyone with term on his contract moves today. Seems unlikely another team will blow him out of the water with an offer for either Butler of Stempniak.
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https://twitter.com/Real_ESPNLeBrun/status/441210596642406400
My Take: You have to assume they're offering less money in exchange for the added term, so there's no guarantee this will be enough to sway Phillips to re-sign with the Sens. At the same time it's the only organization he's known and a difference of a couple hundred thousand shouldn't be enough to lead to a divorce. I'm thinking this gets done and he's off the market before the deadline.
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https://twitter.com/Real_ESPNLeBrun/status/441201196326346752
My Take: The Hawks added some blueline depth yesterday with the acquisition of David Rundblad and believe Antti Raanta gives them enough stability in net to avoid the need for an established vet to back up Corey Crawford. Stan Bowman is ready to defend the Cup with this group. That said, if the right small deal comes along, he might be willing to tweak his roster a bit.
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https://twitter.com/DarrenDreger/status/441198351799685121
My Take: So much for playing coy about his intentions when questioned last week. Martin St. Louis wants out but, as Dreger notes, that doesn't mean Tampa Bay general manager Steve Yzerman is inclined to accommodate him. If there is a deal to be made, the consensus is that Ryan Callahan will be part of the return, but he won't be the centerpiece. Given his salary demands, he doesn't fit into Tampa's future plans.
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https://twitter.com/cotsonika/status/441199220213571584
My Take: