Hockey, USA, NHL, Trade deadline

The trade deadline is now in the books, and Livetipsportal.com presents you its analysis team by team. A note is also given to rate the quality of the work made by each manager, accordingly to team's objective, missing elements assessed (or not) thanks to the trades, etc.

Anaheim
In: Erik Christensen, Petteri Nokelainen, James Wisniewski, Nick Bonnino, Tim Pihlmeye, conditionnal pick
Out: Eric O'Dell, Steve Montador, Samuel Pahlsson, Travis Moen, Kent Huskins
Comment: The Ducks are still battling for a playoffs spot, but had the wisdom to anticipate the rebuilding of an aging and slow-footed team. After trading Chris Kunitz to the Pens for Ryan Whitney, they add some young talents in Christensen, Nokelainen and Wisniewski, two prospects with Bonnino and Pihlmeye, and a pick. Pronger is still there, so it's likely that he'll be moved on draft day.
Note: 7/10

Atlanta
In: Eric O'Dell
Out: Erik Christensen
Comment: Last but one in the East with 20 points behind the 8th spot, it was expected to see the Thrashers hunting for picks and prospects. A prospect comes in, a youngster goes out. Nothing more. They won't build a team at this pace.
Note: 3/10

Boston
In: Mark Recchi, Steve Montador, 2nd round pick 2010
Out: Matt Lashoff, Martins Karsums, Petteri Nokelainen
Comment: Even if they let three good prospects walk away, the B's didn't change their core of young talents. And they partially compensate the players gones by acquiring a 2nd round pick. They also add defensive solidity with Steve Montador, a very good defensive defenseman grossly underrated, and also add the tremendous experience of Mark Recchi. A well-needed experience to monitor the youngsters come playoff time.
Note: 7/10

Buffalo
In: Dominic Moore, Mikael Tellqvist, 2nd round pick
Out: Ales Kotalik, 2nd round pick, 4th round pick
Comment: We should sum up those transactions by a trade of 2nd round picks, a trade Moore for Kotalik, and a trade Tellqvist for a 4th round pick. That's to say talent at center instead of wing, which was necessary, and a goalie to not let Lalime play too much while Miller is injured, which was also necessary. Good, but for a team actualle 3 points out of the playoffs spots, it looks a bit light...
Note: 5/10

Calgary
In: Olli Jokinen, Jordan Leopold, 3rd round pick, 4th round pick
Out: Matthew Lombardi, Brandond Prust, Lawrence Nycholat, Ryan Wilson, Kevin Lalande, 1st round pick, 2nd round pick
Comment: The Flames finally managed to acquire a true #1 center! They were chasing Jokinen for over a year, and it was visibly easier to get a deal done with Phoenix than it was with Florida. Add to that the return of Jordan Leopold in the defensive squad, a very good player, fast and able to carry the puck, that's to say what was needed in this team. And considering that Giordano is injured for the remainder of the season, the Flames really needed a defenseman. They still need a backup goalie, but they hadn't have enough salary cap room for that. The two main needs have been (potentially) assessed though, and Calgary becomes a serious contender as a result.
Note: 9/10

Carolina
In: Erik Cole, 2nd round pick
Out: Justin Williams
Comment: Justin Williams is injured, and never managed to develop any chemistry with Eric Staal. As a result, the Canes bring Erik Cole back. He had a good chemistry with Staal in his previous time with Carolina, and was a part of the team who won the Stanley Cup. By adding a 2nd round pick to that, it has been an excellent deadline day for the Canes.
Note: 8/10

Chicago
In: Samuel Pahlsson
Out: James Wisniewski
Comment: A solid defensive forward comes in with Pahlsson, and he made a tremendous job during the Ducks run to the title. Good acquisition in prevision of the defensive battles of the playoffs.
Note: 7/10

Colorado
In: Lawrence Nycholat, Ryan Wilson, 2nd round pick
Out: Jordan Leopold
Comment: Good trade made by the Avs... but also their only move. They are dead last in the West, 11 points out of a playoffs spot, and with a lot of veterans having a solid trade value (there has been a lot of talks about Ryan Smyth). The timing looked perfect to start a deep reconstruction, but it hasn't been the case.
Note: 4/10

Columbus
In: Antoine Vermette, Kevin Lalande
Out: Pascal Leclaire, 2nd round pick, 4th round pick
Comment: The arrival of Vermette should provide more depth to the Jackets, which should allow them to reach the playoffs for the first time of franchise history. But letting Pascal Leclaire go and adding a 2nd round pick to that to get Vermette looks like a very high price... Sure, Leclaire is having troubles this season, after a fantastic 07-08 season, and young Mason stole the starter job from him. But the price is really high nonetheless, and the Jacks should probably have made a better deal...
Note: 5/10

Dallas
In: Brendan Morrison (waivers)
Out: -
Comment: The Stars are just one point outside of a playoffs spot, and the addition of Morrison should provide them more depth to go after a playoffs spot. And they didn't loose anything in this operation, which is a good thing. Wether or not it will be enough remains to be seen...
Note: 6/10

Detroit
In: -
Out: -
Comment: Sure, the Red Wings don't need to change a lot of things to their team to make the playoffs. They should nonetheless have look for more toughness, always usefull in the post-season. Especially since their objective is nothing else than keeping their title, that's to say through long and tiring playoffs battles. By doing no move, they make sure to not change anything to the chemistry already there in the team, which can't be a bad idea. But they also make sure to keep their (rare) weaknesses, which could end up very costly in April...
Note: 6/10

Edmonton
In: Patrick O'Sullivan, Ales Kotalik, 2nd round pick
Out: Erik Cole, 2nd round pick
Comment: A 2nd round pick goes out, another one comes in... Erik Cole goes, O'Sullivan and Kotalik come... No doubt at first sight, it's a big win. The way O'Sullivan and Kotalik will be managed remains to be seen though. Coles has been extremly badly managed, oftenly used on the left wing while he is a pure right winger, which explains most of his struggles in Edmonton. Anyway, Edmonton should end up in better shape after those moves.
Note: 8/10

Florida
In: Steve Eminger
Out: Noah Welch, 3rd round pick
Comment: The Panthers decided to not sell and rather battle to make the playoffs. So they kept Bouwmeester, future free agent, and added young defenseman Steve Eminger in the squad for the post-season. The objective is clear: perform well in playoffs to give Bouwmeester the will to re-sign. An ambitious and risked strategy, but one that might pay. However, if it doesn't, they will loose Bouwmeester for absolutely nothing in July...
Note: 7/10

Los Angeles
In: Justin Williams
Out: Patrick O'Sullivan, 2nd round pick
Comment: The ins and outs speak for themselves, it's very bad. Furthermore, the Kings are actually 13th in the West, 7 points outside of the playoffs. If it's not impossible to come back in the playoffs battle, they won't do so with an injured Williams. And Williams looks to be injury prone for the past 2 seasons... Nothing that justifies to let O'Sullivan go. Nothing that justifies to loose a 2nd round pick either.
Note: 1/10

Minnesota
In: -
Out: -
Comment: The Wild is 3 points outside of the playoffs. As a result, it was expected to see them looking for reinforcement. It was also expected to see them trying to sell Marian Gaborik at all cost. Future free agent, he already mentionned that he doesn't want to stay in Minnesota, as he can't stand the ultra-conservative style of play imposed by coach Jacques Lemaire. And as he is oftenly injured, the Wild had a strong interest to see him go, even at a low cost, in order to not loose him for nothing come July 1st. Result? No reinforcement to battle for a playoffs spot, and Gaborik is still there.
Note: 1/10

Montreal
In: -
Out: -
Comment: Without any surprise, the acquisition of Schneider a few days ago didn't let any possibility for the Habs to be active at the deadline. With the injury to Robert Lang, Montreal had three main needs for a while: an established starting goalie, a first line center, and an offensive defenseman able to man the powerplay. In that order. Gainey solved the problems in the wrong order, and in an incomplete fashion, to say the least. Sure, Habs' PP has been better since Schneider came in, but it won't be highly usefull in the playoffs, were teams are facing each other 4 to 7 times in a row, and therefore get used fastly to the opposing PP. Gainey seems to forget that there are three induspatable needed elements to chase the Stanely Cup: a starting goalie, a #1 defensemen, and a #1 center. They've got Markov, that's a start...
Note: 2/10 (1/10 on deadline day, but up to 2/10 with Schneider's acquisition)

Nashville
In: -
Out: -
Comment: Actually 8th in the very strong Western Conference, the Preds may have had the good idea to look for some reinforcement. In the same time, they've got several young players they want to keep, and very few prospects behind that. So they couldn't really let prospects go. Nor any draft picks, as they need it to continue to add young talent and build a solid core. In the end, it strongly limitates the options, and the non-activity of the Preds is mostly a good thing for them on the long term, even though it risks to cost them a playoffs spot this year.
Note: 5/10

New Jersey
In: -
Out: -
Comment: The Devils made their market before the deadline. Holik and Rolston this summer, Shanahan a few weeks ago, and Hävelid a few days ago. And now Brodeur is back, and visibly in great shape. Any further move would have been a big mistake.
Note: 7/10

NY Islanders
In: conditionnal pick
Out: Bill Guerin
Comment: Guerin traded to the Pens for a 5th round pick, which becomes a 4th round pick if the Pens make the playoffs, and a 3rd round pick if they win one round. So probably a 4th round pick. Not a lot for a player like Bill Guerin. And it's surprising to see the Isles trading their captain for so few. Let's add nonetheless the recent trades of Comrie and Campoli to Ottawa for McAmmond and a 1st round pick, and the Isles globaly made a good job around the deadline, even if they've been rather bad today.
Note: 3/10 on deadline day, 7/10 over the past week

NY Rangers
In: Nik Antropov, Derek Morris, Sean Avery (waivers)
Out: Dmitri Kalinin, Nigel Dawes, Petr Prucha, 2nd round pick, conditionnal pick
Comment: Bringing back Avery is a mistake. After his comments when he left the team, and the comments made by some of his ex/new teammates, we should expect a horrible atmosphere in the locker room. The addition of Antropov provides them offensive talent, but also and firstly a player with a very weak work ethic. The only positive point is the arrival of Derek Morris, even if we need to see how he will be integrated to the group. One asset and two weaknesses coming in, in exchange of a good defenseman, two good offensive prospects, and two picks, including a 2nd round pick. That's pure mediocrity, nothing less. And it could even cost the Rangers their playoffs spot, as they actually have just one more point than the 9th ranked team...
Note: 3/10

Ottawa
In: Pascal Leclaire, 2nd round pick
Out: Antoine Vermette
Comment: Very good trade made by the Sens, which should end up being the biggest steal of this deadline. Thanks to the second round pick, the Sens are sure to get a balanced deal. And if Leclaire can retrieve his level of play of last year, they'd finally get a goalie, which they are missing for so many years, and this trade would become a steal of the same caliber that the one who seen Kiprusoff going to Calgary in 2004.
Note: 8/10

Philadelphia
In: Daniel Carcillo, Kyle McLaren
Out: Scottie Upshall, 2nd round pick, 6th round pick
Comment: The Flyers added toughness and aggressivity for the playoffs. Good. But if the addition of Carcillo is effectively a bonus, the one of McLaren is more doubtful. Since the rules changed and the game became faster, his slow skating put him down from a #3-4 Dman to a #6-7. In the end, the loss of a 2nd round pick in those trades doesn't look very justified...
Note: 5/10

Phoenix
In: Dmitri Kalinin, Nigel Dawes, Petr Prucha, Scottie Upshall, Matthew Lombardi, Brandon Prust, 1st round pick, 2nd round pick, 4th round pick
Out: Derek Morris, Olli Jokinen, Daniel Carcillo, Mikael Tellqvist, 3rd round pick
Comment: If Calgary is probably the team who made the best deadline job as a buyer, Phoenix is for sure the winner amongst sellers. It is funny to note that the biggest trade of the day has been made between those two teams. 6 players are coming in (including 4 youngsters) for 4 players going out, 3 picks entering for just one gone, with the acquisition of a 1st and a 2nd round picks. To sum up, Tellqvist isn't replaced. Morris is replaced by a way cheaper Kalinin, Jokinen is replaced by the speed of Lombardi (under contract for next year at 1.8M$, against 5.25M$ for Jokinen), and Carcillo is replaced by Prust. Upshall, Dawes and Prucha arrive as extras, along with many picks. Excellent job!
Note: 9/10

Pittsburgh
In: Andy Wozniewski, Bill Guerin, Craig Adams (waivers)
Out: Danny Richmond, conditionnal pick
Comment: To sum up, it's as if they get Guerin for nothing, and Adams for a pick. In theory, that's enough to reach the playoffs. Not sure it'll be enough to go deep though. But with the recent arrival of Kunitz and the fact that Satan wasn't claimed off waivers, we should see some Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin followed by some Satan-Malkin-Fedotenko on the top two lines. Not enough to make the Finals again, especially with no defense, but it should be interesting to watch...
Note: 7/10

San Jose
In: Travis Moen, Kent Huskins, 6th round pick
Out: Kyle McLaren, Nick Bonnino, Tim Pihlmeye, conditionnal pick
Comment: Without surprise, no major move on the Sharks side, who just added some more physical presence. Not that they had any lack in this department, but there's never too much of it for the playoffs. They've got all the cards in hand to chase the Cup... if they don't burn fast, as they took that bad habit those past seasons...
Note: 7/10

St. Louis
In: Danny Richmond
Out: Andy Wozniewski
Comment: The Blues are just 4 points away from playoffs spots, despite a season where they've been decimated by injuries. At some points, they had Kariya, MacDonald, Brewer, Johnson, McKee and Legace all injured at the same time! That's to say their starting goalie, their best goalscorer from last year, their first line center, and their three best defensemen. Depite all those difficulties, they are just 4 points away from playoffs. Hard to make the choice to be sellers in those conditions... But Tkachuk ends up free agent and is already 36 years old. It may have been a good idea to trade him and get a prospect in return... and then sign Tkachuk in the off-season, as it became a tradition in St. Louis those past seasons.
Note: 4/10

Tampa Bay
In: Matt Lashoff, Martins Karsums, Noah Welch, Richard Petiot, 3rd round pick
Out: Mark Recchi, Steve Eminger, Olaf Kolzig, Jamie Heward, Andy Rogers, 2nd round pick 2010, 4th round pick
Comment: The additions of Lashoff and Karsums will provide some young guns to rebuild. Noah Welch too, at least in theory. Petiot will be useless, but he allowed to send Kölzig, Heward, and Rogers to Toronto. All are injured and end up free agents by season end. The aim was only to free some salary cap and lighten the finances in this season's end. The Leafs announced that they were ready to offer such possibilities thanks to their 9M$ free under the salary cap, and Tampa used it smartly. The prospects acquired look a bit light though. And acquiring only one pick when sending two picks out isn't that smart for a team who'd better rebuild. Even less when we consider that the incoming pick is a third round pick, and that a 2nd round pick goes out. Pretty average result...
Note: 4/10

Toronto
In: Martin Gerber (waivers), Erik Reitz (waivers), Olaf Kölzig, Jamie Heward, Andy Rogers, deux 2nd round picks, 4th round pick, conditionnal pick
Out: Nik Antropov, Dominic Moore, Richard Petiot
Comment: Finally, only Antropov and Moore left the boat, each of them allowing to acquire a 2nd round pick for Toronto. Gerber will probably struggle in Toronto the same way he was struggling in Ottawa, but the Leafs had few choice. Toskala is injured for the remainder of the season, Joseph is getting too old, and Enroth is only 20. The arrival of Kölzig doesn't change anything, as he's injured for the remainder of the season (see the Tampa Bay comment). With 4 incoming picks including two 2nd round picks, it's a good operation for the Leafs. And if Kaberle isn't gone yet, there's a high chance to see him go on draft day...
Note: 8/10

Vancouver
In: -
Out: -
Comment: Vancouver has several holes to fill. Firstly, a puck-moving defenseman able to man the powerplay. With the Panthers keeping Bouwmeester, the Flames taking Leopold, and the Leafs putting a high price on Kaberle, the task fastly became impossible for the Canucks. The othe need is on the third line, absolutely deserted since Burrows and Kesler are gone up on the second line. Here, the task looked way more possible, especially with Anaheim as sellers and players like Pahlsson on the market, but Vancouver visibly didn't make a lot of efforts. Last year, Dave Nonis has been fired after staying inactive at the deadline... This season though, the Nucks added Mats Sundin to the team, which is not nothing, but they could probably do more... Even though it would have been difficult, considering their low possibilities to maneuver under the salary cap.
Note: 6/10

Washington
In: -
Out: -
Comment: The Caps have no goalie, so it's useless for them to look at the title. In the same time, they already have a solid core of youngsters, so the playoffs would already be a good performance for their season. Being actually 3rd in the East with a 14 points margin on the 9th spot, they should have no problem reaching this objective. And therefore no real need to do any transaction. However, there was probably one or two elements improvable to bring some more depth to the team...
Note: 5/10

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