Thriller Ant
Beep Bop Boop
Let's see if we can get any responses in here, since there's been a bunch of big moves.
There's been a few major stories thus far:
1. The Blues (finally) acquire Ryan Miller
The first domino to fall was the rumored trade of Ryan Miller to St. Louis finally happening. He will be joined in the greatest city in America by Steve Ott, the second Sabres captain to be traded this year, while Chris Stewart, Jaroslav Halak, a prospect, and some draft picks going to Buffalo.
I'm biased, but I really thing the Blues made off pretty well. Stewart didn't really work well in Ken Hitchcock's system and Halak didn't have the consistency you'd want from the starting goaltender on a team with Stanley Cup aspirations. Ott should fit in well with the Blues and adds another veteran presence on a team that is very young.
For the Sabres, it is a very solid haul for a player that was not going to re-sign with the team this summer. Stewart and Halak both have pretty big cap hits, but are expiring and could realistically be flipped again by Buffalo before the deadline. Add in a solid prospect and at least one 1st round draft pick (there is also a 3rd round pick, and there's some conditional stuff that can get them a second 1st round pick) and a rebuilding Buffalo franchise has a chance to gain some talent through the draft.
2. Ducks are...sellers?
The Ducks, at the time of me writing this, are the number one team in the NHL by 3 points over the Blues. Yet, rather than trying to add a piece or staying pat, have instead been sending players away from Disneyland. First was Dustin Penner, who goes to Washington for a 4th round pick. They also sent Viktor Fasth to Edmonton for a 5th round pick this year and a 3rd round pick next year (we'll come back to this).
They did add defenseman Stephane Robidas, but he is currently on IR with a broken leg and his return date is uncertain. Clearly, Anaheim is hoping/thinking Robidas will be back for the playoffs, but as of right now, the Ducks trade deadline looks more like that of a rebuilding team.
3. The Oilers spin the goalie wheel again
The Ilya Bryzgalov experiment in Edmonton is over, as he heads to the Wild, who have plenty of goaltending issues of their own, for the picks they turned and sent to Anaheim for Fasth. It's almost sad what's gone on with the Oilers, as they have too much talent to struggle the way they have. Maybe Fasth will be the answer in goal for them.
4. Roberto Luongo: It all begins again
Luongo is finally out of Vancouver, heading back to Florida along with a prospect for goalie Jacob Markstrom and center Shawn Matthias. It's good that the saga with the Canucks is finally over, but Florida is not a good team right now. And there's still this:
Ugh.
5. Martin St. Louis and Ryan Callahan are traded...for each other
This is the only official trade thus far today, according to ESPN's Trade Tracker. The Lightning will also receive a conditional 2nd round pick this year and a 2015 1st round pick. It's rumored that St. Louis demanded a trade, and the Rangers were the only team on his list. New York will get one more year of St. Louis after this one, while Callahan is a free agent this summer and rumored to be leaning toward signing with Buffalo, essentially his hometown team.
Steve Yzerman did well for having his back up against the wall, but Tampa Bay is definitely worse off due to this trade. Callahan can help them if they make a run this year, but into next year, the only immediate help the Lightning received is cap space.
There's been a few major stories thus far:
1. The Blues (finally) acquire Ryan Miller
The first domino to fall was the rumored trade of Ryan Miller to St. Louis finally happening. He will be joined in the greatest city in America by Steve Ott, the second Sabres captain to be traded this year, while Chris Stewart, Jaroslav Halak, a prospect, and some draft picks going to Buffalo.
I'm biased, but I really thing the Blues made off pretty well. Stewart didn't really work well in Ken Hitchcock's system and Halak didn't have the consistency you'd want from the starting goaltender on a team with Stanley Cup aspirations. Ott should fit in well with the Blues and adds another veteran presence on a team that is very young.
For the Sabres, it is a very solid haul for a player that was not going to re-sign with the team this summer. Stewart and Halak both have pretty big cap hits, but are expiring and could realistically be flipped again by Buffalo before the deadline. Add in a solid prospect and at least one 1st round draft pick (there is also a 3rd round pick, and there's some conditional stuff that can get them a second 1st round pick) and a rebuilding Buffalo franchise has a chance to gain some talent through the draft.
2. Ducks are...sellers?
The Ducks, at the time of me writing this, are the number one team in the NHL by 3 points over the Blues. Yet, rather than trying to add a piece or staying pat, have instead been sending players away from Disneyland. First was Dustin Penner, who goes to Washington for a 4th round pick. They also sent Viktor Fasth to Edmonton for a 5th round pick this year and a 3rd round pick next year (we'll come back to this).
They did add defenseman Stephane Robidas, but he is currently on IR with a broken leg and his return date is uncertain. Clearly, Anaheim is hoping/thinking Robidas will be back for the playoffs, but as of right now, the Ducks trade deadline looks more like that of a rebuilding team.
3. The Oilers spin the goalie wheel again
The Ilya Bryzgalov experiment in Edmonton is over, as he heads to the Wild, who have plenty of goaltending issues of their own, for the picks they turned and sent to Anaheim for Fasth. It's almost sad what's gone on with the Oilers, as they have too much talent to struggle the way they have. Maybe Fasth will be the answer in goal for them.
4. Roberto Luongo: It all begins again
Luongo is finally out of Vancouver, heading back to Florida along with a prospect for goalie Jacob Markstrom and center Shawn Matthias. It's good that the saga with the Canucks is finally over, but Florida is not a good team right now. And there's still this:
Ugh.
5. Martin St. Louis and Ryan Callahan are traded...for each other
This is the only official trade thus far today, according to ESPN's Trade Tracker. The Lightning will also receive a conditional 2nd round pick this year and a 2015 1st round pick. It's rumored that St. Louis demanded a trade, and the Rangers were the only team on his list. New York will get one more year of St. Louis after this one, while Callahan is a free agent this summer and rumored to be leaning toward signing with Buffalo, essentially his hometown team.
Steve Yzerman did well for having his back up against the wall, but Tampa Bay is definitely worse off due to this trade. Callahan can help them if they make a run this year, but into next year, the only immediate help the Lightning received is cap space.