2012, Hockey, Sports

Summer 2012 NHL Trades: Some Thoughts

Ducks: 2nd round pick; Islanders: Visnovsky

How the Islanders got Visnovsky for a 2nd pick is beyond me. I guess he had his worst offensive year in nearly a decade last year, so that’s why.

But given that he automatically becomes their 2nd best defenceman (that’s a guess), and is an underpay, and lets them get way closer to the cap, how could this not be a win for them?

And as usual Anaheim gets embarrassed by somebody. They just traded a former star for a 2nd rounder? Okay.

Stars: Eakin, 2nd round pick; Capitals: Ribeiro

I don’t know enough about Eakin but it seems like not too much to give up for a 2nd line centre.

I can’t say I like Ribeiro but he is good enough and Washington didn’t exactly have a legitimate #2 behind Backstrom until now.

It’s seems fair for both parties provided Eakin is actually something.

Hurricanes: Jordan Staal; Penguins: Sutter, Dumoulin, 8th overall pick in the recent draft

Ouch. Okay, if Ribeiro is worth Eakin and a 2nd rounder, how the fuck is Jordan Staal worth all that? Obviously Staal is the better all-around player than Ribeiro, but Staal’s long rumoured offensive abilities have never really appeared at the NHL level. (He had a career high 50 points last season, folks.)

Even though Carolina can now capitalize (one hopes) on the chemistry of Staal, Staal + somebody else (trying, no doubt, to pull a Sedin), Pittsburgh wins this because

  1. they get a cheaper albeit less offensively talented version of Staal in return,
  2. they get someone who looks like a blue chip D prospect
  3. they get a top 10 pick and
  4. they get all of this without having to wait for the trade deadline where they could severely hurt their playoff-contending team chemistry.

Jesus. Highway robbery…unless of course the Staals are the new Sedins, only more defensively aware. And in that case you could then easily argue the opposite.

Flames: Wideman; Capitals: Henry, 5th rounder

Given that Henry looks to be a career AHLer, this isn’t all that much for rights. (Though I think it is more than I would pay for someone like Wideman.) If the Flames think they paid less for him than they would have in free agency then I guess it’s worth it.

The problem with Wideman is that he all offense. I guess it helps Calgary’s lack of scoring but he is definitely a problem in his own end.

Good for Washington for getting something (not much) out of his contract.

Sort of a wash for both teams really.

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