The NHL trade deadline passed at 3PM eastern time on Monday.
It reminded one of buying and selling stocks. Someone buys stocks from a holder, the buyer sees soaring value, while the seller sees a clunker on the way down.
Much the same as sports trades. It certainly must be that some intrepid sports researcher on the Internets has assessed the overall value of a trade.
Malcol, Subban –
One intriguing transaction, for not any good reason, mind you, was the one between the Chicago Blackhawks and Vegas Golden Knights.
Robin Lehner was sent to Vegas via the Toronto Maple Leafs, who retained a portion of his salary.
In return, the Blackhawks received Malcolm Subban.
“It came down to us wanting a higher comfort level that we were strong enough at that position,” Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. “It’s rare a goaltender (Lehner) enjoying one of the best seasons of any goalie in the National Hockey League would be available. Felt this was a way to solidify our team.”
Lehner goes from a mediocre Chicago club to a division contender on The Strip.
“I spoke to Robin. He is very excited to be joining our organization,” McCrimmon said. “He speaks to the quality of the team. He said, ‘You’ve got an unbelievable goaltender in Marc-Andre Fleury that I know is an unbelievable person, I want to contribute however you see me contributing.’ That’s the mindset that he’s coming in with.”
In the ‘well I guess we’ll take him’ category, the Hawks didn’t even talk about Subban.
“I think going into a period like this at the trade deadline, you have to try to manage your assets going forward,” Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said. “When you have expiring assets and you talk around the League to teams and find out if there’s interest in them, then you do your best to try and get the maximum return you can.”
Must make Subban feel all warm and fuzzy in the Windy City.
“You need to take it for exactly what it is: We acquired a great goalie to partner with a great goalie, and that makes us better,” McCrimmon said.
While the Maple Leafs assumed a portion of Lehner’s salary, they also picked up a selection in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. They now have 10 picks in this year’s draft. So Toronto is about to get very young, very fast, and unrestricted free agents come 1 July might be thinking of a best moving company.
Elsewhere, the Anaheim Ducks off loaded seemingly everyone but the training staff.
The Ducks’ general manager, Bob Murray, was quoted on the Anaheim website about his ideas and the team’s philosophy on the trade deadline moves.
I don’t think we were skilled enough as a hockey team,” Murray said on the website. “Look at our goals. We don’t score. Our power play isn’t very good. We went out and got [Christian] Djoos and [Joel] Persson.
“They’re power-play type people we wanted to get a look at here right now. We were able to get a couple guys on the backend we could look at for the power play, so to speak. Milano and Heinen, they’re skilled guys with speed. We definitely had to improve upon that.”
If you are doing an exit interview with the boss, this would be a wakeup call.
In a similar vein, the New York Rangers traded Brady Skjei to the Carolina Hurricanes for a first-round pick in this year’s draft.
Now, the Rangers are chasing the Canes for a playoff spot and here is where the whole stock metaphor comes into play. The Canes see value in Skjei while the Rangers, well, you get the point.
Brady Skjei
“I will say, trading Brady Skjei is difficult,” New York general manager Jeff Gorton said. “He’s a special guy. He’s a really good person. He’s a good player. He’s been a good Ranger. We wish him nothing but the best. It’s just a move that we felt we had to make.”
Don’t believe that.
The only other move the Rangers made was signing Chris Kreider to a seven-year deal worth north of $45 million.
Too much? Sure, but Rangers president John Davidson said on the announcement of the signing, that the club was young and getting younger. He added that veteran leadership from the likes of Kreider was important.
Wait, did he say, ‘getting younger’?
Moving on, Ilya Kovalchuk was a topic of trade talks on the Pro Hockey News podcast in Episode 103. It was a mixed assessment, but one of the crew had him being trade bait, and so it came to pass with the Washington Capitals picking up the forward.
“Washington, we just played them, I feel like I can help,” Kovalchuk said. “They’re already good everywhere but it’s a great opportunity. I know a lot of guys there, I played against and with, national teams and other teams, it’s exciting for me. Obviously looking to go all the way, hopefully we’ll do some damage in the playoffs.”
Ilya Kovalchuk
Have to wonder if Kovalchuk, even at league minimum had worn out his welcome in Montreal.
In the head scratcher of the day, the New York Islanders traded for Jean-Gabriel Pageau, 27, and signed him to a six-year, $30 million deal.
“Just to see how competitive the team is already, and I know some of the players already on the team, I know the coaches and I’ve heard a lot of good things,” Pageau said. “I’ve heard only good things about the Islanders. To have the chance to be joining the team, it’s just such an honor for me. I couldn’t be more excited just to go on a team that’s going to be competing every year for [a Stanley Cup Playoff berth] or for a championship. I couldn’t be more excited as a player. That’s what we play for, that’s what drives us. That’s why I’m excited to go and play for them.”
In exchange, the Senators, entering the deal with a mask, a gun, and a hostage, received a conditional first-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, a second-round pick in the 2020 draft and a conditional third-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. If the first-round pick in 2020 becomes a top-three pick, the Islanders’ unconditional first-round selection in the 2021 NHL Draft. Ottawa will receive the third-round pick in 2022 if New York wins the Stanley Cup.
By the time the six-year deal is half way done, Pageau will be old and the Sens will be sporting a lineup of fresh face, next gen players.
“He’s played great for the organization, given his heart and soul, but it’s also a business and it came down to the last little bit here,” Senators coach D.J. Smith said. “But that’s a heck of a return. He’s going to have an opportunity to play for a Stanley Cup. That’s what everyone plays for, but we know that there’s a process here with our team and we’re going to continue to get better.”
There had to more than the mask, gun and hostage. Certainly, there was something keeping the Senators brass from celebrating like it was Mardi Gras, oh right.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau
“Today was probably the toughest call I’ve ever made as a general manager. It was very difficult to tell Jean-Gabriel that he was traded,” Ottawa general manager Pierre Dorion said. “I remember watching him in Gatineau in the playoffs against [Florida Panthers forward] Jonathan Huberdeau and how he played well, and we were fortunate enough to take him in the fourth round that year. … I can tell you I don’t get very emotional a lot with players, but today was a very difficult call to make with him.”
Tough call my……………………..!
Those were some of the eye poppers from Monday.
Stocks go up and down.
Any everyone tried to capture lighting in a bottle and make it strike a second time in a different place and a different environment.
Wait, wait, wait, did Davidson say, ‘the Rangers are getting younger’?
All images by Lewis.Bleiman@prohockeynews.com
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