Well, yesterday was certainly a busy day in the NHL.
The NHL Trade Deadline is at 3pm today and yesterday seemed like the kind of flurry one see’s at the waning moments of deadline clock. There were more than few trades yesterday, but it wasn’t really the amount of activity, it was the ‘who’ and ‘where’.
For over a year, the Vancouver Canucks toyed with the idea of trading goaltender Roberto Luongo. They already had a capable goalie in Cory Schneider, and Lou seemed the odd man out. There was talk of him going to Toronto, Washington and Florida, the latter of which he most preferred. Then. Nothing. Until the deadline when the Canucks sent Cory Schneider, the man they had almost promised not to trade, to New Jersey. Lou looked like he had managements blessing to be the #1 Goalie again.
Courtesy: Rich Lam/Getty Images
However, yesterday, almost out of no where, Luongo was traded to the Florida Panthers, along with prospect Steve Anthony, for Goaltender Jacob Markstrom and Forward Shawn Matthias. That’s it. Just the two players. No draft picks. No other prospect. Just those two. Oh, and the Canucks picked up 17% of Lou’s contract for the Panthers. And, if Lou retires at any time in the next, like, 8 years, the Canucks are on the hook for a few million dollars. Smart.
No one really knows what Canucks GM Mike Gillis is doing in trading away both his goalies within a year. Does he have an overall plan? Because Ryan Kesler was reported to have requested a trade. Daniel Sedin is out for the season. His brother, Henrik, has like 1 point, I think in the last 8 games (I think I made that up, but I’m close). The team kinda sucks.
Whatever the case may be, he still has a few hours to fill in the holes before the ship begins to sink completely.
In other trade news, the Edmonton Oilers sent Ilya Bryzgalov to the Minnesota Wild for a 4th round pick, and then picked up Anaheim Ducks Goalie, Viktor Fasth. Great move by Edmonton. The Ducks picked up Stephane Robidas from Dallas, but seem to be dumping some salary, they also sent Dustin Penner to DC. The Ducks are looking to make a move for either Kesler or Thomas Vanek in New York.
Courtesy: Yahoo Sports
Andrew MacDonald found a new home in Philadelphia. Now that the Flyers need to shed some contracts and figure out what kind of team they have. They’re also reportedly looking at Jaroslav Halak, even though they just signed Steve Mason to a multi-year deal.
There’s a ton of speculation and rumors running around at the moment. Like Martin Brodeur playing in his last game in a Devil’s uniform. With the Wild getting Bryz today, would they really make a move for Brodeur, too?
I’ll have some rumors later if I get a chance. Lots to do today. BTW, I’m making my annual pulled pork for the trade deadling frenzy – and by that I mean I just sit in my kitchen with NHL Network on, prep my crock pot and drink coffee all day until my wife comes home and shakes me.
Follow me on Twitter for updates if you want – @_Mellin_
More to come…
