Looking back at the Trade Deadline

Montoya...with confidence

As teams are settling into playoff spots (well, at least in the East), I wanted to take a look back at the trades made during the seemingly month long trade deadline and see how they actually impacted teams.  Players are listed by the team they went to and with the stats (as of 3/28) they have accumulated since.  (Minor league deals not included)

NYI: Al Montoya (17 gp, 8-4-4, 2.35 gaa, .923 save %)
Pho:  2011 6th round pick

Winner: NYI, no question.  The Isles picked up a young goalie with potential in a season during which they have used 6 different goalies.  Montoya has played fantastic for them, and may be their future (insert Rick DiPietro joke here).

At least someone is successful in Nashville

Nsh:  Mike Fisher (21 gp, 3g, 3a, -2, 8 pim)
Ott:  2011 1st round, 2012 3rd round

Winner:  Ottawa gets the early win.  Fisher has not made the huge impact Nashville was expecting, but the playoffs could change that.  Ottawa got a great return and didn't really lose anything from their team play.


Chi:  Michael Frolik (20 gp, 2g, 5a, -3, 4 pim), Alexander Salak (minors)
Fla:  Jack Skille (9 gp, 0g, 1a, -11, 4 pim), Hugh Jessiman (minors), David Pacan (minors)

Winner:  Leaning Florida.  No one has really done anything out of this trade, but Florida did pick up some pieces that they may be able to rebuild with.


Phi:  Kris Versteeg (20 gp, 6g, 2a, +4, 12 pim)
Tor:  2011 1st round, 2011 3rd round

Winner:  Toronto/Tie.  Though this can be argued because Versteeg has played pretty well, the asking price was steep.  This is another deal where the true winner will be decided in the playoffs, but I'd lean towards Toronto right now even though both teams got what they wanted.

Google Image result for Ruutu

Ana:  Jarkko Ruutu (16 gp, 1g, 1a, even, 10 pim)
Ott:  2011 6th round

Winner:  Tie.  Anaheim has put Ruutu to use as a pest and a penalty killer, and he has played respectably with the low penalty total.  Ottawa did manage to get a return on a player they didn't want anymore though.


TB:  Eric Brewer (17 gp, 1g, 0a, even, 24 pim)
StL:  Brock Beukeboom (minors), 2011 3rd round

Winner:  St. Louis.  Brewer hasn't done a whole lot to improve Tampa Bay and St. Louis picked up some potential in Beukeboom and a pick to boot.


Col:  Brian Elliott (9 gp, 2-5-1, 3.73 gaa, .890 save %)
Ott:  Craig Anderson (14 gp, 8-4-1, 1.99 gaa, .942 save %)

Winner:  Ottawa.  Just look at those stats.  If I need to explain it, go purchase hockey for dummies.


Bos:  Tomas Kaberle (17 gp, 1g, 6a, +5, 2 pim)

You mean we don't golf in April?

Tor:  2011 1st round, Joe Colborne (minors), 2012 2nd round

Winner:  Leaning Toronto.  Kaberle has played well for Boston, but here is another case where the price was steep.  Boston has a solid grasp on 3rd in the conference, but anything short of winning the Cup makes this trade questionable.


Bos:  Boris Valabik (minors), Rich Peverley (16 gp, 2g, 2a, -3, 0 pim)
Atl:  Blake Wheeler (16 gp, 5g, 8a, +1, 10 pim), Mark Stuart (16 gp, 1g, 0a, -5, 24 pim)

Winner:  Atlanta.  Blake Wheeler has played very well for the Thrashers and is one of the reasons they stayed in the playoff race as long as they did.

No wins for Easter?

Col:  Erik Johnson (17 gp, 3g, 7a, -7, 17 pim), Jay McClement (17 gp, 0g, 1a, -10, 10 pim)
StL:  Chris Stewart (19 gp, 11g, 4a, even, 13 pim), Kevin Shattenkirk (19 gp, 1g, 8a, +4, 10pim)

Winner:  St. Louis.  Here's another slam dunk based on the numbers.  Stewart and Shattenkirk transitioned seamlessly into the Bues locker room.  Johnson and McClement got sent to a sinking ship and couldn't slow the freefall.


Dal:  Alex Goligoski (15 gp, 4g, 7a, +3, 12 pim)
Pit:  James Neal (15 gp, 1g, 4a, even, 4 pim), Matt Niskanen (13 gp, 1g, 1a, +1, 14pim)

Winner:  Leaning Dallas.  What started as an easy slam dunk for Pittsburgh when the trade was made swung quickly to the Stars based on Goligoski's play.  Also, Neal has been slow to produce, though useful in shootouts.  This one could change if Neal gets time on Crosby's wing.


TB/Ott:  Curtis McElhinney (5 gp, 3-2, 2.14 gaa, .932 save %)
Ana:  Dan Ellis (10 gp, 6-3-1, 2.69 gaa, .902 save %)

Winner:  Anaheim and Ottawa.  McElhinney went from TB to Ottawa via waivers.  McElhinney has played very well when he's been in, but Ellis gives Anaheim a win for his impact.  Ellis proved to be incredibly useful as Jonas Hiller went down and the Ducks have needed him in some big situations.

Look at that great hooking technique

Pit:  Alex Kovalev (14 gp, 1g, 2a, +2, 14 pim)  
Ott:  2011 7th round

Winner:  Pittsburgh.  Kovalev hasn't done what many Pens fans have expected or wanted, but he has been key in shootouts which is enough to warrant a 7th round pick.


Car: Cory Stillman (14 gp, 3g, 8a, +2, 4 pim)
Fla:  Ryan Carter (8 gp, 2g, 1a, +2, 16 pim), 2011 5th round

Winner:  Carolina.  Stillman made an immediate impact with the Hurricanes and helped keep them in the race this long.  Even if they don't make the playoffs, they only gave up spare parts that weren't worth much.


Mtl:  Brent Sopel (7 gp, 0g, 0a, -1, 0 pim), Nigel Dawes (9 gp, 0g, 1a, -6, 0 pim)
Atl:  Ben Maxwell (5 gp, 1g, 1a, even, 0 pim), 2011 4th round

Winner:  Tie.  Hard to pick a winner in this one, no impact on either side.  Montreal gained depth for the playoffs and Atlanta picked up a younger player and a pick.

Tears of joy follow trades from Florida

NYR:  Bryan McCabe (13 gp, 1g, 4a, +3, 2 pim) 
Fla:  Tim Kennedy (minors), 2011 3rd round

Winner:  NYR.  The Rangers didn't really give up much for McCabe, who has given them a defenseman who can take on plenty of minutes and provide a big shot from the point.  I'm rather surprised Florida couldn't get more for him.


Was:  Dennis Wideman (13 gp, 1g, 6a, +6, 6 pim)
Fla:  Jake Hauswirth (minors), 2011 3rd round

Winner: Washington.  After a -26 start to the year, Wideman looks reinvigorated and excited to play hockey outside of Florida.  Washington only gave up expendable parts for what could be a key piece to their defense and powerplay.


Van:  Chris Higgins (8 gp, 2g, 2a, -2, 2 pim), 2013 3rd round
Fla:  Evan Oberg (minors)

Winner: Leaning Vancouver.  It's hard to evaluate this one since Oberg hasn't played for Florida yet, but Higgins provides the Canucks with depth plus they got a pick out of the deal, so I'd have to lean towards the Cancusk right now.


Van:  Maxim Lapierre (13 gp, 1g, 0a, -2, 6 pim), MacGregor Sharp (minors)
Ana:  Joel Perrault (minors), 2012 3rd round

Winner: Tied.  Another difficult one to judge since Lapierre is mostly a depth guy and Anaheim hasn't seen results yet.  Lapierre hasn't done enough to warrant favoring Vancouver in this one though.


Ana:  Brad Winchester (13 gp, 1g, 0a, -6, 19 pim)
StL:  2012 3rd round

Winner: St. Louis.  A 3rd pick was a great return for Winchester...who doesn't appear to be doing too much for the Ducks.


Pho:  Rostislav Klesla (11 gp, 1g, 0a, -4, 10 pim), Dane Byers (minors)
Cls:  Scottie Upshall (14 gp, 4g, 1a, -7, 8 pim)

Winner: Phoenix.  Neither player has wowed anyone, but the difference here is that Phoenix surged after the trade and Columbus went into a freefall.  Both teams were fighting for a playoff spot at the deadline and now Phoenix is pretty well set and Columbus is out.


NJ:  David Steckel (12 gp, 0g, 0a, -1, 2 pim), 2012 2nd round
Was:  Jason Arnott (7 gp, 2g, 3a, +5, 6 pim)

Winner: Leaning Washington.  This one is still tough because a 2nd rounder was a big pick to throw in to this trade, but the early returns definitely favor the Caps as Arnott made a big impact immediately.  His play in the playoffs will be the deciding factor.

Penner was not picked up for his intelligence

Edm:  Colten Teubert (minors), 2011 1st round, 2012 3rd round 
LA:  Dustin Penner (12 gp, 2 g, 4a, +4, 0 pim)

Winner:  Leaning Edmonton.  Edmonton got a fantastic return for Penner, who hasn't done much on the scoresheet yet.  With LA losing Anze Kopitar for the season, the Penner trade may have been done in vain for that price.


Chi:  Chris Campoli (12 gp, 1g, 4a, +5, 2 pim)
Ott:  Ryan Potulny (7 gp, 0g, 0a, even, 0 pim), 2011 2nd round

Winner: Tied.  Chicago got a very useful defender in Campoli, who has added more offense than expected already.  Meanwhile, Ottawa got rid of a player they had no use for and got a high pick with a player back.


Atl:  Radek Dvorak (12gp, 0g, 1a, even, 4 pim), 2011 5th round
Fla:  Niclas Bergfors (14 gp, 1g, 6a, +5, 2 pim), Patrick Rissmiller (5 gp, 0g, 0a, -1, 0 pim)

Winner:  Florida.  Bergfors on his own has been worth more than Dvorak and a pick, let alone with Rissmiller.  Dvorak failed to give the Thrashers any sort of playoff boost and Florida has 2 pieces to build with next season.


Cal:  Fredrik Modin (4 gp, 0g, 0a, -3, 2 pim)
Atl:  2011 7th round

Winner: Atlanta.  Modin played 4 games and then went onto the IR with a back injury and may be done for the season.  At least it was only a 7th rounder for Calgary.