Following the NHL around trade deadline in almost a full time job sometimes. There are days where nothing really happens and then there are days where you think, what the hell is going on. Over the last couple days it has been the latter.
If NHL GM's keep this pace up, there won't be anyone left to trade on deadline day. Which would lead to a very boring day for the guys at TSN and other networks.
Previously I looked briefly at some of the trades that had happened and now I'm going to look at a few more.
The first one I will look at was a deal between Florida and New Jersey.
To Florida: Jaromir Jagr, a 43 year old RW who has already played in 1530 NHL games for now 8 different teams. He has scored 716 goals, has 1068 assists for a total of 1784 points and has 1047 penalty minutes. He will make $3.5 million and has an added bonus of $2 million. (I am unsure if he has achieved his bonus.) Jagr will also become a UFA in the 2015/16 season.
To New Jersey: A 2015 2nd round draft pick and a conditional 2016 3rd round draft pick.
Breakdown: The Panthers seemed to have given up a lot on a player who is pretty much going straight to the HHOF (hall of fame) once he decides to hang em up, which could be next year. I am not sure what they are really thinking with the deal since they are a cusp team at the moment. If they are wanting to make the playoffs and have a decent shot at making it past the first round, I'm not sure I would be looking at Jagr to help pull the wagon. He is known for his unreal conditioning and healthy lifestyle, but that seems a lot to ask of a 43 year old player.
On the other side of the trade though, the New Jersey Devils seemed to have gotten what they want. They get an early round draft pick and and chance to get some younger talent into their system. The Devils (to me) have been a team that isn't sure if they are re-tooling or re-building their roster. They haven't been stellar over the last few years, but they haven't been bottom dwellers. So this deal sees them move an aging player who takes a low salary with him and in return they get some draft picks. Not a bad deal for New Jersey. I think it was a fair return for Jagr but I think New Jersey won the deal.
The next trade was one that seemed to make the internet explode and twitter along with it. It was a deal between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Columbus Blue Jackets.
To Columbus: David Clarkson, a 30 year old RW who went undrafted but has seen 544 NHL games and accumulated 112 goals, 84 assists for 196 points. And has 955 penalty minutes. Columbus will be Clarkson's 3rd NHL team and the term and amount on his contract that he will be taking with him are fairly large. In the 14/15 season he will make $4.75 million, then from 2016/18 he will make $7 million, then back down to $4.75 million for his final year in the 18/19 season.
To Toronto: Nathan Horton, a 29 year old RW who has played in 626 games and gathered up 202 goals, 218 assists for 420 points and has 567 penalty minutes. Toronto will be his 4th NHL team and he will start out with them like he left the Blue Jackets, on the IR. he comes with a $6 million tag until the 2017/18 season where it drops to $4.5 million for the final season of his contract in the 2018/19 season. The last full season the injury plagued forward has was in the 07/08 season. So quite some time ago.
Breakdown: This was a bit of a genius move by the Maple Leafs. They dump some salary with Clarkson's contract going to Columbus and in return they get a guy who's contract they can put straight onto the IR and "off the books" so to speak. Which in return would lift them from any cap issues they have and give them some breathing room. They also get a player who, if he ever returns to full health, would be a great addition to their team as a leader and someone who can add some points on the board.
The Blue Jackets get a big gritty forward that can help enforce around the ice and adds some size and a little scoring to this roster.
To me this is a win win for both teams. Nothing is retained by either team and both teams get what they want.
Another team that we should see spending some IR money is the Chicago Blackhawks. With Patrick Kane out for another 11 or so weeks, I wouldn't be surprised to see them make more deals then the one they have made already.
To Chicago: Kimmo Timonen a 39 year old defenceman who has played in an incredible 1092 games and gathered 117 goals,454 assists for 571 points and has 652 penalty minutes. These numbers would be higher except Timonen was diagnosed with blood clots and he was put on the IR before the season even started. He stands to make $2 million this season and is going to be a UFA next year, where he may possibly hang up the skates. His last full season was the 10/11 season which isn't to long ago.
To Philadelphia: 2015 2nd round draft pick and a conditional 2016 4th round draft pick.
Breakdown: This isn't a bad move by the Blackhawks. They have some of the best defencemen in the league but adding to them with someone like Timonen who they can put on the in the bottom 2 in their pairings isn't a bad idea. The question will be weather or not he will return. He has been skating over the last little while and is getting closer to a return but his timetable isn't set yet. The return that the Flyers got on an aged out d-man is pretty good. They can get some youth to put into their system and they haven't really lost anything by trading Timonen away.
This trade will work out better for the Blackhawks right now if Timonen can come back and help the Blackhawks make a push to the Stanley Cup. If he can't get himself healthy then so be it. It was a gamble that didn't pan out. Right now the Hawks win the deal. In the future it could possibly be the Flyers.
There are still a couple other trades that I am going over and seeing what the numbers are for each player and figuring out who I think won the deals.
Let me know if you agree with what I have put here or if you don't.
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Thanks for reading.
Until next time.
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