Deadline Day – Deal 14: Washington-Carolina

Trade:

Washington gets: defenseman Joe Corvo

Carolina gets: defenseman Brian Pothier, prospect Oskar Osala and a 2nd Round pick

Analysis:

Washington adds a guy who is a puck moving defenseman who didn’t enjoy the pressure of playing in Ottawa.

Um… Yeah, enjoy the new hockey hotbed of Washington, D.C. Joe.  Yikes.

Carolina gets a guy I’ve got a soft spot for in Pothier who is a former RPI defenseman and adds a big-bodied prospect in Osala. I know what the Capitals are thinking on this move (veteran defenseman being a good thing) but this has nothing but bad mojo written all over it for Washington and it reeks of being a panic move.

Deadline Day – Deal 13: Lee Stempniak to Phoenix

Trade:

Phoenix gets: Lee Stempniak

Toronto gets: 4th and 7th Round Draft picks

Analysis:

Phoenix adds a solid penalty killer and depth forward that makes Phoenix even more difficult to deal with in the playoffs.  Toronto adds some more draft picks to its collection. This deal is all about the Coyotes but the Maple Leafs will get the attention. The Coyotes are coming out of this deadline looking much nicer.

Deadline Day – Deal 12: Jurcina Back To Washington

Trade:

Washington gets: defenseman Milan Jurcina

Columbus gets:  6th Round pick

Analysis:

The Capitals just dealt Jurcina in late December in the deal that also sent Chris Clark to the Blue Jackets in exchange for Jason Chimera. The fact that the Capitals are now re-acquiring Jurcina could mean that the asking price for other defensemen they were looking at was too far over their head.  It’s a head-scratcher of a move for the Capitals because Jurcina is not good and is strictly a depth guy for the Caps.

Dumb, dumb, dumb deal which is made even dumber thanks to the revelation made by TSN’s Bob McKenzie on Twitter that Jurcina was just diagnosed with a sports hernia.  Perhaps this one just gets recalled.

Deadline Day – Deal 11: Buffalo-Atlanta

Trade:

Buffalo gets: 3rd and 4th Round picks

Atlanta gets: Clarke MacArthur

Analysis:

MacArthur seemed to run out of rope in Buffalo and he was buried on the lower lines. There’s talent there but perhaps this is just a change of scenery move for him going to the Thrashers.  Not much really happening here.

Deadline Day – Deal 10: Raffi Torres to Buffalo

Trade:

Buffalo gets: forward Raffi Torres

Columbus gets: defenseman Nathan Paetsch and a 2nd Round pick

Analysis:

Buffalo adds a sandpapery forward with a little scoring touch and a high energy guy in Torres. The guys on TSN love Torres but he’s a guy whose effect will be better felt come playoff time.  As for Nathan Paetsch, he fell out of favor with Lindy Ruff and he’s a middling defenseman that will come off the bench. The key here for Columbus was the draft pick even though the Blue Jackets could use all the blue line help they can get.  Sabres fans will go nuts for Torres’ style come playoff time.

Deadline Day – Deal 9: Calgary-Anaheim Hilarity

Trade:

Anaheim gets: goaltender Curtis McElhinney

Calgary gets: goaltender Vesa Toskala

Analysis:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I mean… Apparently Mikka Kiprusoff needed/wanted a fellow Finnish friend to play goal with. These guys are both backups now but that doesn’t cut down on the hilarity of this in any way.

Deadline Day – Deal 8: Belanger to Washington

Trade:

Washington gets: Eric Belanger

Minnesota gets: 2nd Round pick

Analysis:

Yet another flexibility and depth move for the Capitals. Belanger has a little scoring touch, plays some good defense at forward and can play center or wing. The problem here for the Capitals is that they’re overburdened at the moment with forwards. With just over an hour to go til the deadline, I’d have to think there’s another move coming here.

Belanger’s contract expires at the end of the year so Minnesota had no problem moving him and getting a 2nd Round pick for him is a solid return.

Deadline Day – Deal 7: Jeff Halpern to Los Angeles

Trade:

Los Angeles gets: Jeff Halpern

Tampa Bay gets: Teddy Purcell and a 3rd Round Pick

Analysis:

The moment this broke it was unknown what was coming back from Los Angeles and the Kings landing Halpern is a great move for them as he’s a great penalty killer and face off man. Perfect depth move for a team looking to make a big run in the playoffs.

Giving up Teddy Purcell and a 3rd Rounder to do it is a bit of a price though. Purcell is young, has some offensive talent but was buried on the third and fourth lines for the Kings the last two years. In Tampa, he’ll get a chance to play more offensive minutes and have room to grow. This deal could work out well for both teams and it gets my stamp of mutual approval.

Deadline Day – Deal 6: Colorado-Phoenix

Trade:

Phoenix trades: Forwards Peter Mueller and Kevin Porter

Colorado trades: Wojtek Wolski

Analysis:

Two potential (likely) playoff teams trading off headaches. For Colorado, they add a couple of offensive players who might strongly benefit from a change of scenery. Mueller’s offensive potential is high but he’s struggled a ton in Phoenix the last couple years. Kevin Porter is a former Hobey Baker Award winner with the University of Michigan who could be a dynamic scorer if given the opportunity. Dave Tippett’s arrival in Phoenix basically closed the door on Porter (and Mueller, really) getting  a chance to flex their offensive talents.

As for Wolski, he started off the season hot for the Avalanche and while he’s cooled off a bit, he can make plays and score and the Coyotes needed someone to take Scottie Upshall’s spot in the lineup since he went down with an injury.  Wolski has speed and he’s young and he’s got a good touch with the puck.

This is a real, actual hockey trade with real actual NHL players involved. This is a deal that could shake out as great and even in the future or could look bad on Colorado if Mueller and Porter can’t shake the Phoenix funk off.

Deadline Day – Deal 5: Scott Walker to Washington

Trade:

Carolina sends forward Scott Walker to the Washington Capitals for a 7th Round pick

Analysis:

The Capitals add a depth forward with playoff experience and a sandpaper game to their lineup.  He’s not being brought to the Capitals to score and be a power forward, he’s there to be a force in the locker room… And to an unsuspecting opposition defenseman’s face.

This is the Capitals way of loading up for the grueling playoff run and this will help out.