Frozen Pucks

July 11, 2008 4:01pm CDT

NHL Trades, PART I
Today, we continue our look at some of the recent trades that NHL clubs have made. There may not be many "big" names on this list, but that doesn't mean there are a handful of players listed below that you should keep an eye on when draft day rolls around.


Zidlicky to Minnesota
Wild Get: D Marek Zidlicky
Flyers Get: F Ryan Jones and a second round draft pick
Zidlicky is one of the better second-tier scoring defensemen in the NHL with and average of 44 points per season during his four-year NHL career. After scoring 26

goals his first two seasons, Zidlicky has managed just nine goals over the past two seasons, though he was able to skate in 79 games each season, proving that his somewhat smallish frame (5'11", 190 lbs) could handle the rigors of the long NHL campaign. He also remerged as a power-play weapon last season with 25 points on the man advantage, right smack dab on his four-year average for production on the power-play. As an added bonus, he will be reunited with former teammate Kimmo Timonen, and the duo could make sweet music with the man advantage. Timonen might have a slightly higher fantasy value, but with the Flyers' talent up front, two 50-point seasons could possibly be in the cards for these blueliners.

Jones was a selection in the 2004 draft, but he went to college, scoring 90 goals and 147 points in 161 games. Last year he made his AHL debut and was held pointless in four games, and he will likely begin the year in the AHL for the Flyers.


Cole to Edmonton
Oilers Get: F Erik Cole
Hurricanes Get: D Joni Pitkanen
Cole has skated in six NHL seasons, and each time he has scored at least 16 goals when he was healthy enough to skate in 60 games. He has upped his scoring the past three years to an average of 27 goals per season, even though he has suited up for and average of 68 contests per year. The problem with Cole is that he hasn't skated in 80 games since 2003-04 due to a series of injuries, most serious of them being an injury to his neck. However, he therefore represents a nice buy low option, as his overall numbers are depressed because of a lack of games played. Moving to the fast ice in Edmonton could allow Cole to truly emerge this season and return to the 30-goal form he flashed in 2005-06. If Cole ends up on a line with Shawn Horcoff and Ales Hemsky, he could do some serious damage, as could his linemates.

Pitkanen wasn't needed in Edmonton after the Oilers picked up Lubomir Visnovksy (formerly of the Kings), so he was included in this deal. Pitkanen could team with Joe Corvo to give the 'Canes a powerful blueline duo on the power-play, where Joni has fared well in the past (17, 19 and 18 PP points his first three NHL seasons). He slumped to just 10 PP points and 26 overall points last year, this after back-to-back 40+ point seasons in Philadelphia, but he has shown in the past that he can be useful weapon on offense from the blueline. Pitkanen projects as a nice third or fourth defensemen, one with considerable upside since his career scoring average per 82 games is 44 points.


Brule to Edmonton
Oilers Get: F Gilbert Brule
Blue Jackets Get: F Raffi Torres
Brule was the sixth overall selection in the 2005 draft, and he entered the league with considerable excitement given his overall offensive talents. However, he has been unable to find any sort of traction at the NHL level, totaling 12 goals and 32 points in 146 games spread over three seasons. This trade comes at a perfect time for Brule, as he clearly was in need of a fresh start. He was born in Edmonton, so if he can avoid the trappings that some fall into when they "go home" to play, he could be in line for his first productive season on the world's largest stage (the NHL). If he can secure a spot on one of the team's top two lines, and he will likely start the season on the second, he could be worth a final round grab, though he is probably best left on waivers until we get a better idea of what to expect from the 21-year-old youngster.

Torres scored 20 goals in 2003-04 and followed that up with 27 tallies in 2005-06, only to regress to 20 total scores the past two seasons. Last season he was limited to just 32 games due to a torn ACL, but he should be ready to go by the start of the year. Torres is an agitating, in your face skater with some upside, though a return to the high 20's in goal scoring would seem to be asking for a lot for a player who is coming off an injury to play with a team that isn't exactly known for being an offensively dynamic squad.


Goodbye Mr. Emery
Ray Emery, the Senators goalie who was bought out of his contract with the organization after basically being one massive malcontent for the majority of the 2007-08 season, will not be playing in North America in the coming season after signing a 1-year, $2 million deal to take his 25-year-old body to Russia where, he will suit up for Atlant Myishchi of the Continental Hockey League.

Emery was the Senators' lead goalie for most of 2006-07, going 33-16-6 with a 2.47 GAA, .918 save percentage and five shutouts. He then had an solid playoff run for the club (13-7, 2.26 GAA, .907 SV%), though he didn't "steal" many games. Last season he had a whole host of problems, including fighting with teammates, showing up late for practice, blowing off coaches and the media and finally incessant whining about the fact that he wasn't playing on a regular basis. When he was on the ice he was sub par, to say the least (12-13-4, 313 GAA, .890 SV%), and though Martin Gerber wasn't great (30-18-4, 2.72 GAA, .910 SV%), he was clearly a better option than Emery.

But in the end this had less to do with Emery's skills on the ice than it did to do with his atrocious attitude. Just listen to what his agent J.P. Barry said in the Ottawa Times. "Unfortunately, it's only been a short time since the buyout and there isn't anybody willing to give (Emery) a second chance at this time." When entire NHL has no interest in you, it's time to shape up, hire a PR team, and realize that your physical gifts alone aren't enough if you are a jackass.


Make sure you eat your Wheaties
The Blackhawks opened up the vault to bring in Brian Campbell this offseason, giving him more money than any player in the history of the franchise (eight years, $56.8 million). Obviously they intend to ride him for all he is worth, and after playing nearly 30 minutes per game on the ice in the playoffs at 29:19 per contest (the most in the NHL), Campbell will be asked to carry over that heavy workload into the '08-'09 season for the 'Hawks. According to coach Dennis Savard, Campbell and fellow d-man Duncan Keith should expect to see a ton of ice-time. "...at least one of them will be on the ice every other shift. Having both of them on the ice 30 minutes will make a big difference.'' Hopefully these two train hard, eat the right foot and get a lot of sleep, cause it sure sounds like they are going to need it.