The biggest deadline deal of the day was Tampa Bay’s acquisition of Ryan McDonagh that gave the Lightning a huge upgrade on the blue line while solving some later financial issues in unloading Vladislav Namestnikov to the Rangers. The deal again shows the wizardry of general manager Steve Yzerman, who had been linked to Mike Green, and Erik Karlsson, and yet still came away with the best defenseman that the market had to bear after Green and Karlsson were never moved. Not to be lost in the deal was the acquisition of J.T. Miller and suddenly, the Bolts got the jolt they needed as they head into the playoffs in just over a month. The Sporting News’ Jim Cerny awarded the Lightning an “A” in the deal, stating that Yzerman so badly wanted to fortify his defense corps and that he did. Cerny handed a B+ to the Rangers who are clearly back in rebuild mode.
- Evander Kane is excited to be in San Jose but the Sporting News didn’t have great things to say about the deal for the Sabres. Awarding the Sabres an F, the first round pick that is contingent upon the Sharks either winning the Cup or re-signing Kane doesn’t bode well for a Sabres’ squad desperately trying to escape a rebuild-hell that seems to drag on every year. Kane was the best bargaining chip Buffalo had and a mini-slump mixed with a buyers market certainly complicated matters for first-year general manager Jason Botterill. The Buffalo News’ John Vogl isn’t as harsh, writing that the rookie GM didn’t have a lot of options to choose from and it appears, according to Botterill himself, it was only one.
Colleague Mike Harrington, however, isn’t so kind. Calling it a “dud,” Harrington indicates that Botterill’s short honeymoon in Buffalo is now officially over, and the pressure to turn the Sabres around certainly ratcheted up after swinging and missing at the deadline. Writing that the roster is a “disaster,” Harrington retells a recent incident where Botterill was furious after a tepid Sabres showing against Los Angeles. Though the fire and indignation over a poor roster is there, Harrington wonders if Botterill can turn around a team that is as low as it can get. - Detroit Red Wings general manager called the trade of Tomas Tatar a move for “the future,” but it doesn’t solve any major issues right away. The Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James indicates that according to Holland, the move opened up door for Tyler Bertuzzi and prospects Evgeny Svechnikov and Michael Rasmussen to get a chance in Detroit. It’s a philosophical shift for Holland who in the past deferred to his veterans and would let prospects “overripen” in the minors. The trade for Tatar is a beginning, but hardly the end of the work that Holland, or possibly his replacement, will need to accomplish with a slew of veterans locked into expensive, long-term deals. Holland is still without a contract extension and though THN’s Ken Campbell believes Holland may have saved his job with the trade (despite never thinking it was in trouble), much of the Red Wings’ issues are a result of Holland’s missteps with contracts, drafting, and an inability to use the trade market to improve the team.
Hollands gone
Wont help
Unloading Namestnikov solved financial issues, while bringing in Miller, who is also an RFA at the end of the season and is a year closer to UFA (and shouldn’t be deployed as a center) was the jolt they needed… Okay. Sure. No problem. Oh and McDonagh is a free agent at the end of next season, but that won’t create financial problems at all. All hail great wizard Yzerman. The way everyone talks about him you would think he won the cup as GM at least once.
yzerman has done everything to get a cup in Tampa Cooper has to finish it this from a wings fan
He’s all in on this year and next. Time will tell.
I mean the GM can only do so much. He hasn’t hamstrung his team with a lack of young talent/picks or given out too many bad contracts. The roster is deep and there is no obvious, glaring hole that desperately needed to be filled (although it feels like Tampa has been seeking dmen at the trade deadline for the past couple of years). Stamkos getting hurt didn’t help, and the other core players are just starting to come into their own. Hedman has taken major strides the past two years, Kucherov has been a force the past two years, Vasilevsky was just given the reigns halfway through last, and Point is still on his rookie contract. They were in the Stanley Cup Finals what three or four years ago? Aside from the Penguins’ fans, I’m sure most fans would love to have Yzerman as their GM. There really hasn’t been anything yet that he’s completely screwed up.
Yzerman’s goal at this deadline was to add players, specifically a top pair dman, to help this team compete for a cup. He’s not trying to solve financial problems. When you’re a cap team that adds top end players for picks/prospects at the deadline you’re adding to your financial problems. You think he doesn’t know that? He’s trying to win. Is that a problem?
yzerman is the man . and will win the cup at least once .. ( he will win it this year too )
Why Holland tops Seattle’s GM wish list is a real head scratcher. He’s been mostly awful for a decade. That said, unloading the grossly overpaid Tatar for three picks was a great move.
Holland may have made a good move in dealing Tatar but let’s not forget why he had to move him in the first place. He has grossly overspent on guys such as Abdelkader, Erickson, Helm, Nielsen, and many more. Seattle should avoid Holland like the Plague.
Few issues here with this post…
1. Trading Namestnikov didn’t alleviate financial issues when JT Miller is an RFA as well at the end of the season.
2. Are you insinuating that Mike Green is a better player than McD? Really?
3. “Wizardry” of Yzerman? He’s made some good moves, but no way he’s a wizard. Let’s begin with the signing of Girardi…
Yzerman’s free agency decisions has some head scratchers and the cap will probably come back to hurt them, but when it comes to drafting/developing and trading, he’s been as good as it gets. But I think I’d rather a GM screw up one or two free agency decisions as opposed to completely flopping at the draft or completely overbuying/underselling for players in trades.
Yeah I read that in the same manner (point #2). McD isn’t ek. Who is? But mcD
Botterill should get an A+ for even trading Kane… No one wants that guy.
Kane has proven to be a selfish loser in his career… Buffalo gets better just by him no longer being present, anything they received is just bonus..
Want to be harsh? Be harsh on Kane for being a living joke.. Not Botterill trying to do what he can with a broken roster in a town that doesnt attract free agents.
Buffalo needs to tank and rebuild around Eichel and top picks..
Except that tanking doesn’t work. You can be bad just because your roster sucks, but intentionally tanking doesn’t work in hockey because of the draft lottery. There’s no guarantee that having the worst record will lend you the first overall pick.
Is it a lottery or totally rigged for marketing like the NBA?
Buffalo should have McDavid, IMO..
Totally unbiased Penguin fan of a team who hasnt even had a 1st rnder in 5 years
Maybe a little biased towards Botterill but more so just have his back, and know hes in a tough spot.
I’m the biggest lightning fan out there now that my rangers can get their first with a TB cup win