March 5, 2009, NHL Trade Deadline Winners and Losers compilation for Metro (NY) Newspaper

Beating the deadline: NHL winners and losers

NHL. The trade deadline has come and gone, here's the rundown:

Winners:

1) Calgary

What they needed: A defenseman that can spell Dion Phaneuf at even strength and on the power play. The Flames also needed another scorer to take pressure off of Jarome Iginla.

What they got: D Jordan Leopold and F Olli Jokinen. Leopold is puck-rushing blueliner, who should see time on the power play. Jokinen is the offensive power forward every team lusts for. It should be noted that Jokinen played three years for Mike Keenan in Florida. Flames also acquired a fourth round pick from Columbus for AHL goaltender Kevin Lalande.

Playoff projection: In a wide-open Western Conference, Darryl Sutter correctly viewed his team as a legitimate contender. The additions of Jokinen and Leopold should be enough to push Calgary into the Western Finals.

2) Rangers

What they needed: Size, scoring, meanness and speed upfront and on the blueline.

What they got: Signed Sean Avery off of re-entry waivers on Tuesday. Yesterday, GM Glen Sather upgraded the league’s smallest roster by trading F Petr Prucha and Nigel Dawes and D Dmitri Kalinin to Phoenix for D Derek Morris. Sather also dealt a second round pick and a conditional pick to Toronto for F Nik Antropov.

Playoff projection: 5-11-4 in the last 20, Glen Sather needed to upgrade across the board. Firing Tom Renney and hiring John Tortorella, picking up Avery on waivers and yesterday’s deal are across-the-board upgrades and should mean a playoff berth. The Rangers are much tougher and bigger than they’ve been in years. Morris, specifically, brings size, a good shot and toughness to a blueline that desperately needs it.

3) Boston

What they needed: Playoff experience, scoring and more toughness for the playoffs.

What they got: F Mark Recchi and D Steve Montador. Coming along with a 2010 second round pick, Recchi is a proven scorer who has won two Cups. Montador adds muscle (125 PIMS with Anaheim this season) to the B’s blueline.

Playoff projection: Boston was rumored to be in the bidding for Anaheim D Chris Pronger or formerly Phoenix D Derek Morris and any number of scoring forwards. Those rumored deals included young stars Phil Kessel and Blake Wheeler. GM Peter Chiarelli was able to add to his Eastern Conference leading team’s depth without mortgaging the future. However, in an Eastern Conference that boasts the hot Devils and the high-scoring Capitals, the Bruins could be in trouble.

4) Columbus

What they needed: A forward to play with Rick Nash and a backup goaltender.

What they got: Antoine Vermette and Kevin Lalande. Stuck on third line duty in Ottawa, Vermette now has the opportunity to show that he can center top lines, as most likely he will skate with Rick Nash. Having to deal reserve G Pascal Leclair for Vermette, Lalande was a necessity. He won’t challenge Steve Mason for the No. 1 job, but he can give Mason a breather and won’t cost a lot.

Playoff projection: In the Blue Jackets’ eighth season, the franchise is headed for its first ever playoff berth. Columbus won’t win the Cup this year, but Wednesday’s move shows the market, the league and franchise cornerstone Nash that the organization is serious about being a consistent contender.

5) Pittsburgh

What they needed: A defenseman to replace the recently-departed Ryan Whitney. Also, the Pens needed a scoring forward to play at even strength and on the power play with Sidney Crosby.

What they got: D Andy Wozniewski and F Bill Guerin. Guerin is one of the great American scorers (403 goals, 396 assists, 799 points) in NHL history. Wozniewski is a minor league defenseman. In 56 games with the AHL’s Peoria Rivermen (St. Louis Blues affiliate), Wozniewski has scored a goal with 16 assists to go along with 56 PIMS.

Playoff projection: Start engraving The Cup! OK, not really. The 28-year old Wozniewski should be a fixture on the Wilkes-Barre (Pens’ AHL affiliate) blueline. Guerin’s presence in front of opposing goaltenders will benefit the league’s 23^rd ranked power play.

Losers:

1) Colorado

What they needed: To get younger and to start shedding salary.

What they got: D Lawrence Nycholat, D Ryan Wilson and a 2009 second round pick from Calgary for D Jordan Leopold.

Playoff projection: It’s not 1996 and the Avs are going nowhere fast. F Ryan Smyth, Milan Hejduk and Ian Laperriere all have playoff experience and, in the cases of Smyth and Hejduk, are potent goal scorers. Those three could have helped GM Francois Gigure speed up the rebuilding process in Denver.

2) Anaheim

What they needed: To decide whether they are reloading for a Cup run or rebuilding around F Corey Perry and F Ryan Getzlaf. Also, to determine what the market was for D Chris Pronger and D Scott Niedermayer will re-sign with the Ducks.

What they got: F Nick Bonino, G Timo Pielmeier and a conditional pick from San Jose for F Travis Moen and D Kent Huskins. In another deal, Anaheim received D James Wisniewski and an undisclosed pick for F Samuel Pahlsson.

Playoff projection: There is a lot of leadership and grit leaving Anaheim, which is ninth in the West. Moen and Pahlsson were great during the Ducks’ Cup run in 2007, having shut down and outscored every top line they were matched up against. Huskins is steady defenseman. Anaheim could have made a playoff run this year. Instead, the Ducks are building for the future.

3) Vancouver

What they needed: More scoring and a No. 1 defenseman.

What they got: Nothing.

Playoff projection: According to reports out of Vancouver, the Canucks talked with Florida about a blockbuster deal involving Panthers D Jay Bouwmeester, Vancouver D Kevin Bieksa, Vancouver LW Mayson Raymond and a first round pick. Having never participated in the playoffs in his career, the 25-year old Bouwmeester could have been among the reasons why Vancouver enjoyed a long playoff run. As it is, the Canucks are probably one-and-done.

4) Philadelphia

What they needed: A goaltender. The same goaltender the Flyers have needed since Ron Hextall’s heyday in the late 1980s.

What they got: F Daniel Carcillo and D Kyle McLaren.

Playoff projection: Clearly, Bobby Clarke is in charge in Philly once again. That or Paul Holmgren is going shopping this summer. The Scottie Upshaw and a 2009 second round pick deal for Carcillo means that the Flyers have added muscle to a team that already has plenty of it in the persons of Riley Cote and Arron Asham. McLaren is a steady defenseman, a three or a four. What the Flyers don’t have and haven’t had since Ron Hextall won the Conn Smythe in 1987. Martin Biron and Antero Nittymaki are passable for the regular season, but neither is the netminder to backstop the Flyers to their first Cup since 1974-75.

5) Islanders

What they needed: Multiple draft picks and young players for their veterans.

What they got: A conditional pick from Pittsburgh for Bill Guerin.

Playoff projection: Not this year.

Denis Gorman

http://www.readmetro.com/show/en/NewYork/20090305/1/19/