Minnesota Wild Franchise (NHL 22 PS4)

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December 30th, 2022
MINNESOTA - With an injury to Tarasov and Fleury feeling under the weather, top prospect Jesper Wallstedt was named the starter against the Central Division rival Dallas Stars. The twenty year old Swede has been playing in the SHL in his home country and was signed to a NHL Contract just a few days before the game. The 20th overall pick in 2021, Wallstedt is looked at as one of the best goaltending prospects since Carey Price came into the league.

Coming into the this one, the Minnesota Wild have dropped their last 4 straight games. It started with back-to-back losses to the Coyotes and Avalanche before losing to the Blues and Stars two days ago. After the 6-2 defeat two nights ago the Wild were looking for revenge in this one.

While it wasn't pretty the Minnesota Wild were able to come out on top vs Dallas in a 3-2 win. They outshot the Stars 37-25 but it was a closer affair then the shot total would suggest. Despite being dominated in the faceoff circle, the Wild were able to shut down the Stars when it was needed and got Wallstedt his first career win in his first career game.

As the New Year comes upon us the Wild will try and get back on track after a rough patch of games. They take on Jonathan Toews and the Blackhawks on the first day of January before a three day layoff where at the end of it they will face the Montreal Canadiens at home.

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January 30th, 2022
MINNESOTA - The Wild have definitely bounced back after a rough stretch of games in December. In this bout between two of the top teams in the league, the Wild took care of Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers in pretty convincing fashion. They outshot the Oilers by ten and were the better team for the majority of the game.

Marc-Andre Fleury started this one in what has been a shaky year for goaltending in Minnesota. The 38 year old Fleury has started the majority of games this season but sports a sub .900 save percentage because of it. Offseason signing and rookie Daniil Tarasov has a much better percentage at .907 but has played under 15 games this season, the majority of them coming against the weaker opponents the Wild have faced. Add in that Jesper Wallstedt has appeared in a handful of games this season and done alright and the Wild look like they have big question marks in net. Can they really rely on Fleury to take them deep in the Playoffs again after the season he is having?

On a 7-Game Win Streak, the Wild head into the All-Star Break with a lot of momentum but also a lot of problems that need solving. Will this team be able to stay on course or is sinking imminent.

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All Star Break Update

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The Good, The Bad and the Ugly heading into the second half of the season

"What's gone good and what's gone poor for the Wild so far this season"

By Howard Hull | @Howard_Hull09 | Feb 5, 2023 | 27 Comments

Sitting as the second seed in the Central Division, your Minnesota Wild are having a pretty successful season so far as the All Star festivities give the NHL a one week break on the schedule. With a record of 29-15-5 and 63 points, the Wild are in a similar situation to where they were last season. They're clearly a competitor in the West but aren't quite the favorites with teams like the Avalanche and Oilers ahead of them. So while it's fair to say the team has been pretty great after 49 games, there are some underlying issues that could fold this team in the second half of the season and/or playoffs. Let's get into the Good, the Bad and the Ugly for the Minnesota Wild so far this season

The Good

Kirill Kaprizov and Kevin Fiala
The two consistent's this season have been the duo of Kaprizov and Fiala. Last year they often found themselves as line mates but this season they have anchored the 1st and 2nd line Left Wings. Kaprizov has been placed with just about everyone in the Top 9 this season and has produced with all of them. Whoever Coach Belak has thrown on his like Kaprizov has found the ability to work with and put up points. At just 25 years of age, he is among the NHL's elite in just his third season. He's on pace for a 93 point season but has been more of a playmaker with a pace of just 40 goals, 14 less then the 50 he had last year.

Meanwhile Kevin Fiala has been remarkable on the 2nd line as he leads the Wild in Points with 59. That ties him with Connor McDavid for 8th in the League. The Wild locked him up to a 8 year almost 60 Million Dollar Contract last offseason and it's looking he'll be well worth it. His transformation into what he was in Nashville to how he is here in Minnesota is amazing to see. He's been lethal on the PP this season with 20 of his points coming on the man advantage. What makes Fiala's season even more incredible is that he has not recorded a single penalty minute this season through 49 games. That's an insane level of discipline that he has shown this year. Props to him for blossoming here in the State of Hockey.

The D-Core
The Defense core has been one of the better parts of the team this season and is a big reason the Wild have still been able to win games despite poor goaltending at times. Led by Wild Captain Jared Spurgeon and defensive defenseman Jonas Brodin, the defense has been able to soften the blow of the struggles in net with their strong play. The second pairing of John Merrill and the platoon of Goligoski and Addison has been great as they are able to play diligent defense while chipping in on the offensive side as well. With the recent poor play from a guy that will be mentioned later, Addison has been able to stay in the lineup on the 3rd D-Pairing with the Russian Dmitry Kulikov. I guess that gives you an idea of what former Top 4 defenseman has fallen out of Coach Belak's lineup...


The Bad

Marcus Foligno and Derek Ryan
After such a incredible showing in their run to the Playoffs last season, it's been disappointing to see what both Marcus Foligno and Derek Ryan have done this season. After the success they had together with Ryan Hartman, it was the obvious decision to have them start the season together... until it wasn't. The three just didn't find the same chemistry they had in their Cup Finals run. They started off slow and when Derek Ryan went down with an injury, Hartman and Foligno found themselves on different lines. When Ryan came back they were reunited on the third line and still could not re-kindle their playoff magic. They haven't been together since.

Ryan has since been demoted to the fourth line by Head Coach Alex Belak because of a lack of point production. He's still a top Penalty Killer for the team but his lack of offense has been nothing but disappointing. Moving on to Marcus Foligno, who has had a regression from his last three seasons and is closer to the season he had in 2019 with just 19 points in a full 82 games. He's been moved all around the lineup and has just not been able to find a place where he fits. He still provides a lot of physicality in the lineup and a defensive presence however. So while both these guys both provide things that don't always show up on the game sheet it's been tough to see their offensive skills diminish.

The Ugly

Goaltending
Clearly the biggest issue the Wild have had all season is goalie struggles. They came into the season knowing it was a bit of a question mark but man has it ever been. With Fleury, the Wild have a uber-experienced veteran that just took the team to the Stanley Cup Finals. This even led them to trading their starting goalie during the regular season, Cam Talbot, to the Arizona Coyotes. This gave Fleury the reins and the starting job while they brought in a rookie in Daniil Tarasov to back him up. It hasn't exactly gone how GM Bill Guerin would have hoped. Fleury has played the most games and the hardest competition but despite his 21 wins, he is sitting at a

Matt Dumba
It's been a rough season for Matt Dumba to say the least. Having easily the worst plus/minus on the team with -15, the assistant captain has found himself sitting in the press box for the past handful of games. While it's not a perfect stat by all means, it's clear to see that when Dumba's D-partner Kulikov has just a -5 to Dumba's -15, you realize why the 28 year old has fallen out of the lineup. You just can't make an argument to start the former 7th overall pick over the likes of Calen Addison and Jacob Middleton, guys that have simply outplayed Dumba when they have got the chance.

Last month when Calen Addison was signed to a 2 year $1.8 Million contract extension, Bill Guerin also approached Dumba about contract talks but his offer was severely lower then what Matt was expecting. We're talking more then two million dollars off. He was reportedly offended by the proposal and won't talk about a new contract until the offseason. With that in mind, the big question is where do you go from here with the Red Deer Rebel Alumni? Will the team have enough confidence in him to believe he will turn his game around? Or will they attempt to try and get value for him at the Trade Deadline, which they could, considering he is on an expiring contract.

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TSN Trade Deadline Preview: Trade Bait Top 15 Breakdown
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By Taylor Gaudet
March 2nd, 2023

With the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline less then a week away, TSN has released their annual Trade Bait Rankings. With so many competitive teams that could still fight for a playoff spot, it's difficult this season to project who will be available. Today we'll break down the Top 15 players on this ranking and how their season's have led them to making this list.

1. Kris Letang

He only just signed this past offseason but the 35 year old defenseman was smart enough to leave his options open in his contract. Signing on just a one year deal, Letang made it easier to move him out of LA in case the Kings weren't as competitive as he had hoped. It's exactly what has happened.

They have won just 29 games this season and while a Playoff spot is still possible, it's unlikely in a competitive Pacific Division. Should Letang want to be moved to a team more likely to compete for a Cup, he would be the biggest name on the market.

2. Jonathan Toews

"Captain Serious" has had a resurgent season after slowly falling off for the past few seasons. The League worst Blackhawks have just 16 wins on the season. That's 9 behind the 2nd worst Sabres and Flyers. This team is a long ways away from their Cup winning teams from the early-to-mid 2010s.

With a cap hit of $10.5 Million the Blackhawks will obviously have to retain a lot, if not the full 50% on his expiring contract to even orchestrate a trade. His 44 points leads the Hawks, but this team outside of a couple guys has been a dumpster fire this season. Toews will give any team he joins Championship experience and some of the best Leadership you can find in the NHL. The only difficult part is finding a team to take on his heavy cap hit.

3. Vladislav Gavrikov

He's slowly gained recognition as one of the best defenseman in the East and with such a low cap hit for someone so valuable, it's almost a certainty he get's moved on Deadline Day.

The Russian Gavrikov has the two-way acumen so many buying teams could use and if Letang is not going to be available come Trade Day, Gavrikov will be the best defenseman on the market. His point totals have dipped this season after having 55 in 80 games last year but his play has still remained at an All-Star level. With an expiring contract, it's more likely then not that Gavrikov will get a huge payday this offseason. The question is will he get that from the team that trades for him? Or will he get that in Free Agency?

4. Jonathan Drouin

After some years where he battled injuries and off-ice issues, Jonathan Drouin is on pace for the best season of his career. With 46 points through 62 games, the high flying forward has the offensive ability that teams will crave at the Deadline.

The former 3rd overall pick is on an expiring deal and would be the perfect pickup for a team looking to bolster their offense. It's also a possibility that the Canadiens choose to keep him to compete for a playoff spot themselves. They sit at 6th in the Atlantic Division but are just 4 points behind the 3rd place Senators.


5. James Van Riemsdyk

Despite the addition of Shane Wright, the Philadelphia Flyers are still a bad hockey team. It's why James Van Riemsdyk finds himself as one of the top options at this years Deadline.

At 33 years old, "JVR" is still a consistent scorer and will give teams a good offensive winger to help their scoring. He's on an expiring deal but at $7 Million, it will be hard to find a trade partner without retaining salary. It's not something the Flyers should be scared to do however as they have just below $5 Million in Cap Space.

6. Mattias Ekholm

He's spent just 84 games in a Coyotes uniform but the Swedish defenseman reportedly wants out already. The Yotes are competitive this season behind the duo of Keller and Kane and are the 3rd seed in the Central Division with 68 points.

Ekholm carries with a him a 4 year contract at $6.250M per. At 32 years old, it's a contract that will definitely scare some teams off if they can't have some of that salary retain, something Arizona wouldn't want to do. Whoever does decide to pick him up will be getting a reliable, rock-solid defenseman.

7. Matt Dumba

After having a career season last year with 50 points, Matt Dumba has found himself out of the lineup for the 38 win Wild. His -15 is the worst out of all the defenseman on Minnesota and the biggest reason he will be moved at the Deadline.

With an expiring deal, Dumba would be a low risk pickup for a team due to the fact they wouldn't have to commit to him long term. Considering he isn't even apart of the Wild lineup, he also might be one of the more affordable D-men on the open market.

8. Teuvo Teravainen

With just 24 games for the, once again, lowly Hurricanes, Teravainen is fed up with Carolina and asked for a trade a month ago. The Finnish winger has 10 points on the year but is playing just 13:49 per game on average.

The 28 year old winger is one of the more skilled players on the market but teams will be wary of the $5 Million Cap hit that they would take on for this year and next. It makes him a dangerous pickup if he can't return to the form he was just 3 years ago. A high risk, high reward pickup for whoever decides to try their luck.

9. Dillon Dube

The second string of players who have played limited games with their teams this season, Dillon Dube. The speedy winger has fallen out of the lineup for the Flames and he's only gotten into 5 games this season where he has put up 4 points. Despite the point production, Dube has still been a mainstay in the press box.

He's 24 years old and on a 2 year contract worth $2.300M per so any team looking to add a young depth scorer wouldn't be going deep into their pockets. He really hasn't gotten a fair shake in Calgary and could shine on a different team. Unlike Terevainen, Dube is a low risk pickup, but also just a medium reward.

10. Denis Gurianov

After a poor season last year following his breakout campaign in 2021, Denis Gurianov has found himself out of the Dallas Stars lineup. He's appeared in just 4 games this season and he was a -7 in the ones he played.

The big bodied Russian is still just 25 years old and his time in Dallas should be coming to a close. He's a physical scoring forward which translates well to the Playoffs, as shown by his 17 points in 27 games during his only career playoff appearance in 2020. He's got a year remaining on his deal following this season and it's only at $2.205M. He should have lots of teams calling the Dallas Stars about acquiring his services

11. Gustav Nyquist

When you look at the Blue Jackets winger you see an average at best statline with an expiring contract that carries a cap hit of $5.5 Million. Doesn't exactly look like someone you would want to pick up

However when you dig deeper into the veteran Swede, you see how efficiently he plays when he get's on the ice. He's getting just 10:35 Time on Ice. That's 4th line minutes for someone who's putting up 3rd line numbers. He's not sacrificing defense for offense either, showcased with his +2. If the Jackets are willing to retain on him, Nyquist could be a underrated pickup for a team

12. Joel Farabee

His five million dollar contract only just kicked in this year but the 23 year old has already requested to be traded away from one of the worst teams in the NHL.

With two consecutive disappointing seasons, Farabee is reportedly unwilling to continue playing in Philadelphia after just 4 seasons. He has appeared in just 13 games this season, partly because of injury but also because of his poor performance. With 5 years remaining on his deal and with his recent play, it will be tough to try and find a suitable team willing to take the former 14th Overall Pick. It would likely be more beneficial to try and rebuild the broken bridges between him and management and convince him to stay in Philly.

13. Kyle Okposo

While his salary isn't anywhere near ideal at $7.895M this year, veteran Kyle Okposo could be a nice 3rd line addition to a Playoff team.

Since 2017, Okposo has toiled on some bad Buffalo Sabres teams and now with his contract expiring will be looking to find his way onto a team that has a shot at winning a Stanley Cup. He's reliable on the defensive end and still has a great shot that allowed him to score 28 goals just last season. He's got speed to make opposing defenders uncomfortable which would suit teams nicely as a Bottom 6 Option.

14. Martin Kaut

It's been difficult for the Avalanche's 1st round pick in 2018 to find his way into the Colorado Avalanche lineup, spending the past two seasons in the AHL without a callup to the National League.

The Czech winger is likely one of those cliche "Change of Scenery" players who could benefit from being moved. Being a former first round pick gives him more value than he is probably worth but team's will bite on the chance he can still pan out. With the Avalanche looking to bounce back after a 1st round sweep in round one last season, they could acquire a nice supporting piece for Kaut.

15. Blake Wheeler

Blake Wheeler is the biggest mystery on this list. Following somewhat in the footsteps in his former teammate Dustin Byfuglien, Wheeler looks like he has taken a step away from the game but hasn't quite officially declared he has, or is, retiring.

It's what makes his name on this list all the more interesting. He played 7 games in the 2022 Season before stepping away from the team and taking a "leave of absence". He hasn't played since. It's now being rumoured that if he is traded to the right team he will return to the NHL. The question is however, is if he is worth the risk? He's 36 years old and is on the books for $8.250M for the rest of this season and next. He hasn't played an NHL game in more then a year. It will be hard to get a team to even attempt to acquire the former All-Star

The NHL Trade Deadline starts at 12 PM PST on March 6th. You can watch all the deals happen for yourself in TSN's annual Trade Deadline Show on Monday.

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NHL Trade Deadline Review: Analysis on the biggest trades from Deadline Day and winners for every deal

By Vincent Barlow 5h Ago
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As the clock struck 12:00, trading at the NHL Trade Deadline was brought to a halt. 17 Deals were made at this year's deadline as team's decided to move on or acquire players that will help their team in the long run. We'll go into detail of the seven biggest moves that went down, while giving context into the ten other minor deals.

We'll give each team a grade for trade's they made with different criteria taken into account, such as team status, player fit, asset management and more. Let's start with the first deal of the day between Pacific Division rivals in the Anaheim Ducks and LA Kings.

We start off with a trade that is between two Pacific Division teams with the same amount of points, the Ducks having played 3 more games thus far. These are two teams that have decided to go in different directions at this Deadline.

Heading to Anaheim is top four defenseman Matt Roy and depth forward Trevor Moore. Just a point back of the sliding Calgary Flames for the Wildcard, The Ducks are trying to secure a playoff spot after being the best team to not make it last season. The team is led by the youth movement up front in Zegras, Comtois and McTavish. It's the complete opposite on defense with five of the 7 defenders on the roster over the age of 30 (Fowler, Edler, Shattenkirk, Subban). Adding Matt Roy to what is already a dependable, veteran defense is something that can definitely get them into one of the Wildcard spots. They just need John Gibson to return to the form he was in last year as he currently has just a .895 SV%, a massive drop-off from his .925% last year.

The Kings meanwhile look to have decided that this year is just not theirs. They looked like a playoff team after signing the likes of Kris Letang, Alexander Radulov and Evander Kane in the offseason but it hasn't worked out as they had hoped. So they give up a a key defenseman but realized the value they were potentially getting for him. They sit with the same amount of points as Anaheim does so, just like their division rivals, a playoff spot is still attainable. However, should the Ducks continue to tread water this season, the second round pick for the 2023 Draft will be a high one. When you consider how strong this draft class projects to be you see why the Kings decided to move on from the former 7th round pick in 2015.

Grades:
Los Angeles Kings - B+
Anaheim Ducks - B

After finding himself on the outside looking in on the Wild lineup, Matt Dumba was expected to be moved at this years deadline. He finds himself packing his bags and heading out west to join the San Jose Sharks. As compensation, the Wild will receive controversial prospect Ryan Merkley and a San Jose 3rd round pick.

With Erik Karlsson turning back the clock in San Jose, the Sharks are back and looking to contend with such a diverse roster. Besides "EK65", this team relies on Swedish center William Eklund who looks like he will become a legit star in this league. Not far behind him is sophomore Thomas Bordeleau who has taken a step from his rookie season last year with 30 points in 64 games. It looks like the team is back in playoff contention after 3 seasons of missing the sweet 16. Adding Matt Dumba to this weak defense core bolsters this team and gives them someone who just a year ago had 50 points, a career high. With him, Karlsson and McCabe the defense is looking a whole lot better.

Heading to Minnesota is a prospect who went through a lot of controversies in junior involving attitude and not listening to coaches. While he seems to be passed that now, 22 year old Ryan Merkley was expected to make the Sharks lineup after an impressive 61 points for the Barracuda in the AHL in 2022. He ended up not cracking the lineup and headed back to the American League where he has not been able to replicate the season he had last year. He's a -17 and just 33 points through 62 games, still good, but not anywhere near what he did last year. Was this really the best they could get for Dumba? His market value was expected to be higher than this and I think they could have got something better

Grades:
San Jose Sharks - B+
Minnesota Wild - C

The fruits of the Ottawa Senators rebuild is finally coming to fruition for the team as they are tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 3rd spot in the Atlantic Division. GM Pierre Dorion had said that this was the first year of competing and many people laughed at him. How could the goalie tandem of Anton Forsberg and Filip Gustavsson be the backbone of a contending team? Well everyone, including me, has been amazed to see them do exactly that.

Led by their high power offense, the Senators acquired James van Riemsdyk to solidify their forward group even more. On a poor Flyers team, "JVR" has 40 points, 18 of them goals. He'll likely slot in as the 2nd or 3rd line Left Winger which will give this young team a veteran scorer, something they lack on this squad. While adding more offense doesn't hurt the team, acquiring a top four defenseman would have been a lot more beneficial to a team that lacks it. Chabot and Zub lock down the first pair but Olli Maatta and Jake Sanderson just aren't quite what you want on the second pair. They have just 24 points combined between them. A offensive minded defenseman would have been a better option then what they got in this deal.

The Flyers are clearly in a rebuild, whether they want to be or not. This team was able to win the Draft Lottery last summer and select Shane Wright. That's a great kickstart to a rebuild when you can pick a franchise player like him. They move on from "JVR" after his productive season this year in exchange for Jack Hughes. No not that Jack Hughes. This one was drafted in 2022 by the Penguins at 30th overall before he was traded to the Senators. He's the son of Canadiens GM Kent Hughes. Jack is a skilled playmaker that has top six potential, but is a bit of a project player at this point. They also swapped 3rd rounders and acquired a 6th round pick in the upcoming draft. It's a decent return for who they gave up.

Grades:
Philadelphia Flyers - B-
Ottawa Senators - C+

What a great story in Montreal with Jonathan Drouin. In April of 2021 Drouin revealed he was battling anxiety and insomnia in the seasons past but it had worsened, forcing him to take a leave of absence from the team. Fast forward three years later and Drouin is leading the Montreal Canadiens in points and has them at least in the playoff hunt despite the look of the roster on paper.

Now the Canadiens are taking advantage of his inflated trade value and giving the Quebec Native a chance at a Stanley Cup, trading him to the red hot Edmonton Oilers. While acquiring a a defenseman should have been the main goal for the Oilers, getting a guy like Drouin was also needed. After Draisaitl and Hyman on the left wing, there was a big drop off after that. Depth scoring has been a problem for Edmonton in recent history so getting Drouin will give them a guy that can move up and down the lineup in the top 9. To acquire such a player comes with a steep price as Xavier Bourgault, the Oilers 1st round pick at #22 in 2021, is tough to see go. But when your competing for a Stanley Cup, giving up prospects is necessary.

To continue with Bourgault, he heads to his native province of Quebec where he grew up. He spent his junior career with the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL, just a couple hours away from Montreal. It's a big pickup for a rebuilding Canadiens squad and someone that could become an NHL regular by next season. He has 41 points through 63 games for Bakersfield in the AHL this season and will look to continue that pace with the Laval Rockets.

Grades:
Edmonton Oilers - B+
Montreal Canadiens - A

So... are the Sharks trying to contend or not? Nick Bonino was so productive as their third line center this season with 33 points in 64 games. He faced the opposing team's best lines and did a stellar job. So why are the Sharks trading him away after they acquired Matt Dumba?

Bonino is 34 and after being owed $2.050M this season, is on the books for $4.410M the two years that follow. It looks like the San Jose management decided that what they were getting in return was just too much to pass up. Not only do they get a second round pick but the big fish is top prospect Alexander Alexeev. Of Ukraine nationality, the 19 year old defenseman was selected in round two in 2022 and projects as a future shutdown defenseman who is more then willing to throw his weight around. He was the Sens top defensive prospect and has been great in the KHL so far this season.

Adding Nick Bonino creates a logjam of centers for the Senators and it makes you question why they deemed acquiring him necessary. They have Josh Norris manning the top line while Brayden Schenn, who they acquired from St. Louis last season, and Johan Larsson filling out the top 9. Finally, you realize they also have Colin White, who's signed till 2025 for almost five million a year, and Shane Pinto who's ready for NHL action. Where does Bonino fit in there? One of those centers will find himself in the press box more often then not. Seems like Pierre Dorion just created a problem that didn't need to be created. Bonino will help this team this season but in the long run this trade will likely do more harm than good.

Grades:
San Jose Sharks - C+
Ottawa Senators - C

A very surprising move by the Toronto Maple Leafs as they move on from one of the only producing forwards outside the "Big 4". Bunting has 14 goals and 39 points through 60 games in a Leafs uniform and the Oilers will hope he can continue that in Edmonton.

We'll start with the Leafs which is, in my opinion, a pretty shocking move. They're struggling a bit this season but they currently hold the second wild card spot in the East, while having played the least amount of games out of any team with just 60. Despite all that they decide to move on from one of their better forwards for a prospect and a pick. This team should be in a win-now state so why are they trading a forward that contributes now for two assets that won't contribute to the team until many years down the line? The only reason I could even defend this trade for Toronto is that they wouldn't have the cap space to re-sign Bunting this offseason so they flipped him for assets now when they still could. However you would only use that as an excuse if your a selling team. This team should be competing at minimum for a playoff spot and trading a guy like Bunting goes against that.

After ranting about the Leafs, let's talk about the Oilers. Acquiring a player that's very similar to Drouin, Bunting is a fellow scoring winger who will be able to shift around in the top 9. It's not the worst thing they could have done but going for Bunting instead of the top four defenseman they DESPERATELY need, is a mistake. They're offense is now bolstered and it looks like they'll just try and outscore their opponents and worry about defense later. Sounds like the high-flying 80's teams that won them 5 Stanley Cups. The difference is that team had prime Grant Fuhr in net. This one has 40 year old Mike Smith. Regardless, Bunting will make this team that already has 41 wins even better

Grades:
Edmonton Oilers - B-
Toronto Maple Leafs - D

The Andrew Copp era in Columbus lasted all of just 61 games. Copp was moved to the Detroit Red Wings in the last major deal of the day and it's a nice, but dangerous addition to a Detroit team looking to compete.

We'll start with Columbus where they took a shot at Copp in Free Agency and were able to steal him away from the New York Rangers on a 1 year deal worth $7.5 Million. It was a pricey contract but he did have a breakout season with 70 points for the Rags in 2022. He followed it up with a productive season this year, registering 43 points through 61 games. So while Copp was having a good season, the Jackets were not. With just 65 points they are the 3rd worst team in the Metro, ahead of just the Hurricanes and Flyers. So with an expiring contract and the uncertainty that he would return to Columbus, management decided to get value for him when they could.

Where they would find that value was from the Detroit Red Wings. Giving up prospect defenseman Jared McIsaac as well as a 2nd and 3rd rounder, general manager Steve Yzerman is continuing his plan to turn this team into a contender. It started this offseason with the massive signings of Darcy Kuemper and John Klingberg. However, this season hasn't played out how they would have liked this and are currently on the outside looking in on a playoff spot. It makes this deal a risky one. What if Copp doesn't want to re-sign with Detroit? That would mean they just gave up a young prospect defenseman and two valuable picks for a player they would only get, at most, 21 games out of. That would be beyond rough if that situation happens. We think it works out for Yzerman and Copp re-ups with the Wings for a nice payday contract

Grades:
Detroit Red Wings - B-
Columbus Blue Jackets - B-


Other Moves

Vancouver Canucks Acquire - Daniel Cheung, 2024 3rd Round Pick (BUF), 2024 3rd Round Pick (ANA)

Arizona Coyotes Acquire - Nick Cousins, 2023 2nd Round Pick (VAN), 2024 3rd Round Pick (VAN)

What are the Canucks doing? Are they really that high on this kid to commit to downgrading from a second round pick to a third? Maybe Cheung proves me wrong but as of now Arizona comes out of this one with the win for sure.

WINNER - Arizona

Calgary Flames Acquire - Nick Bjugstad, Markus Nutivaara, 2024 3rd Round Pick (CHI)

Chicago Blackhawks Acquire - Dillon Dube, 2023 2nd Round Pick (CGY)

Calgary gets a bottom six forward having a good season and a depth defenseman while Chicago gets the guy with the most potential and a 2nd rounder. We'll give the edge to Chicago here but Calgary got a decent package back

WINNER - Chicago

Dallas Stars Acquire - Josh Brown, 2023 3rd Round Pick (PHI), 2023 4th round pick (PHI)

Montreal Canadiens Acquire - Denis Gurianov, Ayrton Martino,

The Canadiens move on from a depth defenseman and two picks to acquire a underperforming Gurianov and a really underrated forward prospect in Martino. Stars were basically forced to move the Russian and got a decent return but Montreal still comes out on top in this one

WINNER - Montreal

Los Angeles Kings Acquire - 2024 2nd Round Pick (PHI), 2023 5th Round Pick (PHI)

Philadelphia Flyers Acquire - Sean Walker, Zach Aston-Reese

Why are the Flyers giving up draft picks? That's not what they need to be doing at this stage. They should be stockpiling draft picks and using them to select the future of their team. Sean Walker and Aston-Reese are nice players but aren't useful for Philadelphia right now. Confusing one and an obvious "W" for the Kings

WINNER - Los Angeles

Minnesota Wild Acquire - Martin Necas

Carolina Hurricanes Acquire - Joel Blomqvist, 2023 3rd Round Pick (MIN)

Carolina moves on from disgruntled forward Necas after he requested a trade. He had really fallen off course as of late and the Hurricanes are desperate to change things up after failing to be competitive again this season. Minnesota get's a low risk, high reward player and give up just a prospect goalie and a 3rd rounder.

WINNER - Minnesota

Los Angeles Kings Acquire - 2024 2nd Round Pick (NYI), 2024 3rd Round Pick (NYI)

New York Islanders Acquire - Alexander Radulov, 2024 3rd Round Pick (LA), 2024 4th Round Pick (LA)

Los Angeles is able to move on from the veteran Radulov and get themselves a 2nd rounder, while swapping 3rd rounders and losing a 4th rounder. Meanwhile the Islanders downgrade from a second to a fourth but acquire a great offensive forward in Radulov. With a chance to compete for a Stanley Cup this season, the team is going all in and as they should

WINNER - Both

Minnesota Wild Acquire - Nick Paul

Buffalo Sabres Acquire - 2023 5th Round Pick

The Wild acquire a depth forward that can give them some size and skill in the bottom 6 if injuries occur or they need a jump. Buffalo get's a 5th round pick for a guy who wasn't important in their lineup. Very minor trade

WINNER - Buffalo

Colorado Avalanche Acquire - Robert Hagg, 2023 3rd Round Pick (SEA), 2024 3rd Round Pick (SEA)

Seattle Kraken Acquire - Jean-Luc Foudy, Daryl Schaefer,

Colorado adds a depth defenseman in Hagg for their playoff run while also getting two third rounders. At face value, that looks like a really good package. However then you look at them giving up Foudy, who was a third round pick in 2020, but has taken big strides and projects as an NHL in the next year or two. Kraken general manager Ron Francis comes out on top in this one.

WINNER - Seattle

Florida Panthers Acquire - Andy Greene, Jaroslav Halak, 2024 3rd Round Pick (CBJ)

Columbus Blue Jackets Acquire - John Ludvig, 2023 6th Round Pick (FLA), 2023 7th Round Pick (FLA)

The defending Stanley Cup Champions add two old veterans for depth on their quest to go back-to-back this season. Halak will become the third option behind Bob' and Spencer Knight. Andy Greene, who reached the young age of 40 this season, will provide leadership in the locker room and backup in case of injuries. Columbus choose to give up a third round pick for Ludvig, not the best decision by the Jackets

WINNER - Florida

[GoldenJet]

You deserve your roses man. The depth and effort you put into your writing is definitely noticeable. Good stuff, I'm looking forward to further updates on this.

[JurassicPuck]

Quote: Originally Posted by GoldenJet

You deserve your roses man. The depth and effort you put into your writing is definitely noticeable. Good stuff, I'm looking forward to further updates on this.

Thanks dude, really appreciate it!

I like trying to add depth to a franchise, just gives it more entertainment value IMO. Glad to hear your enjoying it!