THN.com Top 10: ‘09 deadline deals

Olli Jokinen lasted less than a full season in Phoenix. (Andre Ringuette/Getty Images)

John Grigg
2009-03-04 19:05:00

The 25-trade record wasn’t broken, but 22 were made with 47 players and 21 picks moving. Not bad after a slow start. Unfortunately, the biggest name to switch teams was Olli Jokinen, not exactly in the Marian Hossa or Brian Campbell category from last season.

Nonetheless, there were some interesting trades made Wednesday and, so, we present THN.com’s Top 10 most significant trades at the 2009 deadline.

10. Calgary acquires Jordan Leopold from Colorado for Lawrence Nycholat, Ryan Wilson and a second round draft pick
The Flames are much better today than they were yesterday, but Colorado wins this deal. Leopold isn’t flashy, but he’ll fit in nicely as the fourth or fifth defenseman on the team where he began his career and had his best years.

Colorado comes on top in this trade because of the pick and the prospect; two assets it will have past this season, which wasn’t going to be the case for UFA-to-be Leopold.

9. Pittsburgh acquires Bill Guerin from the New York Islanders for a conditional draft pick
This was a real head-scratcher on the Islanders’ part. The conditions on the pick are simple: if the Pens don’t make the playoffs, it’s a fifth; if they make the playoffs it’s a fourth; and if they win a round, it’s a third. But the question remains: is that all New York could get for its captain? He is 38, but still effective in the right situations.

Guerin may have trouble keeping up with Pittsburgh’s young speedsters, but he’s a big body in front of the net on the power play and can still pick corners from the top of the circles. The Pens win this deal because fifth round picks hardly ever pan out and, at this point, if they make the playoffs they’ll be happy and if they win a round they’ll be ecstatic.

8. Carolina acquires Patrick O’Sullivan and a second round draft pick from Los Angeles for Justin Williams
Carolina comes out on top here because of the pick. O’Sullivan is a talented, but frustrating young forward. Williams is a talented, but frustrating forward who’s a bit older. He’s also been snake-bitten by injuries in recent seasons, which raises red flags for us. Most important for Carolina, however, is what came next…

7. Carolina acquires Erik Cole and a fifth round draft pick from Edmonton for Patrick O’Sullivan and a second round draft pick
This is win-win trade. Carolina gets an old friend back in Cole who was a heart-and-soul player for the Hurricanes during the best years of his career. Carolina obviously believes the playoffs are still a good possibility.

Edmonton also looks good with this move. In O’Sullivan the Oilers add to their well of young talent and they pick up a second round selection, which always come in handy.

6. Boston acquires Mark Recchi and a 2010 second round draft pick from Tampa Bay for Matt Lashoff and Martins Karsums
A good deal for both sides. Boston gets a veteran winger in Recchi who, surprisingly, seems to have quite a bit left at 41 years of age and has won Stanley Cups in the past. And that second round selection is nothing to scoff at considering where it comes from; it’s likely to be somewhere in the range of No. 31 to 36.

On the Tampa side, the Lightning gets two decent prospects in offensive defenseman Lashoff and nearly-point-per-game right winger Martins Karsums. Both are about what can normally be expected to net from a second round pick, so Tampa gets two for one.

5. Philadelphia acquires Daniel Carcillo from Phoenix for Scottie Upshall and a second round draft pick
The Flyers get tougher and cheaper with this deal. Carcillo had a league-leading 324 penalty minutes in just 57 games in 2007-08, a number that included 19 fighting majors. His numbers are down this season, but he does have 18 fighting majors. Most importantly for the Flyers, Carcillo is locked-up at less than $900,000 next season, a cheap price to pay for an NHLer winger.

Upshall has never lived up to the expectations of being the sixth overall pick in the 2002 draft. He showed flashes with 14 goals and 30 points in 61 games last season, but has tallied just seven and 14 to date this year. The second round pick is what makes this deal tenable for the Coyotes.

4. San Jose acquires Travis Moen and Kent Huskins from Anaheim for Nick Bonino, Timo Pielmeier and a conditional fourth round draft pick
The Sharks win this one now, but the Ducks might win it later. In Moen and Huskins the Sharks get two hard-nosed, Stanley Cup champions who will add depth and leadership to an already stacked club.

 Anaheim gets an offensively inclined Boston University center in Bonino and a Quebec League rookie goaltender who is impressing with Shawinigan; he’s 30-7-2 with a 2.65 goals-against average .915 save percentage. Basically veterans for youth; a classic deadline deal.

3. Chicago acquires Sami Pahlsson and Logan Stephenson from Anaheim for James Wisniewski, Petri Kontiola and a conditional fourth round draft pick
Fans may not be familiar with him, but Pahlsson will be an effective player for Chicago. He helped Anaheim to the Stanley Cup in 2007 as a gritty, penalty-killing center and will provide some veteran leadership for the young, playoff-bound Hawks. Stephenson, a 23-year-old blueliner, was a ’04 second rounder who was buried deep on the Ducks ‘D’ depth chart.

In Wisniewski, Anaheim gets some blueline depth after moving Huskins and facing a near future without one or both of Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer. Kontiola, 24, provides some system depth at center to a team teetering on a rebuild.

2. Columbus acquires Antoine Vermette from Ottawa for Pascal Leclaire and a second round draft pick
This is a good deal for both teams, although since Columbus gives up a spare part in now-backup and oft-injured Leclaire, while adding depth at forward, we’ll give the decision to Columbus. Vermette will kill penalties and take a top-six position up front. Leclaire steps right into the No. 1 goaltending role in Ottawa and if he can stay healthy will be the best they’ve had in Canada’s capital since Dominik Hasek.

1. Calgary acquires Olli Jokinen and a third round draft pick from Phoenix for Matthew Lombardi, Brandon Prust and a conditional first round draft pick
Even though we’re not happy about it, this was the biggest trade of the day. Jokinen should give Calgary the secondary scoring they so desperately need and gives them a big body down the middle. He’s also signed through 2009-10 at a reasonable $5.25 million cap hit. With Mike Cammalleri destined to leave via free agency this summer, Jokinen also offers some insurance for next season.

On the Phoenix end, this looks like the Coyotes got jobbed. Lombardi has all of nine goals and 30 points this season and his best professional season is 46 points. Lombardi is known as a speed demon and did manage 20 goals two years ago, but Prust is the centerpiece of this deal, given the Coyotes are seemingly trying to build a 21st century version of the Broad Street Bullies.

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