2010 Trade Deadline Recap

I know it's a little late. Work has been getting the best of me lately. So, now that it is the weekend and the dust has settled on the trades that went down, I'll recap the big ones, in case you missed them...like I did because of work. I'll also provide links to cards that are for sale through sportsbuy.com.


Colorado got Stephan Yelle and Harrison Reed from Carolina for Cedric Lalonde-McNicoll and a 6th round pick in 2010. I don't know much about Reed or McNicoll. But Stephan Yelle will be a good guy to have around all of those kids the Avs are stockpiling.

Calgary picked up Steve Staois from Edmonton for Aaron Johnson and a conditional 3rd round pick in 2010 or 2011. Edmonton continues to unload and restart the rebuild that failed miserably the first time around. Aaron Johnson is a stable young d-man that will be steady for them.

Edmonton picks up Ryan Whitney from Anaheim for Lubomir Visnovsky. Again, Edmonton is going young, as they should. After the next draft their core is going to be Sam Gagner and whoever they pick. Whitney will fit in well on their blue line and will help ease the growing pains.

Washington picks up Joe Corvo from Carolina for Brian Potheir and Oskar Osala and a pick. I like what Washington did all day. Their defensive corps got a lot tougher and more solid, as did their fourth line.

Buffalo picked up Raffi Torres and a 2nd round pick in 2010 from Buffalo for Nathan Paetsch. Torres can pot a couple goals, something the Sabres need, and can be a pain in the butt to play against. Columbus needs solid d-men, which they picked up in this trade. A win for both teams.

Calgary picked Vesa Toskala from Anaheim for Curtis McElhinney. Now, I know Toskala had his problems in Toronto, but was he really that bad that he is only as capable as McElhinney? Is Calgary going to be that much of a less stressful place for him to play? I have to say that I like this trade for Calgary. If Kiprusoff falters, they'll have, what I believe to be, a capable back up sitting on the bench.

Phoenix gets Wojtek Wolski from Colorado for Peter Mueller and Kevin Porter. Wolski needed a change in scenery. His production was way off, and he never quite lived up to expectations in Colorado. The same can be said for Peter Mueller and Kevin Porter in Phoenix. I can't imagine that the extra-curricular activities surrounding the Yotes made it much easier for them. I expect Mueller and Porter to improve while on the Avs. Especially since they're going to make up a good portion of what is going to be a really really good team in a year or two.

A complete recap of the trades can be seen at TSN.ca. <--that link will take you right to their trade tracker.

ESPN's take on the NHL's winners and losers. Youtube video.