Posted: Tuesday March 11, 2003 1:34 PM
Updated: Wednesday April 23, 2003 4:49 PM
Sports Illustrated's Michael Farber kept his eye on the NHL trade movement during Tuesday's deadline and offered his thoughts along the way. He also broke down the significant trades that were completed prior to the deadline.
Highest grade: Maple Leafs. They knew what they wanted and went after it. Toronto fans, after paying ridiculously high prices without seeing a Cup on color TV in Canada, get their money's worth. It's about time.
Lowest grade: Pittsburgh. We don't know if Mario Lemieux is going to come back next season, but if he does, he might have to play goal, center, wing and defense.
Team most likely to succeed: Dallas Stars. Some solid acquisitions. Stu Barnes is a great, versatile forward, and Lyle Odelein is a solid, playoff-type defenseman.
Player most likely to succeed: Anson Carter. Once he gets over the disappointment of being traded from a team closer to the playoffs than the Rangers, he could be a force in the Eastern Conference.
Team least likely to succeed: Buffalo and Pittsburgh, where they should be handing out white flags to the fans.
Player least likely to succeed: Daniel Briere. Welcome to the minor leagues. Try keeping your enthusiasm in Buffalo.
The right move: Mathieu Schneider. Detroit gave up a lot, but the Wings are trying to win now. This is exactly the kind of move that you have to make at this time.
Didn't do enough: Colorado. The Avalanche didn't get the proper winger, a high-end forward, to fit with Joe Sakic. Battaglia fills a hole, but not the one they most needed to fill. I thought Vincent Damphousse was going to end up in Colorado. Damphousse was a winger before he got converted to center in mid-90s, and he has such great hands that he would've been pefrect with Sakic on second line. The Avs' players think they needed more skill there, and Damphousse would've given them just that.
Biggest gamblers: St. Louis. The Blues took a huge risk on Valeri Bure's knee, but also on the fact that Chris Osgood will solve their goalie woes. St. Louis needed a goalie badly and Osgood turned out to be the best available at a reasonable price.
Canucks | Coyotes
Get:
RW Brad May
Get:
Conditional draft pick
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
Ottawa wanted him but couldn't make a deal and settled for Rob Ray. May is a more complete player, one with toughness you can actually use in the playoffs.
With a conditional draft pick, who knows?
The Bottom Line
Vancouver's recent play lessened the need for a second-line, center but GM Brian Burke took the opportunity to add a player who might help.
Capitals | Blackhawks
Get:
RW Sergei Berezin
Get:
4th-round pick in 2003
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
They get a guy who can score; just don't expect him to pass the puck.
Yet another housecleaning move.
The Bottom Line
In the low-scoring Eastern Conference, you take help where you can get it.
Flames | Avalanche
Get:
LW Dean McAmmond
Get:
5th-round pick in 2003
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
A steal for Calgary. He played with Jarome Iginla and Craig Conroy, and the Flames are able to reunite that line. In the process they gave up virtually nothing. McAmmond wasn't a first-liner in Colorado, but he fits in nicely in Calgary.
McAmmond was a spare part on that team and the Avalanche need to restock the system because of what they've traded away in recent years.
The Bottom Line
A terrific pickup to increase team speed in Calgary.
Flames | Penguins
Get:
RW Shean Donovan
Get:
LW Mattias Johansson
D Micki Dupont
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
Calgary becomes much quicker with this and the McAmmond trade. Donovan might have a low hockey IQ, but his skills are still intriguing.
Dupont is an offensive defenseman who will get more time than ever to prove it.
The Bottom Line
Calgary has rebuilt team speed, which is important in the Western Conference.
Mighty Ducks | Flames
Get:
C Rob Niedermayer
Get:
D Mike Commodore
G J.F. Damphousse
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
Maybe the Ducks can figure out the key to him, certainly Florida couldn't and he was a disappointment in Calgary. Theoretically he beefs up the offense and potentially gives them second-line scoring, but not as much as you'd like.
This gives them depth in goal and Commodore has a some pedigree, having come up through the New Jersey system. He's a different kind of defenseman than the Flames, mostly puck-movers, have on the roster.
The Bottom Line
Wait and see how much Niedermayer contributes.
Blues | Islanders
Get:
G Chris Osgood
3rd-round pick in 2003
Get:
C Justin Papineau
2nd-round pick in 2003
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
The Blues have had more goaltenders this year than Hillary Clinton had hairstyles in the eight years of her husband's presidency. He's won two cups, one of which he was responsible for, and presumably is an upgrade over Brent Johnson and anyone else they've run out there.
It's Ricky time. Rick DiPietro gets a chance to be a No. 1 goalie, and the tandem of DiPietro and Garth Snow should be ready to carry the Islanders. New York also picked up a young forward in Papineau who has a knack for scoring big goals.
The Bottom Line
The Blues had to make a move in goal, but the Islanders are the winners here because they unloaded a contract and have a replacement waiting in the wings.
Maple Leafs | Canadiens
Get:
C Doug Gilmour
Get:
6th-round pick in 2003
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
Toronto adds a throwback Leaf who fills in the hole that was left when it traded Alyn McCauley. Gilmour has had a difficult season but was an important figure in Montreal's 2002 playoff run.
Presuming they get a draft choice in return, they'll have a ton of picks over the next two years and they have to restock. It was also a classy move to let Gilmour have one more kick at the Cup.
The Bottom Line
Gilmour needs to play significant minutes to be effective. If he does, he is exactly the kind of player who can kick start the Leafs on nights when they just don't seem to have it.
Bruins | Penguins
Get:
D Ian Moran
Get:
4th-round pick in 2003
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
Terrific move. Moran is a fifth or sixth defenseman, but he should fit in very well with the Bruins. And they'll need some help there, as that Sunday afternoon debacle in Chicago showed.
Pittsburgh is dumping and selling off players as quickly as it can.
The Bottom Line
Inspired depth move for the Bruins.
Maple Leafs | Blackhawks
Get:
D Phil Housley
Get:
4th-round pick in 2003
9th-round pick in 2003
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
Housley has another year remaining on his contract, and Chicago wants to clear the decks. Coming off injury, probably in time for the Cup playoffs, he's still a good skater and power-play quarterback who will remove pressure from Tomas Kaberle.
They're just delighted to clear out players and contracts from a truly disheartening season.
The Bottom Line
Looks like the Maple Leafs are trying to win the Cup. Even if it is the 1993 Cup.
Bruins | Sharks
Get:
D Dan McGillis
Get:
Conditional draft pick
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
McGillis is a physical defenseman who, along with the acquisition of Ian Moran, beefs up a Boston backend that stumbled even with the returns of Hal Gill and Sean O'Donnell.
San Jose loses salary and rebuilds. The amazing thing is how good the Sharks appeared to be at the end of last year and how willing they were to retool.
The Bottom Line
The Bruins had almost fallen off the face of the earth and needed an infusion of solid defenders, something they were able to do without giving up players off the roster.
Lightning | Penguins
Get:
D Marc Bergevin
Get:
C Brian Holzinger
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
He can't play much anymore, but he's still the funniest guy in the NHL.
An undersized forward who hasn't scored much since his days in Buffalo.
The Bottom Line
Things have really hit rock bottom when Mario trades his boyhood friend. Although, there are worse places to be in April than Tampa.
Islanders | Oilers
Get:
D Janne Niinimaa
2nd-round pick in 2003
4th-round pick in 2003
Get:
LW Brad Isbister
LW Raffi Torres
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
With injuries on the blue line, the Islanders made a key acquisition; they've been in interested in Niinimaa for several years. If defense is the key to the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Islanders have improved their chances.
The Oilers have a knack for reviving the careers of Western players. If Isbister is ever going to fulfill his potential, Edmonton is it. Torres is another big forward with the potential to score. It's no secret that they're trying to get bigger and replace some of the offense they lost when they traded Anson Carter.
The Bottom Line
The Islanders have traded away so many good defensemen; it's about time they get one back.
Mighty Ducks | Blackhawks
Get:
RW Steve Thomas
Get:
5th-round pick in 2003
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
Anaheim needed playoff experience, and Steve Thomas represents that. When he does score, those goals come from in close and Thomas can be that go-to-the-net player who might add something in the playoffs.
They get a draft pick for a guy who wasn't going to be there next year. When you get a modest asset for someone who won't be around in six weeks, that's not so bad.
The Bottom Line
Sometimes you need to show the other players in your dressing room that you believe in them. By adding a player like Thomas, Anaheim did that, especially when some of the upper-echelon teams in the Western Conference have reloaded.
Coyotes | Penguins
Get:
C Jan Hrdina
D Francois Leroux
Get:
LW Ramzi Abid
D Dan Focht
LW Guillaume Lefebvre
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
A very interesting deal. Phoenix lost some skill when it traded for Chris Gratton, and Hrdina, who can play center or wing, fills some of that gap.
The Penguins make a terrific deal because they landed Abid, who goes to the net hard and will be a 30-goal player in the league. He'll certainly get the opportunity in Pittsburgh.
The Bottom Line
Pittsburgh found a player with a significant upside in Abid.
Senators | Kings
Get:
C Byran Smolinski
Get:
D Tim Gleason
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
Smolinski is one more scorer who should fit in well on that team. The question, though, considering that Ottawa has brought in all these bodies without giving up any from the roster, is whether the chemistry, which has been so good, won't be affected.
Tim Gleason did not figure in with what Ottawa was doing.
The Bottom Line
The Senators are deeper, tougher and more experienced than they've ever been heading into the playoffs, but you have to see how many minutes these new players are going to get.
Rangers | Oilers
Get:
RW Anson Carter
D Ales Pisa
Get:
RW Radek Dvorak
D Cory Cross
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
Great trade for the Rangers. Carter's a big-time player, a dynamic winger who should get 30 goals every year. Pisa's an upgrade over Cross.
Dvorak's stock has dropped from his being a really good two-way player to an additional body. Cross has imposing size, and is one of the rare players from a Canadian university, but not much more than that.
The Bottom Line
The Rangers are serious about making the playoffs and about winning a round once they get there.
Blues | Panthers
Get:
RW Valeri Bure
Get:
D Mike Van Ryn
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
Bure is a having a terrible year amid injury problems. He could add some offense if he's healthy, and he'll fit in without needing much team-building.
Florida loses a salary that a lot of people didn't think it could get rid of and gets a former first-rounder with, presumably, some upside. In five years, the Panthers could have a good, still-young core of defensemen.
The Bottom Line
A nice long-term deal for Florida, while Bure remains a question mark in terms of being able to help a team.
Avalanche | Hurricanes
Get:
LW Bates Battaglia
Get:
RW Radim Vrbata
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
Battaglia had five goals in the playoffs last year. Unfortunately, he's scored only five the whole regular season. He's feisty and will have to play on the third or fourth line, meaning Colorado isn't comfortable playing Scott Parker.
Vrbata has some skill, which will be welcome in Carolina, but he wasn't a suitable complement on the second line, on which he could play in Carolina.
The Bottom Line
Colorado still hasn't solved its winger problems for the Sakic line. If the Avalanche want to win the Cup, they'll have to do better for Sakic than Battaglia.
Red Wings | Kings
Get:
D Mathieu Schneider
Get:
C Sean Avery
D Maxim Kuznetsov
1st-round pick in 2003
2nd-round pick in 2004
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
They picked up the premier defenseman available. They had a hole in the back line with Jiri Fischer's injury, and they get a guy who can eat up a lot of minutes and play with an edge.
Avery can be a superpest in the NHL, and they picked up a first-round pick in the goody bag. The problem is, they get the Wings' pick, somewhere around No. 25 overall, not a top-five. The Red Wings' first-round pick means less than other teams'.
The Bottom Line
Detroit always picks up a defenseman and almost always gets the right one. In the long term, the Red Wings will miss a kid like Avery, who brings enthusiasm to the team, but they're looking to win the Stanley Cup this year.
Coyotes | Sabres
Get:
C Chris Gratton
4th-round pick in 2004
Get:
C Daniel Briere
3rd-round pick in 2004
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
Gratton gives you a potentially bigger upside, but people are tired of waiting. The fact that Buffalo wasn't blown away by contenders for him shows how far his stock has fallen.
Gratton had revived but played himself out of Buffalo. The Sabres get a little cheaper and they get a pretty slick power-play guy. Undersized, but slick.
The Bottom Line
Gratton always disappoints, and this may be his last chance to prove himself.
Flyers | Coyotes
Get:
RW Tony Amonte
Get:
G Guillaume Lefebvre
2nd-round pick in 2004
3rd-round pick in 2003
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
The Flyers get someone who's played with Jeremy Roenick before, beginning with Thayer Academy in suburban Boston. They also get someone who might jump-start the power play, which has been inexplicably awful.
It's strictly escaping from the four-year, $24 million deal. Lefebvre is not a particularly high prospect.
The Bottom Line
Philadelphia desperately needed a scoring forward, and Amonte has to find the form that made him a 40-goal man. Phoenix just never seemed to be the right fit.
Stars | Sabres
Get:
C Stu Barnes
Get:
F Mike Ryan
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
A terrific pickup. Stu Barnes is a versatile player who can win faceoffs, kill penalties and play the power play if necessary. Great playoff experience from '96 with Florida and '99 with Buffalo.
It's typical. Buffalo gets younger and cheaper.
The Bottom Line
You want to go into the playoffs with veterans like Stu Barnes, and this will allow the Stars to move Pierre Turgeon to the wing if they choose.
Avalanche | Sharks
Get:
D Bryan Marchment
Get:
3rd-round pick in 2003
5th-round pick in 2003
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
Colorado had a very weak third pair of defensemen. The Avalanche can blend Marchment into the second or third pair, and he's certainly an upgrade. He's the true physical presence that Darius Kasparaitis was not last year.
The Sharks are going to get younger and get cheaper.
The Bottom Line
This is a nice trade for Colorado, for the playoff wars, but the big issue on the team is finding a skilled winger to play with Joe Sakic.
Maple Leafs | Sharks
Get:
RW Owen Nolan
Get:
C Alyn McCauley
C Brad Boyes
1st-round pick in 2003
What's in it for them
What's in it for them
Nolan is a scary power forward who makes Toronto incredibly formidable.
It's a salary dump of Olympian proportions, plus San Jose gets a nice third-line center in McCauley, who had a strong 2002 playoff campaign.
The Bottom Line
Toronto increased its Cup hopes by acquiring Nolan. So many other things have happened since, but it made the Leafs a legitimate Cup contender.
Sports Illustrated senior writer Michael Farber covers the NHL for the magazine and is a regular contributor to SI.com.
