NHL draft 2017 transaction tracker: Analysis of all the deals
The NHL draft has almost become secondary to a dizzying day of transactions. Here's a breakdown of Friday's trades and signings. (Check out the scouting reports of all the first-round picks.)
St. Louis Blues trade Ryan Reaves, No. 50 pick to Pittsburgh Penguins for No. 31 pick, Oskar Sundqvist
Analysis: This is about the Penguins wanting someone to look after Sidney Crosby. Reaves is tough, high character player. Penguins believe Crosby takes too much physical abuse. But the Penguins paid a heavy price to get him.
Philadelphia Flyers trade Brayden Schenn to Blues for 27th pick, Jori Lehtera, conditional first-rounder
Analysis: The Blues desperately wanted to rid themselves of Lehtera and his $4.7 million cap hit for the next two seasons. The Blues get back a useful player in Schenn ($5.125 million cap hit until 2020) who has 89 goals over the past four seasons. But the cost is high.
Patrick Eaves re-signs with Anaheim Ducks: Three years, $9.45 million
Analysis: Don't undervalue this move. Eaves proved he was a good fit in Anaheim before he was injured. He would have been popular in the free agent marketplace because he can play up and down a team's lineup. He's comfortable in a scoring role or a checking role. He's more skilled than you think.
T.J. Oshie re-signs with Washington Capitals: Eight years, $46 million
Analysis: The Capitals' signing of Oshie will make rivals weep. GMs will say that they would have paid more than the $5.75 million per season. He clearly took a hometown discount. He would have been the hottest free agent on July 1. Now it's Kevin Shattenkirk.
New York Rangers trade Derek Stepan, Antti Raanta to Arizona Coyotes for No. 7 pick, Anthony DeAngelo
Analysis: Twenty-eight-year-old general manager John Chayka may have done more to help the Coyotes’ competitiveness than anyone has in a long while. The acquisition of Niklas Hjalmarsson provides Oliver Ekman-Larsson with a perfect defensive partner, and Stepan gives the team the playmaking center it has lacked.
According to Chayka, Raanta was acquired to be the team’s No. 1 goalie. Chayka said the Coyotes had Raanta ranked as the best available goalie in the marketplace.
Whether that will work remains to be seen, but it was past time for the Coyotes to act boldly in their quest to get into the playoffs
Chicago Blackhawks trade Artemi Panarin to Columbus Blue Jackets for Brandon Saad
(Chicago also sent Tyler Motte and 2017 sixth-rounder for Anton Forsberg, 2018 fifth-rounder)
Analysis: It feels as if this trade was as much about Jonathan Toews as it was the two players. Saad always seemed like the perfect linemate for Toews. The Blackhawks need to get Toews playing at his best again and they need to be pluckier in the playoffs. Panarin has more skill than Saad, but Saad has more pushback, more drive when the game is on the line.
Regardless if you love this trade from the Blackhawks' perspective, you have to give GM Stan Bowman credit for having the spunk to be proactive in his efforts to make the Blackhawks great again. He's not standing around waiting for something good to happen. Bowman obviously didn't like how his team played when it was swept by Nashville in the first round of the playoffs. This trade sends a message to players and fans that the Blackhawks aren't going downhill without a fight.
Blackhawks trade Niklas Hjalmarsson to Coyotes for Connor Murphy, Laurent Dauphin
Analysis: The Coyotes could have one of the more intriguing top pair defenses in the NHL, as Hjalmarsson, 30, slots in with Oliver-Ekman Larsson. The Blackhawks made this trade to ensure cost certainty on their blue line. Murphy is 24 and signed at $3.85 million until 2022, while Hjalmarsson is signed until 2019 at a $4.1 million cap hit.
Minnesota Wild trade Jordan Schroeder to Blue Jackets for minor leaguer Dante Salituro
Analysis: The 26-year-old is a restricted free agent this offseason. He had six goals and 13 points in 37 NHL games. A depth move for Columbus.
