Landscape of Clutch Very Different as League Play Resumes

Fans across the world rejoice.

It's official.

Clutch is back.


With the return of Ryan's internet connection the much anticipated Day 136 will be played tonight. Different GM's passed the time during the shut down in different ways. Some simply waited, some moved players, some lay in bed and wept for days, and some such as the commentators in Boston clearly became delusional and sat in darkened arenas commentating games that just weren't happening. Most significantly, however, were the players moved. Huge blockbusters happened across the league and many teams are returning with much different looks than they had when the league last played.

Here are my heartless opinions on the trades.

Let's start with the busier teams first. First: Carolina

Carolina/Philadelphia

To Flyers: LW/RW-Marian Cisar COY 5(2009)

To Carolina: LW-Alyn McCauley FLY 5(2010)

Flyers pick up a genuine sniper in Cisar and Carolina picks up a more well rounded player in McCauley. Tough trade to call. Players are the same age but Cisar makes 3.3 million. Based on that and the effect his has on salary cap issues Carline looks pretty shrewd. They take a hit on offence though. Good trade for both teams depending on the way you look at it.

Verdict: Dead Even.

Carolina/Montreal

To Montreal: Derek Meech, Tim Brent and PHX 1st

To Carolina: Daniel Briere and MTL 3rd

At first glance this deal appears to be very lopsided in the Hurricanes direction but when looking at the actual ratings and not the OV of Meech and Brent they both look pretty impressive. The first is not a great one but it should still get a decent jr. The Habs picked up some good youth in this one.

On the other hand there's nothing wrong with Briere's ratings whatsoever. The big risk with Briere is that he's an RFA and due for a raise. If he holds out this was a terrible deal for Carolina.

The impetus for this deal appears to be the Habs cap space issues as they're at 52 million and would potentially have to deal Briere to stay under the cap anyway.

Winner: Carolina. I'll take Briere over the 3 guys they gave up. Montreal did get good youth for him though. If Briere doesn't sign - Montreal.

Carolina/Minnesota

Carolina send 3 mill and Cory Stillman to Minnesota
for
Bryan Smolinski, Brad Boyes and Marc-Antoine Pouliot (Jr)

The Hurricanes continued to their puzzling ways by moving players from what was once a championship team. The final shoe finally dropped when Cory Stillman was dealt Minnesota for Brian Smolinski, Brad Boyes and junior Marc-Antoine Pouliot. The deal seems to be essentially for Boyes as Smolinski is a 34 year old UFA and Pouliot is a years away and a long shot to make a significant impact in pro. The deal doesn't save the Hurricanes any money unless Smolinski walks. With the addition of Briere and McCauley recently I'm assuming the 'Canes felt Stillman was expendable.

Minnesota, on the other hand, gets a great centre/winger that should benefit from an NHL rerate and gets some desperately needed cash to get them out of the hole.

Winner: Based on the players involved Minnesota hits a home run for the next 2 seasons - maybe even longer. Boyes may benefit from NHL rerates himself, however, and is a good fit on a Carolina team that has built an impressive array of youth which evens things out a lot more. Edge to Minnesota.

Wild/Blackhawks

To Hawks: RW Jaroslav Sklenar(pro) + RW Pavel Brendle(pro) + C Yannick Perreault (pro)
To Wild: LW Pavol Demitra(pro) + C Jeremy Roenick(pro)

Strange one and tough to call.

Demitra and Roenick add 7 million in salary to Minnesota.
Sklenar, Brendle and Perrault salaries add up to 5.45 million.
Minnesota adds 1.55 million.

Short term Minnesota wins the deal but they're not in a position to make the playoffs. Brendle and Sklenar are 24 and 23 respectively. Neither player are star calibre youth but they'll be around a long time and can will develop in to borderline 2nd liners.

The fly in the ointment is the fact that Demitra - the best player in the deal - is a UFA. If he stays the deal is hard to call. If he walks this Minnesota gets beaten like a rented mule.

I like to buck the trend by not over valuing youth and calling the winner of a trade as the team that got the best players but this one is tough to call. Not really a great move on either side. This won't push the Wild into the playoffs but they now have Stillman, Demitra, Roenick and Lecavalier.... But they're getting older. Risky deal.

The Verdict: Blackhawks win it. They got decent youth for players that people generally don't want. This deal doesn't seem to really help the Wild much.

Blackhawks/Habs

To Chicago: Aaron Miller
To Montreal: St Louis 3rd round pick this year

Miller's got great df stats but what is up with his 58 sp??? A decent depth add for the Hawks as they approach the playoffs. Meanwhile Dr. Satan does what he does best and stockpiles youth.

Verdict: Even

Flyers/Stars

To Flyers: C/W-Jamie Lundmark D-Mike Van Ryn OIL 3(2009)
To Stars: D-Derian Hatcher RW-Brian Savage

I'm very high on Lundmark. At 24 years of age he's got all the attributes to be a star very soon. Van Ryn is not bad and he's only 26 so the Flyers get decent youth for a team that's only playing .500 and seems to be looking to build.

Despite the age of Hatcher and Savage they're excellent players. How Savage got rated 80 sc is beyond me. The Stars are 5 points out of a playoff spot and have decided to make a run at it. On the other hand they dealt their best centre. This deal won't help them much and Savage is a UFA.

Verdict: Flyers win this one. The deal hurts their team a bit short term but long term they come out ahead.

Leafs/Flames

To the Flames 88 Eric Lindros RW R OK 85 78 78 81 56 76 72 79 76 75 79 76 80 82

To the Leafs 45 Adam Deadmarsh RW R OK 79 73 73 81 65 35 72 73 74 74 78 59 73 79
Florida’s 2nd this year
Calgary 3rd next year


Well, apparently the cap space issue is resolved for Calgary somehow as this put them way over the cap. That being said this is a great deal for both teams I think.

Calgary is inexplicably under .500 and out of the playoffs. When I look at the talent on their team I'm flabbergasted. The one gaping need they had was a legitimate number one centre which they have now obtained. This leaves them with a slight weakness at RW but they have 3 LW's who could play on the first line, good defence, goaltending and depth at centre. They've decided to go for the playoffs and, with this team, could make it. If they do they could be a dark horse for the final.

The Leafs, on the other hand, have added a player only slightly less talented than Lindros but have picked up some decent picks as well to help them with their rebuilding efforts.

Verdict: Even

Rangers/Penguins

Going to the Rangers: Marek Malik
Going to the Penguins: Niklas Kronwall

When the Rangers dealt Tomas Kloucek in the Alfredsson deal they noticed an immediate increase in shots on net. They evaluated their blue line and realized they'd lost a lot of aggression and power on their blue line. They reversed the trade by picking up an even better tough defensive dman in Malik.

The Penguins got Kronwall who's speed, youth, and potential in the NHL make him a worthy long term project.

Verdict: Even

Rangers/Leafs

To Toronto C Kamil Kreps JR
C Ryan Garlock JR
G Jason Churchill JR
RAN 1(2009)
RAN 2(2009)

To NY Rangers C Mats Sundin
D Tyler Eckford JR
MAP 5(2009)

The New York Rangers landed the number one centre they've been coveting all season without having to give up a single roster player in the process. They remain well under the cap at just under 50 million and have a guy whose experience and leadership will be a boon in the playoffs. Rangers also picked up Eckford and a 5th to try and not go to far into violation in junior come the off season.

The Maple Leafs officially pulled the 'chute on their season and went into a massive rebuild. In terms of youth they got two quality 18 year old jrs, a quality 20 yr old jr, a first and a second pick. Hard to imagine getting more quality youth than that.

Verdict: Short term this one is a run away victory for the Rangers. They now have talent on every line and are a serious threat for the playoffs. Long term the deal evens out as the Leafs build through youth. If the Rangers crap out of the playoffs early this deal may not look as good. I give the edge to the Rangers...but then again I'm biased.

There it is! The inside skinny on all the deals! Hope no one hates me!

Rangers GM out.