The 2013 NHL Trade Deadline Recap (for realsies too)

so much hockey bullshit to feast on...

After a testosterone-laden 8 hours, the NHL trade deadline has passed with only one surprise to me; that  an old-fashioned real trade that could easily be emulated in certain hockey pools run by competent, efficient team managers that understand it takes something to get something. Unfortunately, I'm not in one of those types of pools so i will just have to sit back and wait for Edmonton to return to it's former glory.
Thankfully, Columbus and the New York Rangers did something that made waiting 6 hours for TSN updates worth it.

It was a busy morning as sports anchors and analysts tried to look busy in finding something to say about the deadline, as per annual tradition and it wasn't until near the end of the day that things apparently heated up. By then, GM's finally had responded to all their emails that had accumulated from various opinionated arm-chair coaches and did their thing.

Here's my few worthy observations;

Biggest Surprise of the Day; Marian Gaborik would waive his no-trade clause to go to Columbus
Maybe he just doesn't know where Columbus is (technically, neither do I) but it's a good fit; Gaborik can go score goals somewhere nobody has heard of him and Columbus gets that potential goal scorer to replace Rick Nash. Plus, Columbus is doing surprisingly okay this year with Bobrovsky in net, making Steve Mason expendable, which i will get to later.

"Maybe i should have been clearer
on what i said" - Gillis

Most Frustrated Player and General Manager; Roberto Luongo and Mike Gillis.  Lu may be the only person in league history to complain that he has too good of a contract, which apparently was a stumbling block in trading him out of Vancouver. It was also odd that the only team that Gillis tried to pawn him off to was the Toronto Maple Leafs, who apparently refused 3 different deals for Luongo. Ben Bishop being traded to Tampa Bay seems to have closed that lead and am surprised that Florida did not make a play for the large contract to get them to the salary cap floor for next year. Maybe they've been watching Rick DiPietro's career too closely.

Best acquisition  Jerrod Smithson to the Oilers. Although this doesn't really get anybody's hearts pumping;

Except these guys getting psyched for the playoff riots

the Oilers are a team in need of someone to bridge the gap between Ryan Smyth and Taylor Hall in regards to defensive abilities and explaining what Star Wars is. I saw Smithson once in Edmonton when he was on Nashville w/ Kariya and Forsberg; the kid was the hardest worker on the ice. He won't get them any points but he should help them out on penalty kills and checking lines.

Worst acquisition; Steve Mason to Philadelphia for Mike Leighton.  Mason was a rookie phenom whose save % quickly went south once players started shooting at his glove hand.  He's been a capable back up to Bobrovsky and which ever other goalie Columbus had while waiting for Mason's goalie coach to find out where the rink was. His arrival in Philly won't do much to cower other teams' shooters when they realize that once they chased Bryzgalov from the nets, they will have to face Mason.

 You are not a victim, Mike, you are
a survivor.

Saddest realization; Mike Leighton's abusive relationship with the Philadelphia Flyers. Like a battered girlfriend, Leighton keeps going back to Philly where they just use him and don't give him the respect he so desperately craves. This will be the 6th time leaving the Philly dressing room for Mike (including waivers) but it can only be assumed that he's leaving his stuff in a storage unit this time for his inevitable return.

Happiest player; Jay Bouwmeester. Although often considered one of the best defencemen in the league, i find it odd that he's never been in the playoffs in his 10 year career. Now, he should get his chance on a team that plays from the goalie outwards. I'm just taking it that he actually wants to be in the playoffs but if I was a Blues fan, I probably won't notice him anyways on most game nights, just like the rest of the league.

Worst realization for Canuck fans; Raffi Torres is coming back to Vancouver wearing a San Jose uniform. I wondered about why the Canucks chose to let Torres go after their Stanley Cup run while keeping Chris Higgins. Torres is a player to be feared on the ice, while Higgins is a player to be feared will use up all the ice cubes and not refill the container. I look forward to seeing who he takes a run at in the playoffs and which other Shark Bieksa will choose to fight instead of Torres.

I'm not going to get beat up anymore!

Most Improved Team for the Playoffs; The New York Rangers found some players that will now
answer the bell, winning Trade Deadline day in my opinion. Losing lunch bucket players in the off-season to make room for Rick Nash, Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik's egos was clearly the wrong way to go according to the win column. By bringing in Clowe, Dorsett, Brassard and Moore, the Rangers picked up size, grit and fists which can and will be used for a deep play-off run.

Bam! Went Pittsburgh's Stanley Cup hopes.
And a few of Sid's teeth.

Most Non-improved Team for the Playoffs; Pittsburgh Penguins.  The Penguins acquired a lot of talent on an already talent-laden team. Yet, it does say something that the Pens have now lost every game that Iginla. Murray and Morrow have played in, as well as losing Crosby (although I'm sure the two aren't related). It takes balls to bring in good players to a team that was already near-perfect, riding that 14 game win streak and think that it won't disrupt the team's morale when players are forced to sit out to allow the new guys to come in.

Seriously, it could be worse...the Rangers could have tried for Raffi Torres instead of Clowe.

I guess we will see what happens next month when the playoffs start.  As of right now I'm going with Chicago and the Rangers with Winnipeg being a mini-Cinderella to Toronto's big sister Cinderella playoff run.