The Big Winners of the NHL Trading Deadline
Are:
Philadelphia: Added 3 great young, cheap defensemen (Coburn, Kukonen, Parent), one 1st rounder, 2 3rd rounders, a decent goalie and a good young forward in Scotty Upshall. This cost them 2 decent rental players, and one rental star. With a good pick in June, they’ll be a force inside two years, as long as they don’t blow it all up.
St. Louis: They lost 2 good rentals, and one young decent defenseman. In return, they recieved: two 1st round picks, a 2nd round pick, a 3rd rounder, a good young forward (with better potential than the young defenseman they gave up), and a couple of reasonably good forwards.
Every buyer (except Carolina – a 5th rounder for Carter is a steal), paid too much, including my beloved leafs, and most teams overpaid. Even the Ryan Smyth trade (which is too bad, I wish Edmonton kept him), had a good return. Edmonton got two very good young players, a blue chipper and a first rounder back, that’s good value for a two month rental.