NHL Trade Deadline Coverage

[Swinny]

Trade News In Here.

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Ducks deal for Beauchemin; Leafs get Lupul
Wednesday, 02.09.2011 / 12:48 PM / 2011 Trade Deadline
NHL.com

The Anaheim Ducks bolstered their defense for the stretch run by bringing back an old face, acquiring Francois Beauchemin from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday in exchange for forward Joffrey Lupul and defenseman Jake Gardiner and a Anaheim's fourth-round pick in the 2013 Entry Draft.

"We are thrilled to be able to reacquire Francois," said Ducks Executive Vice President/General Manager Bob Murray. "He is a physical, puck-moving defenseman with tremendous character. We would also like to wish Joffrey Lupul well in Toronto. He's worked very hard to return from a serious ailment and we hope he can get his career back on track."

The 30-year-old Beauchemin was part of the Ducks' Stanley Cup-winning team in 2007, putting up 4 goals and 8 points in 20 postseason games. He had 21 goals and 90 points in 246 regular-season games with Anaheim from 2005-09. The former third-round pick of the Canadiens has 28 goals, 128 points and 221 penalty minutes in 382 games with Montreal, Columbus, Anaheim and Toronto, including 2 goals and 12 points in 54 games for the Maple Leafs this season.

Lupul, 27, returned this season after missing almost a full year due to back surgery and a subsequent blood infection. He had 5 goals and 13 points in 26 games with the Ducks, who drafted him in the first round in 2002. Lupul has also played for the Oilers and Flyers, recording 117 goals and 238 points in 421 games.

Gardiner is a 20-year-old prospect currently playing for the University of Wisconsin who is a first-round pick of Anaheim in the 2008 Entry Draft. He has 7 goals, 30 points and a plus-20 rating this season for the Badgers. He helped Wisconsin advance to the NCAA championship game last season and has career totals of 16 goals and 64 points in 110 collegiate games.

[The Mac]

another shitty deal by the leafs...burke does know there are 28 other teams right?

[Swinny]

another shitty deal by the leafs...burke does know there are 28 other teams right?

Shitty deal? Are you insane? This is an incredible deal for the Leafs. All the Ducks get is Beauchemin back, who they gave up in the first place, and the Leafs get Lupul, who can immediately become a top guy on the team along with Gardiner, who seems to be a promising prospect and a draft pick, which the Leafs can always use more of.

[The Mac]

ur kidding right? lupul a top guy? thats hilarious he is streaky at best, a defensive liability and has hands of stone, i heard the gardnier kid is ok but he has never seen strong nhl competition and a drft pick, wit how burke drafts that aint much help lol...in beuhamin u get a good strong stay at home defenseman, with a rocket shot, he never florished in toronto but e was good as a duck

[The Mac]

It looks like rebuilding plans are underway in the nation's capital.

The struggling Ottawa Senators sent forward Mike Fisher to Nashville on Thursday in exchange for the Predators' first-round pick this year and a conditional pick in next year's NHL entry draft.

Fisher, 30, has played 675 career NHL games -- all with the Senators. He has recorded 24 points (14 goals, 10 assists) and 33 penalty minutes in 55 games this season.

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Fisher, who is married to country music star Carrie Underwood, was a finalist for the Selke Trophy as the NHL's top defensive forward in 2006.

"We were seeking a top-six forward and Mike Fisher was the player we set our sights on," Predators general manager David Poile said in a release. "He plays playoff-style hockey all season long. He plays on the power play, kills penalties, is strong on draws and can match up against any opposing line."

It has been a disastrous season for the Senators, who are winless in 11 games and sit last in the Northeast Division with 42 points.

Nashville, meanwhile, is gearing up for a playoff run. The Predators are just five points behind first-place Detroit in the Central Division.

A native of Peterborough, Ont., Fisher was originally selected by Ottawa with the 44th overall pick in the 1998 NHL entry draft. His annual salary cap hit is US$4.2 million. He'll make $4 million next season and $3 million in 2012-'13.

Fisher has recorded at least 20 goals in four of the last five seasons. The six-foot-one, 208-pounder has 28 points (14-14) in 75 career post-season games.

"Mike's playoff experience will be invaluable to our team and he immediately makes our team stronger and deeper," Poile said.

The trade will give the Predators some much-needed depth up front. Steve Sullivan has been nursing a chronic groin injury this season, centre Matthew Lombardi has missed all but two games due to a concussion and forward Marek Svatos has been hampered by a knee injury.

The conditional pick in the trade will be Nashville's third-round selection if the Predators win one round in the post-season this year. The pick becomes a second-round selection in 2012 if Nashville wins two rounds or more.

Fisher and Underwood tied the knot at a luxury resort in Georgia last summer after dating for over a year. She told People magazine last March that they planned to keep homes in Nashville and in Peterborough.

Underwood, 27, rose to fame after winning the fourth season of "American Idol."


The Mac Says: i wonder if his wife being a country star had something to do with where he was traded to?

[Swinny]

The Mac Says: i wonder if his wife being a country star had something to do with where he was traded to?

Yeah, I was wondering that too. Nashville is the country music capital of the world and all, so it all makes sense. Either way he should be a great addition to the Predators and should help them out in the playoffs. Ottawa must have something big planned if they're trading him away though because they definitely need to do something, unless they're just going to give up this season and try to acquire draft picks for next season, it's not like they're making the playoffs anyway.

[The Mac]

Yeah, I was wondering that too. Nashville is the country music capital of the world and all, so it all makes sense. Either way he should be a great addition to the Predators and should help them out in the playoffs. Ottawa must have something big planned if they're trading him away though because they definitely need to do something, unless they're just going to give up this season and try to acquire draft picks for next season, it's not like they're making the playoffs anyway.

i think they r blowing up the team for picks and prospects...i see spezza leaving next

[Kemo]

All we need now is a bad ass shooter and we're unstoppable!

GO PREDS!!!

[Metalitia]

Yeah, I was wondering that too. Nashville is the country music capital of the world and all, so it all makes sense. Either way he should be a great addition to the Predators and should help them out in the playoffs. Ottawa must have something big planned if they're trading him away though because they definitely need to do something, unless they're just going to give up this season and try to acquire draft picks for next season, it's not like they're making the playoffs anyway.

Seems to happen fairly often in hockey. Top teams just suddenly slump and spend a couple of seasons moving on their experienced talent and acquiring younger prospects.

Happened with Stars and whilst they've hit a slump they started this season well after failing drastically last year.

Good signing for Preds on paper.

[Swinny]

Flyers acquire Versteeg from Toronto
Monday, 02.14.2011 / 7:20 PM / News
NHL.com

The Philadelphia Flyers made a bold move Monday night as they acquired right wing Kris Versteeg from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exhange for a first- and third-round pick at the 2011 Entry Draft.

The Maple Leafs, who acquired Versteeg from Chicago last summer, are currently 12th overall in the Eastern Conference.

"Kris is an exciting young forward," Flyers GM Paul Holmgren said. "He's 24 years old and he'll fit in with our group of players here. He's a quality forward that can play in a lot of different roles for our hockey team. He can move up and down our lineup. He can kill penalties. He can play on the power play. We think he's a guy that over the last few years, particularly in Chicago, has really blossomed into a good forward and we think he's going to be a really good addition to our team."

Versteeg, who has 14 goals and 21 assists this season in Toronto, should bolster an already potent offense -- the Flyers are third in the League in goals per game. The acquisition is a sign that Philadelphia is loading up for what could be another run to the Stanley Cup Final.

The Flyers' 36-year championship drought is among the longest in the NHL.

While this will provide an opportunity for Versteeg to return to the playoffs, it is a bizarre reversal of position for the 24-year-old Alberta native. Versteeg played a pivotal role for the Chicago Blackhawks last June, when they defeated Philadelphia in the Stanley Cup Final to win their first championship in 49 years. Facing the pressure of an impending salary cap crunch, the Blackhawks dealt Versteeg to Toronto last offseason in exchange for Viktor Stalberg, Chris DiDomenico and Phillippe Paradis.

"Right away I was extremely excited to join this team," Versteeg said. "They've had a lot of success this season. They had a great playoff push last year and I'm excited to try and have a good one this year. I like to make plays and score goals at the same time, maybe go out there and be an agitator at times too. I'm going to try and do it all and have fun doing it."

Versteeg tallied 14 points in 22 games last postseason.