Tag: Trade Deadline

Trade Deadline: David Legwand Traded to Red Wings

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Thanks for the memories, Leggy.

Thanks for the memories, Leggy.

There were talks for weeks and rumors spread, but today, the whispers were confirmed: David Legwand was traded to the Detroit Red Wings. Legwand is a native of Detroit, so for all the teams for him to make the leap towards, the Red Wings was a given. But, even for all those Legwand Haters, after all the years, doesn’t it hurt just a bit to see him actually leave?

We all know the hockey history of David Legwand: Nashville’s first-ever draft pick, franchise record holder, rode the wild wave that is the Nashville Predators organization. He was Mr. Predator; but not forever.

Contrary to popular (Preds fans) belief, Legwand is an outstanding player and will fit in well with Detroit’s system; it will be a breath of fresh air for him under a new lineup. With Pavel Datsyuk on the mend, Legwand will be thrown into the fire at first go, but it isn’t anything he cannot handle.

But how was he traded? Didn’t he have a No Movement Clause? Glad you asked: Yes, he did indeed have a NMC. So how did this happen?
In a nutshell, Legwand (in the end) called the shots. David Poile would work out a possible trade with another organization (in this case Detroit) & present it to David for consideration. Basically, he could either accept the trade or give Poile the stiff arm and say, “No deal”. So why, after always saying, “I will retire a Nashville Predator” did he take the trade offer?
After acquiring Matt Cullen and signing him to a two-year contract during the summer, Legwand’s trade immunity began to fade in the organization and, no offense to Patric Hornqvist, but after getting the shaft as alternate captain enough times, you start to feel a bit… underrated and taken for granted. In my opinion, he was. That, and he is getting up there in age (hockey life, that is) and who wouldn’t want to go home? Come now, that was Ryan Suter’s idea, right? All kidding aside, life with the Detroit Red Wings may just be what the doctor ordered when it comes to lighting a fire under Legwand’s remaining years in the NHL.

So, what does Nashville get for their longest-serving representative?
https://twitter.com/GMillerTSN/status/441319181909102592

  • PicMonkey CollagePatrick Eaves: You probably recognize his name, though he is a sufferer of chronic injuries, including a broken jaw at the hands of a Roman Josi slap shot back in 2011.  The right-winger currently has two goals and three assists this season and becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
  • Calle Jarnkrok: Another Swede! Jarnkrok is 2nd-Rounder from the 2010 draft currently with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Detroit’s AHL affiliate team. He’s tearing up in the AHL right now, but this is his first stint in the North American hockey system and may want to return to Europe. Let’s hope not.
  • 3rd-Round Draft Pick: Draft picks are good, but it gets better: if the Red Wings secure a place in the playoffs, that 3rd-rounder turns into a 2nd-rounder. Go Red Wings…?

You can question Poile and his motives, but the man knows how to get the better end of a deal (for the most part).

We will miss David Legwand, there’s no doubt. We only wish him the best with the Detroit organization and thank him for all the memories.

https://twitter.com/richcluneshow/status/441328045832425472

Trade Deadline: MTL nabs Dubnyk

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Dubbie's off to Montreal

Dubbie’s off to Montreal

So this comes as no surprise that the Predators needed to pass Devan Dubnyk on to greener pastures, but in all honesty, I expected him to fall down to the Admirals. That, my friends, was not the case today. Around noon, TSN confirmed that the Predators had traded Devan Dubnyk to the Montreal Canadiens for “future considerations”. Carey Price has been suffering from an injury, but Montreal refuses to say that is the reason for picking up Dubnyk.

That being said, Dubnyk has had a rough, but interesting, season thus far; Montreal will be his third team and he is yet another backup for an injured goaltender. That doesn’t seem to phase Dubnyk much, though; he still believes he has the ability and talent to be a starting goaltender. It’s good to have ambitions. Unfortunately, we just got word that Dubnyk is, for now, being assigned to the Hamilton Bulldogs, which is Montreal’s farm team.

Dubnyk isn’t the only goalie who has been traded thus far, though; he joins the ranks of six other goalies who are making the move, which consists of Roberto Luongo (VAN-FLA), Ilya Bryzgalov (EDM-MIN), Viktor Fasth (ANA-EDM), Ryan Miller (BUF-STL), Jaroslav Halak (STL-BUF) & Jacob Markstrom (FLA-VAN). It truly is the Goalie’s Deadline this year.

We wish Dubnyk well on his ventures with the Canadiens and we hope than not too many fans ran out and grabbed up a Preds Dubnyk jersey. We must say, though, Dubnyk lit a fire under Carter Hutton’s bottom when it came to who would hang onto that backup position. For that, we thank you.

We’ll keep you updated if Nashville decides to do something productive or absolutely asinine.

https://twitter.com/smashville/status/441269676882919424

Preds Win with Both Trade Deadline and against L.A. Kings

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Patric Hornqvist returns to the lineup on fire with his 18th goal of the season.

NEVER ENOUGH KOSTITSYNS:

The NHL Trade Deadline may have ended at 2PM yesterday, but that didn’t mean the day ended for the Nashville Predators. Although Nashville was thought to be in the running for Blue Jackets captain, Rick Nash, Predators GM David Poile had other plans up his sleeves.

David Poile surprised many Preds fans with the trade agreement between the Montreal Canadiens for Andrei Kostitsyn, Sergei’s older brother. Andrei had expressed interest in wanting to be traded to Nashville, but because everyone’s minds were on the Nash-to-Nash situation, no one saw this one coming. The Predators and the Canadiens came to an agreement that, along with the conditional trade that came along with Hal Gill, the Predators would give up a 2nd Round Draft pick for 2013.

Poile made a last minute trade with the Buffalo Sabres, picking up Forward Paul Gaustad for a 1st Round pick in this year’s draft, another unexpected move. If you can remember the Ryan Miller/Jordin Tootoo incident from December 3rd, you might recall a certain player who attacked Jordin Tootoo afterwards and had it out for Anders Lindback. If you guessed Paul Gaustad, you are correct. Although tension will probably cease now that the three are teammates, but it is still a little awkward.

Although most fans, if not all, were blinded by the Nash-to-Nash possible trade (we definitely were), these two additions to the Nashville Predators may (and will most likely have to be) the key to keeping both Ryan Suter and Shea Weber in the gold sweaters. We won’t dive into that controversy right now. However, what’s most important is that these two additions will help the Predators advance to the Stanley Cup.

ON TO THE GAME:

  • Ryan Ellis was called up for last night’s game against the Kings, making many fans think Jack Hillen, if any Predator, would be on the fence during the Trade Deadline. Hillen made it past 2PM and got some ice time, making a Pekka-like save in front of the goal, preventing a clear goal from the Kings. Kevin Klein was the surprising scratch (along with Ellis) and Brian McGrattan is still sitting pretty on the IR.
  • Rookie Roman Josi got the ball rolling at the end of the 1st (18:27), sending a wrist shot past Jonathan Quick for his 4th goal of the season. David Legwand and Gabriel Bourque picked up the assists on Josi’s goal.
  • Patric Hornqvist wasted no time putting his team up 2-0 at 3:52 in the 2nd, sending a wrist shot of his own past Quick for his 18th goal of the season. David Legwand picked up his second assist of the night and Sergei Kostitsyn picked up one as well.
  • The Kings would prevent the Predators from shutting them out at 16:36 in the third with wrist shot from Dustin Brown, his 18th goal of the season.
  • Pekka Rinne saw one of his best nights of the season, blocking 30 of 31 shots on goal. The Predators were also out-shot 31 to 28, adding to their NHL record.
  • The Predators and the Kings both only faced one penalty kill each, with Gabriel Bourque facing a tripping penalty at 4:37 in the 2nd Period.

The Predators are off to Raleigh to face the 23-26-13 Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night, but they will have Andrei Kostitsyn and Paul Gaustad in tow. Will they blow the Hurricanes out of the water? The puck drops at 6PM!

Until then,
GO PREDS.