In The NHL, Money Is As Important As Brains. . . which is the most important conclusion you can draw after this year's annual flurry of deals at the league's trading deadline.
The first big deal was the one that brought Pavel Bure to New York in exchange for blue-line loser Igor Ulanov, a prospect, and a handful of draft picks, including a first rounder in this April's draft. It's been clear for a while now that Bure wasn't getting along with new coach Mike Keenan, and the word out is that Panthers GM Cliff Fletcher got buffaloed by Rangers GM Glen Sather.
Of course, this doesn't take into account just how important salary costs are in the NHL -- and how high salaries are knocking the trade value out from under some of the league's top stars. While it looks like the Rangers got Bure cheap, the Panthers clearly did well by ridding themselves of Bure's $10 million annual salary -- room that will allow them to sign a high-priced free agent in the offseason who can get along with Keenan. So, while some are saying Sather was brilliant to not give up young winger Mike York in the deal (and he would be dealt later), it's probably important to realize that getting rid of Bure's salary was probably Fletcher's top priority.
In fact, getting rid of Ulanov, who often played like he had just imbibed de-icer off the wings of a Russian Mig, might be the best news all year for New York fans, and demonstrates just how badly Keenan and Fletcher wanted Bure shipped out of town.
Later, the Rangers shipped the aforementioned York to Edmonton for puck-moving defenseman Tom Poti and winger Rem Murray. ESPN's E.J. Hradek says Murray might be the bigger impact player in the short run by filling a gap on the penalty kill in New York. As for Edmonton, they keep up their long-running show of leveraging marginal talent to desperate teams (and do not doubt it, the Rangers are desperate), and getting top flight youngsters in exchange.
Of course, plenty of people are now predicting the Rangers are can't miss for the playoffs, but then again, hasn't the team's biggest problem been getting all of its high priced talent to mesh on the ice? I believed the Rangers didn't have any business missing the playoffs last year, and the team they put on the ice this season before the trade deadline could have offered no excuses either if they missed this year. Of course, after acquiring Bure, the Rangers went out and lost to Vancouver 3-1 at home. Sure, Bure scored the team's only goal, but also managed to be on the ice for all three Vancouver goals, settling in for a comfy -2 on the night. Maybe Keenan isn't so crazy after all?
Then yesterday afternoon, the Caps shipped Adam Oates off to Philadephia and got something of a windfall in return: a first, second and third round draft pick as well as Philadelphia's top goaltending prospect, Maxime Ouellet. Philadelphia, which just lost centers Keith Primeau and Jeremy Roenick to injury, had little choice, and Washington was able to capitalize, so to speak.
With the team's leading scorer gone, you'd figure Caps management had sent a signal to the team that it was throwing in the towel. The Caps were 5 points in back of Montreal before last night's game in Denver, and had lost the first two games of their current road trip. Not exactly positive signs of life. But then, the Oates-less Caps shut out defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado 3-0 last night. Go figure.
With only 12 games left, the Caps are three in back of Montreal, and now have two other teams (the Rangers and the Sabres) to climb over to get back in the playoff hunt. If they manage to make the playoffs, they'll most likely go out in the first round against a superior team from either Boston or Philly. That hardly matters now, as it looks like the Caps are committed to rebuilding around Jaromir Jagr. Now, with the three first round picks the Caps have stockpiled, they can put themselves in position to acquire another playmaking center to replace Oates for the long-term.
Over in Denver, Pierre Lacroix continued to work his deadline day magic, getting brutal hitter Darius Kasparaitis from Pittsburgh for a skate sharpener and a bag of pucks. My guess is Kaspar will fit right in with a team that has a legitimate shot to repeat as champs, and then sit back and reap the rewards of unrestricted free agency in the offseason.
Dallas and New Jersey completed a swap of quality for quality, exchanging Jason Arnott and Randy McKay (one of Offwing's all-time character hockey players), for Joe Nieuwendyk and Jamie Langenbrunner. Both Nieuwendyk and McKay are nearing the end of long careers, so I'd have to say that the long-term advantage in this deal goes to Dallas -- that is unless Devils GM Lou Lamirello knows something about Langenbrunner that the rest of us don't.
