(HFNHL) Columbus Trade Block
- Thread starter Ohio Jones
- Start date
Ohio Jones
Game on...
With news today that the Blue Jackets had acquired veteran winger Jamie Langenbrunner from the New Jersey Devils, talk turned to what other moves they might be considering this off-season.
With Detroit's Niklas Lidstrom apparently on the way to Pennsylvania, that leaves Tomas Kaberle (Vancouver) and Rob Blake as the best defencemen available on the trade market.
Blake was a force for the Blue Jackets all season long, leading the blueline in scoring with 12 goals and 42 points in 69 games, along with a gaudy (on this team) +20 rating. He added to that with 6 points in 12 playoff games, again the scoring leader on a blueline that included veterans Ed Jovanovski and Marek Zidlicky.
Like Kaberle, Blake has one year remaining on his HFNHL contract at $6 million, although Blake's is a touch more expensive at $6 million. Doubtless, he would be moved for a more reasonable price than what the Stanley Cup Champion Canucks are likely to ask for Kaberle.
The Jackets are also rumoured to be interested in upgrading at the top line center spot, where they would be prepared to package Olli Jokinen with other assets. But even if nothing else happens for the Blue Jackets this summer, they're in good shape for next season.
The acquisition of Langenbrunner makes up for the expected departure of veterans Craig Conroy and Jere Lehtinen to free agency, and gives Columbus a lineup that will make a serious challenge to repeat as Central Division champs.
D. Booth - O. Jokinen - A. Burrows
D. Penner - M. Fisher - J. Langenbrunner
N. Kulemin - M. Malhotra - S. Upshall
M. Pacioretty - D. Moore - C. Thorburn
(Z. Boychuk)
M. Giordano - Z. Zidlicky
E. Jovanovski -L. Smid
T. Daley - C. Gunnarsson
(K. Sauer, R. Blake)
D. Roloson
S. Varlamov
With Detroit's Niklas Lidstrom apparently on the way to Pennsylvania, that leaves Tomas Kaberle (Vancouver) and Rob Blake as the best defencemen available on the trade market.
Blake was a force for the Blue Jackets all season long, leading the blueline in scoring with 12 goals and 42 points in 69 games, along with a gaudy (on this team) +20 rating. He added to that with 6 points in 12 playoff games, again the scoring leader on a blueline that included veterans Ed Jovanovski and Marek Zidlicky.
Like Kaberle, Blake has one year remaining on his HFNHL contract at $6 million, although Blake's is a touch more expensive at $6 million. Doubtless, he would be moved for a more reasonable price than what the Stanley Cup Champion Canucks are likely to ask for Kaberle.
The Jackets are also rumoured to be interested in upgrading at the top line center spot, where they would be prepared to package Olli Jokinen with other assets. But even if nothing else happens for the Blue Jackets this summer, they're in good shape for next season.
The acquisition of Langenbrunner makes up for the expected departure of veterans Craig Conroy and Jere Lehtinen to free agency, and gives Columbus a lineup that will make a serious challenge to repeat as Central Division champs.
D. Booth - O. Jokinen - A. Burrows
D. Penner - M. Fisher - J. Langenbrunner
N. Kulemin - M. Malhotra - S. Upshall
M. Pacioretty - D. Moore - C. Thorburn
(Z. Boychuk)
M. Giordano - Z. Zidlicky
E. Jovanovski -L. Smid
T. Daley - C. Gunnarsson
(K. Sauer, R. Blake)
D. Roloson
S. Varlamov
MatthewFlames
Registered User
Sorry to hijack. But I think Lidstrom is going to Ottawa (through Pennsylvania based GM Nick B) - I think that's what's going on - reading between the lines of Drews post and the hfnhl twitter mentioning yesterday that Nick had acquired two big name Dmen.
Regardless I better get trading if I'm going to have any shot of beating you in the playoffs next season.... Yikes. Good addition.
Ohio Jones
Game on...
No worries. I hope you're wrong -- how many times have we seen a new GM come in, and the first two or three moves they've made have been to acquire expensive veterans, only to see the team within a year or two gutted and having to go through a brutal long rebuild? Too many. Ottawa has a few quality pieces, but way too many holes to my mind to think of contending, and precious little future to sacrifice. But I guess we'll see what the new Nick has in mind.
As for good additions, I lack a true top-pairing defenceman, a top-line center, and a top-end netminder, so while it's a very balanced group I don't think I'll be winning any awards next year. If we have the good fortune to meet in the playoffs again, my money's on Calgary.
Hossa
Registered User
Ohio Jones
Game on...
With Kaberle though, the trade doesn't have to be conditional on him not retiring.
True 'dat! Although given Blake's NHL performance this season (70 gp; 7g; 23a; 30 pts; +14; 60 pim; 182 shots, 21:21 toi/g; 68 hits; 114 bs) I'd say he's got more than enough in the tank to be a top-4 defender for any team in the league, and so is very likely to give it one more kick at the can. Both his offensive and defensive stats are good for 1st or 2nd among Sharks blueliners, so he's still very much a potent two-way force.
Hmm... maybe I should be considering trading someone else!
Hossa
Registered User
Blake is one of those guys who will retire before he stops being a valuable sim player. Martin Brodeur's the king of this. I read something about Blake and where he stands on his decision-making process the other day, but I'll leave it to interested GMs to do their homework and place their bets.
The old geezer
Registered User
- Feb 10, 2007
- 715
- 0
Uhmmm ... a little ballsy for you to be bringing this up Douglas given your past trades with new GM's joining the league. See the Martin St' Louis deal when no one else was offering you more than a bag of pucks and you got half the new GM's prospects and picks.
For the record I was in advanced conversations with another veteran GM before he approached me with the offer and had the other GM accepted my, then standing, offer I wouldn't even have been taking the trade currently pending approval.
Ohio Jones
Game on...
True enough, not throwing stones at you that I wouldn't cast at myself. Although I did think I'd waited as respectful few days before my trade with Josh for him to get the lay of the land, and in any event I thought the rumours meant that Lidstrom was going to Philly or Pitt and then getting flipped.
But hey, if this deal means Lidstrom's finally out of my Division - and my Conference - I'm all for it!
Fooladelfia
Registered User
- Nov 11, 2007
- 2,036
- 95
Ohio Jones
Game on...
Only insofar as it was rumoured to be a team in Pennsylvania. And if you were flipping him yourself, it's not outside the bounds of possibility. But yes, I think everyone assumed that Pittsburgh was the interested suitor.
Not official yet but doesn't look good for Blake playing another season in the HFNHL, on the Jackets or anywhere else...
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=324103
Ohio Jones
Game on...
Ah well, one less cap situation for me to have to worry about. Good for him, getting out while he's still near the top of his game.
