Penguins Send Sydor to Dallas for Boucher
In terms of salary, the trade is a wash as both players are getting $2.5M this season. However, there are contractual advantages for the Penguins by moving Sydor. Specifically, Boucher’s contract is not bound by a no trade clause and he could be waived by the Pens if necessary to free up additional cap space later in the season. This could become a key factor for the Penguins as the trade deadline nears and Ryan Whitney and Sergei Gonchar return to the team from their extended injuries.
While Sydor has appeared in under 50% of the Penguins games this season, Boucher has skated all 16 of the Stars’ games before last night. Boucher and Sydor were both healthy scratches last night due to the pending deal. Boucher has been a mainstay for the struggling Stars, averaging 21:43 in ice time per game this season. Sydor has averaged just 14:23 in ice time per game in his 8 appearances. So far this season Boucher has 3-points (3A) in 16-games and is a -4. Sydor has 2-points (1G, 1A) in 8-games with a +5 rating.
Boucher has posted 20-or-more points in five of the last six seasons and 30-or-more points in three of his last six overall. Boucher recorded career highs in all offensive categories during the 2006-07 season, registering 51 points (19 goals, 32 assists), along with a career high 104 penalty minutes. His 19 goals tied the Dallas Stars franchise high for goals by a defenseman, while finishing third overall in the NHL among defenseman. Originally selected by Buffalo in the first round (13th overall) of the 1991 Entry Draft, he missed the majority of last season due to shoulder surgery.
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Penguins Limp Towards Free Agency
With just a few days to go before the July 1st opening of the free agency market, the Penguins have so far failed to complete any of their post-season priorities. It was no secret that the Penguins wanted to lock up a long-term deal with Marian Hossa, re-sign Brooks Orpik, and tender a trade prior to the draft to acquire a first round pick. To help with the challenges, the Penguins filed for salary arbitration with Marc-Andre Fleury to buy some time on his contract talks to focus on getting the other deals done. So far, the Penguins have nothing to show for their efforts aside from some public rejections from the players involved.
Ray Shero and his team spent much of their pre-draft time and effort drawing up a long term deal for Marian Hossa. The offer tendered by the Penguins was rumored to be in the 7-year and $50M range. With Hossa’s post-playoff comments that he would be willing to accept less money to play for a great team, it was widely believed that this was a signal of his intent to stay in Pittsburgh. Last week, rumor had it that Hossa would sign a deal before last Saturday’s draft. However, on draft day Hossa rejected the offer and informed Shero that he was going to test the free agency market, noting that the Penguins were still at the top of the list. It seems an obvious negotiating tactic on behalf of Marian Hossa and his agent to let the free market pressure ensure that they get the best offer on the table before making a decision. Ray Shero noted however that the offer may no longer be on the table after July 1st. It seems a low risk proposition for a player that is sure to command matching or better offers outside of Pittsburgh.
During the Hossa negotiations, the Penguins were also shopping potential pre-draft trade deals to trade away the rights of pending free agents in return for a first or second round draft pick. The most notable was a rumored deal with Columbus to move Ryan Malone for a 2nd round pick. At the last minute, however, Ryan Malone stated his intent to test free agency and that he would not be talking to any teams prior to July 1st. This slammed the door shut on the Penguins hopes to get something in return for the blossoming power forward. It seemed a fitting gesture from the budding power forward and local hero after the Penguins’ management opted to not make Malone’s re-signing a priority for the team. As a result, the Penguins were not able to better their position for the draft.
The Penguins then put the focus on defenseman Brooks Orpik, with the intention of signing him before next week’s free agency deadline. The Penguins tendered an undisclosed multi-year offer rumored to be in the $3M per year range, Yestderday, Brooks Orpik and his agent turned down that offer. Orpik didn’t indicate that he intended to test out free agency, leaving open the possibility that a new offer and deal could be struck before Tuesday.
In other disheartening news, wiley veteran Gary Roberts has indicated through his agent that he is parting ways with the Penguins. “He very much enjoyed his time there,” his agent said. “But he understands that Ray has a number of items on his agenda that would take priority.” Roberts reportedly wants to continue his NHL career at least one more season.
In the only bit of good news from the last 2 weeeks, the NHL’s salary cap for next season was announced yesterday and it has grown by $6.4M over last season to $56.7M. League commissioner Gary Bettman had previously expected a $3 million increase. The higher cap gives team’s more bargaining ceiling should the team’s ownership be willing to foot the bill. The Trib reports that the Penguins ownership is believed to be willing to spend up to the cap, even though it would likely mean operating at a loss for the next 2 seasons until the Penguins move into their new arena. It will be interesting to see if this affects the on-going negotiations with Brooks Orpik and whether it creates an opportunity for revisiting the Hossa offer. It could also affect the post-July 1st negotiations expected between the Penguins and Evgeni Malkin.
On Tuesday, the free agency market will commence and the Penguins could find themselves having to re-wicker their priorities and objectives if they can’t land Marian Hossa and/or Brooks Orpik. I am sure this is not the scenario that Ray Shero wanted to be in at this point, but realistically it is probably the scenario that he expected to be in. You can’t blame a player for trying to maximize his earning potential. All we can do as fans of the game is hope for the best and hope that the majority of this special group of players remain intact for another run at the cup in the coming season.
Let’s Go Pens!
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Hossa Trade Analysis
Ray Shero and the Pittsburgh Penguins certainly surprised many of us with the last minute deal today, especially given the pre-trade day belief that the Penguins were not looking for a blockbuster deal. It would be hard to refute that snatching Marian Hossa, one of the league’s top wingers, to play alongside one of the league’s most talented centers is anything but a blockbuster deal. The Penguins also got left winger Pascal Dupuis in the deal that sent Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, Angelo Esposito and a 1st round draft pick to Atlanta. But will it be a good trade? Have the Penguins given up too much for what some consider to be a short-term rental in Hossa? In June will it be viewed as a great trade, or a bust? Only time will truly tell.
According to Shero, this deal wasn’t even on the plate at 1PM this afternoon, just 2 short hours before the deadline. There were other unstated deals being considered, but none of them panned out. Ray Shero was looking at the prospect of finishing the trade day without pulling the trigger on anyone. But somewhere late in the day the deal came through, sending Hossa to Pittsburgh instead of Ottawa or New Jersey. The Penguins also picked up giant, stay at home defenseman Hal Gill from the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 2nd and 5th round pick.
While I am still not sure what to think about the Hossa deal in terms of the long run, it is a bold move by the Penguins in the short run. In terms of on-ice assets, they gave up Colby Armstrong and Erik Christensen. We were likely to trade at least one of them away regardless of this deal. Christensen has been great at the shootout, but pretty inconsistent outside of that. Armstrong has been a physical presence, but has also been inconsistent on the scoresheet. On most accounts, both players are 3rd line talents. The biggest concern with losing them (especially Armstrong) is an indeterminate impact it may have on the intangible element of team chemistry. It is no secret that Colby Armstrong has helped lighten the load for Sidney Crosby in the locker room. It is unclear what his loss may do to team chemistry. The Penguins also lost Angelo Esposito in the deal, a highly regarded, but yet unproven prospect whose capital may have lessened over the past several months, as well as a first round draft pick. Given the high performing youth that the Penguins already have on the roster, I don’t view this as a critical concession for the immediate future of the team.
So what does Marian Hossa bring? Talent, and plenty of it. He is the poster child of a scoring winger that many have said this team needs to complement the talent of Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby. He has scored 80+ points in each of his last 4 seasons, and had a career high 100-points (43G, 57A) last season. This season, he has 56-points (26G, 30A) in 60-games for Atlanta. Most people expect that a Crosby/Hossa combination will be an explosive pairing. It would give Sidney Crosby a world class natural winger that may be able to more readily take advantage of his speed and creativity. It also frees up Evgeni Malkin to continue his domination as a natural center. But what will happen after the season ends? I guess it will depend upon what happens through the remainder of this season and into the playoffs. It is very possible that Hossa’s stint with the Penguins may only last through the post season. One could easily see the Penguins having difficulty trying to retain a trio of top forwards under the current salary cap restrictions. These are thechallenges that the Penguins will face down stream.
In the short run, this trade is a big win for Pittsburgh. Aside from the obvious upgrade to the Penguins offense, it gives the Penguins a leg up in the wide open Eastern Conference. In my opinion, more importantly than adding Hossa to the Penguins lineup is the fact that it prevented Ottawa or Montreal from adding him to theirs. In a Conference where the top 3 positions are separated by just 2-points, this can only be seen as a huge advantage for Pittsburgh. The only potential near term downside is the affect it will have on team chemistry by taking Colby Armstrong out of the lineup. Add to the trade a decent winger in Pascal Dupuis, and I find it hard to argue with this bold move by the Penguins. It is definitely a trade focused on this season, and not necessarily the long run……but isn’t that what trade day is all about? Good job Ray Shero!
Penguins Trade – Hossa/Dupuis/Gill in…Armstrong, Christensen, Esposito out
BREAKING TRADE NEWS
TRADE DEALS JUST ANNOUNCED…..the Pittsburgh Penguins and Atlanta Thrashers have completed a trade with less than an hour to go to before the deadline.
To the Penguins: Marian Hossa and Pascale Dupuis
To Atlanta: Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, Angelo Esposito and a 1st Round Draft Pick
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Marian Hossa: 6′1″, 210#, Right Wing, Shoots Left – 56 Points (26G, 30A) in 60 games
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Pascale Dupuis: 6′0″, 200#, Left Wing, Shoots Left – 15 Points (10G, 5A) in 62 games
Also announced, a trade between the Penguins and the Toronto Maple Leafs:
To the Penguins: Defenseman Hal Gill for a 2nd and 5th round pick.
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Hal Gill: 6′7″, 250#, Defenseman, Shoots Left – 20 Points (2G, 18A) in 63 games.
More to come.
