Trade Deadline Thoughts

So I have let everything sink in from this crazy trade deadline and there was obviously some good and some bad. Let's start with the deals the Rangers made.

Rangers Trades
After Boyle got an extension, things didnt look too good for us to make an important deal. We got a decent defensemen in Backman, who can fill in on the third pair with Mara hurt and then eventually possibly take Strudwick's spot. Personally I like this deal.

Now the other deal I am still a little iffy about. It was nice to get something back for a player like Hossa, who was starting to not fit in our plans, and get something for our top prospect Montoya. We could've gotten a lot more for Montoya in the summer but we didn't know then whether or no he was going to be our backup and play in Hartford. He turned into the backup in Hartford so I don't mind trading him for what we did. Fredrik Sjostrom is a good young player that can add to the Rangers huge pool of good young players. Remember, Jagr and Straka and Shanny all become free agents after this year and are getting old, so you don't know whats going to happen. Josh Gratton is a player that fits perfectly into the fourth line if Orr and Hollweg weren't there. He is a fighter and a tough player. He most likely won't play in the NHL with the 4th line already having enough fighters and tough players. Still, he is only 25 so it's a nice piece to have.
Lastly there is a goalie to replace Montoya. David LeNeveu is only 24, has some NHL experience, even though it's not the best in the world. We have to take this for Montoya because his valued dropped because we took the risk in waiting to trade him. I feel we got enough for him though so I consider this trade an upgrade that could pay off in the future.

Now let's discuss some other NHL trades and their effect on us.

Good
- The only good thing, is players leaving the Eastern Conference and our division. That list includes: Brian Campbell, Brad Richards and Chris Simon. That's about all the good there is in this trade deadline besides the deals the Rangers made.

Bad
- Obviously the worst thing that happened this deadline was Hossa coming into our division. He is a very good player and is an immediate upgrade for the Pens. Yes Crosby and Armstrong were good together but I'm sure that he can make a nice relationship with Hossa. They also get Pascal, another nice addition. The one good part of this trade is that Hossa is, as of right now, just a rental player. I expect the Pens to try and sign him to an extension but as of right now he is nothing but a player being rented for some 20 games and the playoffs. Still a great upgrade for the Pens.

- Along the line with the Pens, they also got Hal Gill. A decent player with some toughness and another upgrade for the already good Pens.

- Cam Janssen was traded out of the division and the conference. I personally think thats bad because I always liked fights between him and the Rangers, oh well.

- Last bad thing, is Prospal coming into our division as well. He is a good player and a team with a lot of talent that is just having a little skid right now. They have the talent to go on a nice run and Prospal will only help them do that.

That’s the trade deadline for you. Now let’s see how these trades play out on the ice and not on paper.