The General Manager Corner: NHL Trades to Consider
May 2, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (58) skates with the puck against the New York Rangers during the second period in game one of the second round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
To Tampa Bay: Kris Letang
To Pittsburgh: Alex Killorn, Andrey Vasilevskiy, Richard Panik, 2014 1st Round Draft Pick from the Rangers
The General Manager says: Okay now we’re talking some serious blockbuster potential. It’s not because Pittsburgh doesn’t like Letang or what he brings to the team. It’s more to do with the tight cap situation the team put itself in as well as a lack of depth up-front from years of trading picks for veterans trying to win a title. The Penguins’ lack of depth got seriously exposed in its playoff defeat to the Rangers. In Killorn and Panik the Penguins add cheap help up front (both are restricted free agents) and pick up top goaltending prospect Vasilevskiy. The big Russian netminder was Tampa Bay’s first round pick in 2012 and continues to put up impressive numbers in every league or tournament he participates.
The move also frees up money for Pittsburgh to either re-sign some of its own free agents such as Matt Niskanen or dip into the free agency pool to plug some of its other holes.
In Letang, Tampa Bay adds a dynamic offensive defenseman to add to a blue line already featuring Victor Hedman, Matt Carle, and Radko Gudas. Letang on a power play with Steven Stamkos is also the type of combination that keeps opposing goalies up at night. Letang will earn $7,250,000 through 2021/22 and does come with some concerns about his in-season stroke that caused him to miss significant time. Assuming he is beyond those issues (and really there is no way to tell), then this is a worthwhile gamble for the Lightning. Tampa Bay has some young forwards on the cusp of significant playing time with the big club (including 2013 first round pick Jonathan Drouin) and can withstand the loss of Killorn and Panik up front. Plus with Ben Bishop solidifying himself as the team’s number one goalie, Tampa Bay can part with Vasilevskiy. The first round pick was obtained via the Martin St. Louis trade and would still leave Tampa Bay with its own first rounder in this year’s draft.
(Edit: previously included Ohlund in here as a featured blue-liner by mistake…apologies to the Tampa Bay community.)