Other minor trades occurred at the NHL Entry Draft last night and today. Here is a summary of the minor trades that were completed on Friday and Saturday.
Islanders give up on Reinhart
The Edmonton Oilers bolstered their blueline on Friday acquiring defenceman Griffin Reinhart from the New York Islanders for the 16th and 33rd pick in the draft which ended up being center Matthew Barzal from the Seattle Thunderbirds and the 33rd which was traded later to the Tampa Bay Bay Lightning. In Reinhart the Oilers are definitely upgrading the defense corps of their team. At 21, the best is yet to come in Reinhart’s case.
Griffin Reinhart was selected fourth overall by the Islanders at the NHL Entry Draft of 2012. Reinhart has had limited play time with the Islanders playing only eight games in the regular season and one in the last playoff.
“We’ve been looking for a defenceman,” general manager Peter Chiarelli said. “We had some guys at 16 that we liked, but this was something we decided to act on. He’s ready to play, and he’s going to be a very good part of our D.” “He’s a young defenceman and he’s still finding his way, but he’s big and he’s strong and very, very smart and can play a lot of minutes,” Chiarelli said. “He’s a young D that I’m happy to have in our mix and grow with us.”
Wisniewski in Carolina for Khudobin
After acquiring Eddie Lack from the Vancouver Canucks, the Carolina Hurricanes sent one of their own goalie to the Anaheim Ducks. The Carolina Hurricanes sent goaltender Anton Khudobin to the to the Carolina Hurricanes to Anaheim Ducks in exchange for well traveled defenceman James Wisniewski. Wisniewski who played most of his recent years with the Columbus Blue Jackets was traded at the trade deadline to the Ducks but saw limited play time. Wisniewski last season recorded eight goals and 34 points in 69 games.
As for Khudobin, he played last season in 35 games with the Hurricanes compiling an 8-17-6 record. He posted a 2.72 goals against average and a save percentage of .900. He played backup to no.1 Cam Ward last season with Carolina and will likely play the same role in Anaheim.
Pronger’s contract traded to Arizona
Now here is a surprising deal seen as a salary cap type of deal. The Philadephia Flyers traded defenceman Chris Pronger’s contract to the Arizona Coyotes and defenceman Nicklas Grossman for forward Sam Gagner and a conditional fourth round draft choice in 2016 or a third round draft choice in 2017. Pronger who hasn’t played since 2011 due to a concussion resulting from eye injury was still on the Flyers payroll despite not having played for them for the last three years.
Pronger played with 4 teams before the Flyers: the Hartford Whalers (who drafted him), the St-Louis Blues, the Edmonton Oilers, and the Anaheim Ducks where he won the Stanley Cup in 2007. Pronger also won the Norris trophy with St-Louis in 1999-2000.
As for Gagner, he has spent time with the Edmonton Oilers before being traded to Arizona by the Oilers. Gagner was drafted 6th overall by the Oilers in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. In NHL 562 games Gagner recorded 116 goals and 220 assist for 336 points. Last season with Arizona, Gagner scored fifteen goals and assisted on 26 others for forty-one points.
Hagelin traded to Ducks
The New York Rangers traded Carl Hagelin, their 59th overall pick, and their 179th overall pick to the Anaheim Ducks for Emerson Etem and the Ducks’ 41st overall pick. Hagelin was an RFA that New York needed to sign along with Derek Stepan. So this move is also seen at cap issue type of deal. Carl Hagelin in 2014-2015 scored 17 goals and 35 points in 82 games with the New York Rangers. Hagelin, 26, played his entire career with the Rangers. He was drafted in the 6th round (168th overall) at the 2007 NHL Draft.
Emerson Etem played mostly on the third or fourth line with the Ducks. He had five goals and 10 points in 45 games this past season and three goals in 12 playoff games. The 23-year-old right winger has 15 goals and 31 points in 112 career games. He was drafted 29th overall at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
The Rangers selected Ryan Gropp with the 41st pick.
