Although yesterday was the day to sign free agents, there were some trades of significant importance in the NHL. Aside from the blockbuster trade of Phil Kessel to Pittsburgh, there were the bruins and the Montreal Canadiens who did move some players.
We look at the move that sent Jimmy Hayes to Boston with Marc Savard in a cap related type of trade and also the coming of Zach Kassian in Montreal from Vancouver.
Bruins trade Reilly Smith to Panthers
The Boston Bruins traded the contract of Marc Savard and Reilly Smith to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Jimmy Hayes on Wednesday. Hayes is a restricted free agent that scored 19 goals and 16 assists for 35 points for the Panthers in 2014-2015. The 25-years-old was drafted in the second round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft (60th overall) by the Toronto Maple Leafs and has spent time with the Chicago Blackhawks and Panthers before being traded yesterday.
Reilly Smith is a young 24-years-old who scored 13 goals and 27 assists for 40 points in 81 games with the Bruins. The right winger was drafted in the third round (69th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars. He was part of the Tyler Seguin trade to the Stars when Boston shipped Tyler Seguin, Rich Peverley and Ryan Button to the Dallas Stars for Loui Eriksson, Joe Morrow, Matt Fraser and Smith. His best season was with the Bruins 2 seasons ago when he registered 20 goals with 31 assists for 51 points in 52 games.
As for Marc Savard he has not played since the 2010-11 season due to concussions and this move is seen to remove Savard from Boston Bruins salary cap. Although his cap hit is 4.5M his salalry is only $575,000 for the next season and the other one after.
Zach Kassian to Montreal
The Montreal Canadiens have acquired right winger Zach Kassian and 5th round draft pick at the 2016 NHL draft from the Vancouver Canucks for left winger Brandon Prust. This trade will save 750,000 dollars on the Canadiens salary cap space. Kassian who has been very inconsistent in his last three and a half seasons with Vancouver and Buffalo will attempt to re-ignite his career with Montreal. Kassian has one year left on his contract and will be a restricted free agent. In the case of Brandon Prust, he also had one year left but was going to be a unrestricted free agent after next season.
https://twitter.com/zkassian9/status/616390696027734016
Kassian with the Canucks last season recorded 10 goals, 6 assists for 16 points in only 42 games played. He has been injured last season mainly with his back. Kassian was drafted 13th overall at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres. In 198 games played in the NHL, Kassian has recorded 35 goals and 31 assists for 66 points. he has also cumulated 307 penalty minutes. Kassian was traded to Vancouver by the Buffalo Sabres in 2012 with Marc-Andre Graganni. In that trade Buffalo obtained Cody Hodgson and Alexander Sulzer.
In 2014-2015, Brandon Prust scored 4 goals and assisted on 14 others in 82 games played. Drafted in 2004 by the Calgary Flames in the third round (70th overall), prust has also played for the Phoenix Coyotes (now Arizona) and the New York Rangers. He signed as a free agent 1st July 2012 with the Canadie
