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Player & Moves Today

04/12/2021 at 5:53pm EDT

NEW YORK (April 12, 2021) -- NHL clubs made 17 trades involving 26 players today prior to the 3 p.m., ET, trade deadline. Following is a list of the transactions:

By The Numbers

04/12/2021 at 5:34pm EDT

from Dom Luszczyszyn and Corey Pronman of The Athletic,

On the surface, this looks like a relatively even trade between two first-round picks. Over the past three seasons, Anthony Mantha has scored 58 points per 82 games while Jakub Vrana has clocked in around 54 points per 82. Both have a nearly identical expected goals percentage in that span too.

That is until you get to the picks. That Washington added a first and second-round pick to this deal feels almost absurd given how even the two players involved seem to be in value.

The issue in the difference of opinion between the two likely comes down to opportunity. In that timeframe, Mantha’s contributions look larger than Vrana’s when that may not actually be the case. In each of the past three seasons, Mantha has played roughly 14.5 minutes per game at five-on-five, while Vrana was two minutes lower from 2018-to-2020 and is now at just 11.7 minutes per game this season. The difference was just as stark on the power play until this season where the two are closer to equal.

Ice time has a big impact on perception and factoring in that context tilts the scales toward Vrana’s favour. Considerably so. Over the last three seasons, Vrana has a higher points-per-60 at five-on-five than Mantha in every year. Over the full span, his 2.46 ranks 20th among forwards and is nearly 0.75 points better than Mantha’s which is a second line rate. Vrana is a far more efficient scorer, a better finisher, and creates more chances. In a bigger role, it’s not unreasonable to believe he could outscore Mantha.

more ($$$)

Below, watch all 25 goals from Vrana last season.

Let's Review

04/12/2021 at 4:53pm EDT

from Rory Boylen of Sportsnet,

The 3:00 p.m. ET deadline has passed and the dust has settled on one of the stranger trade seasons in memory.

Without the usual build up to the big day, with trades being completed a week or more out, the landscape was mostly quiet until this past weekend. The Lightning traded for David Savard on Saturday to get the ball rolling and then, late on Sunday, Toronto, Pittsburgh and Boston each made big moves.

Deadline day itself started slow, but finished with a bang as Washington and Detroit came together for a legitimate blockbuster.

continued

from TSN,

Anthony Mantha's move to the Washington Capitals headlined a flurry of moves ahead of the NHL's trade deadline Monday. Here is a look at how everything went down and the latest news from around the league.

continued

Pouring Gas On A Rebuild

04/12/2021 at 4:36pm EDT

I can only imagine a quiet seething. Earlier in the year, before his recent improvement, when we watched Anthony Mantha float, lend a hapless defensive effort now and again, a passive presence around the net for a guy wh's 6'5, 230 or whatever he weighs. When I saw that enigma-like performance, I would just wonder what his GM was thinking. I imagine he was seething. Quietly.

Now we know. Now we know that one Steve Yzerman had made up his mind to move Mantha and move him quickly. Contract or not, improvement of late or not, Yzerman has zero patience for talent that goes unrealized through lack of effort.

Stream- Steve Yzerman Press Conference

04/12/2021 at 4:25pm EDT

Let's try again.

YouTube version below.

Anthony Mantha Appears To Have Been Traded To Washington

04/12/2021 at 3:32pm EDT

Nio idea why, but Kevin Weekes has blocked me for ages, trying to get more info.

added 3:35pm,

added 3:43pm,

added 3:47pm, Washington release is below.

added 6:05pm, Dtroit release is below.

Video- Steve Yzerman Press Conference

04/12/2021 at 3:14pm EDT

Steve Yzerman will have a press conference at 4pm ET.

Watch below.

added 4:02pm, Video gone from YouTube, will update when I can.

Sam Bennett To The Florida Panthers

04/12/2021 at 2:46pm EDT

Carl Soderberg Back In Denver

04/12/2021 at 2:13pm EDT

DENVER – The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that the team has acquired forward Carl Soderberg from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for forwards Ryder Rolston and Josh Dickinson.

Soderberg, 35, has appeared in 34 games for the Blackhawks this season, tallying 15 points (7g/8a). He’s tied for sixth on the team in points and his 1:30 of average shorthanded ice time per game ranks fourth among Blackhawks forwards. Soderberg ranks third on the team in faceoffs won (194) and faceoff win percentage (51.5%).

Selected by the St. Louis Blues in the second round (49th overall) of the 2004 NHL Draft, Soderberg has played in 586 career NHL games with the Boston Bruins, Avalanche, Arizona Coyotes and Blackhawks, totaling 295 points (110g/185a). He has 12 points (2g/10a) in 41 career Stanley Cup Playoff contests and became the second player in Bruins history to make his Stanley Cup Playoff debut in the Final when he played Game 5 against Chicago in 2013.

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound center collected 151 points (57g/94a) during four seasons with the Avalanche from 2015-19, ranking fifth on the team in points, fifth in assists, fourth in goals and first in games played during that time frame. Throughout his seven seasons in the NHL, Soderberg has played all 82 regular-season contests three times and played all 70 games with Arizona last year before the season was suspended due to the pandemic.

A Four-Year Extension For Alex Iafallo And The LA Kings

04/12/2021 at 1:47pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (April 12, 2021) – The LA Kings signed forward Alex Iafallo to a four-year contract extension with an average annual value (AAV) of $4,000,000, according to Vice President and General Manager Rob Blake.

Iafallo, a 6-0, 190-pound native of Eden, N.Y., was signed by the Kings as an undrafted free agent on April 19, 2017, after playing four years at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. This season, his fourth with the Kings, he has registered 25 points (11-14=25) in 39 games to rank tied for third on the team in points and second among forwards in time on ice per game (20:09).

The 27-year-old winger made his NHL debut with the Kings during the 2017-18 season and has appeared in 266 NHL games, recording 126 points (52-74=126). During that span, he ranks fourth on team in points and assists and tied for fourth in goals.

Video- How's It Going In Seattle?

04/12/2021 at 1:38pm EDT

Mattias Janmark To The Vegas Golden Knights From The Chicago Blackhawks

04/12/2021 at 1:13pm EDT

In a follow up tweet, Dreger says the Sharks are involved too.

added 1:46pm,

added 3:09pm, Vegas release is below.

Stars Of The Week

04/12/2021 at 1:02pm EDT

NEW YORK (April 12, 2021) – Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and Melanie MacKinnon as well as members of Manitoba’s First Nations Pandemic Rapid Response Teams have been named the NHL’s “First Stars” for the week ending April 11.

Throughout the 2020-21 season the NHL is celebrating the remarkable efforts of the off-ice stars who make it possible for us to play our games amid a pandemic by honoring frontline healthcare heroes from the regions represented by the League’s weekly and monthly “Stars.”

MacKinnon serves as the executive director of the University of Manitoba’s Ongomiizwin – Health Services (OHS) team. In response to the pandemic, she has been coordinating Manitoba’s First Nations Pandemic Rapid Response Teams, a network of skilled healthcare professionals – including doctors, nurses and rehabilitation specialists – who quickly respond to urgent situations in remote and isolated communities across the province. When these communities experience COVID-19 cases and outbreaks, the First Nations Pandemic Rapid Response Teams are deployed, often within 48 hours, to tend to pressing needs.

These teams are comprised of many Indigenous healthcare professionals as well as others who have committed their careers to serving Manitoba’s Indigenous and First Nations communities. They assist with contact tracing and isolation planning, bring rapid point-of-care testing equipment, establish testing sites, and schedule community members for testing – which helps contain clusters. They also collaborate with various levels of government and healthcare organizations to arrange transportation, food delivery and additional healthcare professionals to contribute to relief efforts.

Rounding out the “Three Stars” of the week are Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews and Dallas Stars left wing Roope Hintz. More on each NHL player’s performance can be found below:

Dmitry Kulikov To Edmonton

04/12/2021 at 12:49pm EDT

added 1:49pm, Edmonton release is below.

The Best Trade Deadline Deal

04/12/2021 at 9:18am EDT

from Stan Fischler of The Fischler Report,

It would be sinful to allow Trade Deadline Day to come and go without commemorating THE greatest deadline deal ever.

Center Butch Goring going to the New York Islanders from the L.A. Kings on Deadline Day, 1980, in exchange for defenseman Dave Lewis and right wing Billy Harris.

"That deal didn't win us a Stanley Cup," said Bill Torrey, the Isles boss who engineered the swap. "It won us FOUR Stanley Cups."

It certainly did.

Twice the Isles had been favored to win The Cup -- in 1978 and 1979 -- and twice they failed.

continued

An Open Post For The 19

04/12/2021 at 8:50am EDT

Just for you, an open post for you to discuss all things Wings or any hockey topic you wish to discuss.

Is there an unexpected trade the Wings are planning to make today? We know there has been interest in Luke Glendening and Jonathan Bernier, will they get moved?

This is your post, use it as needed.

Stock Time

04/12/2021 at 7:18am EDT

from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press,

Stock up

Joe Veleno
Veleno was loaned in October when it became clear the pandemic would delay professional hockey in North America at least until January. Veleno tallied 11 goals and nine assists in 46 games for Malmo. He’s a terrific skater with a nose for offense, and the Wings are pleased with the progress he showed in Sweden’s top league.

“My understanding is he has done a good job over there,” Wings coach Jeff Blashill said Sunday. “It was a productive year for him. If there is opportunity for more development, that is what is critical for him."

Adam Erne
He keeps improving his case to stick around. Erne scored in regulation and in the shootout Saturday — the latter doesn’t count for personal stats but the former gives him 10 goals in 35 games. A pending unrestricted free agent, he is good at going to the net and finding a way to get his stick on the puck. Erne was added in the summer of 2019 by Yzerman, and re-signed last offseason for one year at $997,500.

more (paid), St. James then creates a Stock Available and lsts Glendening, Bernier and Helm...

Taylor Hall Lands In Boston

04/12/2021 at 1:07am EDT

I've been waiting for the official release but it's now time for a few hours of slep.

via TSN,

The Buffalo Sabres have dealt the well-travelled winger and forward Curtis Lazar to the Boston Bruins in exchange for forward Anders Bjork and a second-round draft pick, according to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger.

SN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun notes that the Sabres retained 50 per cent of Hall's salary to make the deal happen.

added 8:03am, Boston release is below.

NHL Short Notes

04/12/2021 at 12:21am EDT

THREE HARD LAPS

* It's all coming up fours for Marc-Andre Fleury. He earned his 484th career win to move into a tie with Ed Belfour for fourth place on the NHL's all-time list.

* The Capitals scored eight goals in a game for the first time in over 10 years to defeat the Bruins at TD Garden.

* The 2021 NHL Trade Deadline is today at 3 p.m. ET. There have been 627 trades on deadline day since 1980 (1,152 players and 439 draft picks) – including 32 swaps in 2019-20. Click here for a year-by-year rundown of trade day activity since 1979-80.

Trade Deadline Day 2021

04/12/2021 at 12:00am EDT

No need to have 10 tabs open or constantly surfing the web to follow all of your favorite hockey insiders when you can do it right here.

Below you will find the insiders I use and feel free to suggest any that are not listed.

I will be doing my best to keep you updated throughout the day and then crash round 6pm ET.

Jeff Carter Headed To Pittsburgh

04/11/2021 at 11:09pm EDT

added 4/12/21 at 7:09am, LAK release is below.

Evening Line- John Tortorella

04/11/2021 at 7:35pm EDT

"The core of this team has been together, and we were growing, we were getting there, and things have fallen off," Tortorella said before the Blue Jackets lost 4-3 at home to the Chicago Blackhawks. "The business end of it comes in, players wanting to leave and stuff like that, and you know what? You need to start over. I'll be honest with you, it needs to start over because there are just a lot of different personalities that come in.

"I don't know if they fit or not. We've still got to go through the process of trying to figure out who they are, who we are. Are we going to do it together? And do you understand? Are you going to buy in? And all that stuff. I don't have the answer as far as where it goes right now. We're still trying to find out about the new personnel coming in here."

Jon Tortorella, head coach of the Columbus Blu Jackets. Tim Campbell of NHL.com has more.

Nick Foligno To Toronto

04/11/2021 at 5:55pm EDT

Through San Jose means taking on $$$.

added 6:05pm,

Video- Ryan Reaves Hit Today

04/11/2021 at 4:33pm EDT

Don't Play With Cole Caufield's Development

04/11/2021 at 3:47pm EDT

from Jack Todd at the Montreal Gazette,

This team is going nowhere. Not now, not this season. On paper, they appear to have enough talent to challenge. On the ice, the only thing they challenge is your patience.

So now you want to take Cole Caufield, perhaps the most exciting Canadiens prospect since Guy Lafleur, and dump him into this very deep hole and see if he drowns?

Seriously — what’s wrong with you?

Can Caufield make this team better? Absolutely.

Can he make them good enough to beat the Leafs? Absolutely not.

more

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