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Only the most ardent of fan pays attention to the players drafted on the second day of the NHL Draft. Instead, the real interest comes via trades and new contracts that are released to the media throughout.
This year was no exception. Here’s the lowdown on a busy day in Sunrise, Florida.
Minnesota re-sign Devan Dubnyk
There was an outside chance that the goalie the Wild picked up at the deadline would be allowed to walk, but general thinking was that Minnesota would get the job done. Dubnyk had a memorable run in the Twin Cities, finally shedding the ‘solid journeyman’ tag. He’s become much more than that.
Minnesota finally has a consistent goalie. They’ve got him for six years at, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, $26 million over eight years, which sees him earn a handy $4.33 million a season.
Cam Talbot traded to Edmonton
Speaking of teams who are searching for consistency between the pipes, the Oilers did a deal with the New York Rangers for their back-up, Cam Talbot, who showed plenty in a stretch earlier this year where he filled in for the injured Henrik Lundqvist.
At the time, people predicted he would be hot property come the off-season, and, sure enough, he was. The Oilers sent their 57th, 79th and 184th picks to New York in return.
New York Rangers acquire Antti Raanta
Needing a back-up after trading Cam Talbot away, with prospect Mackenzie Slapski not yet completely ready, the Rangers did a deal with Chicago, picking Antti Raanta for forward Ryan Haggerty.
Raanta saw a little time as a starter when Corey Crawford was sidelined with an injury.
Eddie Lack traded to Carolina
A big Saturday for goalie movement, with Vancouver’s Eddie Lack off to Carolina for the ‘Canes’ 66th overall pick. Lack was Ryan Miller’s back-up last year, and has seen plenty of ice time since February, when Miller injured his knee.
The acquisition of Lack is a little insurance, as Carolina prepare for life after Stanley Cup-winning goalie Cam Ward.
Hurricanes and Ducks swap Khudobin and Wisniewski
With Eddie Lack coming in, Anton Khudobin is out in Carolina, heading out to Anaheim in exchange for veteran defenceman James Wisniewski. After being traded from Columbus to the Ducks, Wisniewski spent the playoffs as a healthy scratch, and Khudobin had limited success backing up Cam Ward in Raleigh, amassing an 8-17-6 record in 2014-15.
New landscapes will do both these guys the world of good.
Anaheim gets Carl Hagelin from New York
The fastest player in the NHL is on the move. No longer will Carl Hagelin’s flowing locks be seen skating up and down Madison Square Garden’s rink, because he’s been traded to Anaheim, and the Rangers receive Emerson Etem in return. The Ducks will enjoy Hagelin’s incredible speed.
As a Rangers fan, I like this trade. Etem’s really had a breakout season, and is a similar player to Hagelin in terms of speed, though he’s not quite there yet. Where Etem is being considered a bit of an upgrade for the Rangers is that he’s a bigger, stronger guy. The Rangers probably upgraded here, though all of us will miss Hags.
First Chinese player drafted
The New York Islanders used pick 172 to draft defenceman Andong Song (who goes by the name Misha). He spent his formative hockey days battling on a smaller-than-regulation rink in Beijing, before moving to Canada.
Like when Australia’s Nathan Walker was drafted by the Washington Capitals last year, this is a major moment for hockey in non-traditional markets. There’s no guarantee that Song will actually end up playing in the league, but that shouldn’t take away from an extraordinary achievement.
No Phil Kessel trade
There were whispers before the draft that Toronto star Phil Kessel, who apparently doesn’t figure in Mike Babcock’s plans going forward, would be traded over the draft weekend, and despite some apparent interest from the Pittsburgh Penguins, Kessel remains a Maple Leaf. But he will probably not be with the team come training camp.
The free agency period opens next week, and Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan has often said that he won’t be forced into a deal before he’s ready. He wants the deal to come to him, and it likely will during free agency.
No Patrick Sharp trade
Sharp, a three-time Stanley Cup champion with Chicago, is likely to be one of the casualties of the Blackhawks’ precarious salary cap situation, along with a few others. A trade didn’t happen at the draft in Florida, so, like with the Kessel situation, it’s increasingly likely that Sharp, a ten-year veteran/fan favourite in the Windy City, will be moved early in next week’s free agency period.
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