No Major Trades

With what can essentially be called two trade deadlines this year due to the Olympics, the Rangers did not make any major trades to improve the NHL club at this year’s deadline. The only significant move the Rangers will have made was the Olli Jokinen deal.

As for the minor trades the Rangers did make, they were Jordan Owens for Kris Newbury, and Miika Wiikman/7th rounder in 2011 for Anders Eriksson. Owens was signed to an NHL contract over the summer, but with the Pack in need of centers, the trade was made. Eriksson, 35, is a depth defenseman, and is probably going to be used to fill the depleted defensive corps at Hartford.

That’s it. Talking about anti-climactic.

The Depth Chart has been updated to reflect these moves.

Rangers Acquire Jody Shelley

Via Andrew Gross, the Rangers have acquired tough guy Jody Shelley from the Sharks. Bob McKenzie says they gave up a 6th round pick in 2011 to get him, but if they re-sign him after the season, it becomes a 5th rounder.

The 34-year-old Shelley’s not going to cure any scoring woes, but he essentially replaces the waived Donald Brashear. Unlike Brashear though, Shelley should actually be able to win a fight every once in a while. In 36 games this year, he has 78 PIM and 10 fighting majors.

It’s Official

I went to bed last night, so I wasn’t awake to get this post up when it happened. The trade is official. The Rangers have acquired Olli Jokinen and Brandon Prust from Calgary in exchange for Ales Kotalik and Christopher Higgins.

In the end, Jokinen essentially replaces Higgins in the lineup, as Kotalik had been a healthy scratch for the previous eight of nine, and was going to be for the foreseeable future. The Rangers also get some much needed grit and fighting ability in the young Prust.

The Rangers don’t lost lose (me no speak englis) much in Kotalik, but Higgins’ departure will be felt more than people realize. Higgins did a lot more for the Rangers than what showed up on the scoreboard, but the final decision is that the Rangers need scoring, not gritty forwards.

In terms of salary, Prust is an RFA at the end of the year, and makes a minimal salary. Jokinen, making $5.25 million, is a UFA at the end of the year, and will likely not be re-signed. The Rangers shed Kotalik’s $3 million for the next two seasons. Higgins is a UFA.

Grade this trade as a win for Sather. He addressed two holes while dealing from spare parts. Well done.

Update 9:05am: Matchsticks and Gasoline (main Flames blog) is really pissed. When you think about it, they traded Matt Lombardi, Brandon Prust, James Vandermeer, and a 1st round pick for Ales Kotalik and Christopher Higgins. Ouch.

Update 9:30am: The Depth Chart has been updated to reflect the trade.

Rangers Acquire Olli Jokinen

The Rangers are in the process of finalizing a deal with the Calgary Flames, a deal that would see Olli Jokinen come to Broadway in exchange for Ales Kotalik and one of Christopher Higgins or Matt Gilroy. More details to come.

Update 10:22pm: Matt Gilroy will not be involved in the deal.

Update 10:25pm:The final deal will be Ales Kotalik and Christopher Higgins to Calgary for Olli Jokinen and Brandon Prust.

Update 10:30pm: This is a fantastic trade. The best-case scenario for the Rangers in terms of buying at the deadline.

The Rangers have successfully filled two glaring holes in their lineup, they added a lot of toughness in Prust, who is a much better fighter than Aaron Voros, and added some much needed scoring in Jokinen. Going over to Calgary are two players that have fallen out of grace in NY. The loss of Higgins is going to be felt more than people realize, but the addition of Jokinen is definitely worth it.

In terms of salary cap, Jokinen is a UFA at the end of the season, so the Rangers will be clearing his $5.25 million cap hit. Brandon Prust is a RFA, but makes the league minimum. In terms of net value, the Rangers will be netting $3 million in cap space by dealing Kotalik.

This is a fantastic deal. I absolutely love it.

Update 11:30pm: Trade won’t be announced tonight, Calgary is holding up the deal. I would assume they want more for Jokinen.

Kotalik (To Be) Traded

Larry Brooks is reporting that Ales Kotalik has been traded. Details to come. will be traded.

Kessel Traded to Toronto

The Phil Kessel rumors can finally stop, as he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs last night. Boston receives a first and second round pick in 2010, and a first round pick in 2011.

Kessel in turn has signed a five-year $27 million deal.

The Heatley Saga Is Over…Finally

Finally, we can put an end to the Heatley-to-the-Rangers rumors. The Ottawa Senators have traded the winger, with a 5th round pick, to San Jose for Milan Michalek, Jonathan Cheechoo, and a 2nd round pick. This is a decent pull for Heatley, as Ottawa had nearly zero negotiating power.

Michalek is a solid young winger who will most likely flourish while playing with Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson. Cheechoo, who has never really returned to the 50-goal form he showed a few years ago, was most likely a “salary throw-in”. I put that term in quotes because it would be wrong to underestimate Cheechoo, but he just hasn’t shown that elite goal scorer form he once had.

I, along with a lot of Ranger fans, can finally breathe a little easier knowing that the farm (ie: Marc Staal) won’t be sold for Heatley.

Rangers Trade Fahey for Nigel Williams

The Rangers today traded Brian Fahey, who was somewhere between 6 and 10 on the defensive depth chart, to Colorado for Nigel Williams, another defenseman, a 2nd round draft pick in the 2006 draft. Aside from the fact that Nigel could be the single coolest first name ever, Nigel is a big kid at 6’4 225 lbs and can skate and handle the puck well for a player his size.

The 21 year old finished up his first full season at the professional level, putting up 7-14-21 and 55 PIMS with the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL.

Fahey, 28, put up a solid season with the Wolfpack last season, putting up 4-20-24 while playing a solid defensive game, and many believe he is NHL ready as a 3rd pairing/7th defenseman.

This trade is nothing to write home about, but I get the feeling one of my buddies will be happy that there is another Nigel on the team.

(h/t to jurgenno88 for pointing this out)

Callahan signs, Korpikoski traded to Pheonix

Steve Zipay of Newsday tweets that Ryan Callahan has signed a contract, avoiding the arbitration hearing set for later this month. Still don’t know the terms, but Zipay says that “it is believed to be a substantial raise and a multi-year deal.” Good for Callie, he’s earned it. We’ll post the numbers once we find ‘em.

Update (8:36pm): Zipay now tweets that Lauri Korpikoski has been traded to Pheonix. Details to come.

Update (8:39pm): SNY’s Ranger Blog says the Korpedo was traded for Enver Lisin, a restricted free agent. Lisin scored 13 goals in 48 games last year, and Hockey’s Future says he has “significant offensive upside” and is a fantastic skater. I like the move, sounds like a damn fine addition for the third line with the potential for more in the future.

Update (9:12pm): Back to Callie, he gets two years, $4.6 M. If my math is right that’s a $2.3M cap hit. Not bad at all.

Gomez for Higgins (UPDATE: Heatley (NOT) on his way)

That will shed some salary.

Wow. Way to go Slats.

More later, I’ll analyze the finances.

Guess this means no Heatley. Dubi stays for now.
Update 5:25pm: Details are in:

To Mtl: Gomez, Tom Pyatt, Mike Busto
To NYR: Higgins, Ryan McDonagh, Pavel Valentenko, Doug Janik

Salary dump, and a steal of one. Wow. Great job Slats.

Update 5:30pm: McDonagh was Montreal’s 1st round pick in 2007.

Update 5:35pm: Doug Janik in the deal too. Oh, and the details are on TSN, duh.

Update 5:53pm: Carp is reporting that Heatley is on his way (thanks Mike):

UPDATED, 5:31 P.M.: I’ve been told that Heatley is coming to the Rangers tonight. Not sure what the Rangers are giving up to get him, but they can fit him under the cap now.

Update 6:15pm: Lost in all this is the Rangers getting McDonagh, who was the Canadians best prospect. Sather absolutely fleeced Montreal.

Update 6:20pm: Expect more wheelin and dealin:

GLEN SATHER:

“We’ve got lots of cap room now, and it opens lots of options.”

Thinks Higgins will be a goal-scorer … was hurt three times last year. Likes the other two kids as future NHL players, too.

“Torts has talked about the young guys all year and we wanted to make some room for them, and we did.”

“Since this deal happened I’ve had three calls (from other teams), and it doesn’t take long for people to realize you’re going to make some changes.”

Update 8:50pm: It looks like the wheelin and dealin was just the Gomez deal. Doesn’t look like Heatley is coming to New York. I would rather the Rangers spend the cap space on a free agent scorer instead of dealing for one.

Just imagine how much more cap room they would have if they didn’t sign Redden. Sigh.