Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Trade Wrap Up...

A couple last minute deals that were wrapped up by Ray Shero...

The Penguins acquire Florida d-man Joel Kwiatkowski for a 4th round draft pick and San Jose minor-league goalie Nolan Schaefer for a 7th rounder.

Joel Kwiatkowski 6-2 210 lbs, left handed shot, is a mobile defenseman who can move the puck well out of the defensive zone. Has been criticized for not using his size effectively enough and tends to make critical mistakes.

Nolan Schaefer 6-2 200 lbs, he is a big kid who can come off the bench. Perfect for a back-up role. Has only 7 games of NHL experience but posted a gaa of 1.88 and s% of .920.

Big Deals of the Day:

Gary Roberts for Noah Welch

I think that this is a good deal for the Penguins. Welch had been given every opportunity to make the NHL roster and was not able too. He may end up being a solid contributor in Florida, but you have to give an asset to gain one. Roberts is a warrior who will bring veteran leadership, toughness and touch around the net. He has also been there done that when it comes to the NHL playoffs. This 19-year vet will show the youngsters in Pittsburgh how to win. He will also be great for potential power forwards Colby Armstrong and Ryan Malone.

Georges Laraque for Daniel Carcillo and 3rd round pick

Laraque will ensure that the opposition does not abuse the Penguins young stars, especially Sidney Crosby. He has some history with Michel Therrien; the two won a QMJHL championship together in Granby. He is not just brawn; Laraque can play the game and has posted 22 points this season. He will fit nicely on the Penguins 4th line and his presence should keep eastern tough guys honest. Is he the Dave Semanko to Sidney Crosby's Wayne Gretzky?

3rd round pick from the Wild for Dominic Moore

In Moore the Wild get a great two-way player. Moore goes all out on every shift. It will be a shame to break up the RPM line, but it is not a crippling move. He had worked his way in and out of the team's doghouse a couple times this season, and occasionally tried to do too much. Subtracting Moore opens a role for Ryan Malone, I foresee him falling into place as the third line center. He tends to flourish a bit more in a role where he is considered one of the better players on his line. This trade also washes the third rounder that was spent in the Laraque deal.

It is still a bit surprising that Shero did not acquire a defenseman of note. Kwiatkowski may fill a role for this team, but he is not the big steady guy most thought would be brought in. Is the defense steady enough to make a long playoff run? That is yet to be determined...a step in the right direction would be to reinsert Alain Nasreddine into the line-up. The journeyman has been very steady this season. Josef Melichar would make a nice fill in, but hasn't been near as effective since returning from his knee injury.

What would you have liked to see the Penguins do?

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