CarterHud

                   The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired OF Corey Dickerson from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for RHP Daniel Hudson and INF Tristan Gray, plus $1 million in cash.

                   For the Pirates, they won\’t be competitive in 2018 after trading CF Andrew McCutchen and RHP Gerrit Cole in the offseason. But, if top prospect Austin Meadows isn\’t ready, they\’ll need a LF. Dickerson is that guy, and if Meadows is ready, he could be traded at the trade deadline. Starling Marte is in center with Gregory Polanco in right.

                   Dickerson, 28, had a .282 batting average, 27 homers and 62 RBIs in 629 Plate Appearances for the Rays in 2017. In his MLB career for the Rays and Colorado Rockies, Dickerson has a batting average of .280, with 90 homers and 256 RBIs in 2102 Plate Appearances.

                   For the Rays, they are in their youth movement, and that meant DFA\’ing their all-star outfielder, I guess they\’d be all for it. They get a middle inning pitcher and a young prospect for him.

                   Hudson, 30, had a 4.38 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 66 strikeouts in 61.2 innings in 2017. In his MLB career for the Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago White Sox, Hudson has an ERA of 3.98, with a 1.27 WHIP and 501 strikeouts in 573.2 innings.

                   Gray, 21, played in his first professional season in 2017, with a batting average of .269 with seven homers, 37 RBIs and five stolen bases in 234 Plate Appearances.

                    I think the Pirates win this deal. They get a reigning all-star for far less than they\’d get for most other 2017 all-stars. It\’s hard to see this trade hurt them.

           Hockey players are known to be tough. But, some are tougher than others. New York Islanders left winger Ross Johnston is one of the players that is tougher than the rest. Mostly known as a fighter, Johnston has already racked up 24 penalty minutes in 10 games during the current 2017-18 season. Fighting aside, Johnston has been a pleasant surprise for this Islander team in his first season. He has scored five points (three goals and two assists) in those 10 games. Add one game in 2015-16, and that\’s five points in 11 games. But, Johnston\’s story isn\’t as common as others. The now 24 year old was born in Prince Edward Island, Canada, in February of 1994. He went undrafted, and played in the QMJHL. He signed a three year, entry level deal with the Isles in March 2015. He played with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL, until getting called up to replace the injured Casey Cizikas, and is making his presence known.

                 At teammate Anders Lee\’s kancer jam, I was able to talk to Ross about his career, and how he describes his game.

                 Carter LaCorte (me): Most Isles fans see you as an enforcer. Is there any other aspect of your game that you would like to share?

                 Ross Johnston: I just try to work on my all-around game. In today\’s NHL you have to play the game as well as bring the enforcement.

                 CL: Most fans haven\’t been able to see you play too often. How would you describe your game?

                 RJ: It\’s a simple game. I dump pucks in, and I finish my hits.

                 CL: Is there any other player you would compare your game to?

                 RJ: There was a player, Matt Martin who was here before. That comparison has been drawn. I try to simulate it as best as I can.
 
                          I tell him that he\’s been called \’Matt Martin 2.0\’ a lot. \”Exactly\” he says.
            
                  CL: The team\’s offense has been great, but the defense has struggled. How can the forwards help prevent more goals from scoring?

                  RJ: The sooner we help our \’D\’ get the puck out, it\’s going to help us keep the puck out of our own net.

                 CL: What is it like to be here at Anders\’ kan jam event?

                 RJ: It\’s a very special event. It\’s a great cause, it\’s a pretty easy way for the players to help out in any way we can.

                 CL: If you could name the next NHL team in Seattle, what what you name it?

                 RJ: The Seattle Thunderbirds*

                 CL: Who has the biggest personality on the team?

                 RJ: [Jason] Chimera *small laugh*

 *We both know that\’s the name of the Seattle WHL team that Mat Barzal played on.

             The Los Angeles Kings have acquired forward Tobias Rieder and goaltender Scott Wedgewood from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for goalie Darcy Kuemper.

            For the Kings, they get some depth scoring in Rieder, who\’s an upcoming RFA at age 25. He\’s scored double digit goals every year in his career, and currently is sitting on eight. He\’ll probably achieve it in L.A. Wedgewood is a downgrade from Kuemper, but with Jonathan Quick starting, it doesn\’t matter too much.

             Rieder, 25, has scored eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points in 58 games for the Coyotes this year. In his NHL career, all for the desert dogs, Rieder has scored 51 goals and 60 assists for 111 points in 292 games.

             Wedgewood, also 25, has a .893 SV% and a GAA of 3.45 in 20 games for the Coyotes this year. In his NHL career for the Coyotes and New Jersey Devils, Wedgewood has a SV% of .903, and a 3.05 GAA in 24 games.

              For the Coyotes, I don\’t really get this trade that much. They are giving up some talent in Rieder, for a goalie upgrade. Kuemper was a pending free agency, but this is one of those sign and trades, as Kuemper also agreed shortly after to sign a two year, $1.85 million deal. Kuemper will back-up Antti Raanta for the rest of the year, and if Raanta signs an extension, next year. Kuemper could start in 2018-19 if Raanta walks, and the Coyotes can\’t find a better goalie

               Kuemper, 27, has a GAA of 2.10, and a .932 SV% in 19 games for the Kings this year. In his NHL career for the Kings and Minnesota Wild, Kuemper has a 2.52 GAA and a SV% of .913 in 121 games.

                I think the Kings win this trade. They get a good forward and an okay backup for a good backup, but one who was going to walk as a UFA vs a goalie who\’s a pending RFA.

             Bryan Trottier established himself as one of the great players in hockey history. He played 18 years in the NHL, the first 15 with the New York Islanders, and the final three with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Trottier won an incredible seven Stanley Cups, four with the Islanders, two with the Penguins and one as an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche. Over his career, Trottier won many trophies including the Calder trophy, a Hart trophy, an Art Ross and a Conn Smythe. With a 500-853-1353 stat-line for them, Trottier has many Isles records. Those include games played (1,123), assists (853), points (1,353), goals created (505.4) and plus/minus (470). He finished with over 100 points in a season an astounding six times, including five more seasons where he finished with over one point a game. He centered one of the greatest lines of all-time, nicknamed the Trio Grande, between fellow hall-of-famers Mike Bossy and Clark Gillies. His six cups as a player came with the Islanders in 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983, plus two more in Pittsburgh in 1991 and 1992. His Stanley Cup as an assistant coach came in 2001 with the Colorado Avalanche. Trottier was also the head coach for the Islanders\’ rival, the New York Rangers in 2002-03, but was fired after the team had a 21-26-6 record that season. Trottier was inducted into the hockey hall of fame in 1997. In 2001, the Islanders retired his number 19.

             At a recent Islander game, I was able to sit down (lies! We were standing!) with Bryan, now 61 years young, to discuss some things on the current Islander team, plus the difference between his playing time and now.

             Carter LaCorte (me):  How do you think the game of hockey has changed since you played?

             Bryan Trottier: Oh my god, we probably had two good lines, now they have four fast lines, four skating lines. The defense skate, all six defensemen skate real well. The goaltender, the equipment is so much better for them. Plus they have this stick called a one piece hockey stick that are firing rockets now. The technology has caught up to the game. All these things that made the game faster, quicker, plus players are more into nutrition and taking care of themselves.

             CL: What do you think of this year\’s Islander team?

             BT: We love \’em. [Mat] Barzal\’s been a great acquisition. [Jordan] Eberle\’s really has had a great year, we\’re really enjoying that. They need to stay healthy, get everybody healthy, and they\’ll get some damage done.

             CL: What do you think of the team moving back to Long Island?

             BT: That\’s something for the future. We are here in Barclays [Center] for a few more years, and I\’m sure they are going to play their hearts out for the folks here at Barclays [Center], we support that. When they make the move, we\’ll support that too.

             CL: Is there any player on the current day team that reminds you of your playing self?

             BT: No. I was very slow. These guys are so fast. I wish I could compare somebody to me, but no, they\’re all wonderfully skilled players. I was kind of a give-and-go guy. A lot of guys here are one-on-one guys, they got great hand skills, puck skills. It was a different game that I played in back then, so it\’s hard to tell if one player [is like me]. I wish I played like [John] Tavares, I wished I played like [Mat] Barzal, but those guys are really fast, great skaters, good stick-handlers, shooters, scorers. I was just a plunky little centerman.

               Both Florida teams, the Miami Marlins and the Tampa Bay Rays, have done their fair share of trading away their good players, especially outfielders. The Marlins traded Marcel Ozuna, Christian Yelich and Giancarlo Stanton, and the Rays shipped away Steven Souza Jr. But, both teams were adding today, via free agency. OF Cameron Maybin went to the Marlins on a one year, $3.25 million deal. OF Carlos Gomez went to the Rays, also for one year, but for a slightly larger price, $4 million.

                 After trading their whole outfield, the Marlins can arrange it like this: Derek Dietrich in left, Lewis Brinson in center, and Maybin in right. It\’s not as bad considering all their starters were traded.

                  Maybin, 30, had a .228 batting average, 10 homers, 35 RBIs and 33 steals in 450 Plate Appearances in 2017 for the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels. In his MLB career for the Angels, Astros, Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres, Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves, Maybin has a batting average of .255, with 56 homers, 287 RBIs and 164 stolen bases in 3464 Plate Appearances.

                 A day after trading Souza, the Rays needed a RF, and a right-handed one as well. Gomez fits both of those bills. Plus, it\’s a cheap, one year deal for a former all-star.

                Gomez, 32, had a .255 batting average, 17 homers, 51 RBIs and 13 steals in 426 Plate Appearances for the Texas Rangers in 2017. In his MLB career for the Rangers, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins and New York Mets, Gomez has a .256 batting average, 133 homers, 504 RBIs and 252 stolen bases in 4720 Plate Appearances.