CarterHud

              The Washington Capitals acquired another Czech defenseman, getting Jakub Jerabek from the Montreal Canadiens for a 5th round draft pick in 2019.

              As sellers, the Canadiens are looking to pick up every draft pick or prospect they can get. This fifth is a start. Jerabek has turned into a bottom pair defenseman for them, and not as good as he was in the KHL.

              Jerabek, 26, made his NHL debut this year, scoring a goal plus three assists for four points in 25 games.

              For the Caps, they are trying to tighten up their defense. If Jerabek can find his KHL game, the trade will work out for them.

               I think the Caps win this trade. Unless the Canadiens draft someone really good, it\’s hard seeing this deal hurt the Caps.

                  In a huge, blockbuster three team deal, the Arizona Diamondbacks have acquired OF Steven Souza Jr. (Rays) and RHP Taylor Widener (Yankees), the New York Yankees have acquired INF Brandon Drury (D-Backs) and the Tampa Bay Rays have acquired LHP Anthony Banda (D-Backs) and 2B Nick Solak (Yankees). The Yankees also DFA\’d OF Jabari Blash.

                   The Diamondbacks already had four outfielders: AJ Pollock, David Peralta, Yasmany Tomas and the recently signed Jarrod Dyson. I wouldn\’t be surprised if Tomas if traded, Souza takes his spot, and Dyson is the 4th outfielder. After losing OF J.D. Martinez to free agency, the D-Backs need some pop. Souza can bring them 30 homers. With their surplus of infielders, Drury isn\’t a big loss. Banda and Widener is basically a one-for-one for them.

                    Souza, 28, had a .239 batting average, 30 homers, 78 RBIs and 16 steals in 617 Plate Appearances for the Rays in 2017. In his MLB career, for the Rays and Washington Nationals, SOuza has a batting average of .236, with 65 homers, 169 RBIs and 35 stolen bases in 1537 Plate Appearances.

                    Widener, 22, has an ERA of 2.68, a 1.02 WHIP and 188 strikeouts in 157.2 innings in his minor league career.

                     For the Yankees, they get Drury, a second and third baseman, which is the two positions they need. Drury can start at one of them if Miguel Andujar or Gleyber Torres don\’t make the big league team. They give up two prospects, Solak and Widener, but you can\’t keep them all.

                      Drury, 25, had a .267 batting average, 13 homers and 63 RBIs in 480 Plate Appearances for the D-Backs in 2017. In his MLB career, all in the desert, Drury has a batting average of .271, with 31 homers and 124 RBIs in 1038 Plate Appearances.

                     For the rebuilding Rays, they get the two best prospects in this trade, and give up a power hitting outfielder with a lot of downside. As rebuilders, it\’s not a bad deal.

                      Solak, 22, has a .305 batting average, 15 homers, 78 RBIs and 22 stolen bases in 817 Plate Appearances in his minor league career.

                      Banda, 24, made his MLB debut in 2017, with an ERA of 5.96, and a 1.40 WHIP, plus 25 strikeouts in 25.2 innings.

                      I think the Diamondbacks win this deal, with the Rays and Yankees tying for second. The D-backs get the best player involved, and a good prospect for a good prospect and the next best player involved. The Yankees get a good player, with control (Drury is under team control through 2021) for two solid prospects. The Rays get two solid prospects for a slightly overrated player.

                 The San Jose Sharks have acquired F Eric Fehr from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a 7th round pick.

                  The Sharks are in the hunt for a 4th line center. Fehr might not be that guy, but he\’ll audition for the role. They give up the smallest thing available, next to cash, so it doesn\’t matter too much.

                   Fehr, 32, has no points in four games this year for the Leafs. In his NHL career for the Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals, Fehr has scored 103 goals and 99 assists for 202 points in 566 games.

                   The Leafs have way too many forwards, which is why Nikita Soshnikov was also dealt a week ago. Fehr has struggled to get playing time in Toronto since his trade there late last year. He only played in five games for them. They get a seventh for him. Not much, but something.

                   I think the Sharks win this deal. They get an NHL player for practically nothing. That\’s why they win this deal.

              The Boston Bruins have acquired defenseman Nick Holden from the New York Rangers in exchange for D Rob O\’Gara and a third round draft pick.

              The Bruins are in the hunt for a defenseman, like just about every Eastern Conference team. Holden is an okay top-6 defenseman, and could help the Bruins down the stretch, but hurts them in the future, as Holden is a rental.

               Holden, 30, has scored three goals and nine assists for 12 points in 55 games for the Rangers this season. In his NHL career for the Rangers, Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets, Holden has scored 35 goals and 72 assists for 107 points in 356 games.

               For the Rangers, they are sellers, and sellers sell. With an increased trade market, they get slightly more for Holden than in an average market. O\’Gara could compete for Holden\’s old job.

              O\’Gara, 24, has no points in eight games for the Bruins this season. In his NHL career, all in Boston, the Massapequa native has scored no points in 11 games.

               I think this is an even trade. The Bruins get their defenseman, and the Rangers get a prospect and a pick.

                   The Philadelphia Flyers have acquired G Petr Mrazek from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for conditional third and fourth round picks. The conditions haven\’t been released yet.

                   With goalies Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth injured, the Flyers needed an NHL goalie. Mrazek is their guy. They get him for down the stretch, and he\’s an RFA, so they could retain him or not. They don\’t up anything, so it\’s a good deal.

                    Mrazek, 26, has a .910 SV% and a GAA of 2.89 in 22 games for the Red Wings this year. In his career, all in Detroit, Mrazel has a SV% of .912 and a 2.60 GAA in 166 games.

                     For the Red Wings, Mrazek apparently had some issues with the team, which was reported when he was exposed in the expansion draft. He\’s been rumored in trades ever since. It\’s good that they can finally trade him, and not have to pay him more than his $4 million cap hit currently at the end of the year.

                     I think the Flyers win this trade. They get an NHL goalie for practically nothing, which with a thin goalie market, is a win.