CarterHud

 

      The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired defenseman Ben Hutton from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a 2022 5th round draft pick. 

This is a nice move by the Leafs to bolster their defensive depth. Hutton can play third pairing minutes and also be Toronto\’s 7th defenseman if necessary. He has averaged over 18 minutes on ice a night for the Ducks this year, who are rebuilders. With a current cap hit of $950k, Hutton is cheap, and is a pending unrestricted free agent. The Ducks get an extra draft pick here out of an offseason signee. 

Hutton, 27, has scored one goal with four assists for five points in 34 games for the Ducks this year. In his NHL career for the Ducks, Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings, Hutton has scored 16 goals with 75 assists for 91 points in 375 games. 

 

           The Washington Capitals have acquired forward Michael Raffl from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for a 5th round draft pick. Additionally, the Flyers acquired a 7th rounder from the Montreal Canadiens for defenseman Erik Gustafsson. 50% of Gustafsson\’s salary was retained. 

These two players were spare parts for the Flyers this year, who still have playoff aspirations but will probably fall short. Raffl is the main name to look at here, as he was a Flyer for the past eight seasons, maxing out at 21 goals. He has spent time all throughout the Philadelphia lineup throughout his career, but in Washington he will be a 4th liner. They get a late round pick for the veteran from Austria, who will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year after having a $1.6 million cap hit this year. That is $100k more than Gustafsson\’s cap hit after the trade, as the Flyers gave him a one year, $3 million deal in the offseason. He is an offensive defenseman who is terrible offensively. He was brought in to replace defensive defenseman Matt Niskanen after he retired, which was unfair to Gustafsson given his playing style. He fell out of favor as of late. 

Raffl, 32, has scored three goals with five assists for eight points in 34 games for Philadelphia this year. In his NHL career, all for the Flyers, Raffl has scored 81 goals with 79 assists for 160 points in 504 games. 

Gustafsson, 29, has scored one goal with nine assists for 10 points in 24 games for the Flyers this year. In his NHL career for Philadelphia, the Chicago Blackhawks and Calgary Flames, Gustafsson has scored 29 goals with 100 assists for 129 points in 245 games. 

The Canadiens give up very little here, and only account for half of Gustafsson\’s remaining salary. Even after the club lost Victor Mete on waivers to Ottawa, Gustafsson should just be depth. The team also recently brought in Jon Merrill from Detroit.

The Capitals\’ acquisition did not make too much sense originally, but things cleared up after they traded away Richard Panik and Jakub Vrana to Detroit for Anthony Mantha. Raffl will fight with Dan Carr for Panik\’s spot, as a 4th liner or the extra forward. 

         The Washington Capitals have acquired forward Anthony Mantha from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for forwards Jakub Vrana and Richard Panik, plus a 2021 1st round pick and a 2022 2nd round draft pick. 

A last minute shocker to the hockey world, this is the big splash of Washington\’s deadline, after missing out on other wingers. Mantha is a great, first line winger who is on a great contract. However, injuries have often been an issue for him. He goes to a much better team after years of suffering with the Red Wings. Mantha is signed for two more years after this year, with a $5.7 million cap hit. However, the price is way too much. Panik could be seen as a cap dump, as he is owed $2.75 million for two years after this year. However, Vrana scores just as much as Mantha, and is younger. Vrana and Panik for Mantha would be a good trade, but after adding the picks, the Caps give up a lot. Still, this should benefit their team for this year and the next few afterwards. They also get to avoid pending RFA negotiations with Vrana. 

Mantha, 26, has scored 11 goals with 10 assists for 21 points in 42 games for the Red Wings this year. In his NHL career, all in Detroit, Mantha has scored 95 goals with 99 assists for 194 points in 302 games. 

This is a great trade for the Red Wings. Mantha was a part of their core, but they could not do any better for a return. They do have to take on Panik\’s contract, but he is still a decent bottom-six winger who gives them value. By the time the Red Wings are competitive again, Panik\’s contract will be over. They also get Vrana, who is a legitimate top-six winger, like Mantha. He is slightly younger, and they can pick his next contract, as he becomes a RFA after having a $3.35 million cap hit this year. They also get two quality draft picks to improve their farm system. Overall, this is a great trade by GM Steve Yzerman. 

Vrana, 25, has scored 11 goals with 14 assists for 25 points in 39 games for the Capitals this year. In his NHL career, all in Washington, Vrana has scored 76 goals with 81 assists for 157 points in 284 games. 

Panik, 30, has scored three goals with six assists for nine points in 30 games for the Capitals this year. In his NHL career for Washington, the Arizona Coyotes, Tampa Bay Lightning, Chicago Blackhawks and Toronto Maple Leafs, Panik has scored 87 goals with 103 assists for 190 points in 530 games.

 

       The Winnipeg Jets have acquired defenseman Jordie Benn from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2021 6th round pick. 

The trade from Vancouver\’s side is pretty boring. A 6th round pick does not have much promise. It makes sense that Benn would go, considering he is a solid defensive defenseman, and a pending free agent on a bad Canucks team. 

The Jets make a nice defensive addition here. Benn is a veteran defender who can kill penalties and play third pairing minutes. He also does not have a high cap hit, at $2 million before he becomes a free agent at the end of the year. He has not played too much for the Canucks this year, averaging under 15 minutes on ice per game. The price is so low that the Jets should be happy.

Benn, 33, has scored one goal with eight assists for nine points in 31 games for the Canucks this year. In his NHL career for the Canucks, Montreal Canadiens and Dallas Stars, Benn has scored 24 goals with 102 assists for 126 points in 548 games.  

 

        The Anaheim Ducks have acquired defenseman Haydn Fleury from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for defenseman Jani Hakanpaa and a 6th round draft pick. 

Drafted 7th overall back in 2014, Fleury has not panned out for the Hurricanes. He has played a lot this year, but has failed to establish himself as a legitimate NHL player. He is not elite offensively or defensively, but just alright at both. Ice time has been an ice for Fleury, has he has played very protected minutes, averaging under 14 minutes a game. He is still young, and signed through next year with a $1.3 million cap hit. Even afterwards, Fleury will be an RFA. It is definitely worth a shot for the Ducks, who are rebuilding. Fleury will take the spot of Hakanpaa or the recently departed Ben Hutton on Anaheim\’s blue line. 

Fleury, 24, has just one point, a goal, in 35 games for the Hurricanes this year. In his NHL career, all in Carolina, Fleury has scored five goals with 19 assists for 24 points in 167 games. 

The Hurricanes are not a bad team; they are actually one of the league\’s best and are headed to the playoffs again this year. However, they do not need Fleury, so trying to give him a change of scenery makes sense. However, the value here is not great. Hakanpaa has been a pretty good defensive defenseman for the Ducks this year, but has less NHL experience than Fleury. A 2010 4th rounder by St. Louis, he spent most of his career in Finland, before coming to the NHL last year. He only played in five games, but had 13 points in 47 AHL games. The sixth is not a big push on the value scale.

Hakanpaa, 29, has one assist with 65 blocked shots and 168 hits in 42 games for the Ducks this year. In his NHL career, he has one additional goal with 15 hits and seven blocked shots in five games.