Breaking: The Anaheim Ducks have made three very rapid trades in the last few minutes. The movement of a goaltender also had a domino effect into a fourth trade between the Edmonton Oilers and Minnesota Wild.
Left Wing Dustin Penner has been moved to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a fourth round pick in 2014. This fourth round pick was originally Anaheim’s pick. It was traded to Washington earlier in the year for Mathieu Perreault.
Dustin Penner is a Washington Capital. #TSN #Tradecentre
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) March 4, 2014
WSH gives up 4th-round pick to ANA for Dustin Penner. #TSN #Tradecentre — Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) March 4, 2014
The 31-year-old Penner is a $2 million cap hit, who is UFA at the end of the season. He has 13 goals and 19 assists for 32 points in 49 games with the Ducks this year. Penner was part of the Ducks 2007 Stanley Cup Championship team, and the Los Angeles Kings 2012 Stanley Cup winning squad. In 571 career games he has 150 goals and 307 points.
The Ducks immediately traded that draft pick, acquiring defenceman Stephane Robidas from the Dallas Stars for the same 2014 Anaheim fourth rounder.
Anaheim Ducks are indeed acquiring Stephane Robidas from the Dallas Stars. … not official yet though — Pierre LeBrun (@Real_ESPNLeBrun) March 4, 2014
The 37-year-old Robidas carries a $3.2 million cap hit, and is UFA at the end of the season. He is currently on IR with a broken leg, but is expected back later this month. In 24 games this season, Robidas has four goals and five points. He is a 13-year NHL veteran with 871 career games played and 246 career points.
The Ducks also traded goalie Viktor Fasth to Edmonton. The Ducks will get a fifth round pick in 2014, and a third round pick in 2015 from the Oilers.
Also hearing @Dustinpenner25 to Washington is real in addition to Viktor Fasth heading to Edmonton.
— Eric Stephens (@icemancometh) March 4, 2014
Viktor Fasth to Edmonton also a done deal.
— Pierre LeBrun (@Real_ESPNLeBrun) March 4, 2014
Fasth is a $2.9 million cap hit and is signed through next season.
The 30-year-old Fasth was very impressive as an NHL rookie last year, but hasn’t played that much this season due to injuries (he was recently sent to the AHL on a conditioning stint). He is 2-2-1 with a 2.95 GAA and .885 save percentage this season. His cap hit is manageable for the Oilers who recently signed Ben Scrivens for two years at $2.3 million per season. The two will likely be a tandem in Edmonton.
In a fourth breaking deal the Edmonton Oilers ship Ilya Bryzgalov to Minnesota for a fourth round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft.
BREAKING: #mnwild acquires Ilya Bryzgalov from @edmontonoilers for 4th-rd pick. More: http://t.co/H16RY8xJ6g pic.twitter.com/pRtkuCc4VX
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) March 4, 2014
Bryzgalov has a $2.266 million cap hit and is UFA at the end of the season.
The Wild are currently going with rookie Darcy Kuemper between the pipes with Nicklas Backstrom injured, and Josh Harding’s status unknown after a flair up of his MS. The 33-year-old Bryzgalov gives them some insurance in net. He is 5-8-4 with a 3.08 GAA and .907 save percentage this season. The Edmonton Oilers signed Bryzgalov to a one-year deal early in the NHL season. When then starter Devan Dubnyk started the season off looking extremely shaky, Bryzgalov was picked up off the scrap heap when no other NHL team was interested in him after he was bought out by the Philadelphia Flyers. Bryzgalov was never the long-term answer in Edmonton who appear that they will platoon Ben Scrivens and Fasth next season.
Now the question becomes, are the Ducks done, or have they cleared the deck at forward for a bigger move? Considering their spot in the standings, and the fact that Penner had good numbers and was playing much of his ice time on a top line with Ry
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