1. Atlanta Thrashers...B
a. The Thrashers, one of the worst teams in the league, were able to "dump" Mathieu Schneider on Montreal. Dump is in parentheses because Schneider has rejuvenated a terrible powerplay and is a big reason the Canadiens appear to be a lock for the playoffs again.
b. Anssi Salmela came in from New Jersey in return for Niclas Havelid. Salmela has potential, but not too much. Sure, he led the Finnish elite league in defenseman goals, but he's old for a prospect (24), and his upside may be limited.
2. Boston Bruins...B+
a. The Bruins brought in veteran winger Mark Recchi from Tampa. Recchi has put up decent numbers in a bad environment (45 points in 62 games), and has plenty of experience (41 years old).
b. Steve Montador came in from Anaheim. Montador brings toughness to the defense, as evidenced by his 125 penalty minutes. However, he's not a complete offensive liability, and is a great addition to add to the defensive depth.
3. Buffalo Sabres...B
a. Acquired goalie Mikael Tellqvist from Phoenix. Patrick Lalime has taken all the starts ever since Ryan Miller went down with an injury. Tellqvist gives them a veteran backup and an alternative if Lalime falters.
b. The Sabres also obtained center Dominic Moore from Toronto for a second round pick. Moore is in the midst of the best offensive year of his career. His impact will be limited, but he's a nice tweak.
c. The Sabres must have been upset when they realized that they had traded away their second round pick, because they were quick to send Ales Kotalik to Edmonton for another one.
4. Carolina Hurricanes...B
a. The Hurricanes brought back a familiar face in Erik Cole. Cole is a gritty and physical winger, and has had success playing with Eric Staal in the past. His leadership will hopefully give this team a nice jolt.
5. Florida Panthers...C+
a. The Panthers sent a prospect and a pick to Tampa for defenseman Steve Eminger. Eminger has over 20% of his points this season against Florida. Maybe they got tired of playing against him?
b. Florida took a big risk by not trading away Jay Bouwmeester. While his presence means a trip to the playoffs is likely, Bouwmeester will probably leave during free agency, and the team will be forced to watch him leave for nothing.
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