My take on the deal that sent Steve Eminger and Steve Downie to Tampa Bay exchange for Matt Carle is that Philadelphia got the player with the highest end potential in the NHL.
Before the Flyers acquired Steve Eminger, my impression of the young defenseman was that he was a righthanded Karl Dykhuis -- a defenseman with all the physical tools but questionable decision-making. He did nothing in his short time in Philadelphia to change my mind. In small doses, Eminger showed flashes of the qualities the Flyers hoped they were acquiring when they sent a first round pick to Washington to get Eminger on draft day.
As for Downie, there is reason to worry about his hockey sense. From all acounts, the Flyers coaching staff worked very hard with Downie to improve his game and get more ice time at the NHL level. He has NHL ability and underrated hands but he's not talented enough to be a one-dimensional player. I don't think the AHL was really the answer for him, either.
Both players are still young enough to get their careers on course. Carle is in the same boat to some degree, but he demonstrated in his rookie season that he can be effective at the NHL level. He's been inconsistent since then, suffering through a major second-year letdown last year. However, I think his skating abilty and skill with the puck will come around, and I think he'll be a better long-term NHL defenseman than Eminger.
In addition, the two-for-one nature of the deal opens the possibility for the Flyers to pursue Brendan Shanahan, who would provide some needed leadership to a club that has lost a lot of veteran leaders.
Lastly, it's clear that the Flyers needed to do something to change the mix on the blueline a little bit. Carle has his share of question marks, too, but there's a lot to like about his ability.
Carle will earns $2.9 million this season per the NHLPA, but his cap hit is $3,437,500. The Flyers must first clear cap space before anything else follows. Eminger earns $1.2 million against the cap, while Downie makes $821,000.
As always, time will tell.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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