OFFICIAL: #Coyotes Acquire Duclair, J. Moore, 1st & 2nd Round Draft Choices From Rangers for Yandle, Summers & 2016 http://t.co/9nmMKt2MvL
— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) March 1, 2015
Don Maloney and Darcy Regier are tanking like nobody's tanking business.
Forget about losing properly. The Coyotes are selling their souls to the highest bidder in order to dive down to the cellar of the NHL standings. The Buffalo Sabres presently occupy the 30th overall position in the NHL standings, three better than 29th place Edmonton and 4 clear of 28th place Arizona.
Don Maloney on trade: "We're resetting this team. We're gaining assets that in 3, 4, 5 years will put us in position to win the Stanley Cup"
— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) March 1, 2015
According to TSN's Darren Dreger, who also reports the Coyotes will retain 50 percent of Yandle's salary.The Dogs of The Desert have traded defenseman Keith Yandle (one year remaining at $5.3M)and prospect defender Chris Summers and a fourth-round draft pick to the NY Ranger for defenseman John Moore, forward prospect Anthony Duclair and a first- and a second-round pick.
The NY Rangers receive the Coyotes' fourth-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, according to the report, and the Coyotes get the Rangers' first-round pick in 2016 and second-round pick in 2015.
Yandle, long rumored to be headed to his hometown Boston Bruins, is a $5.3 million cap hit thi season and next. He has 41 points in 63 games this season and is a power play kick starter.
Duclair, 19, scored a goal and six assists in 18 games with the Rangers. His stock rose through the ceiling whe he played on a line with Max Domi and Sam Reinhart at the recently concluded IIHF World Junior Championships in Montreal and Toronto. Duclair, a Quebec Remparts star, compiled eight points (4G, 4A) in seven games in Canada's gold medal romp.
Maloney and Regier can high five all they want about acquiring Duclair. He's a nice player and will be reunited with fellow Coyotes prospect Domi to form a dynamic offensive duo in the future. Having said tha, Sam Reinhart was heads and shoulders the best man on the three and Regier isn't getting taking mitts on the Buffalo Sabres prpsect (#2 pick overall 2014).
Were I Regier, I wouldn't break my own arm patting myself on my back for completing a tank jib like the Yandle trade.
Buffalo's Tim Murray is in possession of five ultra-valuable pending UFAs that he intends to trade by the 3pm EDT Monday trade deadline. Murray will take possession of several high draft choices, top prospects, and players when he trades away Chris Stewart, the most sought after power forward on the market today and Michal Neuvirth the #1 goalie on the market right now. Murray also key pieces to sell in depth winger/PKer Torrey Mitchell and defensemen Tyson Strachan, Andre Benoit, and Andrej Meszaros.
Regier and Maloney are sitting at the 19th hole having a celebratory adult beverage right now. They achieved great return Vermette and Yandle trades. They have played all of the cards in their deck. Yotes ownership and fans (all ten of them) should be happy about the prospects and picks that Maloney and Regoer have acquired in exchange for their players on expiring contracts.
Enter Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray, who is about to throw out the "lose properly" philosophy and eagle the final hole in this tank tourney. Murray and Ted Nolan have endured some dark days during this historically bad season. They will not be outdone, nor out tanked. Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel are a one-timer from the slot away. Now its time for Murray to execute his trades to get maximum value in return. I'm confident that Murray can and will do so. He shocked the hockey world with the Evander Kane-Tyler Myers trade. He will do it again.
Anything Regierizona can do, Murray can do better.
I love how Regierizona are being lauded for their tankfest this weekend. Bettman ran that team for years. That makes it ok, correct?
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) March 1, 2015
Warm up the bombers and drones in the bullpen. We are moving to DEFCON 1. I repeat DEFCON 1. That's a direct order pic.twitter.com/AZrG5DvKZX
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) March 1, 2015
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Bruins waived RW Craig Cunningham today. Now need a RW. Hey, Chris Stewart is a RW #coinkydink
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) March 1, 2015
Hockey Night in Canada’s Elliotte Friedman tweeted on Sunday that the Boston Bruins have waived right winger Craig Cunningham. It's likely that he will clear waivers.
Waiving Cunningham opens up another roster spot for the Bruins. Peter Chiarelli can now add two NHL roster players in trade by 3pm EDT Monday. The Bruins have 21 players now with a maximum 23-man roster.
Buffalo's Chris Stewart plays right wing better than Cunningham can.
Just sayin'.....
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