On Monday the New York Rangers traded center Derick Brassard and a 7th in 2018 to Ottawa in exchange for Mika Zibanejad and a 2nd in 2018.
In this edition of the hotstove we discuss which team came out on top.
Todd Cordell
I like this deal for the New York Rangers.
Over the last two years Derick Brassard has more points, a higher points per 60 at 5 v 5, a higher goals for percentage at 5 v 5 and better possession numbers relative to the team.
In saying that Brassard's numbers were inflated by an unsustainably high shooting percentage last season. Despite that Mike Zibanejad is very close to Brassard in each category mentioned and, at 23, hasn't entered his prime while Brassard, at 28, will soon start to decline - at least a little bit.
Factor in that the Rangers cleared some cap space (at least for now) and also acquired a 2nd round pick in the deal and it's hard to suggest they didn't come out on top.
James Tanner The summer of insane fan-related trade proposals come to life is the gift that just keeps on giving. Are the Ottawa Senators kidding us with this trade? Where do you even start? This has to be a joke, right?
Mika Zibanejad is 23, he makes 2.3 and could probably be signed to a modest extension that would take him through his best years in the league at a fair price with a decent chance that he exceeds the value and makes it pretty team friendly.
Brassard is 28, makes twice as much for the next three years, at which point you have to convince him to take a pay cut or get rid of him.
Theoretically at least, they could have kept MZ for the next five or seven years and never once pay him $5 per year.
And guess who is the better player? Brassard had a career high in goals that he's unlikely to surpass at his age. He will be getting worse, not better, for now on.
MZ on the other hand is on his fourth straight year of improvement, might still get better and he already scores more points than Brassard per minute of ice-time.
So the Sens traded the better, younger, cheaper player and a second round pick for a worse, older, more expensive player and a much worse draft pick.
This trade makes no sense, is not defendable at all, and it's actually pretty disgusting that this is what they're doing with Erik Karlsson's prime.
Why is MZ not a player you'd build around? Like, he's no superstar but he's a highly decent second line player who is affordable and potentially might get better.
I rate this trade Five Peter Chiarellis.
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