The Predators are in British Columbia tonight for a conference battle with the embattled Vancouver Canucks. More changes for Nashville as Predators GM David Poile announced a trade just before the team hopped their charter yesterday, Kevin Klein was traded to New York for Ranger’s defenseman Michael Del Zotto. Now that we have gotten over the initial shock of the trade, and for this observer… it was a shock. Here’s the tale of the tape…
Kevin Klein Age – 29 / Height – 6’1… Weight – 199 Shoots – Right Drafted by Nashville in the second round of the 2003 entry draft. Career NHL Totals – 403 games played – 16 goals, 66 assists, 82 points. +/- -27 Playoff stats – 28 games played – 3 goals, 6 assists, 9 points. +/- +2 International experience – Played for Canada in the 03-04 World Junior’s. Michael Del Zotto Age – 23 / Height – 6’0… Weight - 195 Shoots – Left Drafted by New York in the first round of the 2008 entry draft Career NHL Totals – 292 games played – 26 goals, 95 assists, 121 points. +/- -4 Playoff stats – 32 games played – 3 goals, 9 assists, 12 points. +/- -7 International experience – Played for Canada in the 2010 World Championships
On first blush this trade looks like it fills a need for both teams. The Rangers could use the kind of steady, positionally sound defense that Klein brings, Alian Vigneault must be doing the happy dance as it was pretty clear that the new leadership of the Rangers have not been impressed with Del Zotto. The Predators now have another desperately needed left handed shot in the top four on the blueline. It is easy to imagine Seth Jones and Del Zotto as the second d-pair behind Olympians Shea Weber and Roman Josi.
Del Zotto is criticized for pinching at the wrong times and being occasionally careless with the puck and in my limited observations of the Rangers, I can see where that may come from, but… a career -4 player over almost 300 games? That stat makes that observation counter-intuitive.
Klein brought a physical presence and was not afraid to drop the gloves, see Monday’s night’s fistfest against the Stars’ Antoine Roussel, you have to wonder if Klein’s battle with the flu last week had something to do with this… follow me here… the Predators defense did not fall apart while Klein was sidelined. Perhaps that was the indication GM David Poile needed to feel comfortable moving Klein, that, along with offloading another almost $3 million a year in salary over the next four seasons.
This trade really is a low-risk move on the part of both teams. The Predators get to balance out the defense pairings and get a player that is six years younger that they can make a call on whether to re-sign or not. Six years younger in age, but Del Zotto has already played in 292 NHL games, only 111 short of Klein’s 403. In those 292 games, Del Zotto has posted 121 points versus Klein’s 82 in 403.
To pull out an old cliché… time will tell who “won… this trade, but it looks like a solid hockey deal for both team.
Pred Nation will get their first look at Del Zotto possibly as soon as tonight in Vancouver. Oh yeah… there is a game tonight… The Predators are making their only visit to Rogers Arena this season and finding an injured, angry Canucks team that is playing the “Us against the World… card very well. From the #FreeTorts hashtag popularized on goaltender Roberto Luongo’s Twitter feed to an injured Henrik Sedin who is listed as questionable for tonight. This is the kind of situation a John Tortorella coached team will take advantage of… even an absent coach as Totorella is serving a suspension for last Saturday night’s line brawl and his ensuing actions. Other absent Canucks are Andrew Alberts, Ryan Stanton and Jordan Schroeder, all on IR. Vancouver lists Mike Santorelli as questionable.
This is Vancouver’s first game of a four game home stand and after a swoon that saw them lose seven out of eight to start the new calendar year, they have recovered a bit with two straight over Calgary. The Predators have won three of their last four and have recognized that they are rapidly running out of runway if they want to make a serious playoff push. Eight points out of a wild card coming into tonight makes this four game swing critical to that effort.
Game time is 9pm central, radio coverage on 102.5 the Game and the Predators Radio Network begins with Pre-Game at 8:30 with Darren McFarland… Willy Daunic and Stu Grimson has the radio call. TV Coverage on Fox Sports Tennessee with the Voice of the Predators Pete Weber and Terry Crisp.
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Random Notes
- A few other trade theories are being floated… some pundits are saying the Klein for Del Zotto trade is a “message… trade.
- Roman Josi is really heating up in advance of the Olympic Break, six points in his last four games.
- Taylor Beck has been called up and should be in the lineup tonight.
- Interesting comments from Barry Trotz regarding recently acquired goaltender Devan Dubnyk on Game2 yesterday… On the regular “Coffee with the Coach… segment on the Greg Pogue and Big Joe Show, Trotz said that Dubnyk had picked up “some bad habits this year.… Paging Mitch Korn… if anyone can fix those, it's Korn.
- In the “I’m telling Mom!… department… Calgary Flames interim GM Brian Burke is quoted… “We all know the Canucks started it.… Next you’ll hear a quote of “He’s touching me……
- In the “Duh… Obvi!… department – Calgary Sun columnist Eric Francis … His quote from yesterday’s column… “keep in mind Kevin Westgarth’s gloves essentially hit the ice before the puck did, meaning he was either given instruction or a wink by the coach to do so or the coach has lost control of his players.…
- Ten games tonight – 6pm starts – Hurricanes @ Sabres, Blues @ Rangers, Flyers @ Blue Jackets. 6:30pm starts – Senators @ Lightning, Penguins @ Islanders. 7pm starts – Blackhawks @ Wild, Maple Leafs @ Stars. 9pm starts – Predators @ Canucks, Kings @ Ducks. 9:30pm start – Jets @ Sharks.
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SlapShot Radio, Join Pete Weber and I as we chat with hockey’s best, every Wednesday night at 7pm on 102.5 the Game and the SlapShot Radio Network. This week’s podcast is posted featuring guest co-host Jim Diamond, we talked Klein/Del Zotto trade with MSG Network’s Kenny Albert and chatted with ProHockeyTalk’s Joe Yerdon and previewed Sunday night’s game with Edmonton Oilers play-by-play man Jack Michaels.
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