Tonight's Other Two Trades

In the hours following today's Anaheim-Toronto trade, there were 2 additional deals announced, one relatively big one relatively small. Trades today involved players going from Chicago to Florida, and from the Islanders to the Phoenix Coyotes, with a grand total of six players and one draft pick moving today.

Read on for details...



The first deal of the night, and the bigger of the two, was one between the Blackhawks and Panthers.

Headlining the trade was the young but experienced center of the Florida Panthers, Michael Frolik. Frolik is a veteran of 213 NHL regular season games over 3 seasons, and is a definite offensive threat from any place on the ice.

Such enthusiasm.

Joining Frolik in the move from Florida to Chicago is prospect goaltender of the Swedish Elite League, Alexander Salak. Salak leads the Swedish Elite League with an impressive .925 save percentage and six shutouts over 41 games with his club, Farjestad BK. Salak has previously played a 50 game all-star season in the AHL for the Rochester Americans, posting a 29 and 14 record.

Salak is watching you... always.

Going from Chicago to Florida are prospects Hugh Jessiman and Dave Pacan, and NHL fourth-liner Jack Skille.

Skille has had a decent season for his role putting up 17 points and 25 penalty minutes in 49 games this season, but my feeling is that this trade isn't so much about the players involved for Chicago, but more a spark to get the team back in shape. The Blackhawks have been going through rough times as of late, skidding to 11th in the Western Confrence after an 0-4-1 stretch, prompting reactions from players such as Duncan Keith saying "F*** the power play," in response to questions about their lacking powerplay numbers. Perhaps Frolik can add a needed offensive spark to a potentially lethal powerplay unit.

The other trade that went through tonight was between the New York Islanders and the Phoenix Coyotes. Nothing too exciting here as the Islanders finally obtain the goaltender that they so desperately needed in exchange for a sixth round draft pick in the 2011 draft.

Making the trip to the Islanders is goaltender Al Montoya. Montoya has played primarily with the AHL's San Antonio Rampage this season winning 11 games and losing 8, while posting decent numbers. He is set to report to the Islander's AHL affiliate the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

Every goalie is watching you... forever.

Regardless of Montoya's stats, the Islanders have a goalie now. With rookie sensation Kevin Poulin and vet Rick DiPietro out for a long while, Montoya should provide the Isles with a decent amount of depth, especially in the situation that Nabokov comes back around any time soon....

...but he looks pretty busy.