Anaheim Ducks GM Bob Murray has proven himself to be a worthy sage of the trade deadline day. Entering the 2016 NHL trade deadline on Monday, the Ducks had made 30 trade deadline deals since 2006. Even with a dragging start to Monday's deadline, it was inevitable that Murray would eventually execute a flurry of moves... and so he did.
Murray made four moves in total yesterday, adding depth and creating vital cap space. Let's take a look at Murray's magic.
TRADE #1
To Anaheim: Brandon Pirri
To Florida: 2016 6th-round pick
Murray's first move of the day was acquiring young winger Brandon Pirri from the Florida Panthers in exchange for sixth-round pick. This trade was absolute robbery by Murray. Pirri is a 24-year-old left winger who has appeared in 157 career games, splitting time with Chicago and Florida. This season he sits at 11 goals and 13 points in 52 games with the Panthers, while having 33 goals total in his last two seasons with Florida. In the eyes of this writer, Pirri is worth his original asking price of a package of a 3rd and 4th-round pick. How Murray was able to haggle Panthers GM Dale Tallon into giving him Pirri for just a 6th rounder is incredible and another example of Murray's trading prowess. He just out-hustles the other GM's.
Pirri, who is currently on injured reserve with an ankle injury, is expected to resume play in about two to three weeks. He is a forward with scoring ability and great puck control. He has a great shot and will most likely start out playing alongside Corey Perry and Rickard Rakell. A Pirri-Rakell-Perry line could generate an incredible amount of scoring chances and all three players are capable of finishing. He is also a solid option in the shootout as he has a record of 5 for 6 in shootouts this season.
Pirri led the American Hockey League in points in the 2012-13 season, leading the league with 22 goals and 53 assists, a total of 75 points with Chicago's AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs. He was drafted 59th overall in the 2009 NHL Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks.
TRADE #2
To Anaheim: Jamie McGinn
To Buffalo: conditional third-round pick in 2016
All three of Murray's next moves were announced in the last-minute trade announcements following the end of the deadline. The first of these last-minute moves sent a conditional 2016 third-round selection to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for winger Jamie McGinn. McGinn is an eight-year NHL veteran who will instantaneously add more of the high-paced and gritty play that the Ducks are known for. In 63 games with Buffalo this season, McGinn has scored 14 goals and notched 13 assists. The 6-1, 205 pound winger was also fourth among his team in hits, with 113.
A player who can score if he has a player that can slot him the puck, McGinn could see time alongside Ryan Getzlaf and David Perron. Getzlaf's passing ability and McGinn's willingness to get to the hard areas and battle for the puck should mesh together well. McGinn could also be used in a checking role if need-be.
McGinn has spent his eight-year NHL career with the Sharks, Avalanche and Sabres. He was selected 36th overall by San Jose in the 2006 NHL Draft.
TRADE #3
To Anaheim: Corey Tropp
To Chicago: Tim Jackman, 2016 seventh-round pick
This deal is predominantly one to help out the Ducks AHL, the San Diego Gulls. Tim Jackman had previously been an NHL regular for the Ducks on the fourth line, but this season he has spent the majority of his time in the AHL. Corey Tropp is a physical and aggressive player who plays a grinder's role. Not much to be said about this trade, except that it should help give San Diego some needed physicality to their lineup.
Tropp had appeared 148 NHL games with both Columbus and Buffalo, amassing 27 points and 133 penalty minutes. He has scored 11 goals and 17 assists in the AHL with the Albany Devils this season. Tropp had been on load from to Albany from the Rockford Icehogs, Chicago's AHL affiliate.
Tropp was selected 89th overall by Buffalo in the 2007 NHL Draft.
Trade #4
To Anaheim: Martin Gernat, 2016 fourth-round pick
To Edmonton: Patrick Maroon (25% salary retained)
Murray's idea with this particular trade is more than likely to free up more salary cap space for him to use in the summer. The Ducks have four players becoming RFA's this summer ( Hampus Lindholm, Rickard Rakell, Sami Vatanen and Frederick Andersen), and Murray will be wanting to resign as much of those four as he can.
The Ducks will retain 25% of Patrick Maroon's $2 million per. year cap hit, leaving them with $1.5 million more in cap space to use for the remaining two seasons. This is a very smart move and one that I am a big fan of. The Ducks free up cap room for their RFA's, who are much more crucial to this team than Maroon was. A smart money-move executed by Murray.
Martin Gernat is a defenseman who will report to San Diego and look to help out the Gulls on the back end. The 22-year-old Slovak has earned three assists and an even plus/minus rating in 14 games with the Bakersfield Condors, Edmonton's AHL affiliate.
Gernat was selected by Edmonton 122nd overall in the 2011 NHL Draft.
The outcome:
The Ducks got much deeper with the moves made by Murray. Pirri and McGinn are both players who will provide added offensive support for a team who's offense is on a rampage of late. Salary cap wise, the Ducks are now sitting with $8,609,678 left in cap-space. This money will most likely be used to first sign as many of the upcoming RFA's the Ducks have. With players like Rakell, Lindholm, Vatanen, and Andersen, you are going to need $8 million. From an economical spending outlook and just an overall knowledge of sports management, it is a good bet to say that not all four of those RFA's will be resigned. We are looking at two of those players being resigned, preferably Lindholm and Rakell.
Bob Murray continuous to put on dazzling displays of trading at every single deadline, and 2016 was no different. The outcome of his handy-work will be interesting to watch.
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