Habs-Ducks hook up for large deal

[simmer2]

The Habs have been looking for a minor 2nd line shakeup for the last couple months, we really didn't know what moves to make though. Ravi and I had been talking for a bit and this is the deal that ended up shaking out:

To Habs

Zach Bogosian
Antoine Vermette (66)

To Ducks

Anze Kopitar (70)
Kevin Lynch (2nd rndr from 2009)
3rd Rounder (2011)

Giving up Kopitar is tough as he is a #1 centre on pace for 85pts...the fact is he wasn't doing anything the last 20 games for us. Vermette is on pace for 60pts and he's playing with Nash so he's still going to have a good rating next year and he is doing fairly well in the SIM this year.

The clincher in this deal obviously is Bogosian, I think he's a #1 d-man and he's played 2 years in the NHL already...he'll have a ton of value when I sign him thanks to his contract.

Thanks Ravi for the deal, as always it was fun. Now lets hope Vermette can slide into the 2nd line and get the line growing.

[Swayze11]

In terms of right now, this is a major win for the Ducks.

Long term, I love this for the Habs. Bogosian is a stud, I went to the Flames-Thrashers game and he stood out big time (in a good way). Reminds me a lot of Doughty.

[OILFAN #81]

Originally Posted by Swayze11

In terms of right now, this is a major win for the Ducks.

Long term, I love this for the Habs. Bogosian is a stud, I went to the Flames-Thrashers game and he stood out big time (in a good way). Reminds me a lot of Doughty.

Except Kopitar is only 22 years old and is already an awesome player. Short term and long term I really like this deal for the Ducks. Not discrediting Bogosian who looks to be a fine young defenseman but Kopitar already is a stud.

[MJK]

Good deal for the ducks.

[I wanna be like Miikka]

Well we felt we could use some more offensive firepower up front. Iginla has been tearing it up for us but we wanted to give him some help. Vermette was a solid 2nd liner, but Anze brings us a current 1st liner who is only 22 years old. While Bogosian was hard to give up, he is still about a year some away from a very high rating (at he earliest). Once he does make it he will be worth a ton, but with Doughty/Schenn/Weber/Chara/Bouwmeester we felt he was expendable.

Very glad to have re-acquired Kopitar, he was one guy I regret moving earlier. Thanks to Curtis for the fun talks.

[simmer2]

I agree with OilFan and MJK, Ravi likely does get the better of this deal right now...it'll be likely 2 yrs until Bogosian has a much higher value, but those guys are tough to acquire.

The big reason I did this deal was to hopefully get the 2nd line going; I can now play around with Malone and Vermette and see who fits in well on the 2nd line wth Toews and Selanne.