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Guest4377
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 Posted - 03/17/2012 : 16:00:31
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At the trade deadline, Minnesota was 5 or 6 points back from a playoff position with about 20 games to go in the season.
They traded long-time Wild defenseman (and assistant captain) Nick Schultz to Edmonton for Tom Gilbert.
Since the trade, the Wild have played dismal hockey. They have one win (a shootout victory) in their last nine games. They've been outscored 36-14, and their latest loss occurred earlier today against another team without any playoff hopes - Carolina.
The Wild were up 3-1 in the second period, and the Hurricanes came back to win by a score of 5-3.
It's way too early to say who won the trade, but in nine games with the Oilers, Schultz has 4 assists, and is +3. In the same time, Gilbert has only 2 assists, and is -4.
Once again, time will tell who won the trade. Both players are 29 years old, and they have similar contracts. Both payers have two more seasons (after this season) in their deals before becoming UFA's in 2014. Gilbert has a cap hit of $4 million, but makes $3.5 and $3 million the next two seasons. Schultz has a cap hit of $3.5 million, but makes $3.6 million each of the next two seasons.
This wasn't the biggest trade at the trade deadline, but I think the Oilers won this trade, and Schultz's character and value on the ice (and in the dressing room) will be evident the next two seasons for the rebuilding Oilers.
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nuxfan
PickupHockey All-Star
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Posted - 03/17/2012 : 16:38:19
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quote:
Originally posted by Guest4377
They traded long-time Wild defenseman (and assistant captain) Nick Schultz to Edmonton for Tom Gilbert.
Since the trade, the Wild have played dismal hockey
Not to say that losing Shultz is insignificant, but I would venture that the loss of Koivu for all that time (he's been out since a week before the deadline) is probably more of a factor in their woes. Missing Backstrom for the last 2 weeks hasn't helped either. |
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Guest4178
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Posted - 03/19/2012 : 10:41:19
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The Wild have really overhauled their defensive corp the past year, some which were significant losses like Nick Schultz (Edm), Marek Zidlicky (NJ), and Brent Burns (S.J.) and two less significant losses in Cam Barker (Edm) and Greg Zanon (Bos).
It will be interesting to see how Gilbert does playing in Minnesota, which is his home state.
Their most impressive defenseman is Jared Spurgeon, who reminds me of Brian Campbell the way he plays. Diminutive in size, but solid on his skates, and a very smart, puck-moving defensemen, and very good on the power play.
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Wild Slump 
