A couple of big defensive pieces got shipped out early Monday morning as the rapidly approaching NHL trade deadline looms ever larger.
The Montreal Canadiens acquired Jeff Petry from the Edmonton Oilers for a second-round pick and a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.
The deal was first reported by Ryan Rishaug of TSN.
Earlier, the Philadelphia Flyers shipped big blueliner Braydon Coburn to the Detroit Red Wings for a first-round pick and a third-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, as well as Radko Gudas. Chris Johnston of Sportsnet had the initial scoop.
For the Habs, Petry is a big right-handed defenseman who's really picked his game up recently. He's a pending unrestricted free agent whose name has been connected to trade rumors for months, which may explain the up-tick in play.
His cap hit is $3.075 million and as Johnston reports, there was no money retained in the deal.
Habs GM Marc Bergevin has long been rumored to desire a defensive upgrade or two, specifically a right-handed defenseman. The addition of Sergei Gonchar earlier in the season helped, but Petry is a bigger addition in every sense. Bergevin is known to prefer smaller, faster, puck-moving blueliners, so Petry is a bit of a departure there. But he can, in theory, help limit the shots netminder Cary Price faces on a nightly basis.
The 27-year-old Petry has four goals and 11 assists in 59 games for the Oilers this season.
ESPN's Pierre LeBrun reports that the conditional fifth-round pick becomes a fourth-rounder if the Habs win one playoff series and it becomes a third if they advance past a second.
For the Lightning and Flyers - much like the Habs and Oilers - the Coburn deal is about two teams headed in seemingly opposite directions.
The Flyers and GM Ron Hextall were able to move a big asset and a big salary - $4.5 million this season and next - affording them some breathing room when it comes to the cap at the same time as they acquired picks to help with the coming rebuild. They can now begin elevating and developing prospects, specifically on the back-end.
For the Lightning - second in the Atlantic, tied for third in the East - this move is about assuring a deep run into the playoffs.
Gudas had knee surgery recently and wasn't expected to be ready in time for the playoffs. With Matt Carle injured and Victor Hedman and Anton Stralman carrying too heavy a load, Coburn can come in and play big minutes right away.
