This year was not as crazy as last year was. Most of the big stuff happened before the July 1st trade deadline, it all happened during the draft. Way to show these new kids who are just getting drafted into the NHL that you can be easily traded without question. These trades that where made in the draft where trading current players for spots in the 2016 draft and also future drafts: 2017 and 2018 drafts.
NHL Draft
Austin Matthews: First overall pick in the draft, is from San Ramon, California. Was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was playing in the Swiss National League in 2015 because he was too young to be drafted in the 2015 NHL Draft, by two days (aww, poor kid). Matthews will be playing with the Maple Leafs next year, like in the years pasts, I cannot wait to see what this number one pick can do next season!
Patrik Laine: Second overall pick, Patrik Laine is from Tampere, Finland. Was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets. Before the draft he was playing in the Liiga league in Finland for the Tappara. He was also on the IIHF Junior 2016 Champion team for Finland who won at Worlds this year.
Jesse Puljujärvi: Fourth overall pick, he is from Älvkarleby, Sweden; but he plays for the National Finnish team during the IIHF Juniors. He also was apart of the IIHF Junior 2016 Champion team for Finland in January 2016. Puljujärvi got drafted to the Edmonton Oilers. Before coming to the NHL draft he had played on the Liiga's Oulun Kärpät team and was also apart of the 2014-15 season Liiga championship team.
Luke Kunin: Fifteenth overall pick, Luke Kunin is from Chesterfield, Missouri. He was drafted to the Minnesota Wild. He has not signed his contract yet, and hopefully will be joining the team after his playing career is up for the Wisconsin Badgers, this will probably be the 2019-20 season will be his rookie season with the Wild and also in the NHL. Kunin was also apart of the IIHF Junior 2015 Champion team for the United States of America.
Trades
PK Subban // Shea Weber
PK Subban got traded to the Nashville Predators for Shea Weber who is now a Montreal Canadian. This was a shocking and controversial trade. According to Sports Net (Canada's version of ESPN) it was the worst trade in the history of the NHL. I happen to agree with them. Why would you trade a defenseman who is just getting started in their career, and who possibly reaching their peak in their career for an older defenseman? If I would have traded him for someone, I would have gone for Erik Karlsson, who is one of the top defensemen in the league right now. If I did not want a defesemen, I could go for a forward, and Steven Stamkos was one of the top free agents during the off season until he signed his renewal contract in July. Not the brightest move by the Canadians. Not only because it was all about "egos", "stealing the limelight", or "he did not fit into your team" reasons. It has to do with more ability, who can play well with talent, and it is about winning the Stanley Cup.
Taylor Hall // Adam Larsson
Unlike the Subban/Weber trade, this one cannot be understood. It's a mystery to all of us. Why would you trade someone good for that little? Asked Hockey News in one of their writers blog post. I could not agree more about this one. Why would you want to get a forward (obviously the Devils needed help offensively) and trade one of your defensemen? You just left a giant gap in your defense. How are you going to figure out how to fill that gap now? I don't think a team works very well with five defensemen instead of six. Pucks are going to get through, and you are going to be losing games. You might have one extra forward play both offense and defense. I got no answers for you New Jersey Devils you got to figure out that one on your own. Even if I did, I still would not offer them to you. You dug yourself your own hole, now you need to dig yourself out of it.
Contract Renewals
Sometimes contract renewals are like trades. Players get offered better money, and sometimes their career is on it's last season and they want to play at home or where they started. Also other different reasons too, a lot of it can be personal and/or professional reasons.
Steven Stamkos: Resigns with the Tampa Bay Lightening with an eight year contract.
Thomas Vanek: Signs with the Detroit Red Wings for a year contract, due to free agency.
Michael Latta & Tom Gilbert: Both sign to the LA Kings. Latta signs a one year contract due to the fact the Capitols had no interest in him anymore. Gilbert also has a one year contract with the Kings too. Last year with the Montreal Canadians, he had a knee injury that kept him out of the end of the season.
Matt Dumba & Darcy Kumper: Both have renewed contracts with the Minnesota Wild. Kumper signed a one year contract with the Wild. While Dumba signs a two year contract extension with the Wild.
Eric Staal & Chris Stewart: Both have signed with the Minnesota Wild as their new team. Staal has signed a three year contract with the Minnesota Wild. I would like to say welcome back to Stewart and the Stewart Sprints! Stewart signed a two year contract with the Wild.
Even though this year wasn't constant renewals or trades, it was very mysterious and controversial ones. Lot of head scratchers and what where they thinking moves this year during the off season. Like always during the off season, the NHL always finds a way to turn itself upside down and move around players and put them on different rosters. The 2017 off season post will be also more exciting because in June, the NHL announced that they are adding a 31st team. The team is located in Las Vegas. Next year, one player from each current of the 30 teams will be given to the unnamed Las Vegas team. So much more interesting drama of trades, contracts signing drama to come with that. I will be around to cover that, until next year.
NHL Draft
From left to right: Austin Matthews, Patrik Laine, Jesse Puliujärvi, and
Luke Kunin
Austin Matthews: First overall pick in the draft, is from San Ramon, California. Was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was playing in the Swiss National League in 2015 because he was too young to be drafted in the 2015 NHL Draft, by two days (aww, poor kid). Matthews will be playing with the Maple Leafs next year, like in the years pasts, I cannot wait to see what this number one pick can do next season!
Patrik Laine: Second overall pick, Patrik Laine is from Tampere, Finland. Was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets. Before the draft he was playing in the Liiga league in Finland for the Tappara. He was also on the IIHF Junior 2016 Champion team for Finland who won at Worlds this year.
Jesse Puljujärvi: Fourth overall pick, he is from Älvkarleby, Sweden; but he plays for the National Finnish team during the IIHF Juniors. He also was apart of the IIHF Junior 2016 Champion team for Finland in January 2016. Puljujärvi got drafted to the Edmonton Oilers. Before coming to the NHL draft he had played on the Liiga's Oulun Kärpät team and was also apart of the 2014-15 season Liiga championship team.
Luke Kunin: Fifteenth overall pick, Luke Kunin is from Chesterfield, Missouri. He was drafted to the Minnesota Wild. He has not signed his contract yet, and hopefully will be joining the team after his playing career is up for the Wisconsin Badgers, this will probably be the 2019-20 season will be his rookie season with the Wild and also in the NHL. Kunin was also apart of the IIHF Junior 2015 Champion team for the United States of America.
Trades
Shea Weber in a Canadians jersey (left) and PK Subban in a
Predators jersey (right).
PK Subban // Shea Weber
PK Subban got traded to the Nashville Predators for Shea Weber who is now a Montreal Canadian. This was a shocking and controversial trade. According to Sports Net (Canada's version of ESPN) it was the worst trade in the history of the NHL. I happen to agree with them. Why would you trade a defenseman who is just getting started in their career, and who possibly reaching their peak in their career for an older defenseman? If I would have traded him for someone, I would have gone for Erik Karlsson, who is one of the top defensemen in the league right now. If I did not want a defesemen, I could go for a forward, and Steven Stamkos was one of the top free agents during the off season until he signed his renewal contract in July. Not the brightest move by the Canadians. Not only because it was all about "egos", "stealing the limelight", or "he did not fit into your team" reasons. It has to do with more ability, who can play well with talent, and it is about winning the Stanley Cup.
Says it all, basically.
Taylor Hall // Adam Larsson
Unlike the Subban/Weber trade, this one cannot be understood. It's a mystery to all of us. Why would you trade someone good for that little? Asked Hockey News in one of their writers blog post. I could not agree more about this one. Why would you want to get a forward (obviously the Devils needed help offensively) and trade one of your defensemen? You just left a giant gap in your defense. How are you going to figure out how to fill that gap now? I don't think a team works very well with five defensemen instead of six. Pucks are going to get through, and you are going to be losing games. You might have one extra forward play both offense and defense. I got no answers for you New Jersey Devils you got to figure out that one on your own. Even if I did, I still would not offer them to you. You dug yourself your own hole, now you need to dig yourself out of it.
Contract Renewals
Sometimes contract renewals are like trades. Players get offered better money, and sometimes their career is on it's last season and they want to play at home or where they started. Also other different reasons too, a lot of it can be personal and/or professional reasons.
Darcy Kuemper and Matt Dumba on top for the Wild both renewed
contracts with the Wild. On the bottom is Steven Stamoks who resigned
with the Tampa Bay Lightening.
Steven Stamkos: Resigns with the Tampa Bay Lightening with an eight year contract.
Thomas Vanek: Signs with the Detroit Red Wings for a year contract, due to free agency.
Michael Latta & Tom Gilbert: Both sign to the LA Kings. Latta signs a one year contract due to the fact the Capitols had no interest in him anymore. Gilbert also has a one year contract with the Kings too. Last year with the Montreal Canadians, he had a knee injury that kept him out of the end of the season.
Matt Dumba & Darcy Kumper: Both have renewed contracts with the Minnesota Wild. Kumper signed a one year contract with the Wild. While Dumba signs a two year contract extension with the Wild.
Eric Staal & Chris Stewart: Both have signed with the Minnesota Wild as their new team. Staal has signed a three year contract with the Minnesota Wild. I would like to say welcome back to Stewart and the Stewart Sprints! Stewart signed a two year contract with the Wild.
WATCH OUT ZACH PARISE! It looks like you will be dodging
these for another two years! Welcome back, Stewart Sprints!
Even though this year wasn't constant renewals or trades, it was very mysterious and controversial ones. Lot of head scratchers and what where they thinking moves this year during the off season. Like always during the off season, the NHL always finds a way to turn itself upside down and move around players and put them on different rosters. The 2017 off season post will be also more exciting because in June, the NHL announced that they are adding a 31st team. The team is located in Las Vegas. Next year, one player from each current of the 30 teams will be given to the unnamed Las Vegas team. So much more interesting drama of trades, contracts signing drama to come with that. I will be around to cover that, until next year.
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