Columbus - Montreal

[Vik (Habs)]

To Columbus Blue Jackets:
L Joe Pavelski (73)
L Michael Raffl (73)

To Montreal Canadiens:
D Chris Campoli (65)
L Barclay Goodrow (53)
L Heikki Liedes (78)
R Justin Kirkland (76)


With Hemsky, Savard, and Wilson, I've got some talented playmakers and felt Pavelski was expendable. Raffl is on a beaut of a contract but I'm not currently making use of that fact.

As for what I'm getting, the main pieces I wanted were Liedes and Kirkland. Liedes should step right into the lineup as a power forward that can actually score some goals while Kirkland should be a good playmaker in the future. And then Goodrow at the least will be a good AHL enforcer and, like Raffl, has a very cap friendly contract that could be useful. I'm also getting Campoli who I'm not terribly fond of but he opens the cap space Columbus needed for the deal and is only on a one year deal so I'm sure I can find a use for him.

Thanks for the dealings, Mr. Former Commish.

[Virtual Jarmo]

Columbus approves.

I've got a severe lack of playmaking on my roster since I let Brassard walk into free agency and, in retrospect, that was a mistake. I've got to overpay for Pavelski now, both in trade assets and salary, but I like the fit he brings to my team. He's good enough defensively that I don't have to surround him with better defensive forwards to waste Brassard's playmaking skills and I will likely play him on a wing. Moving Campoli opens up the salary cap room needed and also gets me cheaper on defense yet again. I can bring up Derrick Pouliot and let him continue to develop or just roll with McFaull and Michalek because they make combined about what Campoli made. Losing three hitters in Liedes, Kirkland, and Goodrow is tough, but now that I'm just a GM, it changes my approach to my team and how it's constructed. Raffl's a cheap 12th/13th forward and one I'll probably utilize quickly to free up more cap space.

I'm sure Vik will work his magic to turn the three youngsters into superstars, but I'll live with that.

[Commish Bub(NYR)]

Trade approved.

Pavelski and Raffl con drops reset. Happy to be in Columbus, I see.