Hal Gill (Mike Miller, Wikimedia Commons)
It is now that time of year in the National Hockey League where you see significant player movement through the form of trades.
Friday the Montreal Canadiens traded defenceman Hal Gill to the Nashville Predators for Blake Geoffrion and a prospect.
Friday’s trade between the Canadiens and the Predators was intriguing not so much because defenceman Gill got traded, but where he went to.
At the present time, the Nashville Predators, currently fifth in the Western Conference and comfortably in a playoff spot, didn’t need an extra top defenceman as they currently have Shea Weber and Ryan Suter.
However the Gill deal paved the way for what might come in the immediate future for Nashville than anything else. Suter, who is currently making $3.5 million is an unrestricted free agent and Weber at $7.5 million, is a restricted free agent. It is mildly unlikely the Predators will have both of their star defencemen in the lineup next season. Gill meanwhile is also an unrestricted free agent. I’ll just be mildly surprised if all three defencemen are still Predators February 28.
So far this season, Gill, at 6’7″, 250 pounds, has one goal and seven assists. Geoffrion has three assists.
In other trades the last two days, the Dallas Stars have traded defenceman Nicklas Grossman to the Philadelphia Flyers for a second round pick in 2012 and a third round pick in 2013. Grossman, at five assists this season provides the Flyers with a physical presence at 6’4″, 230 pounds.
Also, the Tampa Bay Lightning have traded Dominic Moore to the San Jose Sharks with a seventh round pick for a second round pick, both in 2012. Moore had four goals and 16 assists this season.
Tags: blake geoffrion, dallas stars, dominic moore, hal gill, montreal canadiens, nashville predators, nicklas grossman, Philadelphia Flyers, ryan suter, San Jose Sharks, shea weber, tampa bay lightning
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