The Atlanta Thrashers have finally parted ways with superstar Ilya Kovalchuk. The team has traded the left winger along with defenseman Anssi Salmela to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for defenseman Johnny Oduya, right wing Niclas Bergfors, prospect center Patrice Cormier, and the Devils' first round pick in the 2010 Entry Draft. The teams also swapped second round draft picks in 2010 as well. Kovalchuk became the subject of trade rumors in recent weeks when it was reported he had turned down a multi-year contract extension from the Thrashers. He is in the final year of his current contract and will be eligible for unrestricted free agency on July 1.
In 49 games this season with the Thrashers, Kovalchuk has 31 goals and 27 assists for 58 points. Salmela, who will begin his second stint with the Devils, has played in 29 games this season with the Thrashers, scoring one goal and four assists for five points. The Devils traded the Finnish defenseman to the Thrashers last March for defenseman Niclas Havelid. Oduya has played in 40 games this season with the Devils, scoring two goals and two assists for four points. He missed 15 games earlier in the season with a groin injury. In 54 games this season with the Devils, Bergfors has 13 goals and 14 assists for 27 points. Cormier, who has no NHL experience, had been playing with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL until he was recently suspended for the remainder of the season after delivering a vicious elbow to the head of Quebec Remparts' Mikael Tam.
It's a shame to see the Thrashers cut ties with a player as talented as Kovalchuk, but they sure didn't get a good return for their franchise forward. Sure, the Thrashers were not going to get a player in return comparable to Kovalchuk, but they probably could have gotten a player or two with a little bit more offensive production than they got. Oduya on the other hand, should be a good addition to the Thrashers' blueline. He does have some offensive skill and should mesh well with Atlanta's other defensemen, but his production will hardly replace that of Kovalchuk. Bergfors does possess some offensive skill and has shown a knack for scoring goals in his rookie season, but like Oduya, his offensive skill will not replace Kovalchuk's. Bergfors will likely be a second-line forward at best. Cormier was considered to be one of the Devil's top prospects and could develop into a physical, scoring forward one day, but that remains to be seen.
This move is a good one for the Devils, who have added one of the most dynamic scorers in the league and should help spark their recently sluggish offense. Plus, this trade will likely make the Devils one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup this season. If this move does not pan out for the Devils and Kovalchuk leaves via unrestricted free agency, the return will not be a significant loss to the team given their depth in prospects. As for the Thrashers, this trade likely won't sit well with the fan base. This is another lousy move from a team that is starting to develop a history of making bad trades, and many fans may abandon the franchise because of this. Only time will tell if the return for Kovalchuk will help the franchise out in any way, but I have to say, the Thrashers got screwed big time on this trade.
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