Blues Trade TJ Oshie To Washington
Another blockbuster trade has rocked the Central Division.
On Thursday afternoon, the St. Louis Blues traded start forward TJ Oshie to the Washington Capitals for former Blackhawks forward Troy Brouwer, goaltender Pheonix Copley and a third round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft.
The Capitals had been interested in Hawks forward Patrick Sharp.
Oshie, 28, had 55 points in 72 games last season with St. Louis. He has two years remaining on a contract with a $4.175M cap hit.
Brouwer, who will turn 30 in August, had 21 goals and 22 assists in 82 games last year with Washington. He is entering the final season of a contract carrying a $3,666,666 cap hit.
I think this helps the Blues. Oshie is a nice player but Bwouwer is more what the Blues need to get over the hump in the playoffs. A north and south guy who takes no prisoners and will pop 20+ goals.
Oh, too bad for TJ. What a drag. Now he’s got to re-do that Enterprise commercial wearing a new jersey. And what if his aim is worse this time and he actually hits that poor guy in the nuts? This salary cap sucks!
I’m originally from Missouri, and I have many friends who are HUGE Blues fans. This will be an extremely unpopular move for the Blues’ fan base. They didn’t like the idea of Oshie being on the market in the first place. They know they have to get over the playoff hump, but losing Oshie is going to smart. However, the Blues have got to pay Tarasenko, and they have said they will match any offer sheet.
Good trade for the Blues. Oshie can’t really skate anymore and I think St Louis just got better.
1St Oshie is one of the most over rated guys in the league.
2nd another potential landing spot for sharp is likely closed.
Stan is going to end up giving away Bickell or Sharp
I always felt the Blues never made it far in the playoffs because they lacked skilled finishers. As a result of this trade they have become even less skilled. I agree, the windows are closing on 29 and 10.
I still am shaking my head at why the Penguins traded for Kessel with 7 years remaining on a contract of nearly $7m (after Leafs eat $1.2m) instead of grabbing Sharp with 2 years left at $5.9m. Obviously Kessel is younger but if he continues to be a head case this trade will be the ultimate “handcuffs”. Perhaps the Pens were pissed that we sent Saad to Columbus. Also have to shake my head at the Bruins who got rid of Hamilton, Lucic, Soderberg and Reilly Smith and brought in Beleskey, J. Hayes and a bunch of draft picks. Let’s hope we can get the Habs or Panthers to pull the trigger.
SSHM- I agree…
Small Chance SB pulls another Saad out of the Hat!!! and
Trades – Kruger for Picks (forces buyer to takes 29)… moves 23, and or 65
AND keeps 10- till next year’s TDL (when there might be actually be a market-and sells 10 at his best value)…if Hawks aren’t playing well…
if Hawks are playing well- then ALL is well.
@ MS
Because Kessel despite everything is a dynamic impact player. He will likely score about 40+ goals this season for the Pens. The Pens are trying to win now, Kessel helps them do that in spades in a secondary roll. Patrick Sharp is no longer dynamic or an impact player at this stage. If he was he likely would have been moved already. The market is showing there is no value for Sharp or Bickell.
Here is a fun one who would your rather have; Sid, Geno and Kessel or Toews, Kane and Hossa dollars and term are exactly the same 26.2 million.
Let’s be clear please — Saad trade was a blockbuster. Two second line forwards swapped does not denote blockbuster. It’s not a swap of fringe players or minor leaguers, but doesn’t qualify anywhere near blockbuster. Tarsenko traded like Saad would qualify as such.
Kessel has bad attitude, out of shape, uncoachable. Majority of Leaf fans glad to see him go. Penguinos barely made the playoffs with last wild card .. Now there is no depth on that team….Might do some damage in the East but big deal.
SSHM- Sharp is one year removed from leading the Hawks in points. He had an injury filled year bouncing from line to line. While he is getting up there, I don’t think he is not an impact player. He may not have been this past season, but im not sold on writing him off just yet.
Penguins will never win with their marginal defense and Marc Andre Fleury in goal. Don’t care their one great line combo. It’s the same issue that afflicts Anaheim and Bob Murray lives in denial on. Getting rid of Oshie was a smart move for St Louis.
There doesn’t seem to be a market for Sharp. Honestly, if I’m a team I’m not really interested in a 34 year old Sharp at his pay level. And Bickell? He’s a glorified dime a dozen Ben Eager journeyman type that teams pay less than $1 M per on one year contracts. I don’t see how Bowman dumps his ass unless he throws in a decent prospect like Danault.
SSHM – Pens are going “all-in” with Kessel. They didn’t have a 1st round pick last year or this year and now they have traded their 1st for next year. Rutherford was the GM that signed Semin to that ridiculous contract so he is obviously comfortable taking huge risks. I just felt that Sharp would have been a very solid addition for them who can put up 25+ goals playing with the top line and I have to believe they could have gotten him for a lot less than they gave the Leafs but that’s now water under the bridge.
As I posted earlier, I think this helps the Blues in their quest to get over the playoff hump, but where this hurts the Blues is in the shootout points because “Sochi Oshie” was very good in the wiener point skills competition.
Babcock quote to reporters less than a week ago ….” The number one charteristic of a Toronto Maple Leaf is a good human being. Period. So if you don’t fit that you’re not going to be here. Anything thats been going on is going to get cleaned up”
Yah, good luck with that Pittsburg. Everyone deserves a second chance so its all up to Mr. Kessel.
Washington gets Williams and now Oshie…they were “close” last year but always just short of the next round. New look to them…maybe its enough to finally get into the Eastern final.
“There doesn’t seem to be a market for Sharp” sorry, not at all true. Some interested teams were talking about Oshie and are still talking to Joel Ward. Bowman is appropriately waiting for other pieces to fall in place. Then he has more leverage. Montreal can’t trade for Oshie or sign Williams now, can they?
Also of note:
No more feeble attempts at humor from me.
I’m with you, Ernie. Can’t write off Sharp. Losing Saad could have been a real blessing in disguise if it means we get to keep Sharp in the fold. Correct me if I’m wrong, be didn’t he have the most shot attempts on the team? The guy knows how to score, even though he hit a few speed bumps this year and didn’t reach the expectations. Lots of dominoes left to fall and pieces to assemble, but I truly hope to see him wearing the Indian head again next year.
SOUTHSIDEHAWKMAN
July 2, 2015 at 5:19 pm
2nd another potential landing spot for sharp is likely closed.
Stan is going to end up giving away Bickell or Sharp
SSHM
If he has a rabbits foot up his ass he’ll be able to give them away for inconsequentials, and even if he manages to pull that off it only puts the team $ 545k under the cap with 17 players signed. Thats also assuming he doesn’t have to retain any of their salary to move them or buy one of them out completely.
One has a no movement clause and one has a no trade clause which narrows down the potential trade partners as well I’d think.
I’m going to stay calm and just wait for all those draft picks that didn’t happen predraft, and “slightly less talented but cheaper” players to flood in between now and TC like I was advised would happen a couple of weeks back. Or more likely one other decently big name to be moved along with the aforementioned.
Those thinking Sharp and Oduya might wear the Indian head in the coming season are smoking the good stuff. Move Versteeg’s $2.2M on top of Bickell and Sharp and there’s still issues.
Think there’s an interested party in Kane’s $10.5 out there? Sacrilege I know but one way to get where they need to be. It’s a shame he and Toew’s couldn’t have settled for a paltry $9M per. That extra $3 mil would have come in handy.
I harken the Hawks situation right now to my favorite line from No Country for Old Men.
Wendell: [Viewing the desert crime scene] It’s a mess, ain’t it, Sheriff?
Ed Tom Bell: If it ain’t, it’ll do till the mess gets here.
Alberta- A wee bit of an over reaction imo. But to everyone their own.
As currently constructed according to general manager, the Hawks have 13 forwards, 4 defenseman and 2 goalies. With that roster they have 380k. However, dumping 29 and 32 gives them 6.6 million in cap space. They call up Panarin for 800. Resign Kruger for 3. Call up Johns and TVR for 1.7 combined. Still have roughly 1.1 in cap space.
Granted probably only one of Tropp, Morin, Nordstrom are on the opening day roster. And if Kruger gets an offer sheet or is demanding a crazy number, they have even more room when they call up Danault. Perhaps if Kruger doesn’t resign, that’s the cap space used to sign Oduya for a year.
Hawks aren’t in salary cap purgatory like many think.
Several teams have a ton of moves to make yet…Phaneuf, Bozak, Kadri and others in Toronto purge and rebuild…Montreal has holes and needs and people to move, big mess in Vancouver, …Boston, and so on…lots and lots of wheeling and dealing to come yet. Take it easy. You honestly think Bowman doesn’t know what he’s doing? Opening night and cap compliance is 3 months away.
This trade I think is good for both teams. Brouwer will help the Blues as a good 2 way player. Oshie was talented but kind of coasted IMO too often. Brouwer will be a good soldier for Hitch to rely on, and Oshie getting a new look will be forced by Trotz to play the system.
Lets Go Hawks!
Hmm. Was Stan offered the same package for Sharp? And if so, why wouldn’t he have taken it? Maybe I’m wrong, and certainly in biased, but I think Sharp’s smart, underrated physical game would have made the Caps stronger next season than Oshie does, even in his offensive decline. Maybe they couldn’t afford Sharp either, and would have stuck the Hawks with too much salary?
Brouwer was not a favorite of Q, but he seems to have improved. SB is dead set against making another contender better is the only guess I have, or the offer was different.
St Louis has gotten marginally better, not sure what Washington was thinking, scoring and offensive push was not their problem, smells like a bust to me, or at best a lateral move with more salary. Maybe both of those teams were just playing keep away from Bowman.
I think Oshie has more chances to thrive in WSH than Brouwer in STL.
Nick in San Diego-
“scoring and offensive push” depth is exactly what the Capitals need… the D corp and system gives them Defense. They need more speed, quickness and Oshie is better than Ward in that regard.
I always thought of Washington as a more finesse team. I know Ovi can play a heavy game but in general they dont seem overly heavy. St Louis likes to play the heavy game. Seems like the team is full of power forwards, then Tarasenko.
The skilled team gets more skilled. The heavier team got heavier. Both teams became more imbalanced.
I like this trade for the Blues, although after reading comments on Blues Talk forum STL fans are totally against it. I like the goal scoring and muscle that Brouwer provides. I never wanted to see the Hawks let him go.
I agree with a comment Wall made earlier in that we may see Bowman surprise us and trade Kruger. There’s a chance Sharp may end up sticking around with the hope that last season was just an off year. We’ll just have to wait and see.
re: Nick in San Diego wondering if Bowman had been presented the same offer for Sharp – of course he wouldn’t take it. The Blackhawks need to make $8-10M in cap space disappear still. Trading Sharp for Brouwer saves the Hawks roughly $2M and change… and adds yet another veteran to an already too crowded group of forwards. The definition of a “salary dump” is not bring back more than half of the outgoing salary.
Longer- 27 doesn’t sign elsewhere…
the more it “appears” to me that SB is trying to keep 27… and line up dominoes to clear enough space…
Tab- is right… SB needs to clear MINIMUM $ 8-10M… IF he is shooting for ONE of 16 or 27… (who both APPEAR – are waiting for SB to clear $$$ space)…
If SB- wants to TRY to land both 27 and 16…. That SB Cap clear looks more like $10-$12M- and IF that is case… SB CANNOT take ANY salary back (which isn’t going to happen in 29’s case… so more Trade casualties- besides 29,10,23….
Which COULD mean — Shaw OR CROW!!!!
Would be a Shit-ton of work for SB to line up… BUT – what if they Moved CC, 29,10…. clearing around $12M (assuming eating 1/2 29’s hit)…
Hawks could add 27,16, and Erhoff (heard he might come to winner like 91’s deal!!!)
MORE LIKELY- Kruger is a casualty- and Keep Crow- and 27
Tab, I think that 8-10 million number is a bit high. Unless you think they resign both Oduya and Kruger.
I sense the Blackhawks feel they don’t have anyone ready to do what Oduya does. If they re-sign him though, you can bet the pitchforks will come out during the year that “Bowman is an idiot for signing a declining player like Oduya”. I would set the under/over at roughly November 20th.
The term length to re-sign Oduya is I’m guessing 3 years. Which means you’d have him for his age 34, 35, and 36 seasons. Just an observation.
Hof- right on w/ 27 terms…
gotta luv those Swedes… 27 and 16 are trying their best to “Really” take a discount and Stay loyal to the Hawks!!!!
BUT- at the end of the day… SB still has tough task of moving some big $$$…
AND the NHL knows it!!!
JS- Remember when we used to always argue about “Handcuffs/29”???
At this point– to keep 16 and 27 in play– I am hoping that SB just gives Sharp away- for a 3rd round pick… and Hawks sit down and tell 29 he can become an ambassador for the Hawks and Drink in the press-box (LTIR,,, 2 bad knees)…
Wall, actually I’m being patient with this Sharp / Bickell / Versteeg / whoever else conundrum. A lot of dominoes fell these last two days in free agency and more will fall. Sharp’s market is becoming more clarified, albeit limited for several reasons, but there is ALWAYS a market for leadership.
There is also always a market for guys who have been part of two Stanley Cup teams. Yeah I understand you may have to give some value to move Bickell and Versteeg but I don’t think they’ll be total giveaways.
I did not see the Saad trade coming (and should have), I am still not thrilled with the return but I totally understand it in retrospect and have now moved on to rooting for the new guys while keeping one eye on Paliotta’s development becasue he was a guy I would’ve preferred they not move. But such is life and it’s out of our control.
The Kruger situation is very interesting to me and merits close watching. That’s a guy every team wants and if necessary, Kruger could be a valuable trade chip. I personally hope it doesn’t come to that because other western conference teams will gleefully do the jig if he leaves the Blackhawks. Danault is capable and competes but he is no Kruger, that guy is unsung and special.
Hof- agree on 16… he is a valuable/loyal trade chip now and in future…
I can also see a scenario- that SB pulls all of this off (keeps 16/27)…
I still don’t think SB has much leverage in this Purge… so might not get much of a return right now,,, BUT- come next TDL… If Hawks are not doing well ( Injuries/ or lack of chemistry w all new faces) – 16 would be a huge Chip to trade and recover a lot of picks-imo
Yes Wall, I remember. And I said that 29 was paid as if he was going to continue getting the usage he did when he helped the Hawks win the Stanley Cup. Instead he didn’t get consistent time with 19/88 and almost no power play time. Not blaming Q, probably just the leg injuries that really screwed BB over. Also, the Hawks won another Stanley Cup with him playing in 18 playoff games, so that’s a pair of handcuffs I deem acceptable. Contract was still less than what he would have gotten on the open market.
Mining Man – Kessel finished 3rd on the Leafs in their conditioning tests… so if he’s “out of shape” what does that say for the rest of the team? Ron Wilson and Randy Carlyle are both shit coaches. Kessel would have done really well under Babcock, but he’ll do even better now that he’ll be shifting with either Crosby or Malkin. 50+ goals isn’t out of question.
Hawks sign Dejardin-2yrs
JS …re Kessel, could well be that he does well in Pittsburg. He didnt skate much at all last summer and came to camp a mess. The Toronto fans constantly posted photos of how overweight he was. He had a poor work ethic and zero leadership qualities. Doubt if they put up with crap in Pittsburg and he has a chance to really get it together and score a lot of goals, which is why he gets the big bucks. I hope he does well for himself. Toronto is a very tough market to be a player in, always scutinized and lots of media pressure. Hoping Babcock can change this a bit and be a wall between that and the players. Either that or Babcock has met his Waterloo. Makes me appreciate the Blackhawks organization even more.