Who said we had to wait until July 1 for a flurry of hockey moves?
In case you missed it, the NHL world went buck wild Wednesday afternoon with one of the craziest hours of news in league history. There were two trades involving three superstars and then another superstar made a surprise pre-July 1 decision to re-sign in Tampa Bay.
To recap:
- The Montreal Canadiens shipped fan favourite P.K. Subban to the Nasvhille Predators.
- The Edmonton Oilers moved 2010 No. 1 overall pick Taylor Hall to the New Jersey Devils for defenceman Adam Larsson.
- No. 1 pending free agent, Steven Stamkos, spurned the hearts of several hopeful fan bases by returning to the Tampa Bay Lightning on an eight-year deal.
Still a bit overwhelmed by it all?
To help you make sense of it all, here’s a rundown of Sportsnet’s best analysis from Wednesday’s hockey madness.
Twitter Reaction: Subban, Stamkos, Hall insanity (Sportsnet Staff)
A look at the fun and serious social media reaction to one of the most shocking hours in hockey history.
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Canadiens ship Subban to Nashville for Weber
30 Thoughts: Why couldn’t Oilers and Habs pull off a deal? (Elliotte Friedman)
On a crazy day, the unanswered question was why Montreal couldn’t have got Taylor Hall for Subban? Our own Elliotte Friedman digs into the decision behind the trade and whether those Subban-to-Edmonton rumours last week were ever a real possibility.
Why the P.K. Subban trade may be the worst in Canadiens history (Andrew Berkshire)
Looking at the trade from an analytical perspective, giving up Subban for Weber could be the worst trade in franchise history.
Subban: I feel a whole lost closer to winning Stanley Cup (Video)
Following the trade, P.K. Subban spoke to reporters via conference call about being traded and how it puts him closer to his ultimate goal of winning a Stanley Cup.
Bergevin: We didn’t give Subban away (Video)
Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin says he understands fans are upset to lose P.K. Subban, but he insists the team didn’t simply give him away and received a good player in return.
Tim and Sid: Trading P.K. Subban was a huge mistake (Video)
Tim and Sid were shocked by the trade that saw P.K. Subban traded straight up for Shea Weber, a trade that Sid is already certain is a huge mistake by Montreal.
Predators GM Poile thrilled to add Subban, praises Weber (Video)
Nashville Predators GM David Poile explains his thinking behind the blockbuster deal, while heaping some high praise on the departing Shea Weber.
Fans loved Subban, but Bergevin never seemed as enamoured (Eric Engels) Weber may prove to be a better fit in coach Michel Therrien’s system, but he can’t possibly rival Subban’s presence in Montreal.
Was race a factor in Subban’s time in Montreal? (Tim & Sid)
Tim Micallef and Sid Seixeiro wonder whether in a conservative hockey world, is the issue of race dismissed too quickly?
Friedman: Canadiens wanted to get tougher
On Sportsnet 590 The Fan Thursday morning, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman provided his perspective of the Habs’ shocking trade of Subban.
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Oilers trade Hall to Devils for Larsson
Hall trade a tough sell for Oilers…for now (Mark Spector)
Even if many in Edmonton don’t have the stomach to peel back the layers of the Hall trade, when you do, it becomes easier to see how this trade came to be.
Oilers need defence, but is Larsson the answer (Jonathan Willis)
In this analytics-based column, the New Jersey Devils stole one of the best even-strength scorers in exchange for a talented, but one-dimensional defensive specialist.
Did Oilers get enough value for Taylor Hall (Tim & Sid)
Mark Spector joined the show to discuss if the young forward could have attracted a bigger offer from another team.
For now, the Larsson trade is a devil of a deal for New Jersey (Video)
As Gene Principe reports, the Edmonton Oilers needed a defenceman. And they ended up paying quite a fortune for one as they sent talented forward Taylor Hall to New Jersey for Adam Larsson.
Kypreos: Surprised Oilers didn’t get a bigger return for Hall (Video)
Appearing on Tim and Sid Wednesday, Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos explains what he thinks the Oilers should have expected to get back in return for a former first overall pick in the prime of their career such as Taylor Hall.
Spector: Hall trade won’t as painful if Larsson becomes a 26-minute defenceman (Video)
Sportsnet’s Mark Spector and Gene Principe discuss what would have to happen in order for the Taylor Hall for Adam Larsson trade to work out for Edmonton.
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Stamkos doesn’t hit free agency, re-signs with Lightning
Staying with Lightning was right choice for Stamkos all along (Chris Johnston)
All along, it was difficult not to look at the riches Stamkos had before him and wonder why he was searching for greener pastures, writes Chris Johnston.
Maple Leafs fans should be relieved they dodged Stamkos bullet (Michael Grange)
The popular opinion in Toronto was going all-in on Stamkos, but based on where the Leafs are in their development, it could have been a huge mistake.
Where top 16 UFAs stand after Stamkos comes off the market (Luke Fox)
Looking at the latest news and rumours for the top free agents with Stamkos off the board.
Kypreos: Stamkos never wanted to leave Tampa (Video)
Nick Kypreos is surprised given the numbers he could command and stature he’d be given in other markets that he’d return to Tampa Bay, indicated that the Lightning captain had no real intentions of leaving.
Cherry: It’s good for both parties Stamkos didn’t go to Toronto
Appearing on Dean Blundell & Co., Don Cherry broke down the 23 minutes that shook the hockey world.
