Trade: Two Elite Defencemen Switch Teams

With the Commissioner on in trial, I have the privilege of announcing and breaking down a big trade that happened back on February 7th. 

To the Moilers: Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Mark Arcobello and Dmitri Orlov.

To the Patrik Stefans: Kris Letang, Tie Max Domi, Alex Edler and the Moilers' 2014 7th round pick.

ANALYSIS

The Moilers are currently 26 points out of a playoff spot. When the Moilers' medical staff revealed that Letang had a hole in his heart, caused by years of neglect from his own GM, the writing was on the wall. The very next day, Letang was gone. 

Having had time to digest this trade, I am firmly of the view that the Moilers will never regret the move. Letang, widely considered "second only to Erik Karlsson" in fantasy metrics, has reached 50 points only once in his career. He did score 38 in 35 last season, but that included 33 assists, so you have to wonder how much of his success is a byproduct of playing for the high-scoring Penguins. Guys like Ryan Whitney and Alex Goligoski come to mind as blueliners who have had trouble replicating Pittsburgh numbers outside of Pittsburgh and have haunted GMs in this league. Staying healthy has also been a problem for the 'Tang, and the recent stroke doesn't bode well for his future health. 

On his way to the Moilers is Oliver Ekman-Larsson, a coveted 22-year-old rearguard whose points-per-game has improved in each of his four NHL seasons (although his current 42-point pace suggests he may have reached a plateau). He'll likely never put up point-per-game numbers the way Letang is capable of (although you have to wonder if he could on a team like the Penguins), but he's a top-tier keeper in any event. Asked about OEL, the Moilers' GM was unable to comment, but stated that she was "sick of Letang and his shenanigans." Asked whether her team would make the playoffs, the always-frank GM responded, "probably not."

To balance the trade, the Patrik Stefans receive a reclamation project in Alex Edler and a prospect in Max Domi. Edler is certainly a viable keeper defenceman in the right situation, so the Stefans are hoping for a trade or some kind of miraculous turnaround in Vancouver. Eighteen-year-old Domi is leading his London Knights in scoring and is, in my opinion, an underrated prospect at "7.5 C." The "risk" in his projection is that he is 5'9", but I hardly consider it a risk given 5'9" is the ideal height for a man.  

Orlov and Arcobello are dead weight. Asked whether this was essentially a three-for-one trade, the GM of the Patrik Stefans replied, "Mark Archipelago was an expendable rock among the chain of islands that is my offence. And the Moilers' GM said she'd do anything f'Orlov." So, yes. 

Conclusion: Led by a compulsive gambler GM, the Patrick Stefans are absorbing all of the risk in this deal. If everything breaks their way, it's a huge payout. If not, the Moilers may have just committed grand Larssony.