Only making a minor deal earlier in the day (Cody Wild to Boston for Matt Marquardt), Edmonton was expected to make a fire-sale on the deadline. The Oilers rank last in the entire league with a dismal 19-38-6 record, recording only 44 points. Names like Dustin Penner, Sheldon Souray and Andrew Cogliano were all being discussed today, but only one player is on his way out.
Visnovsky, acquired in June 2008 from Los Angeles, has scored four goals and thirteen assists to lead the Oilers in power-play points. The Slovakian Olympian is a -4 on the season, but still ranks second on the Oilers' roster among defensemen who have played more than five games.
Whitney, who was acquired just last deadline day from Pittsburgh as a part of the Chris Kunitz deal, is also known for his offensive abilities. Before the deal, the US Olympian ranked seventh on the Ducks with 28 points. His smooth skating strides and quick feet are just two of his attributes that fans in Anaheim are going to miss.
This was the only deal of the day that I consider to be a complete wash. While Edmonton does receive the extra sixth-round pick in the deal, Visnovsky is more experienced and that could be a big factor if the Ducks make the playoffs. Being just three points out of the eighth seed with 19 games to go, Anaheim may see if this deal was a right move in April.
Keywords: anaheim ducks, andrew cogliano, chris kunitz, dustin penner, lubomir visnovsky, nhl, ryan whitney, sheldon souray, trade
