With David Legwand being shipped off to the Detroit Red Wings at today’s NHL Trade Deadline, the question turns to what the Nashville Predators have to show for their longest-serving player:
Source notes that a 3rd rounder is in the deal as well, but Eaves/Järnkrok/3rd round pick is the return for Legwand. Good return
— Kristopher Martel (@ThePredatorial) March 5, 2014
Patrick Eaves
A forward with 439 games of NHL experience, Eaves is a bottom-six winger for the Red Wings who has battled a number of injury issues over the course of his career. Most notably, he suffered a broken jaw and concussion due to a slap shot from Roman Josi in November 2011, and lost a year of action.
This season, he has two goals and three assists in 25 games, getting 12:33 of ice time.
He carries a $1.2 million salary and is an unrestricted free agent this summer, so presumably his role in this trade is to help offset the addition of Legwand’s salary to Detroit.
Calle Jarnkrok
A 2010 2nd-round pick (51st overall) by Detroit, Jarnkrok is currently playing for the Red Wings’ AHL affiliate the Grand Rapids Griffins. With 35 points in 57 games, he’s producing pretty well in this, his first full North American season. There is concern that he might want to head back to Europe, so the Preds may have to do a job convincing him to stay over here.
Here’s what Elite Prospects has to say about Jarnkrok (which I have to say is refreshing):
A very skilled center that will get the job done on the wing as well. Järnkrok’s main asset is his outstanding hockey sense, which allows him to be the great playmaker that he is. Overall a very smart player with good positioning in all zones. Also quite shifty with soft hands and impressive puckhandling skills. Not a physical player, but plays pretty well through heavy traffic although in need of gaining strength and muscles. Good character. Often used as pointman on the man advantage, but can still improve his release. Is a good skater, but there is still some room for improvement in that department.
3rd-round Draft Pick
David Poile and the Preds love their draft picks, that’s for sure. Typically a legitimate roster player alone is worth a 2nd-round draft pick at the deadline, so to get this along with a prospect who appears to be on his way to NHL readiness is encouraging. Also, there’s this:
I’m hearing the 3rd Round pick from DET for Leggie becomes a 2nd if Wings make playoffs. #Preds
— Willy Daunic (@WillyD1025) March 5, 2014
All in all, this is not a bad pickup by David Poile for a player who was very likely to leave