In the end, Darcy Regier was able to artfully, and quietly craft a deal that addressed Buffalo's glalringly obvious position of need. Regier, along with Vancouver GM, Mike Gillis, worked long and hard on a deal that will be mutually beneficial for both clubs. The Sabres sacrifice a sizable winger to get their mitts on a skilled pivot.
Buffalo fan, you are going to LOVE Cody Hodgson!
You'll miss Kassian in the short term, however, you'll immediately appreciate Hodgson's scoring and play making.
Regier worked from a position of organizational strength at his wing position. With Kassian, Marcus Foligno, and Corey Tropp in the incubator in Rochester, Regier was resolve to send Kassian stabbing westward to Van City.
Gillis has organizational depth up the middle of the ice, and area that Buffalo were sadly lacking. With the Sedin, Kesler, Pahlsson, Malhotra, Lapierre, and Schroeder and Ebbetts on the farm, the Canucks could afford to move Hodgson in order to leverage the big, nasty winger that it so desperately needed.
This trade, my friends, is a win/win. I dare say that Regier got the better of Gillis in the final analysis when you consider that Hodgson is a bonafide star-to-be and he's going to be given the opportunity to play a leading man role in Buffalo, rather than him having to play fourth fiddle, and a supporting role for the five veteran centres in Couver. Hell, Hodgson won't have to sit behind a Selke (Kesler) and a Hart (Sedin) anymore.
Buffalo gets its centre of the future, Former Brampton Battalion beast, Cody Hodgson. Vancouver will need Zack Kassian's size, strength and snarl in the months to come in order to slay the larger Western dragons from that reside in Chicago, LA, San Jose, Nashville.
In Hodgson, the Sabres get a, 22 year old stud, who is highly skilled player. While playing with the OHL Brampton Battalion, Hodgson won the coveted Canadian major junior player of the year award. He was having an excellent rookie NHL season in Couver and is smack dab in the in the mix for the Calder Trophy. Hodgson was named rookie of the month for January. He has 16 goals and 17 assists for 33 points in 67 games. Hodgson has been able to create his production while playing in Couver's botton six forward ranks.
For Buffalo, the Hodgson trade helps them now, whether its 5 on 5, or on the second unit PP, and will yield dividends in the future. For Vancouver, Kassian is a plug and play guy who will no doubt exert himself in a largely veteran room and will add the needed sand paper and grit that the Canucks are in desperate need of.
thanks, sabres.com
"I'm shocked, was not expecting this at all," Kassian told TSN. "I like to be physical, but at the same time I like to make plays and chip in offensively. I like sticking up for teammates. I like playing the physical game, and just trying to be an all-around player."
"I'm still in shock right now," Hodgson told TSN shortly after the trade. "My phone is blowing up and I don't know what to think. ... I'm still trying to think about it and put everything together."
I tip my bucket to Darcy for identifying his area of need, and seizing the day. Trading Kassian for Hodgson is a stroke of genious for Regier. Giving up on D prospect MA Gragnani for Alexander Sulzer is understandable.
Extracting a first round draft choice in this June's entry draft from Nashville in exchange for Spring rental Paul Gaustad is another stroke of brilliance for Regier and his scouts.
Add it all up, and Buffalo is a better team right now than they were yesterday.
thanks, nhl.com
Here's Vancouver GM, Mike Gillis, who has achieved his goal of diversifying his roster by adding Kassian. Gillis went into the trade deadline looking to balance out his roster. He shoots. He scores. Gillis hauled in Zack Kassian, Samuel Pahlsson, Marc-Andre Gragnani, and Andrew Gordon
thanks, canucks tv
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Here's a rare glimpse inside the Canucks' war room, as they are on the road in Phoenix.
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Hodgson will get to see his old teammates when the Sabres play his old team on Saturday night in Couver. The team is stabbing westward for a huge four game set the at starts in Anaheim, with stops in San Jose, Van City, and The Peg.
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