Columbus Blue Jackets Trade Deadline Review: Two Weeks Later
Two weeks ago, the Columbus Blue Jackets finalized two trades just before the NHL Trade Deadline. Today, I review those trades by the involved players’ performances.
Like every year, the NHL Trade Deadline approached and some teams scrambled to make moves. In 2017, the Columbus Blue Jackets were not one of those teams. The Blue Jackets refrained from making any big or flashy moves, deciding to improve their depth.
The moves that I am referencing are the acquisitions of defenseman Kyle Quincey and forward Lauri Korpikoski. Both players are over the age of 30 and have 30+ playoff games under their respective belts.
TRADE #1 – Blue Liner for Blue Liner
Kyle Quincey was sent from the New Jersey Devils, where he played 53 games and posted a 3 +/-. Quincey is most known for his stint with the Detroit Red Wings, where he reached the postseason each of his final five seasons with the team.
In exchange for Quincey, the Devils received defenseman Dalton Prout. Prout was drafted by the Blue Jackets in 2010 and had spent his entire NHL career with them until the trade. In his 224 games with the Jackets, Prout posted 33 points, -7 +/-, and 263 penalty minutes.
The then 26 year-old Prout (happy birthday Prouter!) had struggled to stay on the ice this season due to back spasms. Even when he was able to play, he was a regular healthy scratch. Between injuries and healthy scratches, Prout played in 15 games this season. In that time, he recorded three assists.
At the time, the trade looked like a great deal for Columbus and I think it still is. Quincey has averaged 15:21 minutes of ice time in his six games with the Jackets. He has posted a -2 plus/minus and two penalty minutes. Those penalty minutes were actually pretty good too since he single-handedly prevented a goal by hooking.
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One thing that Quincey does need to improve on before the playoffs is giveaways. Giving the puck away four times in six games means that Quincey needs to improve that part of his game. Fellow CBJ defenseman Jack Johnson has 19 giveaways in 68 games so listen to me Kyle when I say this: Be more like Jack Johnson.
Dalton Prout has averaged over 16 minutes of ice time with New Jersey thus far, much more than his five-year low average of 13 minutes with Columbus this season. He is sitting at a -5 plus/minus and four penalty minutes in as many games. Despite the lackluster stats, I think this is a good move for Prout. He needed a change of scenery because his time in the 614 had simply ran out. More ice time and having lower expectations should be a great thing for Dalton Prout.
TRADE #2 – Korpi 2 Arrives
The other trade includes the Dallas Stars shipping 30 year-old winger Lauri Korpikoski to Columbus in exchange for prospect defenseman Dillon Heatherington.
Heatherington was drafted 50th overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft at the age of 18. As most young prospects, he has spent his entire time since being drafted as a part of rosters in the Western Hockey League and American Hockey League.
In his 247 regular season games in the WHL with the Swift Current Broncos, he tallied 87 points and a +35 plus/minus. In the AHL, he had posted 26 points in 104 games at the time of the trade. Since being traded, he has two points in six games with the Texas Stars.
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Traded to Columbus, Lauri Korpikoski scored 20 points for the Dallas Stars in 60 games this season. Although on the back end of his career, Korpikoski has proven to be a consistent 20-pointer, hitting the mark in six of his nine NHL seasons.
The Blue Jackets saw his veteran presence for their forward line that will face the rigors that the playoffs brings. I completely agree with the front office with this one because I believe that trying to win now with Korpikoski on board is more important than thinking about the future with Heatherington (not that I think there was a big future anywhere similar to Zach Werenski).
The Blue Jackets are thinking about the present, trying to win a cup now. And I am not going to stand against that. Go get us a title, boys.