Confirmed with Link: [BUF/WSH] Halak'd: Halak & 3rd '15 for Neuvirth & Klesla

[g00n]

You cheer for the Capitals to lose in every GDT for long time now, and you are saying this?

Sorry that I'm a Capitals fan and not a Holtby fan. Just because I'm not enamored with him making simple positional saves that every other goalie in the league makes, especially when he constantly is being caught way out of position because he overreacts to every pass.

I don't know who you're thinking of but that's not me. I laugh at the trainwreck when it happens and celebrate every goal. I have always said I find it hard to cheer for the Caps to lose but if they're GOING to lose they should lose BIG so there's more pressure to reform the front office. Too nuanced for you?

And your Holtby hate is obvious to everyone. You root for the players more than the team. You just disguise it as X player is bad for the team and Y player is good for it.

 

[Brian23]

G Michal Neuvirth and D Rostislav Klesla from Capitals in exchange for G Jaroslav Halak and a 3rd-round pick in '15.

Okay. That's actually awesome.

 

[HunterSThompson]

that 3rd makes it look really good.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Nice trade

 

[Darkproducer]

yay. the updated trade with the 3rd and klesa involved is nice

 

[IafrateOvie34]

I never hated Neuvy, but I don't mind the trade. I see Grubs as the goalie of the future for the Caps anyway. This gives Holtby more time and a veteran stop gap. I wish Neuvy the best.

 

[Carlzner]

I would have rather kept Klesla... he would have been an upgrade on all but 3 of our defenseman.

 

[ChibiPooky]

With the update, I like this trade a lot. So now how much space is open?

 

[capsfan528]

i like it

 

[Brian23]

With the update, I like this trade a lot. So now how much space is open?

They say "plenty for Kuznetsov". Not sure how much plenty is though.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Tarik el-Bashir : "We finally got rid of that locker room cancer".

 

[HunterSThompson]

I would have rather kept Klesla... he would have been an upgrade on all but 3 of our defenseman.

On the surface I would have thought the same thing, but he was traded twice in the same day as a salary dump, so it appears not.

 

[Zoidberg Jesus]

Better with the update.

But for those who are excited about Halak, why do you think Blues fans were so eager to dump him? He's every bit as inconsistent as Holtby's been this year, and now he's playing in front of a faaaar inferior defense. Even in Montreal he was very sheltered by the guys in front of him. My prediction is he crashes and burns here. Maybe that'll help people appreciate Holtby more.

 

[txpd]

Getting a UFA-to-be for a young, signed netminder? This deal confuses me. And no defenseman.

If believe like most here that Newburgh needed to go it makes perfect sense. Neuvirth was not going to be the starter here. Thats for sure.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

So Neuvy and Erat both got their wishes.

 

[Monty]

We like our defense, and our offense has one of the top PPs. We wanted to show the players that were here that we believe we have the team that can compete for the Cup and to give the team a boost with these deadline acquisitions. And with these acquisitions we think we have a team that can go a long way in the playoffs. Management has done all it can. Now it's up to the players to go out and prove it.

Blah, blah, blah.

 

[ryan519*]

if halak could only just go back to that 2010 playoff form where he got shelled for 40+ and came up huge man...

 

[aonb]

srsly no d-man? like this move, but is it going to change anything?

 

[Hivemind]

Big fat meh on this one.

Positives:

• Got out of having a $2.5M back-up.
• Relatively low cost
• Improved NHL-level goaltending
• Cleared out an AHL cap hit for Klesla

Negatives:

• Losing Klesla means 3LD is still going to be John Erskine or Jack Hillen
• Lose out on chance to deal Neuvirth for more subtantial value to Calgary or Long Island during the off-season
• 3rd round pick is pretty much a throw away in terms of expected NHL contribution
• Halak and Holtby are both on expiring contracts. Won't be affordable to keep both (right back to the $2.5M back-up), and promoting Grubauer leads to very questionable depth

 

[Brian23]

Big fat meh on this one.

Positives:

• Got out of having a $2.5M back-up.
• Relatively low cost
• Improved NHL-level goaltending
• Cleared out an AHL cap hit for Klesla

Negatives:

• Losing Klesla means 3LD is still going to be John Erskine or Jack Hillen
• Lose out on chance to deal Neuvirth for more subtantial value to Calgary or Long Island during the off-season
• 3rd round pick is pretty much a throw away in terms of expected NHL contribution
• Halak and Holtby are both on expiring contracts. Won't be affordable to keep both (right back to the $2.5M back-up), and promoting Grubauer leads to very questionable depth

I dunno about that 3rd. By this years TDL, 3rd/4th hold some pretty solid value.

 

[Langway]

BRB. Puking.

 

[leova]

holy crap this makes me so excited
Halak is a MONSTER!

 

[RaskY]

Better with the update.

But for those who are excited about Halak, why do you think Blues fans were so eager to dump him? He's every bit as inconsistent as Holtby's been this year, and now he's playing in front of a faaaar inferior defense. Even in Montreal he was very sheltered by the guys in front of him. My prediction is he crashes and burns here. Maybe that'll help people appreciate Holtby more.

To me, Halak strikes me as the kind of goalie who needs a heavier work load than what he received in St. Louis. Most goalies are like that, IMO.

He does have some inconsistencies, however he has been dynamite since coming back from his injury back in January. Not just because of the defense in St. Louis, but he has played legitimately well for about two months now.

His last 12 games (since returning from a groin injury):
7-4-1, 1.83 GAA, .936 SV%, 2 Shutouts

Averaging 29 shots against per game in that stretch, including 8 games where he faced over 30 shots, and in those 8 games only allowing 12 goals.

It's a small sample size, but this has been probably the best he's played the entire season.

 

[g00n]

No chance this works out. Everyone knows Halak is incapable of getting hot.

 

[Monsterrain]

I like the trade. Neither neurvirth or fabio have proved they can be the man. Lets see how halak plays down the stretch and maybe sign him long term. Low risk trade.