Confirmed Trade: [UTA/DET] Olli Maatta for 2025 NYR 3rd round pick

[Jakey53]

All we need to stop the bleeding is a couple of legitimate NHL caliber blueliners (too many on the current roster don’t qualify) who don’t run around their own zones like chickens with their heads cut off, and can actually start a break out now and again. It’s possible Maatta can do those very simple things that have evaded Utah the last week or two. If he can, this was a much needed addition. If he can’t, it cost a pick in the 90s that was bought with Alex Meruelo’s money anyway.

Is Maanta a NHL caliber Dman? He couldn't stick in Detroit, and that is saying something. Oh well, at least his contract is over at the end of this year.

 

[Jakey53]

They had to do something....this is underwhelming but the Durzi and Marino losses are just brutal...

Marino hasn't played this year. This is a team sport. Goes to show how bad our depth at D is. Thought we had that covered with Cole and Bortuzzo dumpster diving signings. Guess not. Why not add another one. What year of the rebuild is Utah in.

Seems like an overpayment for a D man who's slow as molasses. Good job on Detroit for squeezing a team whos in dire need of help though.

Gave Detroit a 3 mil. cap break, and they got a draft pick to boot. Mind you, it's a third, but you would think we should have got the pick, not Detroit.

 

[Jakey53]

Maatta is a solid veteran, good deal for Utah.

That's what they said when we signed Bortuzzo, Stenlund and Cole. We have being saying this every year for the past decade. I's so tired of hearing so and so is a "solid vet" etc. Oh well.

 

[Paulinbc]

How does a Justin Holl or an Erik Gustafsson sound?

tee hee!

 

[nbwingsfan]

I thought Mattaa was your most decent Dman aside from Seider.


Arent they worst than Deharnais and Forbort??? We are looking for upgrades not downgrades otherwise we have 5 bottom pair dmen better than the ones you mentioned in Deharnais, Forbort, Brannstrom, Juulsen and Friedman

You would have thought wrong

 

[Petes2424]

People definitely underestimating Maatta in here because he isn't flashy, has weaknesses, and doesn't score points.

Solid stay at home D, exactly what Utah needed, at a low cost. Would have been better if he was a RHD but for the cost he was definitely better than anyone else on the market. No, Holl or Liljegren are not better than Maatta at what he does. Holl would be cheaper and Liljegren has more value and is a better player, but neither are better stay at home D.

Pretty much sums it up. They’ll be happy with Maatta, and nobody should be surprised if they give him another year or two.

 

[Vitto79]

Utah had to do something

 

[Snuggs]

Pretty much sums it up. They’ll be happy with Maatta, and nobody should be surprised if they give him another year or two.

I'd personally consider it astonishing if they did that.

Maatta isn't good, but Utah needed at the least a bottom pairing defenseman, and I think they got that. He'll turn over the puck and skate like a pylon, but he might be better than what Utah was working with, and he's gone at the end of the year. Idk why they'd bring him back, they'll have a chance in UFA to bring in someone much better similar to his price.

 

[rt]

He was just traded for a 3rd and 6th + Benning who is a RHD and has a better contract than Valimaki. So I think the Leafs did well here considering.

I proposed Valimaki at 1mil. I’m not sure what the Utah equivalent of Benning is. We don’t really have a comparable 30 year old minor leaguer. Bortuzzo is older and more broken down. Kolyachonok is probably the better player but is LD. I guess there just wasn’t a good fit.

 

[Albatros]

Is Maanta a NHL caliber Dman? He couldn't stick in Detroit, and that is saying something. Oh well, at least his contract is over at the end of this year.

Määttä was good for Detroit, but therefore tradeable whereas several others had no takers.

 

[Llewzaher]

At least it was a NYR 3rd …

 

[SirKillalot]

Gave Detroit a 3 mil. cap break, and they got a draft pick to boot. Mind you, it's a third, but you would think we should have got the pick, not Detroit.

No, Maatta albeit not great wasn't or isn't a liability depending on who he is paired up with. Some fans just like to bash to bash. Is he a bit overpaid? Yes as long as he isn't the 4th d-man he is overpaid. He will do fine in Utah. Will he do enough to get re-signed that is another question. Maybe if he accepts lower salary.

Idk why they'd bring him back, they'll have a chance in UFA to bring in someone much better similar to his price.

That they do, but would have difficulties finding a perfect fit at a low cap hit. So it all depends what they want for that position and also depends what position Maatta will have in the team by then.

 

[LaMasquerade]

So, has he been good fit in Utah?

Haven't seen any of their games yet.. Just stats watching I see that he has averaged over 20 mins/game so far, so at least there seems to be some trust from coaching.

 

[Hobnobs]

So, has he been good fit in Utah?

Haven't seen any of their games yet.. Just stats watching I see that he has averaged over 20 mins/game so far, so at least there seems to be some trust from coaching.

He's been playing well from what I've seen. Typical Määttä, if you don't hear or see anything about him he's doing a good job.

 

[Mosby]

As expected, the offensive touch he had in his Pittsburgh days is greatly diminished, but other than that part, he has been playing a simple, no frills game. Efficient puck movement, steady defensively, and error free. Nice addition for Utah.