Ponikarovsky Headed to Pittsburgh

			2009/2010 NHL Statistics
To Pittsburgh	Position	Age	GP	Goals	Points	2010 Cap Hit	2011 Cap Hit
Alex Ponikarovsky	Forward	29	61	19	41	$2.1 million	UFA
----------
To Toronto	Position	Age	GP	Goals	Points	2010 Cap Hit	2011 Cap Hit
Luca Caputi	Forward	21	4	1	2	$575,000	$575,000
Martin Skoula	Defenseman	30	33	3	8	$575,000	UFA

The complete dismantling of the Toronto Maple Leafs continued on Tuesday night, as the team dealt Alex Ponikarovsky to the Penguins for a pair of players, including prospect forward, Luca Caputi, and veteran defenseman, Martin Skoula.

Ponikarovsky is one of those talented players that can score some goals, which is up his alley, but doesn't seem to make a lot of them count and the Leafs still seemed to lose. With moving to Pittsburgh, he'll get some clutch centres to play with, likely ending up with Evgeni Malkin and maybe he'll get his game together and become more of a clutch player.

Toronto gets a top end prospect in Caputi, who has seen some time in the NHL this season, but has done well in the AHL, having 47 points in 54 games for the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins. I don't know if there is an immediate position for Caputi with the Leafs, but he'll get his shot eventually. Skoula is a player that was a cap hit helper in this deal, as the Penguins were struggling to get their numbers straightened out. More blueline help for the Leafs couldn't possibly be a bad thing.

The Penguins have seen some cap discounts from injuries this season, so the move of Skoula in this deal has them in better shape to take on Ponikarovsky's remaining cap hit, which should be about $470,000, give or take a day. The new addition will get a good look down the home stretch to see how he fits with some of the players on the team and he might get some consideration for a new deal, unless he catches absolute fire and they can't afford to sign him with the players already on board.

The Leafs and their restructuring should give them a little bit more room to play with, if they can somehow benefit from a deal by a pick or prospect.

This could be a big win for Stuart in the Draft, as he's waiting for something big to happen with his team. Ponikarovsky will get to play with some world-class talent and quite possibly put up a lot more points. Stuart is definitely out of the money, but he will get some bragging positioning over some others in the standings, if it works out.

On the Sheet, no one took Ponikarovsky, but 35 people have his new teammate, Sidney Crosby, who is in the same box. No effect on the Sheet here.

The Leafs had a marketable player in Ponikarovsky to move in order to rebuild and they did, getting a talented winger in return. That's all the Leafs could really ask for out of a deal at this time of year. The Penguins get another scoring winger to possibly play with their amazing centres, so that has little risk of working out, because Crosby & Malkin can pass it to a wide-open anyone and it would work out. This is a good move on both sides.

share this: facebook