Analysis: Corvo is a 32 year old puck moving defenseman who will go from Carolina (12th offensively in the NHL) to the Caps (1st) . He had just 12 points in 34 games this season averaging a tick over 25 minutes a game. He'll add to their powerplay and give Washington a little more strength on the blueline rather than forcing them to rely on youngsters Karl Alzner or John Carlson who may not be ready for a prominent role during these playoffs. Brian Pothier is a stay at home blueliner who has had some concussion problems in the past. He had only 11 points (4 goals, 7 assists) in 41 games to this point. He's 32 and has little upside going to the Canes. Osala is the prize of this trade for Carolina. He's currently playing in the AHL with Hershey where he's put up 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) in 53 games. He's still very much a prospect having just turned 22 the day after Christmas. He's a big power forward type (left wing) boasting size (6-4, 225), and enough offensive skills to play a second or third line role in the NHL in the not too distant future.

 

Analysis: This looks like a good deal for both teams. Two puck moving blueliners switch teams with Edmonton getting the just turned 27 year old Whitney (second on the Ducks in scoring among defensemen to Scott Niedermayer). Visnovsky who is 33 years old was the Oilers leading scorer among blueliners with 32 points in 57 games, but still has 3 years left on his contract. Anaheim is among the top 10 scoring teams in the NHL while Edmonton is second from the bottom (29th).

Analysis: Torres should fit in very well in Buffalo and play on one of their top two lines. He's a big (6'0, 225) ,physical winger who at 28 years of age has a couple of 20 goal NHL seasons under his belt. He's a different personality and can disappear for stretches but should fit nicely here as the Sabres look like they're on their way to another playoff appearance and the Jackets are once again building towards the future. Paetsch is a 6th or 7th defenseman who was playing just under 10 minutes a game in Buffalo. He's not fantasy relevant in any league format.

Analysis: This is the first trade that could be considered a big deal today for fantasy leaguers. Wolski is a just turned 24 year old left winger who is on his way to his second 20 goal season (currently has 17) in 4 NHL seasons. He's the best known and currently best player in the trade. Colorado gets 21 year old Peter Mueller a centerman, and LW Kevin Porter . Mueller scored 22 goals in his rookie season in the NHL when he was just 19 years of age. He has plenty of ability but has underachieved this season.Porter has been excellent in the AHL this season (15 goals, 25 assists in 52 games) but has been slow to adjust when given an NHL audition.

Analysis: Not much of a fantasy factor here. Walker is a physical, energy type right winger who has just 5 points (3 goals, 2 assists) in 33 games this year. He's 36 years old and has been dealing with a shoulder injury. He makes the Capitals much more difficult to play against but won't help your fantasy team much this year or down the road.

Analysis: Seidenberg takes Derek Morris (traded earlier this morning) spot on the Boston blueline. He's not going to be much of a fantasy factor with 23 points in 62 contests this season (and not quite 2 shots a game) but he's a good shotblocker and will play on the Bruins second defensive pairing. Keeper leaguers should keep an eye on Bitz and what line he lands on with the Panthers. He's a 25 year old north/south winger who has flashed similar skills to someone like a Jason Blake in limited minutes (about 11 a game) this season.

Analysis: Morris is a 31 year old blueliner who returns to a team he played with from 03/04 to the trade deadline last year when he was shipped to the  New York Rangers. He was averaging 22 minutes a game in Boston this season having put up 25 points (3 goals, 22 assists) in 58 games. He becomes the third leading scorer among defensemen in the desert behind Keith Yandle, and Ed Jovanovski. That seems about right - a solid second pairing blueliner

with minimal fantasy impact.

Analysis: D'Agostini has a pair of goals in 40 games this season at the NHL level in Montreal. At 23 years of age he's a developmental guy that should play on the third or fourth line with the Blues. Palushaj is just 20 years of age and is a pro playing in the American Hockey League after spending 2 years at the University of Michigan (94 points in 82 games in his career there). Palushaj has a solid offensive upside for keeper/dynasty leaguers but you'll likely have to wait another 2-3 years to see him get a full time opportunity at the NHL level with the Canadiens.

New Jersey acquires LW Ilya Kovalchuk, and D Anssi Salmela from Atlanta in exchange for RW Niclas Bergfors, D Johnny Oduya, LW Patrice Cormier, and the New Jersey 1st round draft pick in the 2010 Entry Draft. The teams also agreed to swap 2nd round draft picks in the 2010 Entry Draft. 

A player by player look at the principals;

Ilya Kovalchuk - He's an elite level, gambreaking talent and one of the few guys in the NHL that you'd buy a ticket just to see when he comes to the arena near you. He's entering his peak (still just 26 years of age) production years. Always a threat to score 50 goals in a season, he currently is tied for 5th in the NHL with 31. He possesses just about everything you want in a franchise player. He has a ridiculous combination of size (6-1, 230) and speed, has excellent hands, competes hard, and has a rocket for a shot that he'll let fly from anywhere. He's going to give one of the Devils top two lines a real shot in the arm and should add to the team's powerplay success as well. He becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent this coming July 1 having already turned down something on the order of 10-11 million dollars a season on a long term deal.