Pierre Gauthier let his post-Andrei Markov injury experiments run long enough, and added some support the the Montreal Canadiens blue line. The Habs picked up defencemen James Wisniewski from the New York Islanders in exchange for a compensatory second round pick in 2011, and a conditional fifth round pick in 2012.
According to the team press release, Wisniewski will join the club in Tampa.
Since the injury to Markov, and eventual prognosis of a season ending one at that, Gauthier decided to use what resources he had to carry the team through. For a while it was working, but as time rolled on, the after effects were taking it’s toll on the veteran and rookie rearguards. and eventually caught up with the team.
He will be an added bonus on the blueline, where he has 21 points through 34 games this season, with four coming against the Canadiens. His right handed shot is also a very accurate one, as attested to his 71 SOG (18th amongst NHL defensemen).
Wisniewski has 52 hits and 35 blocked shots this season and his -18 rating has to be overlooked on an appalling Islanders club that has an overall goal differential of -36.
He will be able to eat up minutes on the blueline, giving the likes of Josh Gorges, Jaroslav Spacek and Roman Hamrlik some rest, but you won’t see him used often on the penalty kill, where he only averaged 1:54 a game.
The Habs compensatory pick given up in the deal came as a result of the club not signing their 2006 First-Round pick, David Fischer. THe pick is number 50 overall in next year’s draft.
What is your reaction to the James Wisniewski deal?
| I like it | 289 |
| Don’t like it | 25 |
| Give me a few games to decide | 64 |
