On February 6, got a trade offer from Chicago Blackhawks which I HAD to accept. They got 28 year old G Kevin Boyle (1.5/1.5), who is in the last year of his contract and was not going to be renewed. We got 20 year old RD Alec Regula (1.0/2.5), who has a 4 year contract.
On February 11, got a trade offer from Vegas. We got 21yo C Paul Cotter (1.5/2.5) for 30yo RD Zach Trotman (1.5/1.5). Trotman is another guy in the last year of a contract that wasn't getting renewed. Cotter has 3 years left on his deal.
On February 21, I put 26 yo RD Jacob Trouba (2.5/3.0) on the trade block. Got a ton of offers for a 4th round pick. Detroit is currently worst in the league, so I took their offer of a 4th for Trouba. Trouba was playing 2nd/3rd pair minutes, just under 19 minutes a game and playing 55 of our 63 games... missing several games with minor, nagging type injuries. He was also making $8M a year getting 19 minutes a game. Next year our cap gets very tight and we needed to get rid of a highly paid player to make some room. I can't trade Kevin Hayes (who is having a good year this year) because of his no movement clause... so it's Trouba. Not really great value for the pick, but looking at Trouba's playing time and statistics, he just is not worth $8M a year for 5 more years.
After the Trouba trade, we bring up LD Chad Krys.
At the deadline, we get offers for all 3 players on the trading block, C Kevin Hayes, C Nick Bjugstad, and C Andy Miele. I couldn't accept the Miele trade because it was for a 22 yo Canadian (Miele is 32 and on the last year of his contract). Same with the Kevin Hayes offer... for a 24 year old Kazakhstani. But the Bjugstad offer I could, and did accept.
28 yo C Nick Bjugstad (2.5/2.5) for 19 yo LD Thomas Harkey (2.5/3.5). Bjugstad was a 3rd line center making over $4M and wanted over $5M, so he wasn't getting renewed. Great deal for us, especially after giving up Trouba.
After the trade deadline, I send defenseman Krys back down to Missoula and bring Galchenyuk off injury list, although he's not quite ready to play. He's still day to day, so it may be another week or so until he is ready.
After the back to back to end the month, we get two DTD injuries to top line players JVR (sore back) and Kyle Palmieri.(minor neck laceration).
So we end up 29-35-3 after February.(7-6-0 for February)... looks like we aren't going to get that top 5 pick after all
As you can see, FIVE more back to backs, for a total of 20 for the season, with one more month to go. 20 is way too many in a season, and the season isn't even over yet.
