The Chicago Blackhawks have agreed to trade defenseman Nick Leddy and goaltender Kent Simpson to the New York Islanders for a trio of prospects, reports Arthur Staple of Newsday. In exchange, the Hawks receive defensemen Ville Pokka and TJ Brennan and goaltender Anders Nilsson.
The Hawks were about $2.2 million over the salary cap entering this season, which begins in Dallas next Thursday. Leddy is in the final season of his current contract, which carries a $2.7 million cap hit.
Leddy, 23, won a Stanley Cup with the team in 2013 and appeared in every game over the past three seasons. He had established himself as the Hawks’ fifth defenseman and the second power-play unit’s point man. In 2013, he had six goals and 12 assists and was a plus-15 in 48 games.
Pokka, 20, played in 54 games with Karpat in the SM-Liiga in Finland last season. He has played in 138 games over four season s for Karpat. The Islanders originally selected the defenseman in the second round (34th overall) in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.
Brennan, 25, was the Eddie Shore winner as the American Hockey League’s most outstanding defenseman for 2014. He had 25 goals and 47 assists with the Toronto Marlies last season. In NHL action, he has recorded four goals and seven assists in 40 games with the Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers.
Both Brennan and Pokka will report to Rockford.
Nilsson, 24, spent last season with KHL’s Ak Bars and posted a 4-1-2 record, 2.10 goals-against average and .928 save percentage in eight games. The Swede spent time with moving up and down between the Islanders and their AHL affiliate, Bridgeport Sound Tigers, where he went 8-7-2 with a 3.11 GAA and .896 SV in 19 games in the NHL and 12-4-2 record with two shutouts in 29 games for the Sound Tigers last season.
Did the Hawks get enough in return? Should they have traded Rozsival instead? Let us know what you think of the move in the comments below.