Big Lead Sports Bar

3/01/2010

PENS TRADE FOR JORDAN LEOPOLD



With the Olympics now over, the world's hockey attention shifts back to the NHL, and the Penguins are gearing up for the second big tournament to be played later this year.

GM Ray Shero just pulled the trigger on a deal, sending the Penguins' second-round pick in 2010 to Florida in exchange for 29-year-old defenseman Jordan Leopold, a former Hobey Baker Award winner as the top U.S. collegiate player.

Leopold, who's represented America seven times in international play, has been traded five times in an NHL career that started with his second-round selection by the Anaheim Ducks in the 1999 draft. He's played in 46 career playoff games and reached the finals as a member of the 2004 Florida Panthers squad.

Leopold has seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points in 61 games with Florida this season, and in his NHL career has 36 goals, 91 assists and 127 points in 416 games. He is the final year of his contract and is pulling in $1.75 million this season. He is expected to join the Penguins today.

Although he is somewhat injury-prone, Leopold brings a nice skill set to the table and at a relatively low cost to the Penguins. I like the deal. But knowing Ray Shero, this probably isn't the last he's going to tinker with his roster before the trade deadline strikes.

PANTHERS TRADE DEFENCEMAN LEOPOLD TO PENGUINS [TSN.ca]

Jordan Leopold [Wikipedia]

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6 comments:

the nigerian nightmare said...

Shero does it again.

NickDawg said...

Leopold will help bolster the blue line which is what the pens needed badly....not a blockbuster trade like the hossa deal but we got what we needed, so in my opinion, this is a good, not great deal

Leopold leads the panthers in minutes as well and is not a bad offensive player when he wants to be..although I dont think that will be his role on the pens..

big ray shero coming thru again!!

BurressWithButterflywings said...

This is just another solid Shero move. As long as Leopold stays healthy throughout the remainder of the season, this deal should pay off for the Pens.

Steve said...

Not sure what the point of this trade is actually, seeing as how the Pens really need a defensemen with a more physical presence on the blue line, which Leopold really doesn't fit. Unless they are setting themselves up for another deal soon that could involve the moving Letang or Goligoski for our eternal need for a winger, or even padding the D corps for the possible departure of Gonchar in the off-season. I'll reserve judgement until everything pans out though as Shero obviously has a plan, even if it is only to replace Skoula, who is probably waiver fodder now.

Chris said...

He was a member of the Flames, not Panthers, for the 2004 SCF.

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