The quiet before the free agency storm was broken tonight when the Chicago Blackhawks traded forward Kris Versteeg to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The trade breaks down like this:
Toronto obtains: Kris Versteeg (RW), Rights to Bill Sweatt (LW)
Chicago obtains: Viktor Stalberg (LW), Chris DiDomenico (C), Philippe Paradis (C)
Prospect Bill Sweatt just completed his final year at Colorado College last season where his four-year career line was 46 goals, 63 assists and 109 points. He was a 2007 second round pick by the Blackhawks.
The main piece going to Chicago in this package of youth is Viktor Stalberg. Stalberg in his first season out of the University of Vermont where he was a Hobey Baker Award finalist as a senior, was a training camp hero for the Leafs stunning everyone with his speed and offensive creativity. A lack of goal scoring finish doomed him early in the season and he was sent back to the AHL to work things out. Overall, he played in 40 games for the Leafs and had a scoring line of 9 goals, five assists and 14 points.
Chris DiDomenico and Philippe Paradis were two Leafs prospects who have yet to make their mark in the professional ranks. DiDomenico played last season for Drummondville in the QMJHL. Paradis, meanwhile, was originally a Hurricanes first round pick in 2007 who was then traded to Toronto as part of the Jiri Tlusty trade. Paradis spent most of last year in the QMJHL with Shawinigan before playing a small handful of games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.
The major implication on this deal for Chicago is the effect on their salary cap and according to the newly updated CapGeek.com, the Blackhawks are sitting in shockingly good shape now $8 million under the salary cap. The Hawks will still have some holes to fill on defense, but burying Cristobal Huet and his bloated salary in the AHL may not be totally necessary now. As for the Leafs and their cap situation, they’re sitting at $53 million with only forward help to absolutely worry about.