When the horn sounded at 3pm today at the TSN.ca studio, it was officially the end of a rather quiet trade deadline in the National Hockey League. Executives around the NHL including Thrasher’s GM Rick Dudley moved and acquired valuable assets weeks in advance of this afternoon’s deadline, making today slower then usual and well short of 31 deals processed at this time last year.
That didn’t stop Rick Dudley today from making additional roster moves however, as the Thrashers claimed forward Rob Schremp off waivers from the New York Islanders and traded for forward Radek Dvorak from the Florida Panthers and defensemen Brett Festerling from the Montreal Canadiens.
Schremp, 24, has contributed 22 points to the score sheet this season (10 goals, 12 assists) in 45 games played for the Islanders.
The 5’11 200 lb forward has played in 96 NHL games including time spent with the Edmonton Oilers. A native of Fulton, NY, Schremp played in his hometown for the Syracuse Jr. Crunch for two seasons posting 171 points in 98 games played. Eventually he would move onto the Ontario Hockey League and fine tune his game with the Mississauga IceDogs, before finishing his junior career with the London Knights. The Edmonton Oilers selected Schremp 1st round (25th overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.
” We put in a claim for Robbie Schremp who can play all three forward positions and that’s an asset especially with the ins and outs at center,” Dudley said today when addressing the media.
As for the other newcomers today, Radek Dvorak, 33, had 21 points in 53 games played this season for the Florida Panthers. A journeymen around the National Hockey League with stints in Florida, St. Louis, Edmonton and with the New York Rangers, Dvorak has compiled 215 goals, 515 points in 1105 NHL games.
The Czech Republic native is a solid two-way forward who adds a veteran presence to the Thrashers lineup. The soon to be Unrestricted Free Agent replaces forward Niclas Bergfors who was part of the 3-player swap. Minor league forward Patrick Rissmiller who played 1 game for the Thrashers this season, was also shipped to the Panthers. The Thrashers add a 5th round pick in this year’s NHL draft as well.
Defensemen Brett Festerling will join the Atlanta Thrashers organization after being acquired this afternoon in exchange for minor league goaltender Drew MacIntye. Festerling, 24, tallied 16 points in 48 games played this season in the American Hockey League with the Syracuse Crunch and Hamilton Bulldogs. The Prince George, British Columbia native will report to the Chicago Wolves.
General Manager Rick Dudley wasn’t quite finished late this afternoon, sending forward Fredrik Modin to the Calgary Flames in exchange for a 7th round selection in the 2011 NHL entry draft. Modin, who was signed by the Thrashers in September, will leave the Thrashers after contributing 10 points in 36 games played. Modin re-joins current Flames GM Jay Feaster after winning the Stanley in Tampa Bay together in 2004.
Other roster moves today by the Thrashers, forward Ben Maxwell who was recently acquired from Montreal and goaltending Peter Mannino have been recalled from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL.