On face value, the trade is interesting enough on its own: the Edmonton Oilers sent center Sam Gagner to the Tampa Bay Lightning for winger Ted Purcell on Sunday. That much we knew for sure when it happened.
Immediately after the move was announced, the scuttlebutt began about the Lightning buying Gagner out on Monday. As it turns out, Gagner was instead flipped with B.J. Crombeen to the Arizona Coyotes for cap space and a sixth-rounder.
(Click here for the specifics.)
Tampa Bay wasn’t done making moves, either, as they sent Nathan Thompson to the Anaheim Ducks for two low draft picks. (More here.)
As dramatic as the situation is for the Lightning, the Oilers have some questions to answer regarding how Purcell, 28, will fit into the mix and how they’ll replace Gagner, 24, in the lineup:
It was certainly an odd series of events, but ultimately, the Oilers swapped forwards, the Coyotes replaced Mike Ribeiro and the Lightning opened up money or at least made their situation more flexible. Everyone basically wins, right?