Mika Gone but No D

Darcy Reiger accomplished one of his two goals at the tradeline this Thursday by moving goalie Mika Noronen for a second round draft pick in the upcoming NHL entry draft. Receiving a second roudn draft pick for Noronen should be considered a victory, failing to bolster the weak Sabres defense will hurt the Sabres when the playoffs arrive. Even a Brad Lukowich or Cory Cross would have been an upgrade over Rory Fitzpatrick. Each of those players was acquired for a draft pick in the 3rd or 4th round of the 2006 and 2007 drafts. Holding onto to Marty to acquire full value for him was a wise move however. Trade him in the offseason and receive more in return. Biron's salary is too high for the backup role he will be playing.
One trade I found very interesting was the Predators acquistion of Brendan Witt from the Capitals. By giving up just a first round pick in a weak draft and forward Kris Beech the Predators managed gain a rental player they could turn them into a serious Stanley Cup threat. The Capitals also gained some building blocks for the future. Too bad the Sabres could not have made a better offer.
The Senators are also in better shape, gaining help at forward in Tylar Arnason and claiming goalie Mike Morrison from the Oilers off of waivers. Arnason is an enigma that has not lived up to his full potential in Chicago. Perhaps the environment in Ottawa can help him reach new peaks of performance. Morrison has played well for stretches with the Oilers and was waived due to roster constraints. He should provide the Sens with a solid backup for the stretch run until Dominik Hasek returns.