Living GM vs. Blogging GM: Atlantic division

To wrap up our Trade Deadline coverage, we'll take a look at the big moves (and non-moves) in each division one-by-one. Did our contributors and their respective GMs see eye-to-eye? Would those guest posts provide a better reality than what really came about? Let's take a look at the Atlantic division.

Real Life: Pittsburgh Penguins traded a bag of pucks for Bill Guerin

Tony Ferrante from The Confluence (Kukla's Korner) said:

"If I were GMRS (GM Ray Shero), I'd trade Ryan Whitney for Chris Kunitz and Eric Tangradi (just kidding, but a good move). Then I'd trade Hal Gill and a mid-round draft pick for either another winger or an agitator (Neil). I would also not rule out some kind of move for another defenseman ..."

Boy, a lot of Pens bloggers wanted to get rid of Hal Gill but it didn't happen. I wasn't crazy about the Guerin pickup, but at least they gave up next to nothing for him.

Real Life: New York Rangers make typical crazy Glen Sather moves: they acquired Derek Morris and Nik Antropov for a second round pick, a conditional pick, Dimitri Kalinin, Nigel Dawes and Petr Prucha.

Patrick Hoffman from Goal Line Report (Kuklas Korner) said:

"However, the only thing that will probably happen this week is that the club will claim Sean Avery off re-entry waivers and dump a salary or two. A lot of Blueshirt fans will wish it will be someone like Wade Redden or may be even someone like Drury but believe me when I say that those two aren't going anywhere.

To sum it all up, this team is stuck with the roster that Sather built during these past two off-seasons, for better or worse."

Well, the Rangers are stuck ... more stuck. OK, so the guys they added are UFAs but they lost two draft picks and some borderliners for not much. Sather's always a good source of laughter.

Real Life: The Islanders get next to nothing for Bill Guerin. Fail to dump salary. Fail fail fail.
Dominik from Light House Hockey said:

"Oh wait, this was about trades? Well, in that case, sell, SELL, SELL! UFA Andy Hilbert is a useful defensive forward and penalty killer who's having a "career" year (shhhhh: 10 G = career year). Take best offer. Same with Guerin (in the works) and even the injured Doug Weight, due back from IR by the playoffs. Parlay Dean McAmmond -- who looks alive since coming over for Comrie -- for scraps. If someone somehow asked me for Jeff Tambellini -- who can't score outside of the shootout or the AHL -- I'd pay his airfare and meal tab."

Nope, sadly, just Guerin. Oh well.

Real Life: The Devils decide to settle for their embarrassment of riches.

John Fischer from In Lou We Trust said:

"If I were the GM of the Devils, I would be hanging up the phone and saying the phrase "Sorry, but we're not interested" over and over again over the next few days. Especially if the call begins with "We would like to know the availability of Travis Zajac or Johnny Oduya." Basically, I'd ignore the trade deadline unless a team really, really wants Scott Clemmensen or Kevin Weekes and is offering an offensive defenseman."

Bingo.

Real Life: Flyers trade Scottie Upshall, 2011 second round pick and a 6th round draft pick for Kyle McLaren and Daniel Carcillo

Flyers Goal Scored By said:

"We then would put everyones' names around a dartboard, chug out 3 beers, and then fire 4 darts to see who is going. Then really hot souf philly girls would come into our office and tell us how awesome we were at "GM'ing" and then totally make out with each other, and then us, and then back to each other until 3pm. Then we'd high-five and crush a cheesesteak before falling asleep to old Rick Tocchet highlights. Being a GM rules ... "

(OK, they also said that they should go after Jay Bouwmeester.)

Instead of going after Bouwmeester, the Flyers made a move for an immobile defenseman and one of the most undisciplined players in the NHL. In other words, they did the same thing they've been doing for .... 30 years?