Hurricanes Acquire Kevin Westgarth

[FightingIsGood]

Guess the Canes weren't kidding around when they said they wanted some 4th-line toughness. Good for them.

[gdameo]

what an irony....

Parros - Ducks and Westgarth - Kings

now Parros - Panthers and Westgarth Hurricanes

[Stevens Lindros]

Yes! The number issue in LA made it pretty obvious he wasn't coming back there so it's great that he'll get another chance!

“We were looking for a character, team guy who can play a gritty role for our team,” said Rutherford. “Kevin is a good addition to fill that spot.”

The Canes haven't had a heavyweight since Wade Brookbank in '09. This is good! Rutherford (GM since the move from Hartford in '97) is one of those GM's who aren't completely anti-heavyweight and opinionated, and occasionally surprise us.

[Stevens Lindros]

Originally Posted by Tucker_316

That much offered up for Westgarth? The guy isn't even one of the better fighters out there. Although if it's a serious need I guess you're in no position to barter a better deal.

The 4th and 6th don't hold too much value in today's trade market. They get traded all the time and Carolina likely had enough that 2 were expendable. Anthony Stewart is a decent player but after his breakout year with the Panthers he turned into a 20 point guy in Carolina and might not have been a hit in the dressing room. I can't think of any other reason why he'd go so easily.

[brymaster1]

Stewart, a 4th and a 6th, for Westy? I'll take that all day. It sucks losing a Heavy but this was a pretty one sided deal.

[Stevens Lindros]

Originally Posted by brymaster1

Stewart, a 4th and a 6th, for Westy? I'll take that all day. It sucks losing a Heavy but this was a pretty one sided deal.

Canes can easily afford the two low picks, they were trade bait as odd as that sounds, but the Canes had a few spares. Stewart is the key piece of this deal for LA and a great acquisition for the defending champs.

Westgarth and Parros are gonna have an interesting couple of years. Weird how they keep following each other. Princeton to Manchester, Manchester to LA, So Cal to the Southeast division.

[swimmer]

Definitely was surprised to see the Canes pick up someone tough, a welcome surprise though Gleason and Harrison are decent fighters but they aren't guys you want to rely on for your main source of toughness

[The Boogie Man]

I don't know what's gotten into Rutherford over the off season but I like it. Looks like he finally wants to protect his offseason acquisitions and young guys. Glad to finally have a legitimate heavy to go along with Harrison and Gleason. Rutherford also said this after the westgarth trade.

On other possible deals this week, Rutherford said, "We'll see, we could add another "grit" guy.

[Killah_punk]

It seems like forever since the Canes have has a legit enforcer. Westgarth and Gleason should be a good 1-2 punch. I guess the Staal brothers can sleep a little more easily now.

[I_am_Belak_2]

Carolina gave up a decent amount to get him, so I think they have every intention of playing him.

[4thLineGoon]

Very glad to see Westy get out of LA and the West. Give him some ice time and he can play the game well enough for a fighter, after all he put up 60 points in 4 years at Princeton and scored 11 goals his last full year in Manchester. Not much he could accomplish last season getting in just 25 games for 3 minutes a night and only scrapping 3 times.

The best news is that with Blanchard, Soryal and (while they're hurt) Salters in Charlotte, the Canes wouldn't make this deal if they weren't planning on keeping him up. The Canes have 16 forwards in camp, realistically, I see the fourth line being a rotation of Westgarth, Pat Dwyer and Tim Wallace, with Tim Brent centering. The other call-ups aren't 4th line guys (Zach Boychuk, Jeremy Welsh, Drayson Bowman) so if they make the team it's in place of a third liner or higher.

While the Southeast isn't the Federal League, there are enough guys to warrant his presence with Parros in Florida, possibly Labrie and Crombeen in Tampa, Erskine in Washington and Thorburn and Stuart in AtlantaPeg. Hope he gets a solid 35+ games in this season!

[king of culver]

Originally Posted by lakingsfan19

Good Luck to Westie. Hopefully he will get regular playing time in Carolina and get back to Manchester ways of fighting.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Kings do something else, especially with the Willie Mitchell injury.

I think the Kings will start the season with a 4th line of Clifford-Fraser-Nolan. They will be busy in game one with Chicago coming to town.

it was about clearing a spot for nolan and being able to roll 4 lines as stewart can play some hockey unlike feet of stone westy ..we still have a unhappy goailie to trade that is worth alot ..the rich get richer good to be a king

[brymaster1]

Originally Posted by king of culver

it was about clearing a spot for nolan and being able to roll 4 lines as stewart can play some hockey unlike feet of stone westy ..we still have a unhappy goailie to trade that is worth alot ..the rich get richer good to be a king

DL said that as of right now he has no intention of trading Bernier. They have no NHL caliber backup to replace him. I see him going at the trade deadline at the earliest, but most likely next off season. Plus he needs to see where Lou lands, that could determine who is interested in Bernier.

[caps05]

Hopefully the Caps follow suit and find someone.

[king of culver]

Originally Posted by brymaster1

DL said that as of right now he has no intention of trading Bernier. They have no NHL caliber backup to replace him. I see him going at the trade deadline at the earliest, but most likely next off season. Plus he needs to see where Lou lands, that could determine who is interested in Bernier.

we will see how season goes mitchelle getting a little long in the tooth and could break down at anytime we have good young dmen at manchester but i am not sure you would want to go to war with them in playoffs I think bernier could bring a 30 something no 3 type stay at home and either a high first or a 2nd and 3rd draft choice . no rush plus lugo will be first 1 out and value of bernier will be thru the roof once the nukes take care of there headcase ..nukes always helping out kings