2009-10 Best Mid-Season Tough Guy Pick-Up

[Merlin401]

This is mid-season pick-ups that impacted the team both physically and in terms of their team attitude. There weren't as many tough guys changing hands this year, but here are 5 notable deals.

Nominees

Steve MacIntyre - Florida Panthers
Florida has needed a heavyweight presence for a long time now, and just when they seem to get one, they trade them away. So, once again, they filled their club's never ending need of a legit heavyweight with the massive physical specimen of Steve MacIntyre. Although only playing in 18 games and recording only three fights (all impressive wins), acquiring MacIntyre made a lot of sense for this franchise.

Jamal Mayers - Calgary Flames
This was a very complicated deal and obviously Mayers was not the centerpiece of it, but the Flames did add a nice little fighter who can play the game in Jamal Mayers as part of the blockbuster Phaneuf deal.

Dion Phaneuf - Toronto Maple Leafs
Most people thought that Phaneuf needed a change of scenery and that Toronto probably got the better end of this deal. Toronto now has a tough, offensive defenseman who can really be a force for years to come playing in the hockey capital of the world. Who knows: under Brian Burke he may even return to his 10 fight/year ways of 2 years ago.

Brandon Prust - New York Rangers
Prust was nominated last year for going to Phoenix. Well he didn't last their as long as we might have imagined. He bounced back to Calgary before the season. And then got shipped to the Blueshirts. So the same comments as last year apply, just with a new destination: "Perennially being squeezed out of the top 12 forwards in Calgary, Prust finally found a home in Phoenix at the trade deadline. He could flourish as a 4th line energy player and grinder, with the ability to put up 20 fight seasons for many years."

Jody Shelley - New York Rangers
Two years ago, Shelley won this award for the Sharks. Now the Rangers got a chance to pick him up for basically nothing to fill the gap left by the aging non-factor of Donald Brashear. And Shelley did what he does everywhere: surprise fans as a great human being, a vital locker room presence, a warrior on the ice, and a decent enough player. He really energized the 4th line and down the stretch they almost made the playoffs based SOLELY on the line of Prust-Anisimov-Shelley and some great goal-tending.


My Pick
As much as I like to hate Glen Sather, picking up Brandon Prust at the deadline was a masterful move to get a guy who can fight everyone, play a little bit, energize the fourth line, and play here for years. If only they could have had this 4th line for many years: Prust-Anisimov-Orr.


Past Winners

2003-04: --
2005-06: --
2006-07: George Parros (Anaheim Ducks)
2007-08: Jody Shelley (San Jose Sharks)
2008-09: Wade Belak (Nashville Predators)

[NJDevils17]

Went with Prust. He played his ass off for the Rangers. Every game it seemed like he was either getting into a fight or making his way onto the score sheet.

Among the players in the trade (Prust, Jokinen, Kotalik, and Higgins), Prust was the only one who was a pleasant surprise and was probably the most useful player in that trade.

He's a great guy to root for too and this is coming from a Devils fan.

[zoli]

My vote goes to Shelley. He played very well, he scored some big goals late and was pretty good without his gloves.

[BigBadWolf1171]

Went with Mayers, but coulda easily went with Prust aswell.

[I_am_Belak_2]

Went with Prust. Big Mac would've been the obvious answer if Florida actually kept him in the off-season, but he finds himself back in Edmonton...

[Cat Smasher]

I went with Shelley, Rags had to replace Brash. Not sure how many fights he had, but when he did they counted.

[Active Stick]

Voted for Shelley. Honorable mention to Prust.

[ThrowdownSJ408]

wish i could go with shelley or mac but they didnt fight enough. why wouldnt oils keep mac and play him i just dont know. I went with prust. he fit in better than shelley.

[Isles4life]

Prust gets my vote. Just a great guy to add to your team, and he was one of the Rangers best players down the stretch, more than just an addition of some grit to the lineup.

[Killah_punk]

Voted for Prust. Honorable mention to Shelley. The Rangers did good picking these two up, they seem to develop some nice chemistry on that 4th line too.

[leafs_fan77]

I voted for Shelley to NYR. He played great there. Same with Prust though too.

[BullyFan]

Went with Shelley cuz he actually played good for the rags too.
As did Prust i guess.

Can't vote Mac since he wasn't in the lineup enough.

[Two-Four]

Prust seemed to really rejuvinate the Rangers. And he is a gamer.

[acd1]

Shelley without a doubt.

[Blouin]

Prust. he did it all for the Blueshirts