So far, the days leading up to the trade deadline has seen an influx of talent to the Eastern Conference from the Western Conferece, with no roster players heading back the other way. Jarome Iginla, Brenden Morrow, Jaromir Jagr, Douglas Murray, and Ryane Clowe have all not only switched teams, but also conferences. All of them have headed East. The return for all of them has been picks and/or prospects. The only notable players going the other way have been Jordan Leopold and Robyn Regehr so far.
April 2, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Jarome Iginla (12) skates up ice with the puck against the Buffalo Sabres during the third period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Buffalo Sabres won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
So the Eastern Conference has become the landing spot for the bigger names, making things more difficult for the Ottawa Senators to sit pat and still be competitive. While I don’t think it will force Bryan Murray to do a trade that is reactionary, he might be more apt to turn Ben Bishop into a tangible asset that can help his team now.