Two hours after Lyle Odelein got the word that he had been traded from Columbus to the Blackhawks, he was contemplating what a difference a day had made in his career and what a difference a year had made in the Blackhawks.
“We were tied with Chicago last year (at the bottom of the Central Division) with 71 points, and now they have a chance to win the Stanley Cup,” Odelein said. “That’s all I ask for.”
Seventeen minutes before Tuesday’s NHL trade deadline passed, Blackhawks general manager Mike Smith agreed to send finesse defenseman Jaroslav Spacek and a second-round choice to acquire the physical-style defenseman from the last-place team in the Western Conference.
“Lyle Odelein brings a lot,” said Smith. “He makes our defense bigger, stronger, more experienced. He was a team captain, he played on a Stanley Cup winner (Montreal in 1993) and he’s a pain in the neck to play against.
“Odelein and Spacek are different types of players. Part of the price also was we have to give up something for the future. Our priority was to be successful this year.
The Hawks are the fifth NHL team for Odelein, 33, who has two goals, 14 assists, 89 penalty minutes and a plus/minus rating of minus-28 to show for this season’s 65 games in Columbus.
Spacek, 28, is going to the Blue Jackets with three goals, 10 assists, 29 penalty minutes and a plus/minus rating of plus-5 in 60 games.
The two-time Czech Republic Olympian’s role was reduced this season.
“Getting Phil Housley [in the preseason waiver draft] took away a lot of the quality time that Spacek would have played,” pointed out coach Brian Sutter.
“Lyle adds a lot to the party. He owns the front of the net; he certainly will play in your face. With Joe Reekie coming back (after missing 15 games with a broken foot), we’re going from a defense that wasn’t very big to a big, strong defense.”
According to Smith, the dislocated shoulder that defenseman Boris Mironov sustained in the March 11 loss in Los Angeles wasn’t a factor in the trade.
“Boris went to New York [on Tuesday] for a second medical opinion and it was identical to our doctor’s,” said Smith. “Boris will be back in 14 days, depending on how his shoulder feels.”
Smith was asked if any teams had tried to make a deal for the Hawks’ captain, Tony Amonte. “We had no discussions this week on trading Tony,” Smith said. “All indications are Tony will visit free agency on July 1.”
