Chicago Blackhawks trade Brian Campbell to Florida Panthers for Rostislav Olesz –NHL offseason Update
Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers just could not resist all the trading that was going on during the first round of the 2011 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft as the former dealt defenseman Brian Campbell to the latter for forward Rostislav
Olesz on Friday.
On the same day, Chicago also dealt left wing Troy Brouwer to the Washington Capitals, not for a player, but for the 26th pick of the first round.
Both players did not seem as shocked as expected before the deals took place, especially Brouwer, who is moving on to a team like Washington Capitals.
“I’m a little surprised but very happy about it, just moving to a new team, a team like Washington, where I’m going to have the opportunity to play for the Stanley Cup again”, Brouwer said about being traded without notice. “The opportunity to play with
the top players like they have, I think it should be a great opportunity for me, but I am sad to leave Chicago. Chicago has given me the opportunity to come into the NHL and make a name for myself”.
Campbell, 32, was going for his fourth season with Chicago, as he put up 27 points in the previous season including 22 assists and two goals. He was the third highest paid player on the team. Florida is surely excited about using his talents to make their
struggling team better.
The 156th overall pick of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft was not happy with the decision before, but after negotiation with family and Blackhawks former general manager and current Florida Panthers GM, Dave Tallon, he agreed to waiver off the no-trade
clause of his contract.
“[Campbell] can play 28 minutes a game”, Tallon said. “He can skate like the wind, and skate all night long. It’s a dimension a lot of teams don’t have”.
Olesz on the other hand was fine with the deal. The seventh overall pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft boasts a record of 17 assists during the last season with the Blackhawks including 11 assists and six goals.