Blues Trade Up
(photo: USATSI)
The St. Louis Blues have acquired outstanding goaltender Ryan Miller, and tenacious forward Steve Ott from the Buffalo Sabres, in exchange for goaltender Jaroslav Halak, forwards Chris Stewart, and William Carrier, a first-round draft pick in 2015 and a (conditional) third-round pick in the 2016 draft. The trade was announced at 6:30 PM (CST), and the trade deadline is on March 5th.
Ryan Miller and Steve Ott are expected to join the team in Phoenix when the Blues take on the Coyotes at 7PM, on Sunday. All players involved in the trade were scratched for their respective Friday night games.
Miller has played 11 NHL seasons, all with the Buffalo Sabres. In the 2009-2010 season Ryan Miller won the Vezina Trophy as the best goaltender in the NHL. His save percentage of .923 is 10th overall this season , and he is averaging 2.72 goals against. Miller’s achievements reach beyond the NHL, he has appeared in the last two Olympic games representing team USA.
Steve Ott was the captain of the Buffalo Sabres, but he is willing to sacrifice his captain’s role in order to achieve the ultimate goal: winning the Stanley Cup. Ott has also been a part of the NHL for 11 seasons, playing for the Buffalo Sabres and the Dallas Stars. His previous playing experience in Dallas means he is already familiar with Blues player Brendan Morrow, who signed with the Blues in September, but played for the Dallas Stars from 1999 until the 2012-13 season. Morrow expects Ott’s addition to be very positive for the Blues, who are pushing for the Cup this year and sitting in second place in the Western Conference.
The Blues gained a lot from this trade, they received a goaltender at the top of the league and a hard-working, hard-hitting forward. Miller will be a great addition as the Blues go into the playoffs and hunt for the Stanley Cup. He is able to make those spectacular saves that make you watch the replay over and over again, and still be left wondering how the puck did not end up in the back of the net. This trade shows how much the Blues are pushing for the Stanley Cup this year. Steve Ott will contribute up front by providing an extremely physical presence with the ability to be a first line skater.
