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Monday, 21 February 2011 16:56

Written by Seth Rorabaugh

The Penguins have traded defenseman Alex Goligoski to the Stars in exchange for forward James Neal  (above) and defenseman Matt Niskanen.

Neal, 23, has played in 59 games this season and has scored 39 points (21 goals, 18 assists). A second-round pick in 2005, Neal, (6-foot-2, 208 pounds)  has played in 214 regular season games for the Stars and has scored 131 points. He has reached the 20-goal mark in each of his first three NHL seasons. He is signed through 2011-12 and has a salary cap hit of $2.875 million. He will be a restricted free agent when the contract expires.

Niskanen (right), 24, has played in 45 games this season has has recorded six assists. A first-round pick in 2005, Niskanen has appeared in 277 career games and has scored 82 points. Niskanen (6-foot-0, 200 pounds) has appeared in 16 career playoff games and has three assists. He is signed through the 2011-12 season and has a salary cap hit of $1.5 million. He will be a restricted free agent when the contract expires.

Goligoski, 25, has appeared in 60 games this season and has scored 31 points (nine goals, 22 assists). He leads the team with a plus-20. A second-round pick in 2004, Goligoski played in 177 career regular season games with the Penguins and scored 90 points. In 15 career postseason games, Goligoski (5-foot-11, 180 pounds) scored 10 points. He is signed through the 2011-12 season and has a salary cap hit of $1.833 million. He is scheduled to be a restricted free agent when the contract expires. Goligoski was a member of the 2009 Stanley Cup championship team.

Penguins fans might remember Niskanen from a fight he had with Penguins captain Sidney Crosby Nov. 3:

EN Says: We love this trade for the Penguins. First and foremost, the Penguins something they have sought for quite a while in a young, top-six winger in Neal. Additionally, they get a defenseman back with potential to be a top four blue liner. And these aren't rental players for a playoff run, both of these players are in position to be members of the Penguins for several seasons. Also, both are younger than Goligoski.

And while losing Goligoski is hardly insignificant, he's hardly irreplaceable in the short- or long-term given the Penguins organizational depth at the position.

First Neal. This is essentially the type of player the Penguins have been looking for since... forever. He's a top-six winger. He brings a mix of scoring ability, a good shot, toughness and a willingness to go to the high traffic areas despite average size. In other words, he'll fit in on a Dan Bylsma team very well. This is a guy you can expect to clean up second-chance rebounds.

Neal isn't afraid to lay out a hit either:

He will drop the gloves from time to time:

Niskanen is an athletic skater with offensive upside but has struggled with consistency, particularly on defense. He has missed nine games this season due to various hand ailments. He has averaged 15:44 of ice time this season, 2:07 of it has been on the power play but only 0:14 of the penalty kill.

Goligoski is still a player with tremendous upside. His offensive skills are without question. He's a smooth skater and an excellent puck handler. He is still prone to mistakes and can get a little too aggressive at times, but appeared to cut down on those mistakes in recent months. While the power play was hardly excellent for the Penguins, he was a vital member of that special teams unit. Defensively, he was limited due to his small size, but he was hardly a liablity in his own end.

Ultimately, Goligoski (right) never reached his potential with the Penguins, but he showed flashes. Presumably, with more chances in Dallas, he will reach his ceiling.

In the short-term, the Penguins can make up for his loss with Niskanen or even one of the AHL "tweeners" they have such as Andrew Hutchinson or Steve Wagner. In the long-term, they have players such as Simon Despres, Robert Bortuzzo and Brian Strait waiting in the wings.

-According to the Dallas Morning News' Mike Heika, both teams appeared to deal from areas of strenght to address areas of weakness.

(Photo: Neal-Doug Pensinger/Getty Images; Niskanen-Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images; Goligoski-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Comments (28)

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written by Bones, February 21, 2011 - 04:08 PM

Nice piece of business to get Niskanen as part of the deal.

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written by Disgruntled Goat, February 21, 2011 - 04:11 PM

Yeah, Goligoski straight up for Neal would have been a win for Shero.

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written by TommySnark, February 21, 2011 - 04:13 PM

Assuming Neil is still under contract, I like it. Gogo was definitely our weakest link on defense.

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written by Disgruntled Goat, February 21, 2011 - 04:16 PM

Sid vs. Niskanen. No hard feelings I hope.
http://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/98305


Neal has another year left on his contract.

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written by Bones, February 21, 2011 - 04:17 PM

I agree Goat, I honestly thought GMRS would have to sweeten the pot, not the other way around.

Gonna miss Gogo, I got to watch him play for my favorite college and pro hockey team. But in no way does this surprise me, D is where the depth is. Niskanen should be capable of logging Gogo's minutes, probably doesn't offer up the same offensive upside though.

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written by Bones, February 21, 2011 - 04:18 PM

Ha, that fight was the first thing I thought of when I saw Niskanen was part of the deal...

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written by sean t, February 21, 2011 - 04:22 PM

Great deal. Added some much needed scoring up front plus a defenseman to eat up some minutes vacated by Gogo. Plus both are young and under contract for next year as well. Any word on whether they'll be available tonight against the Caps? I would guess not, but you never know.

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written by Louder_Is_Best, February 21, 2011 - 04:23 PM

This is a great move by Shero. Hard to give up a young talent like Goligoski....but defensive depth and the need for a scoring winger make it acceptable.

Neal should put up big number with a healthy Crosby and Malkin.

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written by Bones, February 21, 2011 - 04:25 PM

On paper it looks like one of Shero's better deals. To get another NHL-caliber defenseman was real big...

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written by Disgruntled Goat, February 21, 2011 - 04:28 PM

Shero still has several young promising defencemen (Lovejoy, Strait, Bortuzzo, Sneep) he can move if he wants. Plus, Despres is on the horizon for next year.

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written by Disgruntled Goat, February 21, 2011 - 04:36 PM

Can't help but wonder if Gogo's inflated +/- (+20) really sold Dallas on him. Defensively, they stink.

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written by jameshutton, February 21, 2011 - 04:43 PM

Nice move. Gogo was really good or really bad - guess that comes with moving up the learning curve. I think in a couple years, he's going to be Rafalki-ish. But Neal is a really solid winger and Niskanen a bonus. Lots of defensemen waiting in the wings in the Pen' sysem.

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written by Brinton, February 21, 2011 - 04:46 PM

This is an absolute steal of a move. We move a d-man that we really do not need for a position of dire need without giving up any skill or age in the deal. This is a long and short term win for Shero.

Now make the short-term rental that we are used to and go get Kovy!

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written by espo33, February 21, 2011 - 04:57 PM

This will be a nice winger for Malkin next hopefully... Anyone know about his speed?

This also might mean Tangs will be in WB next year. I don't see him having a spot next year. The top 3 would be Kunitz, this guy and Cooke.

Now we just need a center to get him the puck this year. I would think he plays with Staal and Nick Johnson, even though Sterling has done some good things.

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written by djbst75, February 21, 2011 - 04:57 PM

I am impressed and no on Kovy please......

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written by bastage42, February 21, 2011 - 05:09 PM

So Shero got two guys younger than Goligoski, and both under contract for next year too. I'm not sure I'm as sold on this deal as others, but it's not a bad deal.

Neal's never scored more than 27 goals in a season, but at least he's a healthy F body with potential, and he played with Tanger at the World Jrs so there's some pedigree. Hopefully Niskanen can move the puck, especially if Martin misses any time, but both Michalek and Martin can also man the point on a PP so losing Gogo's talents there aren't the end of the world.

Niskanen will have to paint his car again, though ... (http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=17298)

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written by smwit87, February 21, 2011 - 05:11 PM

Hmm, I seem to remember what happened the last time the Pens traded an offensive d-man for a power forward before the trade deadline.....

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written by eman41, February 21, 2011 - 05:22 PM

Neal's never scored more than 27 goals in a season

He's only been in the league 3 years and is younger than side. That's incredible production, especially coming to a team with 2 super stars at center. He has the potential to be a 35 goal guy playing with Sid or Geno.

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written by eman41, February 21, 2011 - 05:23 PM

*Younger than Sid (by one month). He's comes to a team who only has one 20 goal scorer at wing. Not sure how Shero pulled this off but man...

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written by Bones, February 21, 2011 - 05:25 PM

Don't know if I'm on board with Kovalev. Doesn't seem like a Bylsma type of guy...

But man, would Milan Hejduk look good in a Penguins jersey...

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written by bastage42, February 21, 2011 - 05:40 PM

All I meant was that even in junior leagues he wouldn't have been considered prolific. The highest I found listed for him was in Junior A (2.

But he is merely 23 and labelled as a power forward, so that can only grow if we're fortunate. 30-35 goals would definitely be a nice return.

I was hard on Gogo with expectations, but he's only going to get better, so it's hard to see him go with our D unit working so well. I'd put Despres out further than next year, he might be 2-3 years out. Still, you gotta pay to play.

Watch, I'll be conservative on this deal now and in 3 months I'll own a $200 Neal jersey ... LOL

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written by bastage42, February 21, 2011 - 05:41 PM

that was 28, silly emoticons.

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written by Joey T, February 21, 2011 - 05:45 PM

In Shero We Trust. His moves may not always work out, but they are ALWAYS good moves for the Pens. He is to Brian Burke what Arnold Swarzenegger was to Danny Devito in "Twins" - Shero got all the good stuff!

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written by Bones, February 21, 2011 - 05:57 PM

I am also skeptical on Despres being a NHL regular next year. I know he was close coming out of camp, but with the Penguins' depth at the position there is no reason to rush him. And now there is one more d-man with NHL experience on board for next year.

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written by Johnny X, February 21, 2011 - 06:34 PM

I'm nitpicking here, but 6'2" and 205 lbs. isn't exactly average size. Jarome Iginla is 6'1" 205 and recent NHLer Owen Nolan is 6'1" 214... I don't recall much news about those two having modest frames. Neal may never reach the statistical heights that those two reached in their careers, but he is certainly large enough to be a true power forward in the NHL.

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written by Huckster, February 21, 2011 - 07:16 PM

Great trade...Neal on the left wing with Sid? This kid is a potential superstar now with this team. Niskanen?..we'll see but with Martin and Letang back there, Great trade and sends a real strong signal of Sids return.

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written by gamecockfn, February 22, 2011 - 11:20 AM

@espo...Tangradi is on the block, so I would not count on him being a guy for us next year. Neal is actually what Tagradi has not become yet, a productive NHL player.

Agree with others on Despres, I do not see him playing on the Pens next year. Strait, Bortuzzo, Niskanen, and Lovejoy give us enough options to let him develop for another year.

This deal does mean that a few current players will not be back, primarily Dupuis, and likely one or two or Kennedy, Rupp, Adams and Talbot.

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written by espo33, February 22, 2011 - 02:48 PM

If it is Dupius, Kennedy, Rupp, Adams and Talbot I see Rupp (just a bigger body) and Adams coming back (cheaper). Dupius is just speed and makes too much. Kennedy just doesn't do enough and Talbot makes too much. But who knows maybe Rupp wants a better opportunity like he had last year? That is why he left NJ to come to Pitt for the opp.

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