Anaheim Ducks Trade Deadline: James Wisniewski (Defenseman)
By Jason Byun
Jan 9, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman James Wisniewski (21) during their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. The Maple Leafs beat the Blue Jackets 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Anaheim Receives: James Wisniewski, 2015 3rd Round Pick
Wisniewski was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 5th round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft (156th overall). He spent two more seasons in junior hockey with the Plymouth Whalers, scoring 35 goals and 122 points in 102 games during those two seasons. The NHL Lockout struck, so Wisniewski then spent the entire following season in the AHL.
He made his NHL debut during the 2005-2006 campaign with the Blackhawks. With Chicago, Wisniewski would appear in 168 contests, scoring 13 goals and 56 points. He was then acquired by the Ducks for the first time in the deal that sent Samuel Pahlsson to the Blackhawks. In 86 regular-season contests with the Ducks, Wisniewski would score four goals and 41 points with the Ducks. He added a goals and two assists in 12 games during the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Anaheim Ducks
Following an arbitration saga, the Ducks traded Wisniewski to the New York Islanders for a conditional 2011 3rd round pick. Later that same season, he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens for a 2011 2nd round pick and a conditional 2012 5th round pick. Wisniewski scored 10 goals and 51 points for the Islanders and Canadiens, plus two more assists in the postseason with Montreal.
The Canadiens then traded Wisniewski to the Blue Jackets for a 2012 7th round pick, who signed a six-year, $33 million contract with Columbus. In 209 games with Columbus, Wisniewski scored 26 goals and 121 points, 59 of which came on the power-play (48.8%). From the 2011-2012 season until the March 2nd deadline, Columbus had a 17.4% power-play conversion rate, but they were 11th in the NHL last season and are currently 8th this season (19.7% the past two seasons until March 2nd).
The power-play will be the main area where Wisniewski should help. The Ducks, outside of Vatanen, lack a real trigger-man on the power-play: there is a lot of passing on the power-play, but not enough shot attempts. The Ducks currently have the 22nd ranked power-play, at 17.0% (34 power-play goals in 200 attempts). For a team that boasts players such as Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Ryan Kesler, the Ducks have had a stagnant power-play.
Special-teams has been a mediocre part of the Ducks’ game this season, but Wisniewski also adds some physicality, despite his size (5’11, 203 lbs). He had 99 hits with the Blue Jackets this season, the same number that Ben Lovejoy had with the Ducks before being traded in the deal that brought Despres to Anaheim.
Wisniewski is also a good puck-mover and possession-driving defenseman. In his previous three seasons with Columbus, he has had a CF Relative of +1.5%, +5.4%, and +1.7%, meaning the Blue Jackets had been directing play better with Wisniewski on the ice, rather than off. His CF% over those three seasons was 51.0, despite Columbus having a CF% of 46.3%, 49.9%, and 47.1% during those campaigns.
Wisniewski also has two years left on his deal. The cap-hit is $5.5 million, which makes him the third-largest cap-hit currently on the Ducks roster (behind Perry and Getzlaf), which is worrisome for a budget team like the Ducks. However, the true-salary of Wisniewski is $5 million for next season and $3 million for the one after that, meaning the Ducks can utilize the cap-room and still stay under their true dollar-budget.
The Ducks also got another draft-pick back: a third-round pick. The pick is the Detroit Red Wings’ third-round pick in the upcoming 2015 NHL Draft. The Ducks did well to get a top-90 selection along with Wisniewski: thanks to numerous trades, the Ducks had only four 2015 NHL Draft Picks before making this deal, and they leave the trade deadline with four.
Wisniewski should be on the top-four when he returns from a foot-injury, presumably with Cam Fowler: Despres has been in that spot currently. When Vatanen returns from his injury, the Ducks should be able to feature him, Wisniewski, Fowler, and Hampus Lindholm on the power-play as puck-movers.
Next: Columbus: Bourque, Karlsson, Draft Pick