RECCHI TO BOSTON
The Boston Bruins acquired forward Mark Recchi and a second-round draft pick in 2010 from the Tampa Bay Lightning for defenseman Matt Lashoff and winger Martins Karsums.
What does it give the Boston Bruins
In Recchi the Bruins are getting a quality veteran leader on the ice and off. At 41 he's obviously not the same player who posted three 100-plus point seasons early in his career, but he has certainly shown lately that he can still play at an above-average level after bottoming out in Pittsburgh last season. A five-assist outburst on Sunday can't have hurt, and the fact his not-expensive contract expires after this season makes him a low-risk addition. Expect him to be a top-six forward for the contending Bruins. The pick is a nice bonus for Boston, who in 2010 should be able to add a quality prospect to replace at least one of Lashoff and Karsums.
What does it give the Tampa Bay Lightning
Lashoff and Karsums should help out soon (if not right away) with the ongoing rebuilding project in Tampa. The Lightning have several talented young offensive defensemen in their system but not many have panned out lately at the NHL level, and Lashoff has been knocking on the door with Boston for a few years now. He was a first-round draft pick in 2005 (No.22 overall) and still has significant offensive upside. Karsums is also an above-average offensive prospect and, like Lashoff, has produced well at the AHL level. The two probably need only significant minutes to show what they can do in the NHL.
Fantasy impact
