Wed, Mar 8, 2006 at 12:00am

ROLOSON TO EDMONTON

The Edmonton Oilers acquired goaltender Dwayne Roloson from the Minnesota Wild for a first-round draft pick in 2006 and a conditional third-round draft pick in 2006.

What does it give the Edmonton Oilers
Holy overpayment, Batman! The Oilers finally found a netminder they can call their starter, but the price was incredibly steep. Roloson, who lost the starting gig in Minnesota to Manny Fernandez this season, is an upgrade over Ty Conklin, Jussi Markkanen or Mike Morrison but not worth a first-round pick. Moreover, he's not guaranteed of remaining in Edmonton, since he's a potential unrestricted free agent this summer. The conditional draft pick will only come into effect if Roloson re-signs with Edmonton. Still, a first rounder is a big price to pay for a team likely to finish seventh or eighth in the Western Conference.

What does it give the Minnesota Wild
Wild GM Doug Risebrough has come under fire for his lack of impact moves, but this is a slam dunk for Minnesota management. In exchange for the team's backup goalie, the Wild add a second first rounder in 2006--and potentially an extra third rounder. While it's true that Roloson may help the Oilers stave off the Wild for the final postseason berth in the West, Risebrough is doing the right thing by looking at the bigger picture with this trade. This deal is a colossal victory for Minny.

Fantasy impact