New York Islanders trade Defenseman Bruno Gervais to Tampa Bay Lightning –NHL offseason update
It might not have been one of the biggest deals in comparison to all the other blockbuster transactions that were going on between various teams, but the New York Islanders also made their presence felt as they traded their defenseman Bruno Gervais, to Tampa
Bay Lightning for future considerations on Saturday.
The deal went into consideration and was finalised during day two of the 2011 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft as other teams were also on the tables for talks.
"He's a good all-around D", Tampa Bay assistant coach Dan Lacroix, who also coached Gervais when he was the Islanders assistant coach, said on Saturday. "He's smart. He makes a good pass and has a high compete level".
Gervais is most likely to be playing with Tampa Bay next season due to his contractual terms as a restricted free agent, requiring him to be signed with the team.
The 26-year-old from Longueuil, Quebec, Canada, has never played a full 82-game season in the six years he has been playing with the Islanders since being drafted as the 182nd overall pick in the sixth round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.
Throughout his career, he has had injuries which undermined his seasons and swung him back and forth into the NHL. The most games he played in a single season were 69 during 2008-2009.
In the previous season, Gervais played 53 games and registered only six points in the form of six assists for a plus/minus rating of -14.
Tampa Bay might not receive as much help from Gervais as they have received criticism for the trade, but general manager Steve Yzerman and coach Guy Boucher are usually known to do things which yield results later on.
The 6’1 defenseman made $740,000 last season and in a message to the Islanders fans, he appreciated their support throughout the years when he heard about the news.
"Thank you NYI and NYI fans for all the great memories. I had a blast with you all and I wish you guys all the best", Gervais wrote on social networking site, Twitter.
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