Canadiens deal Gill to Predators - 02-17-12

Your Hal Gill Penguins jersey will remain an antique.

The Canadiens dealt the former Penguins defenseman to the Predators in exchange for forward prospects Blake Geoffrion, Robert Slaney and a second round pick in 2012.

Gill (right), 36, in in the final year of a contract with a salary cap hit of $2.25 million. In 53 games this season, Gill has eight points (one goal, seven assists).

Geoffrion, 24, and Slaney, 23, are in the final year of two-way contracts. In 22 NHL games this season, Geoffrion, the grandson of Canadiens hall-of-famer, Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion, has three assists. In nine AHL games this season, Slaney has one assist.

EN Says: This is right down the Predators' alley. They like defensemen and believe in having oodles of depth on the blue line. Gill bring a hard-edged style to Nashville and will boost this team's ability to match up against the higher-end teams in the Western Conference. Instead of just sicking their top pairing of Shea Weber and Ryan Suter on an opponents' top forwards, Gill can pick up some of the work load.

Additionally, Gill, a member of the Penguins' Stanley Cup championship team in 2009, brings playoff experience to a team which is lean in that area.

For the Canadiens, they're clearly sellers. They get two marginal forward prospects and a fairly high draft pick. Geoffrion projects to be a top-six, 20-goal scoring winger at the NHL level.

The Penguins were believed to have interest in bringing back Gill. With him off the market, a player such as rugged Hurricanes defenseman Bryan Allen becomes more valuable.

(Photo: Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)