Canadiens, Predators Exchange The Rights To Kostitsyn, Ellis

 

With unrestricted free agency less than 48 hours way, teams are trying to get one final leg up on the competition for soon-to-be free agents. On Tuesday afternoon, the Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators participated in an exchange of rights for players and future considerations. The Predators dealt goaltender Dan Ellis, forward Dustin Boyd and future considerations to the Canadiens in exchange for Sergei Kostitsyn and future considerations. Kostitsyn and Boyd are set to become restricted free agents, while Ellis will be of the unrestricted variety.

The Canadiens hope to sign Ellis prior to the opening of free agency at noon on July 1, when any organization can make a play for his services. There isn't much time to get that done, but a Twitter post by Ellis indicated he is excited about the idea of joining the Habs:

Very excited about the trade! Its an honor to be part of a team with such great tradition and passion! Hope we can figure something out!

The team plans to either utilize the 29-year old as a backup or an equal employee in net with Carey Price, who was extended a qualifying offer by the Habs and will soon become a restricted free agent.

Ellis is the latest victim of a constant rotating door of goaltenders in Nashville. He had a tremendous rookie campaign in 2007-08, going 23-10-3 with a 2.34 goals against average, .924 save percentage and six shutouts. But his play slipped over the past two years and Pekka Rinne emerged as the new No. 1 in Nashville, making him expendable.

Boyd, 23, will provide depth at the forward position as a dependable two-way center or forward. He is not a dynamic offensive contributor, but scored 11 goals in each of the last two seasons and 20- to 25-point capability.

Going the other way is Kostitsyn, who is the younger brother of Andrei Kostitsyn. The 23-year old Belarusian has endless offensive potential but an attitude that prevents him from fully reaching it. In three NHL seasons, he has yet to reach the 10-goal plateau and has been unable to avoid a stint in the AHL as a way of maturing his game and him as an individual. According to TSN, the troublesome winger has been suspended by the organization in the past and criticized by teammates for lack of effort and other behavior matters.

Kostitsyn will need to grow up and get his game on course if he is to help a Predators organization in need of an offensive boost. He has the skills and ability to be a top-notch scorer and playmaker. But if his attitude continues to get in the way, he will be just as much of a frustration for Nashville as he was to the Canadiens.