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Ducks boost defensive depth with Holzer and Despres trades

Ducks boost defensive depth with Holzer and Despres trades

The Anaheim Ducks spent Monday's trade deadline looking to add defensemen. Clearly. And after dealing Ben Lovejoy to Pittsburgh for fellow defensemen Simon Despres the Ducks also acquired the injured Korbinian Holzer from Toronto for Eric Brewer and a fifth-round pick.

As for the Lovejoy/Despres move, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Lovejoy, 31, had played just 40 games this season, and had fallen off a bit from a season last year where he had 18 points and a plus-21 rating. He's also playing about a minute less per-contest. For the Pens, it brings back a guy who used to play in Pittsburgh and knows its system and is a little more veteran.

Despres, 23, is a good, young blueliner with some more size. We give this trade:

THREE MILBURYS! I like this better for Anaheim's present and future. Despres has more potential than an aging Lovejoy.

The Milbury Scale 2014 - 3 Milbury
The Milbury Scale 2014 - 3 Milbury

As for Holzer, this gives the Ducks someone it can use further down on the blueline, which is important in the playoffs, especially if you're muscling up to go against the likes of Los Angeles, St. Louis and Chicago in the playoffs.

The 27-year-old Holzer is definitely an upgrade over the older Brewer, who was added by the Ducks in a time when injuries, and the mumps ravaged its blueline. As for Toronto, it seems like Brewer was a thow-in just to get a draft pick. It appears that the Ducks are clearly looking to prepare for the rough n' tumble Western Conference playoffs, which could be brutal this year.

On the Milbury scale we give this ... ONE MILBURY! Both teams got what they wanted.

The Milbury Scale 2014 - 1 Milbury
The Milbury Scale 2014 - 1 Milbury

Also, this is cool:

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