Fantasy Impact: The Montreal Canadiens have traded winger Sergei Kostitsyn to the Nashville Predators for Dan Ellis and Dustin Boyd. Future considerations are also involved in the deal – basically, if a team signs a player, they give up a late round draft pick. All three players need a contract by July 1.

The Predators get: A very skilled, but moody winger. An Alexander Radulov-light. In a defensive system like this one, his numbers would be capped at 65 points. But he will have every opportunity to stick in the top six. An opportunity he wouldn’t have in Montreal. I would optimistically pencil him in for 47 to 51 points.

The Habs get: One of the best 1A/B goalies in the league and a solid third liner with upside. Ellis is not a legitimate No.1 guy, but he has shown that he can be very solid when playing 25 to 50 games. Boyd is excellent defensively and has shown offensive talent at other levels. Talent that he was never able to show in Calgary and later Nashville. He could be a thirty-point player on a checking line who can sub onto a scoring line in a pinch.

Fantasy Players Impacted: Carey Price owners should be pleased with the move. If the Habs sign Ellis, and indications are that they will, then they won’t be going after an Evgeni Nabokov or any other proven starter. Price will be the No.1 and he will have a strong No.2 pushing him. This will go 52-30 split and Price will have first dibs at being the guy who starts 52.

Kostitsyn injects offense into the Nashville lineup and can play either wing. His arrival will push Joel Ward to the third line once and for all and could hurt the PP time of JP Dumont, who seemed to fall out of favor with the team down the stretch. For Mike Santorelli, he will need to steal this job from SK if he wants on the roster. Clearing out SK opens up more room for youngsters like Benoit Pouliot and Max Pacioretty.

Fantasy Players this helps, in order (assuming all three sign):

1. Price

2. S. Kostitsyn

3. Pouliot

4. Pacioretty

Fantasy Players this hurts, in order:

1. Mike Santorelli

2. Ward

3. Ellis

4. Dumont