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The Oilers announced this morning that they've made a trade with the Maple Leafs acquiring forward Mike Brown in exchange for a fourth round pick in next summers draft. The announcement courtesy of the Oilers Twitter feed:
TRADE: #Oilers have acquired forward Mike Brown from the @mapleleafs in exchange for a 4th round selection in the 2014 #NHLDraft
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) March 4, 2013
Edmonton will be Brown's fourth NHL stop. He previously played with Vancouver, Anaheim, and of course Toronto. He has played in a total of 254 games scoring 14 goals and adding 11 assists. If you're thinking that 25 points in 254 games means there is more to Brown's game than offence you would be right. With 519 penalty minutes Brown brings the toughness to the Oilers fourth line that management and the team's media seem to believe is necessary despite all evidence to the contrary.
According to hockeyfights.com Brown has 64 career fights including five already this season. 64 fights and 25 points. As far as I'm concerned if a hockey player has more than twice as many fights as points they're probably not much of a hockey player and Brown seems to fit that mould. Brown has over the course of his career has averaged 8:00 to 10:00 minutes a night so there is at least the hope that he can be less useless than say Darcy Hordichuk but his possession numbers aren't what anyone would call good so less useless is probably the best that can be hoped for.
The Oilers have a full roster right now so unless they're planning to move either Mark Fistric of Corey Potter to the injured reserve someone will have to be assigned to Oklahoma City to make room for Brown. Mark Spector has a hunch about who that player might be. I don't have the words to explain how much I would hate his being right about this.
in 8 more NHL games, Paajarvi will require waivers to go to OKC. Don't be surprised if he goes down w/Brown in. He's not a Top 6 NHL fwd.
— Mark Spector Sports (@SportsnetSpec) March 4, 2013