oryAll arrived in Rio as either world recor | Forum

The Edmonton Oilers, showing urgency to compete for a playoff spot, traded for a more experienced scoring forward, sacrificing a prospect, who hasnt yet shown how good he can be. Numbers Game looks at the deal sending David Perron to Edmonton for Magnus Paajarvi and a second-round pick. The Oilers Get: LW David Perron. Perron, 25, is a very talented forward, a dazzling puckhandler with a good physical game; a two-time 20-goal scorer who has missed significant time (96 games in 2010-2011 and 2011-2012) due to a concussion, but he played all 48 games for the Blues last season. While he was healthy in 2013, Perrons production wasnt ideal, as his points per game (0.52) and shots on goal per game (1.75) were his lowest since his rookie season, 2007-2008. Perron played a strong two-way game, spending most of his time on the Blues number one line with David Backes and T.J. Oshie, which meant facing tough assignments on a nightly basis, something that may not be an issue for Perron in Edmonton, where his role will likely have a different focus. Joining the Oilers, Perron looks like he would be a nice fit on the second line with Sam Gagner and Nail Yakupov (Paajarvis most common linemates), a spot that could give him a chance to exceed 50 points for the first time in his career. Perron has three years and $11.25-million remaining on his contract, which comes at a cap hit of $3,812,500 (www.capgeek.com). In his prime years, thats not an expensive cost for a top-six forward that is going to be counted on to score 20-plus goals in each of those three seasons. The Blues Get: LW Magnus Paajarvi and a second-round pick. Paajarvi has grown into a healthy 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, but the 22-year-old isnt a proven commodity to the extent that Perron would be considered proven. Paajarvi scored 15 goals and 34 points in 2010-2011, as a rookie, but has 24 points in 83 games since (with 45 points in 72 AHL games over the last two years) and played a modest 14:08 per game in the NHL last season. However, while Paajarvi isnt proven, he definitely has potential worth exploring and, with his size and speed, could be a top-six forward. Consider that, last season, Paajarvi had 1.79 shots per game and 16 points in 593 minutes of ice time, which works out to 1.62 points per 60 minutes. Perron, the established scorer, with 25 points in 864 minutes, had 1.74 points per 60 minutes; not much of a difference. Its fair, then, to consider that Paajarvi could continue to develop into a role where he at least provides adequate secondary scoring. In St. Louis, Paajarvi could fit either alongside free agent addition Derek Roy or fellow countryman Patrik Berglund, both skilled centres that would provide Paajarvi some opportunity to score. Further incentive to this deal comes from the fact that Paajarvi is a restricted free agent and isnt likely to come near Perrons salary with his next contract. If the Blues save in the neighbourhood of $2-million or more on Perrons cap hit, then thats money that they will have to sign their other high-profile restricted free agents, including top scorer Chris Stewart and number one defenceman Alex Pietrangelo. The second-round pick doesnt provide huge value, but is a sweetener on the deal. From 1994-2008, there were 450 second-round picks, with a little more than 30% either having played at least 100 NHL games or very likely to cross that threshold. Immediately, the Oilers are better because of this deal, but both teams are still banking on potential. Perron is talented, but injuries stalled his career ascent, so he could still become more than what hes shown to this point in his career and the Blues are not only hoping for Paajarvi to turn into a productive player but, ideally, one that doesnt cost quite as much. This is the kind of deal that gets made in a salary cap league, where teams have to prioritize their assets and if finding a reasonable lineup alternative to Perron comes cheaper for the Blues, allowing them to spend elsewhere, then both teams could get what they want out of it. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. RIO DE JANEIRO -- Theres no nice way to put it. Australians are choking.Its happening here, there and everywhere at the Olympic Games.In the pool. At the velodrome. Hockey pitches. Basketball courts. Long jump pits ... to name a few.As Australian favourites flop, theyre leaving a whiff of one of sports rankest odours - the smell of what couldabeen, what shouldabeen.Purely measured in gold, Londons 2012 Games were Australias worst for two decades.Rio de Janeiros edition surely wont be that bad.Australia have seven gold medals in Rio already, compared to eight in London (one of those came almost four years late when Jared Tallent was belatedly awarded his walking gold).Arriving in Rio, the Australian Olympic Committees own benchmarking predicted 13 gold. Thats still possible by the time competition ends on Sunday (Monday AEST).Global sports data company Gracenote forecast 18 Australian golds. Always far-fetched.But what ccouldabeen if some of the gargantuan names on Australias Olympic team hadnt, well, choked?Cate Campbell.dddddddddddd Anna Meares. Mens hockey players. Emily Seebohm. Bronte Campbell. Annette Edmondson.Campbells greatest choke in Olympic historyAll arrived in Rio as either world record holders, world champions, world No.1 or defending Olympic champions.Fabrice Lapierre. Womens basketballers. Arrived ranked second in the world.Womens hockey. Womens water polo. Arrived as world No.3.Then theres swimmer Cameron McEvoy and cyclist Matthew Glaetzer. Both arrived with the fastest times in the world in their respective pet events.For all of the above, its what couldabeen. What shouldabeen. And what wasnt.Not one individual gold medal from the lot of them. And for those teams, no medal of any colour. ' ' '