Yesterday, a coworker asked me why I was slapping myself in the face. It was an attempt to wake up from the hilarious dream I was having in which Bob Gainey, GM of the Montreal Canadiens, traded Christopher Higgins for Scott Gomez of the New York Rangers. Usually it's up for debate who "wins" any given trade. However, you can send the debate team home for this one. Gainey got fleeced.
Then I heard the rest of the trade...
Gainey obtained Scott Gomez along with Tom Pyatt and Mike Busto (both throw ins) from the New York Rangers for Christopher Higgins, Ryan McDonagh, Pavel Valentenko, and Doug Janik. Ouch. Gainey might want to check his back pocket too, because he just got robbed. This flirts with dangerously-bad, Mike Milbury-esque trades.
Why, you ask, is this trade so slanted in favor of the Rangers? I love lists, so here we go:
Oops #1) Gainey didn't get what he was looking for. This trade was supposed to distract all of the dejected Montreal fans who were forlorn over Gainey's inability to trade for Vincent Lecavalier. Instead, Gainey got a player with half the size and half the skill. Gomez is a slick little speedster, but he is by no means big, nor strong, nor as productive offensively as Lecavalier.
Oops #2) The big name going the other way. Higgins hasn't put up the same kind of numbers as Gomez, but his value is higher as a goal scorer and a physical player. Not to mention a younger and likely more appropriately paid one (I'll get to that later). Higgins won't have to do much to exceed the expectations set for Gomez.
Oops #3) The other names. To Montreal, Pyatt and Busto are decent prospects at best. They're both in the minors right now (Busto is in the ECHL which if you didn't know, is second tier minors). Safe bet is neither gets more than a handful of games in the NHL other than as a role player. Going to New York, we have McDonagh, a first round draft pick and Montreal's 1A prospect. What?! Why?! Why trade him too?! McDonagh wasn't just icing on top of the cake that is Christopher Higgins, he's another cake! Not to mention Valentenko, a big defender whose Russian team says is ready for the NHL, or Doug Janik who actually has 161 NHL games under his belt already. This won't just hurt the Habs next season, it will hurt for years to come as McDonagh smashes tiny Habs-forwards into the glass.
Oops #4) The money. Montreal got rid of an RFA who they could have resigned for significantly less than the nearly $7.4 million per season they'll be paying for Gomez over the next 5 years. I'll let you reach for those smelling salts... That's right, Scott Gomez who has had 1 season with more than 20 goals makes nearly $2.3 million more than Marian Hossa! Take a big whiff of those salts people. While the rest of the league is worried about being pushed to the cap ceiling as it lowers onto them like an Indiana Jones booby trap, Gainey goes out and gets the most ridiculously overpaid player he can.
Oops #5) Montreal fans hate this trade. I won't say all of them do, but most of them do and definitely the smart ones. Message boards around the interweb have Habs fans already calling for Gainey's head on a pike.
So to recap, here's Gainey's report card on this trade:
Gomez not a #1 Center = Fail
Higgins has more value = Fail
Value of prospects traded = Fail
Taking on a ridiculously expensive contract = Fail
Pissed off your fan base = Fail
What could have compelled Bob Gainey to make a trade so bad that it nearly made Pierre McGuire physically wretch during a broadcast? I have no idea, but maybe if I keep slapping I'll wake up...
Showing posts with label trade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trade. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Why the 2009 Draft is HUGE For Every Team
Draft day comes but once a year and for hockey fans it's like a second Christmas. The anticipation of what you will get is palpable. Wondering what waits for you underneath the tree is enough to drive you nuts. Will it be that sweet new Ninja Turtle, or a pair of dress socks? What if I get Michelangelo and I already have him? That's okay. Trade him to your cousin for Leonardo.
Now don't get me wrong, every year the draft is a big deal, but the circumstances surrounding this year have boiled this draft into a frenzy for nearly every club.
So, what makes this year so big for so many teams? I'll tell you:
1) Money. With an expected drop in the salary cap ceiling, many teams need to adjust their rosters. Some teams are pushed up against the ceiling and need to find ways to move pieces and still retain their strength. The Flyers are a great example of this. They are stacked with talent and only need some minor tweaks to improve, but the salary cap is forcing them to be creative. They recently signed Ray Emery to take the reins in goal because he is talented, yet his attitude is questionable, thereby making his price tag much smaller.
Then you've got teams like Tampa Bay. They are a lower-budget team looking for a change, but are saddled with a big expensive contract like Vincent Lecavalier's. Ideally they would move him before his no trade clause kicks in, but finding a suitor means finding a team with a lot of room under the cap and that can provide a valuable return.
2) Marquee players hitting the market. This is a pretty big off-season for UFAs with Gaborik, Hossa, Bouwmeester, Havlat, Sundin, and plenty of other game-breaking players entering free-agency. Every year there is one coveted player hitting the market that teams are after, but this year there is enough to go around. Not to mention Dany Heatley who is not a UFA, but will no doubt be leaving Ottawa after his request to be traded.
3) Teams looking for a big change. A lot of teams find themselves at turning points. The Islanders are a team that has hit bottom and officially needs to rebuild. Toronto has been rumored to be pushing for a higher pick in the draft and they factor to mix things up. Los Angeles is a team that has patiently rebuilt from the draft and is ready to get those final pieces that can push them into playoff contention. Teams like the Kings can really shake things up because they have talent to spare, are actively looking for players to trade for/sign, and have cap space to take on big contracts, like a Lecavalier. These teams can really get the cogs moving on trades.
4) Teams looking for that little boost. Even the most succesful teams from the previous season need to tweak. The cup winners will have players set to become UFA's and they'll certainly want to keep those pieces or replace them. Teams that came oh-so-close like the Hurricanes and Blackhawks will want to make those little moves that will keep them competitive and maybe push them a step closer to winning it all. Detroit came up one win short and will need to give themselves the edge in some way to turn the tables next year.
and finally the X-Factor...
5) Tavares and Hedman. The reason why this draft is so special is because the top two players in the draft are a toss up. Elite level toss ups. Not, good-but-not-great toss ups. Great toss ups. Hedman has received comparisons to Chris Pronger, standing 6'6", skating well, and being talented offensively from the blue-line. Tavares, bereft of comparisons, has been talked about for years, tried to enter the draft early, and has broken Wayne Gretzky's long standing junior records.
They are such a big factor because they figure to be the key dominoes in the chain. If the Islanders take Tavares, Hedman goes to Tampa and maybe Lecavalier stays, but if the Isles take Hedman, Tampa could do a number of things from taking Tavares and trading Vinny, trading the pick and sending Tavares to a number of salivating suitors, or a plethora of other options. And don't forget about Matt Duchene who is slated to go #3 in the draft and has been compared to Joe Sakic. Phew.
All of these factors come together to make a HUGE off season for the NHL. We could be looking at some seriously different clubs come next season.
So come Saturday there will be a lot of hockey fans running down the stairs to see what's under their tree. Will your team land a Ninja Turtle, or get stuck with some dress socks?
Now don't get me wrong, every year the draft is a big deal, but the circumstances surrounding this year have boiled this draft into a frenzy for nearly every club.
So, what makes this year so big for so many teams? I'll tell you:
1) Money. With an expected drop in the salary cap ceiling, many teams need to adjust their rosters. Some teams are pushed up against the ceiling and need to find ways to move pieces and still retain their strength. The Flyers are a great example of this. They are stacked with talent and only need some minor tweaks to improve, but the salary cap is forcing them to be creative. They recently signed Ray Emery to take the reins in goal because he is talented, yet his attitude is questionable, thereby making his price tag much smaller.
Then you've got teams like Tampa Bay. They are a lower-budget team looking for a change, but are saddled with a big expensive contract like Vincent Lecavalier's. Ideally they would move him before his no trade clause kicks in, but finding a suitor means finding a team with a lot of room under the cap and that can provide a valuable return.
2) Marquee players hitting the market. This is a pretty big off-season for UFAs with Gaborik, Hossa, Bouwmeester, Havlat, Sundin, and plenty of other game-breaking players entering free-agency. Every year there is one coveted player hitting the market that teams are after, but this year there is enough to go around. Not to mention Dany Heatley who is not a UFA, but will no doubt be leaving Ottawa after his request to be traded.
3) Teams looking for a big change. A lot of teams find themselves at turning points. The Islanders are a team that has hit bottom and officially needs to rebuild. Toronto has been rumored to be pushing for a higher pick in the draft and they factor to mix things up. Los Angeles is a team that has patiently rebuilt from the draft and is ready to get those final pieces that can push them into playoff contention. Teams like the Kings can really shake things up because they have talent to spare, are actively looking for players to trade for/sign, and have cap space to take on big contracts, like a Lecavalier. These teams can really get the cogs moving on trades.
4) Teams looking for that little boost. Even the most succesful teams from the previous season need to tweak. The cup winners will have players set to become UFA's and they'll certainly want to keep those pieces or replace them. Teams that came oh-so-close like the Hurricanes and Blackhawks will want to make those little moves that will keep them competitive and maybe push them a step closer to winning it all. Detroit came up one win short and will need to give themselves the edge in some way to turn the tables next year.
and finally the X-Factor...
5) Tavares and Hedman. The reason why this draft is so special is because the top two players in the draft are a toss up. Elite level toss ups. Not, good-but-not-great toss ups. Great toss ups. Hedman has received comparisons to Chris Pronger, standing 6'6", skating well, and being talented offensively from the blue-line. Tavares, bereft of comparisons, has been talked about for years, tried to enter the draft early, and has broken Wayne Gretzky's long standing junior records.
They are such a big factor because they figure to be the key dominoes in the chain. If the Islanders take Tavares, Hedman goes to Tampa and maybe Lecavalier stays, but if the Isles take Hedman, Tampa could do a number of things from taking Tavares and trading Vinny, trading the pick and sending Tavares to a number of salivating suitors, or a plethora of other options. And don't forget about Matt Duchene who is slated to go #3 in the draft and has been compared to Joe Sakic. Phew.
All of these factors come together to make a HUGE off season for the NHL. We could be looking at some seriously different clubs come next season.
So come Saturday there will be a lot of hockey fans running down the stairs to see what's under their tree. Will your team land a Ninja Turtle, or get stuck with some dress socks?
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Don't Finish That Sentence...
Brian Burke was right. I don't like to say those words but I can't argue with his position.
Regarding the recent Dany Heatley trade request debacle in Ottawa, Burke went on the record saying that he and Toronto weren't in the market for the high scoring winger. His reasons ranged from the tactful "...I have certain guidelines on how players ask for trades," to the blunt "I'm not kissing anyone's ass to play in my town, so to hell with you..."
Tell us how you really feel, Brian.
I can't blame the guy though. Once a guy requests a trade it shows he has given up. He's given up on you as a GM, your coach, and every other guy in that locker room. Now am I saying everything can be worked out without a trade? That requesting a trade should never happen? No, not at all, but the fact that Ottawa GM Brian Murray was surprised by this request tells me a lot. It tells me Heatley didn't come to Brian and say "Hey, I'm not getting along with the coach so well. What can we do?" or "I'm not playing as many minutes as I'd like to, what can we do about that?" Heck, in hockey video games a player will tell you he wants more minutes. Dany didn't want to fix the problem, he wants to run away from it.
By requesting the trade Dany actually made it harder for Murray to move him. First, he has shown all 29 other teams that he could do this to them. If a team is looking for a team player, a character guy, someone who is out there to win it for his team as well as himself, they might think twice on Heatley.
Second, Dany has made it difficult for Ottawa to get a truly fair trade for him. He is a high value player, no doubt. He is an elite offensive talent, but now that everyone knows Heatley wants out, teams can hold back a little bit. Murray might not get all that he could in return, which is a real shame considering the team just shelled out a high dollar contract on the guy.
What this all boils down to is an attitude problem. Something you'll hear time and again from a team right after they win Lord Stanley's Cup is "I'm just glad I could do it for all the guys in this room" or "I really wanted to do this for my team." That's how you win cups. In Carolina there is a sign above the door leading out to the beaches from the locker room that reads something like "It's not about me, it's about the guy behind me." That doesn't seem to apply to Dany Heatley and no matter how much it pains me to say it, I'm with you on this one, Burkey. I wouldn't be in the market for Heatley either.
Although, he would be a boon to my roller hockey team...
Regarding the recent Dany Heatley trade request debacle in Ottawa, Burke went on the record saying that he and Toronto weren't in the market for the high scoring winger. His reasons ranged from the tactful "...I have certain guidelines on how players ask for trades," to the blunt "I'm not kissing anyone's ass to play in my town, so to hell with you..."
Tell us how you really feel, Brian.
I can't blame the guy though. Once a guy requests a trade it shows he has given up. He's given up on you as a GM, your coach, and every other guy in that locker room. Now am I saying everything can be worked out without a trade? That requesting a trade should never happen? No, not at all, but the fact that Ottawa GM Brian Murray was surprised by this request tells me a lot. It tells me Heatley didn't come to Brian and say "Hey, I'm not getting along with the coach so well. What can we do?" or "I'm not playing as many minutes as I'd like to, what can we do about that?" Heck, in hockey video games a player will tell you he wants more minutes. Dany didn't want to fix the problem, he wants to run away from it.
By requesting the trade Dany actually made it harder for Murray to move him. First, he has shown all 29 other teams that he could do this to them. If a team is looking for a team player, a character guy, someone who is out there to win it for his team as well as himself, they might think twice on Heatley.
Second, Dany has made it difficult for Ottawa to get a truly fair trade for him. He is a high value player, no doubt. He is an elite offensive talent, but now that everyone knows Heatley wants out, teams can hold back a little bit. Murray might not get all that he could in return, which is a real shame considering the team just shelled out a high dollar contract on the guy.
What this all boils down to is an attitude problem. Something you'll hear time and again from a team right after they win Lord Stanley's Cup is "I'm just glad I could do it for all the guys in this room" or "I really wanted to do this for my team." That's how you win cups. In Carolina there is a sign above the door leading out to the beaches from the locker room that reads something like "It's not about me, it's about the guy behind me." That doesn't seem to apply to Dany Heatley and no matter how much it pains me to say it, I'm with you on this one, Burkey. I wouldn't be in the market for Heatley either.
Although, he would be a boon to my roller hockey team...
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