4.22.2007

You know that car you bought? Ya, It's a lemon

With most of the series already settled it got me thinking about how so many trade deadline buyers are licking their wounds. This season’s deadline seemed to be very expensive for many teams, and I really wanted the Oilers to be sellers. I thought that the Oilers would pay a dear price to try and make the playoffs and if they did make it wouldn’t make it far. They were definite sellers, but not to the extent I had hoped. Last season teams like Edmonton and Carolina loaded up at the deadline with players that played key roles in their post season success. I’m a strong believer that success created the high price for players this season. So what did teams pay for this season?

Well Atlanta made two significant trades to bolster their team for the playoffs.

D Braydon Coburn

For

D Alexei Zhitnik


F Glen Metropolit, 2007 1st & 3rd Round Picks, 2008 2nd Round Pick

For

F Keith Tkachuk

So clearly they gave up a lot only to be swept in 4 games by the Rangers.


The Islanders went shopping at Champions and pulled out this:

D Denis Grebeshov

For

D Marc-Andre Bergeron


F Robert Nilson, F Ryan O’Marra, 2007 1st Round Pick

For

F Ryan Smyth

Again they gave up 3 young players drafted in the first round alone with another draft pick for two players who got them five games against the Sabres.


Nashville was one of the biggest players on Trade Deadline Day gave up some good young players.

F Scottie Upshall, D Ryan Parent, 2007 1st & 3rd Round Picks

For

F Peter Forsberg

Two great young players and two high picks for a 20 regular season games of Frosberg and a five game loss to the Sharks in the playoffs. Forsberg is a UFA who will likely not resign back with Nashville (cap problems an obvious reason).

The Flames though not eliminated are down 3-2 to Detroit and can’t seem to win on the road. Clearly these players can’t either.

F Jamie Lunkmark, 2007 4th Round Pick, 2008 2nd Round Pick

For

F Craig Conroy


F Chuck Kobasew, D Andrew Ference

For

D Brad Stuart, F Wayne Primeau, Conditional Pick

What makes the Stuart trade hurt is that he is a UFA as well as Primeau (I think) and therefore they gave up two long term assets for one year of the other two players.


The Stars are on their heals against Vancouver (but making a valiant comeback) and gave were definite buyers.

F Mathias Tjarnqvist, 2007 1st Round Pick

For

F Ladislav Nagy

They also made a large trade with LA mostly involving a lot of picks and a two for two player trade that was a trade for today, but not a glaring high cost.

The teams moving on are not teams that made big splashes in February, they are teams who came into the season with a good line-up and filled the small holes that showed during the season with minor players who brought different things to their team. Me thinks buying big name UFA’s at the deadline is a tad overrated. Me also thinks the price for these players will be going down next year.

Who’s the first GM to go this summer? I’m going with David Polie in Nashville. Two first round exits in a row is not a good resume builder.

5 comments:

Rory said...

I think getting players at the deadline is a good move, but you have to take into consideration how those players will fit in to your line-up, for example Nashville and Forsberg, Peter was on a team that plays a slower style, mainly cause they suck overall, Nashville has a lot of speed with guys like Kariya, Dumont, Radulov and Sullivan, Forsberg is not used to that style and while he is circling at his pace the entire team is breaking up ice at full speed, does not work well for chemistry. Ryan Smyth worked well with the Islanders but not have DiPietro to start hurt them, and Buffalo is a very strong opponent. As for GM's to be canned I would like to see John Ferguson Junior go from T.O., likely won't happen, or Francois Giguere from Colorado, for signing the most expensive backup goalie in history, and I want Ray Shero to get canned just for the fact that he signed Aaron Boogaard to an entry level contract, this is the brother of retard Derek Boogaard and he had over 500 penalty minutes in his junior career, yeah he's a real talent.

Jon G said...

I have to say Rory that actually the guy in Montreal signed Theodore to the ridiculous contract. But, in your defense Giguere did trade for him. As well, I expect that the first GM to go this spring/summer will be Don Waddell of the Thrashers, he really attempted some do or die moves and he will die with them.

Rory said...

I know the Montreal guy signed him, but Giguere should have known better, good call on Atlanta, but Tkachuk was a good pick up, he played well, that fat ass.

Jon G said...

I would also like to point out that San Jose picked up Craig Rivet and Bill Guerin at the deadline and they seem to be doing quite well. Not to mention Vancouver picked up a couple of guys.

Backhand said...

SJ did pick up Guerin and Rivet, and admittedly Guerin is a bigish name to trade, but most of the teams that did make moves picked up secondary players to fill a void. And Rivet came out of no where (at least to me).

I was also thinking to myself how many of these teams made these trades JUST to make the playoffs? There may be a few (Atlanta?) so then maybe they actually got what they paid for. And some teams traded for guys with contracts next year or who they feel comfortable in being able to resign and that can take the sting out of it, but do they really want them again?

I agree on some players not fitting in with their team. Nashville wanted a difference maker, and Forsberg is that, but he doesnt nessicarily do that for teams built on speed (like Rory said).