Monday, February 25, 2008
Mats Sundin Won't Waive No-Trade Clause
by Jes
All too often, people whine about the 'good old days' and how a player tended to play for one franchise his one career. Of course, it was much easier to play for just one team when there were only SIX teams in the league. In today's 30-team monstrosity, there is a lot more choice out there for both GMs and players.
Basically, people whine that players aren't loyal any longer, all the while forgetting that GM's don't exactly show 'loyalty' to the players they put on waivers, etc.
Now, as we approach deadline day, the one player that has been in the spotlight the most is Mats Sundin. Sure, Sundin is with his second NHL franchise, but it feels like he's been a career Maple Leaf.
Mats said 'no' to waiving his no-trade clause, and now he'll remain with the Leafs until the end of the season. Obviously, Mats enjoys playing in Toronto and doesn't want to move his family and/or away from his family and friends for an extended period of time.
Per Ice Junkies:
On the flip side, Greg Wyshynski over at FanHouse disagrees entirely with what Sundin is doing.
Well, I'm obviously not siding with Greg on this issue.
1. Why shouldn't Sundin place his own personal comfort ahead of everything else? He signed a contract with a no-trade clause specifically because he *gasp* didn't want to get traded. If the Leafs wanted to trade him, perhaps they shouldn't have agreed to the clause. D'uh!
2. It's not Mats Sundin's responsibility to do anything other than perform well on the ice. Anything that has to do with how much talent surrounds Sundin is the sole responsibility of Leafs' management. The fact that the Leafs are in their current pickle is the fault of JFJ and his ilk.
3. Why the double standard? Do we now praise players because they choose to be rental mercenaries, or do we praise them because they show some actual loyalty?
So, Mats made a personal decision and didn't want to upset his family and be a pawn in the NHL's Meat Market. Good for him. Mats has fulfilled his obligations to the Leafs, and is not obligated to play the role of trade bait. Why do we insist on treating players like commodities? It would be akin to me chastising Greg for not quitting FanHouse so that we can go out and hire Al Strachan.
All too often, people whine about the 'good old days' and how a player tended to play for one franchise his one career. Of course, it was much easier to play for just one team when there were only SIX teams in the league. In today's 30-team monstrosity, there is a lot more choice out there for both GMs and players.
Basically, people whine that players aren't loyal any longer, all the while forgetting that GM's don't exactly show 'loyalty' to the players they put on waivers, etc.
Now, as we approach deadline day, the one player that has been in the spotlight the most is Mats Sundin. Sure, Sundin is with his second NHL franchise, but it feels like he's been a career Maple Leaf.
Mats said 'no' to waiving his no-trade clause, and now he'll remain with the Leafs until the end of the season. Obviously, Mats enjoys playing in Toronto and doesn't want to move his family and/or away from his family and friends for an extended period of time.
Per Ice Junkies:
Many players have come before him and have left their home team in order to chase the dream temporarily with a cup favorite but Mats decided it was not the way he wanted to win. To me, this speaks volumes about his class and leadership and illustrates exactly why so many teams were lined up for a shot at his services. Sundin deserves a cup, but with Toronto clearly embarking on an intensive, and much needed, re-build he may never get it. Many will accuse Mats of hurting that rebuilding effort and claim that he should have allowed Fletcher to get some value for him and then just re-signed with Toronto in the off-season. Regardless of one's perspective on that, Mats decision is actually a refreshing one as he will be a leaf until the end and that's something to be celebrated.
On the flip side, Greg Wyshynski over at FanHouse disagrees entirely with what Sundin is doing.
Sundin has placed his own personal comfort ahead of self-sacrifice for the franchise he so dearly adores. The asking price was only going to rise as Tuesday's deadline grew near; there's no telling what improvements to next year's Leafs their captain just pissed away because of his nihilism toward the "concept of a rental player." Ice Junkies believes this decision is the epitome of class; I couldn't disagree more.
Well, I'm obviously not siding with Greg on this issue.
1. Why shouldn't Sundin place his own personal comfort ahead of everything else? He signed a contract with a no-trade clause specifically because he *gasp* didn't want to get traded. If the Leafs wanted to trade him, perhaps they shouldn't have agreed to the clause. D'uh!
2. It's not Mats Sundin's responsibility to do anything other than perform well on the ice. Anything that has to do with how much talent surrounds Sundin is the sole responsibility of Leafs' management. The fact that the Leafs are in their current pickle is the fault of JFJ and his ilk.
3. Why the double standard? Do we now praise players because they choose to be rental mercenaries, or do we praise them because they show some actual loyalty?
So, Mats made a personal decision and didn't want to upset his family and be a pawn in the NHL's Meat Market. Good for him. Mats has fulfilled his obligations to the Leafs, and is not obligated to play the role of trade bait. Why do we insist on treating players like commodities? It would be akin to me chastising Greg for not quitting FanHouse so that we can go out and hire Al Strachan.
Labels: Deadline Day, Leafs Suck, Maple Leafs, Mats Sundin
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Wednesday Wonderings
by Jes
Not long after the scary Richard Zednik incident, came another very close call in last night's Oilers/Wild tilt.
Look at the picture above, and you can see Gaborik's skate hit Ethan Moreau in the face, right around the eye. *shudder*
Fortunately for Moreau, he simply got a little gash, and was right back on the ice after a little medical treatment.
Still, it's another fine example of an injury that could have been prevented with a properly-worn visor. Given all that Moreau has been through with injuries, why does he still insist on playing without a shield?
---
TSN, aka Toronto Sports Network, has way too many experts on Deadline Day, and too many of them are empty heads. Mike Milbury has shown himself to be a know-nothing blowhard, and Glenn Healy's ego is so big that he makes Bob MacKenzie look like an Olsen Twin.
So, showing their Toronto bias, TSN goes ahead and gets ... John Ferguson Jr as yet another 'expert'
Let's see, do I really want to hear what that guy has to say when analyzing a trade? Given how the guy made plenty of poor trades and free agents signings during his reign of error, he's one of the last guys that I want to hear from as an 'expert' on any trade evaluation.
---
Over at The NHL FanHouse, I take a look at whether making a big deadline deal is worth the cost.
In short, Stanley Cup winners are not built on deadline day, and the sellers almost always win out. If Cliff Fletcher is smart, he'll absolutely rob some desperate team out of a bag of draft picks for 2-3 months of Mats Sundin.
Not long after the scary Richard Zednik incident, came another very close call in last night's Oilers/Wild tilt.
Look at the picture above, and you can see Gaborik's skate hit Ethan Moreau in the face, right around the eye. *shudder*
Fortunately for Moreau, he simply got a little gash, and was right back on the ice after a little medical treatment.
Still, it's another fine example of an injury that could have been prevented with a properly-worn visor. Given all that Moreau has been through with injuries, why does he still insist on playing without a shield?
---
TSN, aka Toronto Sports Network, has way too many experts on Deadline Day, and too many of them are empty heads. Mike Milbury has shown himself to be a know-nothing blowhard, and Glenn Healy's ego is so big that he makes Bob MacKenzie look like an Olsen Twin.
So, showing their Toronto bias, TSN goes ahead and gets ... John Ferguson Jr as yet another 'expert'
Let's see, do I really want to hear what that guy has to say when analyzing a trade? Given how the guy made plenty of poor trades and free agents signings during his reign of error, he's one of the last guys that I want to hear from as an 'expert' on any trade evaluation.
"I made many trades over 10 deadlines in management with St. Louis and Toronto," Ferguson says. "I look forward to plying a new trade with TSN this deadline."Apart from offering an inside-the-head look at what a GM feels like after getting reamed in the ass, what is JFJ really going to offer that is of substance? Bring back Maggie the Monkey-like animal.
---
Over at The NHL FanHouse, I take a look at whether making a big deadline deal is worth the cost.
In short, Stanley Cup winners are not built on deadline day, and the sellers almost always win out. If Cliff Fletcher is smart, he'll absolutely rob some desperate team out of a bag of draft picks for 2-3 months of Mats Sundin.
Labels: Deadline Day, Ethan Moreau, JFJ, visors
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Deadline Day: More Musings
by Jes
A few more Deadline Day musings...
To St. Louis: Brad Boyes
To Boston: Dennis Wideman
So, the Blues gave up on a young, offensively talented blue-liner quite quickly. Still, I like Boyes and he's the safer bet to perform well in the future. Wideman's future is 'wide open', as he could become the next Peter Ratchuk or a Jason Woolley-lite.
To NYI: Ryan Smyth
To Edmonton: Robert Nilsson, Ryan O'Marra, 1st round pick
Few things surprise me in the hockey world, but Ryan Smyth being traded today is one of them. I never figured "Captain Canada" would be dealt, but I guess the Oilers see the writing on the wall and the price they extracted from the Islanders was too good to pass up. Does this burn the bridge between Smyth and the Oilers?
To Anaheim: Brad May
To Colorado: Michael Wall
What is with Brian Burke's obsession with Brad May? The guy can't score, defend, or even fight well any longer. If this was 10 years ago, it might make sense, but May hasn't been a useful contributor in many years. Sure, the price paid was small, but methinks Burke has an unhealthy like for the guy.
To Boston: Aaron Ward
To NYR: Paul Mara
Wow, Aaron Ward didn't last long. What a steal for the Ruins, though, as they dump a soft lump of lard in Mara and get something useful.
Why did the Rangers want Mara, anyway? Do they miss the softness they used to have in Tom Poti and Sandis Ozolinsh??
Mara has a career -104 in 483 games, which really does help tell the story about his 'defensive' skill.
To Detroit: Kyle Calder
To Chicago: Jason Williams
To Philly: Lasse Kukkonen, 3rd round pick
Wow, that Handzus trade really turned out great for the Flyers *chuckle*. Now, am I missing something here?
Sure, Williams' production has slowed down to just 26 points this year, but why Kyle Calder? D00d's been a complete bust with Philly (21 points and a -31) and has been a lumbering oaf of complacency all season long. A bit of a headscratcher.
A few more Deadline Day musings...
To St. Louis: Brad Boyes
To Boston: Dennis Wideman
So, the Blues gave up on a young, offensively talented blue-liner quite quickly. Still, I like Boyes and he's the safer bet to perform well in the future. Wideman's future is 'wide open', as he could become the next Peter Ratchuk or a Jason Woolley-lite.
To NYI: Ryan Smyth
To Edmonton: Robert Nilsson, Ryan O'Marra, 1st round pick
Few things surprise me in the hockey world, but Ryan Smyth being traded today is one of them. I never figured "Captain Canada" would be dealt, but I guess the Oilers see the writing on the wall and the price they extracted from the Islanders was too good to pass up. Does this burn the bridge between Smyth and the Oilers?
To Anaheim: Brad May
To Colorado: Michael Wall
What is with Brian Burke's obsession with Brad May? The guy can't score, defend, or even fight well any longer. If this was 10 years ago, it might make sense, but May hasn't been a useful contributor in many years. Sure, the price paid was small, but methinks Burke has an unhealthy like for the guy.
To Boston: Aaron Ward
To NYR: Paul Mara
Wow, Aaron Ward didn't last long. What a steal for the Ruins, though, as they dump a soft lump of lard in Mara and get something useful.
Why did the Rangers want Mara, anyway? Do they miss the softness they used to have in Tom Poti and Sandis Ozolinsh??
Mara has a career -104 in 483 games, which really does help tell the story about his 'defensive' skill.
To Detroit: Kyle Calder
To Chicago: Jason Williams
To Philly: Lasse Kukkonen, 3rd round pick
Wow, that Handzus trade really turned out great for the Flyers *chuckle*. Now, am I missing something here?
Sure, Williams' production has slowed down to just 26 points this year, but why Kyle Calder? D00d's been a complete bust with Philly (21 points and a -31) and has been a lumbering oaf of complacency all season long. A bit of a headscratcher.
Labels: Aaron Ward, Brad Boyes, Brad May, Brian Burke, Deadline Day, Dennis Wideman, Jason Williams, Kyle Calder, musings, Ryan Smyth, trades
Todd Bertuzzi to the Wings. Get Your Hate On!
by Jes
I'm not going to bother commenting on every single deal, as there are other sites to view that sort of thing and I don't take the day off of work to watch the Deadline Day madness.
Still, how can I pass on the opportunity to comment on the fact that Todd Bertuzzi, aka Grumpy Bear, is now heading to Detroit to play for the Red Wings.
I didn't think it was possible to hate that team any more than I do, but here we are, and the lazy prick with attitude problems has left Florida after playing only 7 uninspired games with the Panthers.
Oh, how delicious this is...
TSN is reporting
Unless the Canucks have to face the Wings, in which Bertuzzi might actually give a damn, I wouldn't be all that scared of this club. The Wings haven't been getting great goaltending from Hasek (yet) and Bertuzzi, even if he does come back, is hardly worth ph33ring any longer.
We'll wait and see what the Panthers get back. Maybe they can actually recover a little something from the Luongo debacle.
(edit 1:26pm)
So, prospect Shawn Matthias (who?) and some conditional picks is what the Panthers get. We'll have to wait and see what the final price is, but I wish Jiri Hudler was included. Poor guy will never get a fair shake in Detroit.
I'm not going to bother commenting on every single deal, as there are other sites to view that sort of thing and I don't take the day off of work to watch the Deadline Day madness.
Still, how can I pass on the opportunity to comment on the fact that Todd Bertuzzi, aka Grumpy Bear, is now heading to Detroit to play for the Red Wings.
I didn't think it was possible to hate that team any more than I do, but here we are, and the lazy prick with attitude problems has left Florida after playing only 7 uninspired games with the Panthers.
Oh, how delicious this is...
TSN is reporting
Todd Bertuzzi's stay in the Sunshine State could be short-lived, as the Florida Panthers have agreed on a package to trade the veteran power forward to the Detroit Red Wings.How will the Wings react to having this guy on the roster? Remember how Bertuzzi pasted Chris Chelios to the boards a few years back during the Cloutier-choke playoff series?
In return, Detroit gets a conditional draft pick and a prospect.
Bertuzzi, 31, is in the final season of a four-year, $27.8 million contract and will become an unrestricted free agent in July.
Unless the Canucks have to face the Wings, in which Bertuzzi might actually give a damn, I wouldn't be all that scared of this club. The Wings haven't been getting great goaltending from Hasek (yet) and Bertuzzi, even if he does come back, is hardly worth ph33ring any longer.
We'll wait and see what the Panthers get back. Maybe they can actually recover a little something from the Luongo debacle.
(edit 1:26pm)
So, prospect Shawn Matthias (who?) and some conditional picks is what the Panthers get. We'll have to wait and see what the final price is, but I wish Jiri Hudler was included. Poor guy will never get a fair shake in Detroit.
Labels: Bertuzzi, Deadline Day, Panthers, Red Wings, trades
Guerin Goes to the Sharks
by Jes
So, the Blues finally found a taker for Bill Guerin in the San Jose Sharks and have added another 1st round pick (albeit a low one in a weak draft) to their stockpile.
Guerin has been decent for the Blues this year with 28 goals (team leading), 19 assists, and a +6 in 61 games. He obviously showed a much better performance with the Blues than he did with the Stars, and the Blues end up getting some nice assets for essentially a free agent rental.
Looks like another good deal for the Blues.
(Edited 10:24am)
So, the throw-ins were forward Ville Nieminen and forward prospect Jay Barriball.
Nieminen is a guy I can live without, as he's not all that great defensively and often very undisciplined (only 14PIM this year, strangely enough, but -7 in 30 games with just 2 points).
Barriball is a 7th round pick of the Sharks and is a tiny little package at like 4'2" and 85 pounds. I wouldn't expect much from him.
Still, a 1st round pick for a rental is a good haul and the Blues continue a pretty steady rebuild. If anything, the Blues are doing a good job of drafting and acquiring prospect assets to build with.
So, the Blues finally found a taker for Bill Guerin in the San Jose Sharks and have added another 1st round pick (albeit a low one in a weak draft) to their stockpile.
Guerin has been decent for the Blues this year with 28 goals (team leading), 19 assists, and a +6 in 61 games. He obviously showed a much better performance with the Blues than he did with the Stars, and the Blues end up getting some nice assets for essentially a free agent rental.
Looks like another good deal for the Blues.
(Edited 10:24am)
So, the throw-ins were forward Ville Nieminen and forward prospect Jay Barriball.
Nieminen is a guy I can live without, as he's not all that great defensively and often very undisciplined (only 14PIM this year, strangely enough, but -7 in 30 games with just 2 points).
Barriball is a 7th round pick of the Sharks and is a tiny little package at like 4'2" and 85 pounds. I wouldn't expect much from him.
Still, a 1st round pick for a rental is a good haul and the Blues continue a pretty steady rebuild. If anything, the Blues are doing a good job of drafting and acquiring prospect assets to build with.
Labels: blues, Deadline Day, Guerin, Nieminen, Sharks, trades
