After shipping out Jaromir Jagr, Peter Bondra and Robert Lang, the Washington Capitals have dumped some more salary - this time off their own blueline - sending defenceman Sergei Gonchar to the Boston Bruins in exchange for defenceman Shaone Morrisonn and a first and second round draft pick in the 2004 Entry Draft. [TSN]
As a hockey fan in general and a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs in particular, General Stuff gets nervous at this time of year, just days before the trading deadline (March 9) for the NHL.
Today's deal between Washington and Boston must be considered a surprise, because none of the hockey analysts were mentioning Boston as a potential home for expensive and therefore expendable defenceman Sergei Gonchar. Maybe that just goes to show how little this talking heads know about what's going on behind the scenes. For weeks, Gonchar has been destined for Toronto or Colorado, according to the experts. Boston was never mentioned. Even yesterday, sports writers were convinced Gonchar was going to Colorado along with goalie Olaf Kolzig.
So much for the experts. However, TSN hockey analyst Glenn Healy did suggest Gonchar, an offensive defenceman, was not a good fit for Toronto, who already boast one of the most offensive group of rearguards in the game. TSN analyst Bob McKenzie thought Gonchar was too expensive for what the Leafs were willing to give away. But a Washington Post article yesterday had Gonchar and Kolzig going to Colorado.
I think the Leafs did the right thing, not pursuing Gonchar. What the Leafs need, if anything, is a defensive defenceman; second on their list would be a backup goalie for Belfour, whose back has troubled him much of his career, and recently made him miss 3 weeks on the injured reserve.
Now is the time to hold one's breath, as a Leaf fan, and wait for the inevitable blockbuster deal involving Pierre Lacroix's Avalanche. Somehow, every year, the Colorado GM manages to make a blockbuster trade at the deadline, a trade that always seems to net much more than Colorado gives away. However, several such deals have already taken place, and one wonders what the hell Leaf management was doing when these bargains were being shopped:
| February 27, 2004 |
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Team |
Acquisition |
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DET |
ROBERT LANG
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WAS |
TOMAS FLEISCHMANN
1st Round Pick (2004)
4th Round Pick (2006) |
| Bob McKenzie's Analysis |
Somehow, Detroit snagged the leading scorer IN THE ENTIRE NHL without giving up a roster player. Why wouldn't any team do the same deal? And yet, it's always a team such as Detroit, Colorado, Dallas, Philadelphia, or, this year, Ottawa, who manages to make such a trade. Somebody explain what's going on behind the scenes, please.
| February 18, 2004 |
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Team |
Acquisition |
Team |
Acquisition |
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That's right: The Washington Capitals' all-time leading scorer gets picked up by Ottawa for BROOKS LAICH and a 2nd round pick? As most observers said at the time: Who the hell is Brooks Laich? Again, Ottawa received a Hall of Fame quality player without surrendering a roster player.
And what has been Toronto's big move so far?
| February 11, 2004 |
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Team |
Acquisition |
Team |
Acquisition |
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Former Leaf Drake Berehowsky makes his triumphant return. Like all of Pat Quinn's moves (he may not have the GM title anymore, but it's safe to say he is still calling the shots), this one involved a player Quinn is already familiar with. Quinn never trades for a player he didn't draft or coach at some point in his career.
In fairness to the Leafs, they may not need to trade for anyone. Their record has them sitting second in the Eastern Conference (though Ottawa and Tampa Bay have 2 games in hand). All they have to do is finish in the top 4 and I think they'll have a good chance in the first round of the playoffs. Lower than that, and they risk facing Philadelphia or Ottawa in the first round, and I don't think they want that (especially Philadelphia).
This has to be Toronto's year, because the team is too old, and there's a chance of a labour lockout next year. Whatever the Leafs do in the next week, they should gamble like there's no tomorrow. Because with a team average age at almost 30 years old, there may not be a tomorrow for a long time.
4:59:05 PM 
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