Sneaky Lou
Last night, while I was at the Rangers game, which was actually a fun game to watch, the news broke that the New Jersey Devils had acquired star winger Ilya Kovalchuk. When it was all said and done, it took a package of Niclas Bergfors, Johnny Oduya, Patrice “The Elbow” Cormier, and a first round pick to land the scorer. Coming back to NJ with Kovalchuk is Anssi Salmela, whom the Devils traded to Atlanta last year for Niclas Havelid. The teams also swapped second round picks, probably giving NJ the higher selection in that round.
On paper, this looks like a fleecing by Sweet Lou Lamariello, considering the rumors of what was on the table by the Rangers. It turned out that those were just rumors, and not facts. The Rangers never offered that package, and Glen Sather would have been forced to retire and get burned at the stake if he did.
Sometimes, the best trade you can make is the trade you don’t make. This was the case for Slats, as Kovalchuk would have been a band-aid, not a long term fix, which is what this team needs. Kudos to Slats for showing restraint.
In the end, Atlanta GM Don Waddell took the best package offered to him. The winner of this deal depends on two things: how far NJ goes in the playoffs, and what Niclas Bergfors turns into.
By Bettman's Nightmare, February 5, 2010 @ 9:32 am
Yeah, and in the end there’s so much reason to suspect this trade will go down as another Thrashers disappointment. I feel for the Atlanta fans.
By Dave, February 5, 2010 @ 9:42 am
Oduya gives them a serviceable and cheap defenseman for the next two years.
The “winner” is going to be decided by how Bergfors turns out, and how the 1st rounder is used.
By Adam, February 5, 2010 @ 9:55 am
Its too soon to call this one a fleecing….Bergfors has some potential (and started proving himself at the NHL level) as does Cormier. It will be interesting to see if he plays in the NHL this year. Oduya is a better than average defenceman.
By nyr, February 5, 2010 @ 9:58 am
THE devils i think did a nice job landing him, he is definetly going to fill seats in newark for the rest of the season and if the is the case NJ is going to attempt to sign him long term if not the rangers should make an offer over the summer
By nyr, February 5, 2010 @ 9:58 am
THE devils i think did a nice job landing him, he is definetly going to fill seats in newark for the rest of the season and if that is the case NJ is going to attempt to sign him long term if not the rangers should make an offer over the summer
By Dave, February 5, 2010 @ 10:02 am
I can see the Devils resigning him. They have a ton of cap room ($16 million) and 15 players signed already.
dbmaven Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 11:50 am
Agree Dave. It will probably depend on how he does through the end of the season, and how Lemaire deals with him (and vice-versa). Of course, there’s also the wild-card of mucho-millions of KHL dollars/rubles to entice him as well.
NJ certainly has all the goods if they want to sign him.
Adam Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
I don’t really see him staying in NJ past this year. It is a very under the radar team in a state nobody likes. I see him heading to a big market like the LA, NY or Boston
Dave Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 3:10 pm
I think he’s more worried about getting paid, and getting out of Atlanta. He’s halfway there.
Bettman's Nightmare Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
If they’re successful in re-signing, this deal becomes a complete coup. Bergfors’ (poor skater; slumping) and Cormier’s (barely a point-per after 4 years in QMJHL) production combined won’t match Kovalchuk’s, and Oduya is thrown into an already overloaded defensive corps. He might look good in Jersey, but we have no idea how he fits the Atlanta “system” (if they have one).
By Jordan, February 5, 2010 @ 12:46 pm
Boynton on re-entry waivers via @tsnbobmckenzie