This year, with injuries to Doug Weight and Mike Sillinger, the "tradeable veteran" pool has quickly dried up. In fact, with Mike Comrie getting traded today, Bill Guerin and Andy Hilbert are the only real names left on that list.
I assume Comrie was traded so early because there was a chance he gets hurt like Weight did (Comrie was already hurt this year a couple of times) and brings his trade-value to Zero.
It should also be noted that Ottawa was the first team to go buying last year, when they were in a slump and make a trade for Cory Stillman from Carolina. This year, Ottawa, on the heels of a 5-game winning steak, thinks they have a shot at the playoffs, so they moved quickly again.
This trade isn't great for the Islanders, to be honest. San Jose's 1st round pick will be bottom 5 (somewhere between 26-30) probably. Yes, Mike Green was picked there, and it's still a nice bargaining chip if they want to trade it on Draft Day to move up, but if I was Garth Snow, I'd have wanted Ottawa's pick instead (I don't know if Ottawa still has it).
I think they could've gotten a 1st round for just Comrie and not have to have given up Chris Campoli also. Granted, that was probably a big sticking point for the Senators, because Comrie won't re-sign there next year (or at least there is a chance he won't) while Campoli is obligated to Ottawa through at least next season as well.
Dean McAmmond is a servicable player. That's my way of saying he isn't bad, he isn't great, but he goes out there and delivers his best every shift. It just so happens his "best" isn't very good anymore - as in 3G, 4A in 44 games, compared to 51 in 73 in 2002. He also has an injury problem, never playing a full season besides the strike-shortened 1994-95 season (81 in 2007 with Ottawa is his most, then 78, 77, 73, and then in the 60s... very poor numbers over a 14-year career). He was hurt during the 2003-04 season with Calgary and didn't play in their run to the Cup Finals that year.
Anyway, I'm not going to sit here and berate the Islanders. They made the move they had to while the iron was hot. Comrie's been playing real well and there is a chance he gets hurt again, a chance Snow couldn't take. I just wish, for Islander fans' sake, that they had gotten a better draft choice and maybe one of Ottawa's few prospects instead of an aging vet with a history of injuries and declining stats.
One quick note on Campoli - I went to a Sound Tigers game at the Coliseum during the lockout and noticed a young Chris Campoli moreso than any other player. I remember telling myself he could be pretty good someday. I'm sure he'll prove as much in Ottawa.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, here's my take, which I'm cutting and pasting from an e-mail I sent to the Blog Box crew. The only thing I'd change is that McAmmond has the chance to be a contributing veteran a la Richard Park, but only time will tell.
It may as well be for Ottawa's 2nd round pick if you think about it practically. The fact that it's a first-round pick gets people excited, but it really is a first-rounder in name only. And Campoli will obviously thrive. At the same time, at least you're getting SOMETHING back for a guy who would probably bolt in the off-season. You have to give to get and all that. McAmmond will be 36 in June and has 7 points this season. I'd compare his inclusion to the expiring contract trades you see in the NBA. At least we see Snow will be active this year.
One last thing - Comrie joined Ottawa as a rental for the stretch run in 2007 and bolted after the Stanley Cup Final. If he wasn't going to sign with Ottawa after that season, why would he sign with them after this one?
I am not quite sure how I feel about this one yet. I think Comrie's performance this year (like most of the Islanders) has been mediocre at best, so it's probably a good idea to cut your losses there.
ReplyDeleteI think that Snow probably did it for the draft pick more than picking up just another so-so veteran. You gotta figure that Guerin, Weight and (god-willing) Sillinger won't be there next year and it will continue on his "youth movement."
That being said, I am sad to see Campoli go, though there has been talk about him wanting to be traded.