http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=289113
The Vancouver Canucks have added a lot of depth to their blueline in a short period of time. The team has acquired defencemen Christian Ehrhoff and Brad Lukowich from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenceman Daniel Rahimi and forward Patrick White. Vancouver also announced on Friday that they have inked veteran defenceman Mathieu Schneider to a contract
White and Rahimi are not even ranked in the Canucks top 10 prospects, most talent evaluation sites rank them between 15-25 on the Nucks depth chart. White is widely considered to be failure but the Ottawa Senators allegedly have always had a soft spot for White. This is of course fueling the Heatley rumors, but Dreger recently posted on his Twitter that the SJ/OTT talks are very cold. Personally I am shocked that this is the best salary dump deal Wilson could get, I guess Chimera wasn't as appealing.. Vancouver raped SJ in this trade...
Now with the abundance of NHL Defense men on Vancouvers roster the rumors are hot.. Howsen go get me some Bieksa...
EP
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7 comments:
Agree that this was definitely a trade to clear out cap room for San Jose. They obviously didn't want Chimera's contract and we can't afford to take Erhoff without moving a wing.
I bet Howson was right in this thing til the end though.
I'm trying to figure out what Vancouver really gains from this move -- especially if they sign Schneider. That will give them 8 signed NHL defensemen and certainly put them right at the cap.
I'd take Bieska over Erhoff or Schnieder any day. The same problem will exist for Howson though in that Vancouver won't want what we have to give either.
I'm staying patient though. This trade shows that things are starting to heat back up again out there and I think Howson will find a dance partner with someone.
-LTL
I just can't believe how badly the San Jose sharks got fleeced, this is just a terrible trade. Luko is a journeyman but he's still a solid 2/3 pairing guy, Ehrhoff is a 40 point offensive defenseman who's not even in his prime yet. With all the teams out there that need someone that possesses Ehrhoff's skill set it's just absolutely unbelievable that Wilson accepted this trade, it's highway robbery. I am just in NHL-trade shock right now... Both of these prospects are very unlikely to ever play in the NHL, ever. I think I might just throw up a little bit.. and furthermore this is a deal with San Jose, the team that's so hard to trade with because they over value their own players so much... I am sure Howsen would have traded David Savard and Stefan Legein for Ehrhoff... What a complete joke...
BTW Vancouver should be about 2M over the cap, that's not including Schneider.. so add another 1-2M to that... They are going to move one of their D-men for a forward, they have no other option.. Personally I would love to get me some Bieksa..
This almost has to be trade 1 of 3... because it makes no sense.... San Jose clears 4M but they now only have 17 players.. can you add 6 players for 4M and still be a contender ?? Vancouver is now swimming in NHL level D-men and have to make a move.. I am willing to bet money we will see 2 or more trades this weekend involving the sharks and the nucks... because there is no way in hockey-Valhalla that this is best salary dump deal Wilson could get, absolutely impossible... someone must want one of the 2 prospects to accommodate another deal..
This trade just goes to show you two things:
1. How valuable cap space is and what it costs to clear out (i.e. dump) salary.
and
2. The Jackets bean counters are not willing to add anything more to their self imposed budget... at least at this stage (i.e. that could change at the trade deadline).
I'm sure if Howson was given the green light to take on Erhoff's contract he could have easily matched what Vancouver gave up but unfortunately that wasn't the case.
This is the part that really sucks about being a budget team versus a cap team.
Vancouver's blueline looks pretty damn scary right now.
-LTL
Thus the problem when you play chicken, and you're not a destination.
As for Bieksa, no chance (we get him) - what, we're gonna offer Chimmers. Maybe that tells you what Chimmers "value" is - the Sharks took two marginal prospect types rather than Chimmers.
Oh wait, I forgot: The "speed" is baaack...(sigh)
Agree with you, LTL, definitely the downside of a budget team. Looks like they're going in-house, as apparently Hitch (and Howson, but, in this case, I think Hitch's feelings override) doesn't like MA Bergeron's game.
Uh, like he has so many offensive weapons on his current blueline...
What? You couldn't put him in situations - PP - and match him up with Russ? Unreal...
Chimmers ability isn't the issue, it's the salary.. the sharks took zero salary back because these guys won't count against the sharks cap. As LTL pointed out this was a pure salary dump.. And unfortunately we won't add 3M to our cap.. yep that's the budget kicking you in the nuts..
But I still think this is just a terrible salary dump... there is no doubt the price to dump salary is now officially insane..
first off, they couldn't move Cheechoo ?? They had to move an offensive Dman in his mid 20's.. that's just insane.. and for 2 very poor prospects, can you imagine being a SJ fan.. this is a dark dark day.
If I was a reporter in SJ I would ask the sharks... "really that's the best 2 prospects you could get for Ehrhoff?"
and yes LTL, that Vancouver D is looking sick.. Calgary's D has been upgraded this summer.. anybody that thinks the East is the better conference needs to get their heads checked. The West is just unbelievably deep right now.. it's going to be a battle again just to make the playoffs...
Eplagge: No, I know what you mean - just frustration over this "waiting in the weeds" (a recent article I wrote for IH - shameless plug alert - lol) approach.
But, I'm sorry, I am in the camp of not being as high on Chimmers as, let's say, a certain newspaper reporter, from our only news rag, who jaundice their reporting, based of them liking, on a personal basis, a player - he was the one who told all, even when that was a joke, that "the speed is back".
The guy is like his boy, MM, a 1-trick pony - "when" healthy, speed and that's about it. You tell me: when the CBJ are on the PP, particularly on a 5 on 3 situation, how many friggin times that moron draws a hooking penalty as soon as he loses the pucks.
Oh, I could go on regarding bonehead moves he's made, but, there's not enough deodorant for that conversation.
But, you are dead on regarding what the Sharks did - and, if a reporter had sack, that WOULD be the first question out of the box.
The frustration on waiting is more of a signal to the faithful that status quo will get it done in the brutal Western Conference.
God forbid this approach is the reason they just miss out on a playoff spot, that's all I'm saying...
I am with you Mase1, I am not a Chimmer fan at all.. he has speed but no puck handling and he's the worst finisher on our team, absolutely dreadful scoring instincts.. But I do think he's a solid 3rd liner for the right team. I would say he's worth more then the 2 Cannuck prospects..
But anyways, I am one of those people who believe we need to obtain at least 1 solid offensive forward this season.. If we don't I think we are going to have a though time getting back in the playoffs.. Either way I think we will be in the hunt until the end, but with a solid O-Dman I think we can really make some strides.. just on the PP alone..
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