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Winners and losers

TIM WHARNSBY

From Wednesday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 9:17 PM EST 27/02/08

Some NHL franchises did a little, some did a lot. Here's who got the best of the deals ...Read the full article

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  1. dan vanman from vancouver, Canada writes: OK Tim, I have HAD IT with you people back East. I know Luongo is a great goalie, and we are happy to have him here, but how can you talk about Anahiem as being smart not rocking the boat, then intimate the Canucks are nothing without their goalie when they do the same thing?

    This is the exact same team that won the toughest division in hockey last year, and even injured in the playoffs, gave the Ducks all they could handle.

    Please Tim, start writing about sports you actually know about. I hear they need more press for syncronized swimming, which is probably more in line with your delicate nature.
  2. Tim Bryson from Claresholm, AB, Canada writes: Dan vanman...Maybe its because of the relative position in the standings that Tim makes his point. The Ducks are within 4 points of the Stars, who are within 5 points of the Wings. It took a 4 game win streak to get the Canucks up to 8th. Colorado will get a short term boost from Foresberg. The Canucks gave up Matt Cook...hmmm.

    Had the Canuck/Duck series gone more than 5 games, maybe we could say they gave them a real run.

    You sound like the twits who were ripping into each other on the Mats Sundin issue yesterday; a whole bunch of TO/Sen fans having a p=ssing contest. You really came unhinged with the remark about the syncro swimming...whatever.
  3. dan vanman from vancouver, Canada writes: Whatever Tim, and there is no need to be insulting. My post is all about an Eastern writer talking knowingly about a team that he probably never sees. To answer your points. The Canucks went on a LOSING streak to fall out of 1st in their division. They were far above everyone in their division before Febuary. Check the standings. The Canucks will be fine. They have 4 games in hand on the Ducks you think so highly of. The Ducks only are ahead of them by 7 points...hmmmm? The Flames are more likely than the 'Nucks when it comes to missing the playoffs, given their pitiful record against Vancouver. Again Tim, check the standing before you beak off.

    Did you see the Ducks and Canucks last year? With about 3-4 important regulars out, they took the Ducks to the wire, with every win by the Ducks but one being by one goal. It was a lot closer than just calling it a five game series.

    Unhinged? What? I guess there is only so much you can expect from someone from Alberta, but please, don't presume to know what my emotional nature is from a few words. Read the sentence again Tim. Sound out the big words, and maybe it will help.
  4. dan vanman from vancouver, Canada writes: BTW Tim, the Canucks have several "grit" players that can take Cooke's spot. Burrows, Ritchie, and Cowan to start. Rick Rypien in Manitoba is NHL ready....so...there you go...
  5. Michael Sharp from Canada writes:

    The asterisk besides the Canuck's at this year's draft deadline will note that they didn't move, they didn't rent.

    Richards?
    8 million a year?

    Jokinen?
    5 million a year?

    Good luck with that.
    I'll keep Kesler, Bourdon, Bieksa, Burrows, thank you very much.

    I'm very pleased with Nonis.

    Good luck Dallas with Richards, that's gonna hurt a long, long time.
  6. dan vanman from vancouver, Canada writes: THANK YOU Michael! Finally, someone here that understands the new NHL.

    Regardless of how well the 'Nucks do in regards to the playoiffs this year, I have every confidence that NOT getting Richards at 8 mil a year is a very good thing.

    Jokinen is definitely worth the 5 mil though, but Nonis can now shop with a keen eye in the summer.

    He also KNOWS now that Bourdon is very good. Edler is a keeper. Kesler can score...etc. etc.

    Burrows is a better Cooke than Cooke (actually drops the mitts), and Raymond is just as touted. Can't wait until he gets a bit more experience.

    Future is definitely brighter than if Nonis had rented.
  7. Hap Stokes from Canada writes: A couple of BETS for Mr Tim Wharnsby.

    (1) Bet you did not know Tim that Toronto is closer to Los Angeles than it is to Vancouver (yup SURPRISE huh--by over 200 miles).

    Which is the reason (that distance) for the 2nd BET Mr Wharnsby.

    (2) Bet you do not know, the Nukes have 4 maybe 6 young players either in Winnipeg or already up with the Big Club that will wake up even sombulient and Centre of the Universe people in a year or so.

    (Smart moves today Mr Noonis) The best deals are the ones you never made. The Cup is coming here before 2011 Nucklehead fans
  8. Borjayla of the Desert from Libyan Arab Jamahiriya writes: I don't understand why there was no mention of the Caps, who in my books seemed to be pretty busy. Did they win or lose?
  9. Jay D from Canada writes: dan vanman: Anaheim can score and Vancouver cannot. Shutdown the Sedins and Vancouver is beatable. Vancouver failed to address a glaring lack of secondary scoring, whilst Anaheim added some depth. I think Vancouver is a good team that could contend, but Luongo can't win it by himself.

    RE: Washington: adding Fedorov is a gamble. If he clicks with Ovechkin it will be a good deal. Huet addresses a need to backup aging Olie. Other moves seemed minor.

    Odd that there was no mention of the COL moves. Adding Salei and Foote adds grit to their D. They obviously think they've got a chance this year, but I just don't see them beating Detroit, Anaheim or Dallas.
  10. Matthew Townsend from Brooklyn, United States writes: dan vanman from vancouver, Canada writes: Whatever Tim, and there is no need to be insulting.

    Oh the hypocrisy dan vanman! You must be a politician. LOL.

    All you do in your opening post in insult the reporter Tim Wharnsby. In fact in every single one of your posts you can't avoid trying to insult someone. Anyone.
  11. Not right or left from Canada writes: I can't wait to see Richards in a Stars uniform as I think he will do quite well. I remember people talking about how Mike Ribeiro wasn't that good now he is the Stars top scorer. Sometimes a change of scenery can do wonders for a players performance.
  12. Popeye Dillon from North Vancouver, Canada writes: Dallas was definitely the big winner in an otherwise boring trade deadline. Hossa is still a question mark as far as past playoff performances go for the pens. As for the Canucks sometimes the best trade is the one you don't make. Cooke isn't a big loss he wasn't showing up for half the games he was in. With lots of cap space next year we should be able to pick up the missing ingredients. The Ducks right now are arriving ready for the playoffs. A rested Niedermeyer, and Selanne can't hurt you. The real question mark up front for the Ducks is how will Bertuzzi play in the playoffs?
  13. Mitchell A from Canada writes: Hahahahahaha. Vancouver fans crack me up. To you, Dallas getting Richards is stupid only because Nonis could not pull the trigger on a deal. If he had have been able to, Nonis would have been a genius and that would have been the greatest deal of all, no matter what the cap hit. He didn't get him and you still sing his praise. He needed an additional forward to create offence up front and came away empty handed. Face it, the Canucks were losers on Deadline day. And Richards at 7.8 a year is not an overpayment. The kid plays in all situations, plays about 25 minutes a night, has the experience in the playoffs, and was playing with journeyman players at even strength, thus his minus 25 /- rating, not to mention he is just coming into his prime at 27 years of age.
  14. Neil no more last name from Mississauga, Canada writes: Ducks addressed their concerns - got a back up goalie, and another D to run the PP (Nieder ain't sticking around forever).

    The Nucks did not address their secondary scoring. The Nucks are bottom third in goals for, and top third in goals against. The team is Defense first. And any D first hockey club needs a steady keeper (see New Jersey, San Jose)

    Big Nucks fan out here in dreaded "Eastern Canada." Nucks do have enough grit, Cooke doesn't drop them, Kesler can score. The Nucks didn’t need to make a big splash if it meant giving up their future. They still have a good chance at the playoffs.

    But the truth is it will be up to the D and Luongo.
    Richards would look sweet in Vancouver. Be honest.
  15. Neil no more last name from Mississauga, Canada writes: errrr.... by run their PP I meant more add to their PP (my bad)
  16. steve allan from Welland, Ontario, Canada writes: Brad Richards, the best player available? I guess Wharnsby doesn't watch many Tampa Bay games. There's a reason Richards has the worse plus/minus in the league - the guy is a one-way player.

    I don't know how Tortorella could stand watching him play, but I know one thing - he must be very happy today that the guy is gone. Big money and he can't even deliver the offence. I'm not surprised another former one-way player, Brett Hull, fancied this guy!
  17. Mitchell A from Canada writes: Steve Allan - Brad was Tortorella's favorite player and for good reason. He has spoke very highly of him anytime anyone asked him about Richards. Apparently you're the one who doesn't watch the Lightning games. And you don't think he was the best player to be moved yesterday??? I guess Bob MacKenzie and the entire TSN panel don't know anything they speak of either. Maybe they should hire you!
  18. Robert Miller from Halifax, Canada writes: I hope that you are not implying that Gainey is a loser in this article, Mr. Wharnsby...

    Huet was never going to win the Stanley Cup -- It is upto Carey Price and Halak in the future! Every knowledgeable Habs fan knew that was the way it was going going to be...

    Gainey builds by the draft and then keeping the nucleus of the team together. Huet was expendible! Better to get something instead of nothing.

    The real losers are the directionless teams that didn't manage to cut any deadwood -- I won't mention any names, however.

    Peace.
  19. Mike H from Canada writes: Mitchell A from Canada writes: I guess Bob MacKenzie and the entire TSN panel don't know anything they speak of either. Maybe they should hire you! "

    Mitchell, I'm not going to give you any argument about Brad Richards being the best player that moved yesterday...but it is downright painful listening to Bob "Big Head" MacKenzie and the rest of the TSN Panel. My favorite time of year is the World Juniors every year...and the only bad part about it is listening to the terrible announcers and Bob MacKenzie give his two cents.

    That's just me though. to each their own.
  20. Flinton Rice from Toronto, Canada writes: Vancouverites - I think the big difference between the Ducks and the Canucks are that the Ducks are defending Cup champions. So, I would agree that the Ducks didn't need to do much, but the Canucks probably should have. And plus, let's face it - the club seriously leans on their goalie like no other team in the league (maybe NJ) - they could use some scoring.... badly.

    And Montreal were losers! Fine, move Huet - but a second pick in 2009?!?! I think that he's a good enough goalie that they could have got something much better than they did. Maybe someone to help them for the rest of the season. Why nothing? They didn't get anyone else and I don't think that they are good enough to get out of the east.
  21. JIm Smith from Canada writes: I love the Leaf fans making fun of Canuck fan. You can't be serious. Enjoy your 20 year rebuilding process. I guess the 5th rounder you got for Belak will be you key to the cup.

    Just take a look at the media appointed trade deadline "winners", Atlanta and Nashville, from last year and compare them to a deadline "loser" from last year, Anaheim

    That shows you how irrelevant the media hyped trade deadline is. You can repeat that example year after year almost without fail.

    Maybe the Canucks should have gone the way of "winners" like Colorado and brought back Dana Murzen and Pavel Bure to boost their team.

    It's also funny that Anaheim doesn't have scoring problems and will win the Cup hands down and the Canucks have huge scoring issues and won't even make the playoffs. For the uninformed masses Anaheim has played 4 more games and has the same amount of goals for.
  22. Mitchell A from Canada writes: Mike, you can say what you want about Bob and Pierre and the crew, but they know what they are talking about and have the inside sources like no other sports channel.
  23. Scot Loucks from Pickering, Canada writes: Flinton; Huet is a UFA this summer and hadn't really been playing like a number 1 goalie recently.

    A second round pick wasn't bad. Of course Ottawa might have offered more.... I just don't think Gainey gave them a call.

    Cheers.
  24. Scot Loucks from Pickering, Canada writes: JIm Smith from Canada writes: I love the Leaf fans making fun of Canuck fan. You can't be serious. Enjoy your 20 year rebuilding process. I guess the 5th rounder you got for Belak will be you key to the cup.

    ------------------------------

    Sorry Jim Smith but as a regular denizen of these threads.... and a Leaf fan.... I can assure you there aren't any Leaf fans on here making fun of Canuck fans.

    Course everything else in this country is Torontos fault.... so go ahead and blame the Leaf fans if it makes you feel better.

    As for the Canucks doing nothing yesterday .... well neither did Calgary or Edmonton. As Nonnis said in his press conference yesterday..... (as did Gainey) there just wasn't anything out there that would have have made a good addition without subtraction. (Unless of course you guys wanted Belak).

    Cheers
  25. David Gehring from Ottawa, Canada writes: Are the Canucks losers of the trade deadline or just losers in general? ha ha just kidding. I think what the article meant is that Anaheim stood pat with a roster that WON the Cup last year (making them a winner), whereas Vancouver stood pat with a roster that was knocked out in the second round last year and is now 7th/8th? in the west. And Tim, don't discount the fact that this is an eastern writer. A lot of Vancouver games are televised out east (albeit at late hours) and I'd have to say that eastern writers can provide a much more objective analysis than someone in Vancouver with a home-town bias.
  26. Neil no more last name from Mississauga, Canada writes: JIm Smith from Canada writes: I love the Leaf fans making fun of Canuck fan

    Where exactly is the Leaf fans making fun of the Canucks here????
  27. Mike H from Canada writes: Mitchell A from Canada writes: Mike, you can say what you want about Bob and Pierre and the crew, but they know what they are talking about and have the inside sources like no other sports channel. "

    Mitchell,

    They might have the inside sources...but we'll have to agree to disagree on the topic of whether they know what they are talking about or not. I find they are wrong just as often as they are right. At least when I listen to them anyway. But I try not to listen to them whenever possible...so maybe I miss all the times when they actually know what they are talking about. It's a possibility.
  28. Scot Loucks from Pickering, Canada writes: Mike H and Mitchell A; I'm not sure you two should be talking about the annoying squacking head McGuire and the reasonably well informed MacKenzie in the same paragraphs. :)

    Course you could try comparing them against Bill Watters and Nick Kypreos. :)

    Or how about all the failed GM"s out there yesterday.... Ferguson, Neil Smith etc.

    I know.... lets ask Don Cherry :)

    Cheers
  29. Flinton Rice from Toronto, Canada writes: JIm Smith - you're a bit touchy. Not sure anyone was making fun of the Canucks but since I'm from Toronto I guess I could only expect a defensive retaliation "You think you're the centre of the universe" type response from a Vancouverite.

    Regardless, the Canucks definitely aren't good enough to come out of the West yet. They should have secured some scoring - I'm not sure that has ever hurt a team.

    I always cheer for Canadian teams in the playoffs and since the Leafs haven't been in a while and won't be there this year - then I'll be cheering for teams outside of Toronto (which is well known to be the centre of the ENTIRE universe as we all apparently believe). I just don't think there's any Canadian teams that will compete. Ottawa looked promising but now only look promising to make a first round exit. Man - can they ever choke.
  30. dan vanman from vancouver, Canada writes: Flinton...I read all your posts here, and all I can really see, apart from a few isolated observations, is the same Eastern rehash of the Canucks. They CAN score, have been doing a much better job of it of late, as their "kid" line has taken off recently. Luongo struggled mid season when missing some top 4 D'...because he IS only one man, and when the D' are cleaning away the people getting rebounds, he usually stops the first shot. But his struggles earlier this year are attribuitable to the lack of experienced D'...because he IS just one guy, albiet a very good one guy! The Canucks may not be deep enough to win the Cup this year, but I am willing to bet they win a round, maybe two. A hot goalie can go far. They have the type of team no one wants to play in the playoffs, when they can really knuckle down on a plan to stop one team. The experience they build will work wonders next year, when Nonis has a great deal more money to spend. And hey, Flinton, don't be worried about us saying anything about the Centre of the Universe. Others may, but the Centre of the Universe? Maybe in your minds, most Westerners these days just laugh at the old chestnut, and most of your best and brightest have moved out here already. Have a nice day...
  31. Hap Stokes from Canada writes: Had a few cups of coffee myself in Europe and a zillion other places. Been a Canuck follower since the WHL days when we moved from NS.
    And had a few brewzies with the Canuck boys after their games.

    After they switched from the WHL to NHL this has been one hell'va screwed up organization. Everything from Ice Capades ownership to down right idiots or even outright criminals that went to prison.

    Well there was one hiatus of local family owners which worked pretty well for a few years.--However, other than the last few years the Canucks have been a MAJOR mis-managed team for decades. Worse even than that hopeless club in Toranta.

    Those days seem to be gone forever now. Ever since the Canucks gave up trying to please the reporters by obtaining other teams FAMOUS but shot Old Hack players and switched to young and good but not yet famous kids, this Canuck team has been on the rise.

    Sure they ain't gonna win this year, probably not even 2009 either but it won't be too many years before the Cup is in Vanc. Especially if they avoid deals like the Richard's one yesterday and keep building down in Winnipeg AHL and Victoria ECHL with their own players.

    I wish the Leafs would would take a page from the Canucks, and go for the 'Young Guns' (maybe) lose for a few years with kids. I wish that Leaf management (higher ups) had more foresight. Wish the Leafs would start winning (so I can BOO them again) instead of always losing in such a pathetic way, which makes me cry or laugh--I don't know which.

    Yeah ya, I know Brad Richards is only 26/27 and at his peak, being a Down Homer myself, I think his father's uncle is my aunts sister (or something or??) and I knew all about him since he was 8 or 9 years old.--He was a great kid and he's probably a better man these days.
  32. JIm Smith from Canada writes: "Regardless, the Canucks definitely aren't good enough to come out of the West yet. They should have secured some scoring - I'm not sure that has ever hurt a team."

    The last part shows that you haven't been following the proposed Canucks trades too close. For any quality upgrade in scoring you would have to give up Kesler, a 20 goal scorer, and future perennial Selke winner. So you would give up a player that scores, hits, fights, adgitates and keeps the others teams top lines coreless for a 30 goal forward who doesn't bring any of the intangibles
  33. Dave Morris from Montreal, writes: Montreal's decision to trade Huet may have shocked most of us, but Gainey has shown that he is as meticulous a GM as he was effective a player. Price will be to the Habs what Sidney Crosby is to the Penguins.

    "Price, who signed a three-year contract prior to the 2007-08 season, was a first-round pick (fifth overall) of the Canadiens in 2005. In 26 games this season, Price (12-9-3) sports a 2.83 GAA and 91 percent save rate."

    Montreal has always been a team that relies on speed, opportunism, tight defense and exceptional goaltending. With Dryden, Roy, Theodore (in his Hart Trophy year) and now Price, Le Canadien has been and can be a formidable opponent. Gainey and Carbonneau are moving towards a modern version of the traditional Canadiens hockey philosophy.

    Montreal is probably a year away from being Cup contenders, and Gainey knows this. It was very intelligent of him not to give away the store to get Hossa or Jokinen. Grabovski, Plekanec, and the Kostitsyn brothers will prove him right.

    Now if they just had a leader on the ice like Jean Beliveau, Serge Savard, Cournoyer, Lafleur, Gainey or Carbonneau were...
  34. Scot Loucks from Pickering, Canada writes: good comment Dave Morris;

    Gainey had the balls to ensure his team got playoff experience. They willl all be much better next year.

    Cheers

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