All-purpose hockey thread...

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=145158&hubname=

Huge trade. Joe Thornton goes to San Jose for Brad Stuart, Wayne Primeau and Marco Sturm.

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

The Bruins have to like this trade. They've gotten younger and faster and increased depth while cutting payroll.

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

This trade is insane. The Bruins just traded their best (and most popular) player for not a helluva lot.

Stuart's a pretty good defenseman but Sturm and Primeau?

Gotta be something going on behind the scenes in Beantown. This trade doesn't make any sense.

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

From Bostonherald.com:

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

San Jose has talked a little about shaking things up recently. And the way they've played to start the season, who could blame them?

Of course, losing a top d-man like Stuart ain't going to help Nabokov and his 3.50 GAA.

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

Sirs, Madames,

Sturm's a very good two-way player who the Sharks always thought should be better. They'd tell you if no one was listening that, on talent and hockey sense, Marleau shouldn't be able to keep up to him. I don't know that they were right. I think Sturm's better appreciated by GMs, scouts, than he is by public.

Stuart: Everyone agrees on that. He should have been twice the player Hannan was. Wasn't. Not even close. Lots going for him, didn't strike me as ever having Hannan's edge/attitude. A top four guy to be sure but can you win with him in your top pair?

Primeau=warm body and a salary for Sharks to clear.

You get burned more often than not if you bet against Bruins in a trade/move. See Dmitri Khristich. A lot of time they leave you scratching your head--but in the long run they make it work. They got killed for Khristich walking from arb--and they were absolutely right. One thing is, they'll dare to do big stuff. They know Thornton. Their thinking (maybe): Skads of talent. Not very bright. Max contract as a band-aid for hurt feelings. And he doesn't get with it or if you're not going to win with him, get rid of him. If you could put Thornton's skates on Vinny Lecavalier you'd have an all-time great.

I'm not going to pass judgment just yet.

YHS, etc

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

Mr. Miler,

Jumbo Joe reminds me of Eric Lindros. A monster with scorer's hands, but not the guy you want wearing the 'C.'

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

Mr Beat,

One BIG difference. Lindros is smart if not wise. Thornton is Larry and his brothers Darryl.

YHS, etc

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

From the Bruins' site:

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

Not a bad analogy. Did you see that John Thornton is now a PA-certified agent? Logan Couture of the 67's is one of his clients, don't know who else he might represent.

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

i dont understand this deal from the bruins point of view, i really dont. i cannot comprehend for the life of me how you dont get marleau if you are trading thornton. unless oconnell does something else, his top four centremen are now zhamnov, bergeron, boyes & green. im a huge bergeron guy and i like zhamnov, but the former has been disappointing and the latter injured.

meanwhile, san jose can line up with thornton, marleau, mccauley & someone else im temporarily forgetting but is a good fourth-liner.

to me, this a panic deal by the bruins. they signed thornton to a big contract and gave up on him in two months. the guy has 34 points and has played hard every night this year. he is not the problem with this team. i agree that thornton is not the brightest guy in the world and that the bruins are generally quite smart, but hes no clubhouse problem and this will be no khristich in terms of genius.

the bruins screwed up badly with thornton during the 2004 playoffs. he rushed back after two weeks with a rib injury that would have taken him six in the regular season. he played hard but simply wasnt himself as the bruins blew a 3-1 lead to montreal. as he got ripped locally, his agent asked oconnell to step up and make a public statement of support. oconnell did no such thing and thornton was hurt. then, thornton should have been mvp (it was lecavalier) at the world cup.

now, he did ask them to re-sign glen murray, which was done -- but look at the guys they lost from that 2003 team, which was second in the east (with 102 points, i think). mike knuble (third man on thornton's line), michael nylander (who joined sergei samsonov as their best forward in the playoffs), sergei gonchar & dan mcgillis.

now, i grant you that mcgillis hasnt been great in new jersey. but knuble has been a real presence with forsberg-gagne in philly. we all know what nylander is doing in new york. gonchar is coming on. meanwhile, brad isbister sucks donkey balls in boston.

stupid moves, stupid trade. and im not even a bruins fanboy.

 

Re: New NHL vs. the old NHL

Marcel Goc would be the fourth centerman for the Sharks.

Although he's more of a third liner, up and coming guy. McCauley would be the fourth line/checking line center.