AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > February > 25
Monday, February 25, 2008
Trade Deadline-A-Palooza ‘08!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Good morning and welcome to NHL’s Trade Deadline-A-Palooza ‘08!
Here we are less than 30 hours away from the 3:00 Tuesday afternoon trade deadline and so far…there really is nothing special to report. Marian Hossa is still a Thrasher, Mats Sundin is still a Maple Leaf, (and it looks like he will remain so), Brian Campbell is still a Sabre and Peter Forsberg is still…well…thinking about it.
All around the NHL-world, reporters are dispatched to be first to report the big deals, big trades and big signings. Not to be out-done, we have dispatched into the cyber-field our cyber-reporters ready to bring you timely cyber-reports of breaking updates, news and most importantly, rumors! Lots and lots of titillating rumors and speculations!
They are busy scouring the web sites, listening to NHL Live on XM, frequenting all the blogs affiliated with NHL teams and consuming mass quantities of coffee and donuts to keep up there energy as we move through these tumultuous hours!
But for now, it’s quiet…maybe…maybe too quite. However, they will be posting their reports below for our edification as items arise.
As for my thoughts on the Thrashers and Marian Hossa…I’m still of the thought that he’s all but gone, (DUH5). However, allow me this one ramble again. It is not totally out of the question that Don Waddell may…MAY… be inclined to take the big gamble of NOT trading away the services of the Slovakian winger. If he feels the deal is something short of a no-brainer, slam-dunk, win-win situation for the team, he might choose not to deal him and instead move to add defensive help and maybe even a center.
That would indeed be a huge gamble for Waddell…for certainly the least attractive option for all Thrashers fans would be to see Hossa leave with noting to show for it. The worst scenario would be for him to sign with the Ottawa Senators and join Danny Heatley.
However, as I have opined here before, Waddell understands that his job is on the line in regards to the Thrashers making post-season as well as the way this Hossa situation turns out. Thus, he knows that if the team is locked out of the hunt for Lord Stanley’s Cup, it really doesn’t matter if Hossa stays or goes. He won’t be around to deal with the aftermath.
So, he may just be incline to roll the dice, not deal Hossa away, obtain the few extra pieces that the cap room affords, hope the team can make a push into the playoffs and, in doing so, convince Hossa to resign…saving his job.
Call it his Hail Mary, if you will.
Am I willing to put any wager on if that is what will actually happen? Err…uh….umm…let’s go to our cyber-reporters…
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