AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > December > 07
Sunday, December 7, 2008
“Have To” Trade Kovy?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A few days back, Mark Bradley posted a piece in which he advocated the trading away of Thrashers’ star Ilya Kovalchuk. This opinion is shared by others…including John Kincade of 680 The Fan who just last summer also voiced his belief that trading away Kovy sooner rather than later was the thing to do.
The “Trade Kovy Away Now For the Good of the Team” movement points out that the Atlanta Thrashers…specifically general manager Don Waddell…will not be able to re-sign the Russian phenom anyway…so do the deal now before he forces the team to do so next year in order to get at least something in return…i.e. “Hossa-ing” us. Those who support this move will also cite that he wants to play for a legitimate contender, that he isn’t happy with the direction of the team, so trade him now to get the most in return.
To be honest with you…even though I still disagree whole-heartedly with Bradley, Kincade and others who advocate this course of action… I recognize the fact that there is a certain amount of logic that supports their side of this issue. However, even if I were to allow myself to consider a trade of such monumental measure, there is absolutely no way I can support the notion…even the thought… of the current Thrashers general manager being the person to orchestrate the transaction on behalf of the Atlanta Thrashers.
See…as we all know, Waddell has been behind every last one of the trades and deals that the Thrashers have been involved with and…well, just exactly where has that gotten us?
9-14-3 so far this season after a 34-40-8 season last year. This after being swept in the one and only playoff appearance the team has ever played in two seasons ago. That’s where it’s gotten us.
Let us review, shall we?
Last February, Waddell was unable to convince Marian Hossa that Atlanta was an organ-I-zation in which he could conceivably challenge for a Stanley Cup over the course of the next three or four years… so he was forced to deal him away. Along with the prolific scorer went the hard-working Pascal Dupuis to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Thrashers received in return Colby Armstrong and Erik Christensen from the Penguins along with prospect Angelo Esposito and the 29th pick in last June’s entry draft. With the pick they chose centerman Daultan Leveille.
Since that time, Hossa has played in 38 regular season games for the Pens and Detroit Red Wings scoring 18 goals, 21 assists with a +10 rating. He played in 20 post-season games last spring providing Pittsburgh with 12 goals and 26 points and was a +8. Pascal Dupuis remains in Pittsburgh and has 5 goals and 12 assists in 39 regular season games and has an even +/- rating since the trade. Dupuis also chipped in with 2 goals and 5 assists during the playoffs.
That’s 23 goals, 33 helpers and a +10 between the two in the regular season alone.
Meanwhile…back at the Blueland Ranch…Army has netted the Thrashers 8 goals and 12 assists in 43 games to go along with his -4 rating. Christensen has 3 goals and 9 assists and is a -15 in 31 games.
That’s 11 goals, 21 assists and a -19 combined between the two.
One could consider the Dupuis for Armstrong aspect of the deal a wash. But then that leaves us with Hossa departing…and taking with him his 18 goals, 38 points and +10 rating…and in his wake are Christensen’s 3 goals, 9 assists and -15.
If one considers just those four players…it looks like Waddell got schooled.
We can only hope that Esposito and Leveille eventually evolve into world-class NHL players. Even if they do, Blueland will not see the benefits of the players until next season at the earliest for Espo…more likely two years…even longer for Leveille.
That’s a while to wait for an “if” and a “hope”. Especially in this the Thrashers ninth season of play and still waiting for it’s first post-season victory.
Two season’s ago…Don Waddell made another “had to” type deal near the trade deadline. In February of 2007 the Thrashers were sliding out of contention for their first-ever playoff appearance. Waddell felt the heat to do something in order to secure a post-season slot…so he pulled the trigger on the infamous Zhitnik for Coburn deal.
Many felt that he “had to” do it at that time…“had to” even if only to save his job.
So far here we’ve discussed the individual stats of those involved in the Hossa deal last winter…but a few posts back I provided the overall team records of the organ-I-zations that were involved in that deal as well as the Coburn/Zhitnik transaction.
Folks, neither of those big deals has worked out very well for the Atlanta Thrashers.
And now the Thrashers’ are facing the possibility of another “have to” situation. Two years ago they traded away a promising defender because they “had to” make the playoffs. Last year they “had to” trade away one of the most high-profile scorers the team has ever had because he refused to re-sign. Now it’s the possibility of “having to” trading away Ilya Kovalchuk for the exact same reason Waddell “had to” trade away Hossa. That we are even approaching this point yet again and “have to” even give such a notion serious discussion is…to say the least…un-good.
So I ask you…exactly what is it in the history of Don Waddell’s dealings that makes anyone believe that he is capable of bringing in the highest yield in exchange for Ilya Kovalchuk?
My God, think about it…we could almost ice an All-Star line up with the players that have passed through here. Coburn, Hossa, Savard, Heatley…and what do we have to show in return?
Again, 9-14-3 so far this season after a 34-40-8 season last year. This after being swept in the one and only playoff appearance the team has ever played in two seasons ago. That’s what.
Thus, I simply cannot join the “Trade Ilya Away Now For the Good of the Team” movement… not at this time at least. Not as long as the same person that has done this to us in the first place is in the same position to do it to us again.
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