liamenator
12-17-2004, 12:18 PM
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
It appears the Pavel Datsyuk era in Pittsburgh have come to a close as he is likely to become the first casualty of new GM liamenator's house cleaning.
The move will be a tough pill for fans of an already talent-starved Pegnuins team to swallow, but in the days leading up to the deal became more and more inevitable. With so few assets to use in negotiations, Datsyuk was the one commodity liamenator had to work with and with the high-flying Russian's agent making outrageous contract demands, the Penguins were going to have a hard time hanging onto him past this season.
EDITED:
The Penguins shipped Datsyuk along with Val Bure to the Isles, while headed to Pittsburgh are:
Chris Phillips, Mike Ricci, Martin Rucinsky, a 2006 1st round draft choice as well as a 2005 2nd round draft pick
The deal gives the Penguins some much needed depth. In Phillips, they add a defenceman who will immediately step into the #1 hole, in Ricci, they get a solid 2-way centre, while Rucinsky represents an upgrade on RW from Valerina Bure along with 2 high draft choices. Quite simply, an offer they could not refuse.
Especially since it involved ridding themselves of Valerina.
It appears the Pavel Datsyuk era in Pittsburgh have come to a close as he is likely to become the first casualty of new GM liamenator's house cleaning.
The move will be a tough pill for fans of an already talent-starved Pegnuins team to swallow, but in the days leading up to the deal became more and more inevitable. With so few assets to use in negotiations, Datsyuk was the one commodity liamenator had to work with and with the high-flying Russian's agent making outrageous contract demands, the Penguins were going to have a hard time hanging onto him past this season.
EDITED:
The Penguins shipped Datsyuk along with Val Bure to the Isles, while headed to Pittsburgh are:
Chris Phillips, Mike Ricci, Martin Rucinsky, a 2006 1st round draft choice as well as a 2005 2nd round draft pick
The deal gives the Penguins some much needed depth. In Phillips, they add a defenceman who will immediately step into the #1 hole, in Ricci, they get a solid 2-way centre, while Rucinsky represents an upgrade on RW from Valerina Bure along with 2 high draft choices. Quite simply, an offer they could not refuse.
Especially since it involved ridding themselves of Valerina.