Quote:
Originally Posted by old-fart
I thought they traded for Teddy Purcell? While this guy is slightly taller than Gagner, he is actually lighter and had all of 13 hits last year (or something pathetic like that). Hardly a "big winger". As for being effective on the top line, he was so bad in TB that they had demoted him to the 4th line and were prepared to buy him out in a couple days.
This appears to be a "crap for poo" trade of two players that were drastically overpaid for what they provided. Credit to Yzerman who managed to completely unload the dead weight, get a 6th round pick, and save the cap space. Edmonton just traded one whipping boy for another. Now instead of a soft, short non-physical center who has no clue how to play defence they have a soft, taller non-physical winger who has no clue how to play defence. But I guess they did save $300k on the salary cap so there is that...
Interestingly that roughly last year at this time the entire hockey world was laughing at the contract MacT doled out to Gagner as more evidence that he had no idea what he was doing. Now, about a year later, we learn that the value of Gagner is half of a 6th round pick, if you retain some salary. There was even rumours last year that MacT had given Gagner his word that he wouldn't be traded before the NTC kicked in July 1st this year... so much for that.
With this trade, Edmonton probably becomes even more no good than they were before it.
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yikes, typo on my part. "top line" should have read "top nine". (clearly a "day before holiday" typo again, i accidently IM'd by vp "high sean" rather than "hi sean" about 2 mins ago...brutal).
Gagner had little to no value, especially given his contract. they got a guy with some size who is a decent option in their top9, without holding onto any of the gagner salary.