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Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoch Root
After digesting the trade a bit, I look at it this way:
If we had traded Russell for Jokipakka straight up, it's not a bad trade. He's bigger, younger, cheaper - has another year at $900k - and probably has more upside. If he meshes with Hamilton on the 2nd pair, that's a huge win.
Throw in a 2014 2nd rounder that probably has similar upside to a young Granlund (but bigger)
Then add in a 2nd round pick (many thought that is all Russell would return) that has a chance of becoming a 1st.
Beauty!
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So you would put the 24 year old Jokipakka significantly ahead of the 22 year old Wotherspoon? He did not play his first NHL game until he was older than Wotherspoon is now.
Perhaps Wotherspoon is the magic mesher with Hamilton.... Hamilton has gone through Gio, Russell and Wideman and Engelland is looking like the better player in the current pairing.
The comparable that I think is valid to Pollak is Klimchuck. Similar numbers as Juniors in the WHL with Klimchuck a bit better.
So on the plus side you could say that Pollak is basically worth a Flames 1st round pick (outside of Monahan/Bennett that does not mean they will be NHLers.)