Sharks/Hawks make a second shocking trade

[cphlblackhawks]

The Sharks and Hawks GMs hooked up yet again for a huge deal...heading to Chicago are Oilers cast-offs Ales Hemsky and Shawn Horcoff. The price paid for these two is HUGE, as Chicago sends John Cheechoo "Train" and Paul "I'm not from" Kariya along with a 2nd round pick and some cash considerations...

Why pay this price? The team was struggling and needed a shake up and with the Train's inability to put a puck in the net in the NHL we felt that getting a stud like Hemsky was worth it...

The Lines will be more balanced and will now shake up as:
Parise-Forsberg-Hemsky
Horcoff-Ribeiro-Perry

This provides a good balance of grit, passing and scoring on both of the top two lines...I'm ready to be buried

[RT14]

It is official...sitting 3 points out of the final playoff spot at the All-Star break the San Jose Sharks have decided to pull all the stops and go for gold, so to speak. With their latest acquisitions, and the loss of even more of their young talent, this team is making a statement - "We want to WIN, and NOW!"

To San Jose:
Jonathan Cheechoo W, 27y 80ov 1y@$3.5
Paul Kariya W, 32y 80ov 1y@$7.0
2nd round pick
Cash this year and next

To Chicago:
Ales Hemsky W, 23y 78ov 1y@$2.75
Shawn Horcoff C, 28y 76ov 3y@$5.0

Giving up the young star in Hemsky was really not part of our plans but the idea of picking up two more 80ov forwards in one deal was just too much to turn down in the end. Horcoff as well is having a great season this year and should come back up after dropping from last years terrible performance. This deal will surely cost us long term but it's a move that had to be made to give us a quality shot this year.

This deal really takes the Sharks to another level and probably puts them within reach of the best in the league in the forward department. With a little luck and chemistry, there's no reason to think this team can't make up those 3 points with 30 games left to play. New lineup is lookinglike so:

Cheechoo 80ov - Sedin 80ov - Hossa 82ov
Kariya 80ov - Whitney 79ov - Maxim 79ov
Yashin 78ov - McAmmond 73ov - Mayers 73ov
Afanasenkov 72ov - Svitov 70ov - Amonte 71ov

Nieds 85ov - Ohlund 80ov
Allen 77ov - Malik 77ov
Greene 73ov - Campoli 72ov

Belfour 79ov
Osgood 76ov

With the great playmaking center, Henrik Sedin, centering two of the best scoring wingers in the league we're hoping this line will produce well. The 2nd line is not too shabby themselves and should be able to fill in whenever the top line doesn't feel like showing up.

We still have another day off before we get back into action vs one of the leagues best teams, the Capitals. It is expected to be a very good test for the new and improved Sharks although they will still be without their top scoring winger, Marian Hossa.

Thanks to the Blackhawks GM, Dan, for the enjoyable talks. I think it was a tough deal to make for both clubs but we were able to come to a fair agreement.

[CMPunk]

Not really sure why the Hawks would want to mess with a good thing? Not really sure why the Hawks had to throw in a 2nd and cash for next season when they were trading away the better players.

The Sharks have had chemistry issues all year, so maybe Cheechoo and Kariya will help with that. Too bad they're basically rental players, unless the Sharks plan to pony up big money to resign the both of them.

Short term-Sharks
Long term-Hawks

[I wanna be like Miikka]

Wow this big of a deal and 1 comment, cmon guys!

I agree with CM Punk, weird move to make by a top 5 team but I suppose a shakeup was necessary. Sharks get a lot better this year but Kariya will be expensive to keep. Next year both players the Hawks got look a lot better ratings wise and cap wise but if the Sharks win this year then it really looks worth it.

I would have thought that this type of deal would be the opposite for both teams, hawks get an upgrade and sharks take a small downgrade (still staying competitive) but get younger. Instead it is backwards but who knows, maybe this works out and gets both teams going again.

Good job on getting the deal done, Im sure that 08/09 cap will help Ryan resign some of his big name guys.

[nyrcrisfer]

It's a weird trade for the Hawks to make but I might have done it too in their position. Cheechoo is due for a big ratings drop and Kariya is a UFA this summer. Meanwhile Hemsky and Horcoff are both scoring a PPG for the Oilers. If the Hawks can find some chemistry and Hemsy/Horcoff contribute as much this season as Cheech/Kariya were than this is an amazing deal for them.

The Sharks better hope to make the playoffs and win a round or 2. They can do it, but if they don't this move will hurt a lot. And it will hurt even more if they don't resign Kariya to a huge deal.