Struggling Predators make Fowl play

[Slava]

The Predators and Blue Jackets completed talks on a blockbuster deal early Wednesday that sees 2/3 of the first line leaving music city to head to a division rival. The deal signals a Nashville focus on 2011 and doesn't necessarily bode well for ticket sales through the rest of this season.

To Columbus
Daniel Alfredsson
Tomas Plekanec
Ridiculous Amount of Cash

To Nashville
Benoit Pouliot
Cam Fowler
Ben Bishop
2011 1st (St. Louis)

The Nashville GM finally took note of the reality of the positioning of the team and committed to the rebuild in a big way. "This gives us 5 picks in the first round and another in the second for this year. Surely we can make an impact with some of these picks!" said GM Slava. "Its not fun to watch the team struggle and simply not be able to compete with the others, but its also exciting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and realise that its not a train. Both Daniel and Tomas had decent starts to the season here, but we're now in a position where we need to multiply our assets. The reality is that even 8th place and a playoff berth is a stretch here, and they can be useful to other clubs."

As for the assets coming to town, the Nashville GM breaks things down like this:

Cam Fowler: "Clearly a special player who will make an impact years from now. As an 18 year old to play top minutes in the NHL is no small feat. His mobility is clearly his biggest asset and we're excited to have him to anchor our blue line for years to come."

Ben Bishop: "Looked great in the Blues camp this season and we expect that he will develop into a solid NHLer over the next couple of seasons."

Benoit Pouliot: "Can be a little streaky, but will still put up around 50 points by year end. We're interested in seeing if he can develop some chemistry with James Neal and should still provide some excitement for the fans in Nashville this year."

Thanks to MJK for the talks and deal. It was a bit of a process, and we both had/have our portions that we don't care for here. It will be interesting to see what other GMs think!

[SweetDoc]

WOW!

I'm very surprised with this trade, very surprised, wish I was in on this.

[MJK]

Alfie playing Hot Dog Tag with his team team at practice

The Columbus Blue Jackets have struggled this season and currently sit 12th in the Western Conference. The main priority this year is to make the playoffs and to win the Central Division. These goals are very attainable but are more difficult now with the hot start of the St. Louis Blues. Backstrom has been putting up good numbers but hasn’t been getting the wins because the team in front of him has been having trouble scoring goals.

GM Penney pulled the trigger on a deal today that should help out. The deal not only gives the jackets some much needed depth, it gives them scoring! The jackets are one of the best defensive teams in the CPHL so shots against are no longer a big problem. If we can generate more scoring chances the wins should start coming.

Losing is NOT an option. We have some great youth but obviously lacked the veteran leadership to win games consistently.

To Nashville:
Cam Fowler, Benoit Pouliot, 1st (stl) 2011 and Ben Bishop

To Columbus:
Daniel Alfredsson and Thomas Plekanec

It was no secret that Cam Fowler was on the trade block because Penney doesn’t have the patience to wait for the young kids unless he really likes them. That says a lot for Colin Wilson who is no longer available and will remain a Jacket. GM Penney has always like forward prospects more than defensive prospects because he believes the forwards develop quicker. Penney feels that Cam Fowler is a franchise player down the road but with the current youth in Columbus he wouldn’t have been that guy here.

Pouliot is a guy we think is underrated and we feel he has a good chance to step it up in Montreal this year. With JVR already in the fold, it made trading Pouliot easier.

We welcome Alfie and Plekanec and look forward to see what they can do here!

[MJK]

Originally Posted by SweetDoc

WOW!

I'm very surprised with this trade, very surprised, wish I was in on this.

You say this everytime there is a trade made. The last deal I made with another GM, all I got was "I could have given you more".

[I wanna be like Miikka]

Massive win for Columbus, Alfie shouldn't even be in the deal imo, replace him with a second rd pick or something and then it is fair.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by I wanna be like Miikka

Massive win for Columbus, Alfie shouldn't even be in the deal imo, replace him with a second rd pick or something and then it is fair.

My thoughts as well, I understand teams will rebuild.

I would have sold each player seperately.

[Goffie]

I am in agreement with Ravi and Flambers on this one. Giving up two current top line players should warrant more of a return then one great prospect a young 3rd liner and what could be a very late 1st.

[Slava]

I guess I mis-read the situation here. Hopefully this turns out better for me than everyone seems to anticipate so that its a more even deal!

[JiriHrdina]

It's not a great deal but if you are patient with Fowler it won't be bad a couple years down the road. Value wise it isn't great - but if you hang on to Fowler and he matures into a #1 dman you won't regret it.

Just don't flip Fowler. The only way this deal works for you is if you hang on to him with an iron grip until he's a highly rated player.

[Prototype]

I love hearing "I could have gotten you more", or "you could have gotten more" when looking at deals. The thing is, trade talks happen, and people get offended if there's a deal in principal done, but one side says "I'm going to see what else I can get.", or players involved get traded elsewhere, even if there's an agreement in place.

What shoots GMs in the foot is not making it public that a player is available, but sometimes, it's an MSN message, or a PM saying "Hey, is Player A available", and it snowballs from there.

So you may have given the GM more for Player A, but it's your own damn fault for not actively going after that player.

That's been my experience anyways.

Signed,

2009/2010 Doug Risebrough Award Winner.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Prototype

I love hearing "I could have gotten you more", or "you could have gotten more" when looking at deals. The thing is, trade talks happen, and people get offended if there's a deal in principal done, but one side says "I'm going to see what else I can get.", or players involved get traded elsewhere, even if there's an agreement in place.

What shoots GMs in the foot is not making it public that a player is available, but sometimes, it's an MSN message, or a PM saying "Hey, is Player A available", and it snowballs from there.

So you may have given the GM more for Player A, but it's your own damn fault for not actively going after that player.

That's been my experience anyways.

Signed,

2009/2010 Doug Risebrough Award Winner.

Lets not engrave the trophy for me just yet though, you could still win this in a walk down the back stretch!

And Grant, I totally agree that Fowler and his development are the key here. If he is another Drew Doughty down the road then this deal makes sense...otherwise I'm relying on that draft pick to turn into something, or Ben Bishop I guess. in hindsight the easy solution is that MJK should just dump JVR here and even things out!

[Da_Chief]

I don't think its a bad deal at al...I've been following Fowler for awhile before drafting him this summer 3rd overall. The guy will be good. Ducks are keeping him for the whole year, so already you've got a rated player next year. He has been Ducks best dman in the NHL.

Fowler to me already has more value than Plekanec.

Bishop, 1st, Pouliot is not a great but not a bad return either. Pouliot hasn't been lighting it up but is still going at 0.5 ppg. Blues haven't given up on Bishop, Conklin is a UFA after this year and would not surprise me to see Bishop get the backup job next year. 1st rounders are always nice, do your homework and get a nice prospect. Alffy isn't getting any younger and I had him, his age + huge contract really lowers his value.

You have now sold Alffy twice this year and have Pouliot, Brassard, Butler, Bishop, Gustafsson, 1st rounder to show for. (you did give up scuderi and bouchard too)

So nice trade for both teams.

[Hanna Sniper]

If you think you would had given more, I'm sure the new teams will gladly take more.... give the GM a ring and we'll see the same player flipped shortly

saying you would have given more and actually doing so are two different things.

[MJK]

Originally Posted by Hanna Sniper

If you think you would had given more, I'm sure the new teams will gladly take more.... give the GM a ring and we'll see the same player flipped shortly

saying you would have given more and actually doing so are two different things.

Way ahead of you Doug. I already asked LA to back up their claim but in the end they were unwilling to pay 'more'.

Saying and doing are two different things!

[SweetDoc]

My idea of what is more and your idea might be different things, doesn't mean I didn't offer more, also, we didn't really get into, so that may not have been my final offer. If you're going to call people out like that, you'll find they are less willing to work with you in the future.

[MJK]

Originally Posted by SweetDoc

My idea of what is more and your idea might be different things, doesn't mean I didn't offer more, also, we didn't really get into, so that may not have been my final offer. If you're going to call people out like that, you'll find they are less willing to work with you in the future.

I call people out all the time and I have never had a problem finding trading partners. I am like that hemorrhoid in your butt...its a real nuisance but you just can't resist to scratch it.

[SweetDoc]

I wouldn't scratch a hemorroid, I would have it lanced.

[therizzle]

Now that's a man speaking from experience!

[SweetDoc]

A man speaking from someone else's experience actually. I was told it's better to cut the heads off the damned things and end them rather than allow them to a deep seeded irritant for the rest of one's life.

[Prototype]

Originally Posted by SweetDoc

I wouldn't scratch a hemorroid, I would have it lanced.

Uhhhh... going to pass.