The flames were crackling at Chez Zipay---I threw the media notes from the Flyers game into the maw with the logs---and the tunes were, well, jazzy: Brother Jack McDuff's "Vas Dis", Lea Delaria's "Call Me", Hilton Ruiz' "West Side Blues".
If you don't know em', download them now. You can always hear the Killers.
You'll thank me later.
The phone rings and it's a pal watching Flyers-Thrashers, who says Peter Forsberg snapped at a ref, was benched for a bit and then publicly moaned about being frustrated after the game. He's supposed to meet with GM Paul Holmgren about his future tomorrah.
Sounds like the trade winds are blowing stronger.
A swap to a contender would be a wise move for the Swedish center, the Flyers (who can get some players) and the other team. Why wouldn't Forsberg want one more shot at a Cup? He might just be re-energized and pretty bleepin' valuable on the power play.
He could put the Wings, the Sharks, the Preds, the Senators---over the top. The longshot Rangers could use him just to make the playoffs, then see what happens.
So I'll play Devil's advocate here and await your responses slamming me.
If I'm the Rangers' front-office, I'd ask for the medical reports, dangle Montoya, plus Prucha or Dawes or Immonen and a pick for Forsberg---at least to get to the table. The Sharks can offer Toskala/Nabokov, a D-man and a shooter, I assume, so you offer Montoya, who won't play enough as a backup next year anyway.
Shanahan and Jagr aren't getting any younger and you're not giving up on rebuilding with Callahan, Staal, Dubinsky, Byers, Korpikoski, Pyatt, Moore and others in the pipeline.
OK, take your shots.
Tell me you want to hold on to every Wolf Packer. Tell me you want a different center (Brendan Morrison?) for less. Tell me Forsberg's a huge risk (I know).
Or maybe you want to watch the season go up in smoke like those pages and pages of media notes...
And shell out millions for Daniel Briere or Chris Drury next season and hope Shanny and Jagr and Straka are healthy...
Oh, and that the vaunted prospects (none of whom are Alex Ovechkin) all blossom....
The stars better be in alignment.
Because the Pens and Sabres and Ducks and Sharks and Sens are all going to be just as good or better next season.
Then what?
I'll check back in after driving up to Boston tomorrow.
Comments (7)
You have got to be kidding. Forsberg's such a huge liability. Thus far he has played 32 games, and last year 60. So why give up young prospects, ie: Prucha, Immonen, Montoya, Dawes for this guy. Even though he is only signed through the rest of this year? Its absurd. All to make playoffs this year? Give up some players to rent someone for 25-30 games? So what happened to "rebuilding"? So far we've got, correct me if I'm wrong; 9 players above 30 on the team. As of yesterday only ONE rookie on the team. And instead of rebuilding we have Prucha on the 3rd/4th line while people wonder... hmm why is he doing poorly? Not to mention Pock in limbo. Well I dont really know what point im getting at anymore but Forsberg is not worth the trouble.
Steve
I saw the Flyers-Thrashers game on NHL Center Ice.Peter Forsberg is a shell of the player he used to be.During the game,Darren Pang was commenting on how Forsberg was having trouble cutting and pivoting.He is damaged goods Steve.Put a different number on him with no name on the back of his jersey and you would think he was Jason Ward.Hey Steve do the names Eric Lindros and Pavel Bure ring a bell?You weren't covering the Rangers during the Lindros and Bure errors.Something tells me with the way Newsday flip flops their writers around that you won't be covering the Rangers
I think the Rangers are more than Peter Forsberg away from contending for a cup, and for that one reason alone I don't think it makes a whole lot of sense to throw your assets away.
If you were trading for a guy who had a lot more miles left on him (say a Pavel Datsyuk) then I think it makes a lot of sense to make that kind of move.
Or likewise, if the Rangers were just a center away from being Stanley Cup contenders.
But the Rangers aren't, and with the salary cap, there will be more and more room for younger players on the roster...especially once Jagr's half price contract rolls off the book and the Rangers are forced to pay a replacement market value.
I have no problem considering Petr Prucha in trades, but I think you have to look to the future, not into the past.
I have not read the Blogs above this one yet do I will just reply here then continue on.
Steve,
I am with you, I wasn't at first but I am now. I had this discussion with someone the other day. I say go for it just the way you laid it down. Prucha is no gem this year, career year as a rookie! Montoya can go to, he is not going to be the #1 here ever unless Henrik got traded in the next few weeks he is a waste of time. At best his career with the Rangers is as a back-up goalie. Why not trade him to another team that sees him as more? Can't have your cake and eat it too, only one #1 goalie!
The rest of the guys that everybody fears getting rid of? Everybody acts as if Hartford is the breeding ground for an All Star team. More then half of the guys down there are 2nd/3rd line players at best in the NHL with the exception of half a handful.
Forsberg is a risk! Yes, big time Risk! But if you give Prucha, Immo/Dawes and Montoya...Really what have you given up to get a World Class player such as Forsberg??? Especially if the risk pays off, he helps get to the playoffs and is signed for next year as a healthy productive Forsberg! Go for it, PULL THE TRIGGER!!!!
Steve,
It is this type of trade that has gotten the Rangers into the mess they have been in for the past decade or so.
Understand, I have no problems with trading a Montoya, Prucha or any other prospect, but not for another veteran who has a truckload of injury problems.
Glen Sather showed an ability to move his mistakes in Edmonton for usable players. I can't figure out why he hasn't applied that to the Rangers. If you aren't sold on a Prucha, Montoya or whomever, then trade them for other prospects who might fight Sather's "vision" of the Rangers.
Forsberg is a risk! Yes, big time Risk! I would still take it. For Immonen, Montoya, Ward/Hall and a conditional pick. Not involve Staal, Dubinsky,
Then I would go after E Brewer offering Rachunek and or Malik, Orr and a high pick.
This would be a future deal. If he works out - sign him in June. As for Forsberg - well he is more of a rental. Another 5-8 year playing term (not contract) top-C could be signed as an UFA (Datsyuk, Briere, Drury, Gomez) in the postseason as substantial cap space now exists for next year (even if all the desireable players ie Nylander, Shanny, Prucha, Pock, Lundquist are resigned with raises).
I like the Buffalo players. If we can get 1 of them next yr go for it. As I said above big no on Peter Forsberg.