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Oh, YEAH!
Sharks finally taking action
11/30/05 -
by Ken Smyth
All I can say is wow- and set me up with another
one of these drinks. Joe Thornton comes to the Sharks for Brad Stuart, Marco
Sturm and Wayne Primeau as GM Doug Wilson puts a stack of funny-colored chips
on number 19. Boston dumps a superstar, saves some cash, and infuriates the
fans, all nine of them, who believed Bruins management would somehow act
different with the salary cap than they have for the last thirty years.
Everybody expected that the Bruins would make some sort of deal since their
owner had called them out into the parking lot, so to speak, because of their
lackluster play so far this season. Going back a little, they blew a 3-1 lead
in the first round of the playoffs in 2004 after winning their division. But
trading their captain and biggest star? Wow.
Any trade where you can get a player like that without giving up a similar one
in return, like Patrick Marleau, is a good trade. Take a look at the
superstar-for-several-names trades in any sport and you see that in a few years
everybody except trivia freaks forgets who the other guys were, only
remembering the star and the two teams.
This is also a forward moving trade for the Sharks, maybe their first. The
three guys who are going are good players but they can be replaced in the
overall scheme of things. The guy we're getting is arguably one of the top five
centers in the game today and brings the Sharks a force that they've NEVER had;
a guy who is absolutely intimidating in the offensive zone.
This isn't one of those sideways deals: a malcontent for an underachiever and a
draft pick or a straight dump of an old guy with a big contract. Nope, this one
shifts power like the clutch on a Ford Cobra, and there's certain to be a few
other GM's around the league wishing Mike O'Connell called them first.
On the ice last night in Dallas, the Sharks lost their tenth consecutive game.
But there is finally reason, not just hope, to expect things to improve. If I
could tell you with certainty how a team would perform under any circumstances,
forget hockey; this column would my "K. D.'s NFL Insight" site and crazy
gamblers would be paying me a hundred bucks for that "lock" on Monday's
Seattle/Philly game. Instead I'm just a part-time smart-ass, but with free
shipping if you order before December 10th. Still, this deal looks good to me-
Go Sharks. Now, can Nabby stop a few??
Contact Ken at Kenin210@eudoramail.com
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