you've been around long enough to remember guys like Geoff courtnall... mike krushlinsky... tom fergers... and a lot of other names you and I could toss out as we play the memory lain game. not every 'pretty good prospect' is ultimately going to find a long term home on his original team.
in order for a forest to grow and be healthy... sometimes some deforesting is necessary. sometimes you even need a devastating fire to clear the room for the new trees to get the room they need to grow.
any kid might be traded... and its possible the trade wont work out. any kid might be traded and its possible the trade might work out.
team results are ultimately how I measure a trade
brett hull was a pretty good prospect when Calgary traded him... and their only Stanley cup in franchise history followed
jarome iginla was a pretty good prospect when dallas traded him... and their only Stanley cup in franchise history followed
eric Lindros was a generational prospect when Colorado/Quebec traded him... and they won that trade too.
better prospects than danton heinen have been traded when we look at our history books. sometimes it didn't work... sometimes it did
and better prospects will be kept here even if we were to trade danton heinen. I say Bjork/debrusk/cehlerik/even senshyn are guys I prioritize to give growth room to on the wings over the next 2-3 years
I know its never a popular choice to trade away kids that we have attactchments too. I was in angst when we traded Jordan caron, and kevyn adams, and kyle wanvig escaped, and cameraon mann disappeared. danton heinen is better than all of them put together I'm sure but is he better than randy burridge or shawn bates?
if I'm wrong and the team sees him the way you see him... no worries... he wont be dealt. but if he is just a run of the mill guy who might be a 45-50 point guy without a lot of jam to his game, then I think we got better prospects that deserve the opportunity to stay and grow with us and become more special.
I have never said I believe heinen cant play in nhl... I wouldn't be using him as a sweetner if I thought he had no value
I remember them very well especially Fergus and Courtnall off the ice
Interestingly when Harry traded Courtnall and Fergus I was bat dhit angry
600 NHL goals gone for a pile of steaming shit
I'm not a fan of your deal but you been watching hockey a long time and I focus on football and baseball during their seasons and only keep one eye on hockey until neither are playing
Been watching Heinen since college on TV and then in AHL - his progression has been excellent. He will end up better than anyone in this deal of yours to me and his versatility and smarts appeal to me
But if you think it's a good deal I trust you it is
JUST TO ADD (edit)
If I was the GM I never would have dealt Courtnall especially for what they got- and it was personal with Harry against him. Screw Harry on this one
I would never in a freaking million years deal Secord for O'Connell. I cant believe to this day 40 years later I'm still pissed about that,
Fergus for Delargo was again Harry pissed off for something off ice that wouldnt even be a blip on the radar- boys will be boys, and Harry f***ing just gave him away- horrible
Krushelnyski for Linseman I heard on the radio in 95 degree weather on route 128 Waltham and it made my day,,,,I remember it like it was yesterday
also, hated the McLeish deal and the Leach deal (although my sister was his kid Jamie's babysitter and he was often over our house and a fun little kid who ended up in the NHL himself)
its a shame I wasnt GM back
Heinen may not be what these guys were but he might and I know what Sutter is and Heinen can be much more valuable
you love to give up on kids
you wanted to deal Thornton in his early years for JR who was on the back nine
your a great fan but when I think of you, I think of selling low