Bryan McCabe 'Can-Open' Lord Stanley run for Bruins

[Vaive-Alive]

Beantown:

The Boston Globe can confirm what was first reported by the St. Louis press: GM Krueger and GM Quain were involved in heated discussions last night during the Bruins hard fought 2-1 victory over the Blues. But Quain and Krueger weren't discussing the game ( although Krueger admitted being smug about the fact that he always beats his arch western conference rival ). They were discussing a trade, and a rather significant one. The Globe can now confirm that the following deal has been reached between the two franchises:

The St. Louis Blues sent Bryan McCabe, Matthew Barnaby, and CAR 4th 2006 in exchange for Brad Stuart, Alyn McCauley, and BOS 1st 2006.

This was a difficult trade for Krueger - McCauley and Stuart are great players with plenty of potential and some youth on their side. A 1st round draft pick for a team contending for the Stanley Cup is a late pick at best, but it is still a 1st rounder none the less. So why did he do this trade? Lord Stanley.

The draw of the cup brings Bryan McCabe - a definite contender for this year's NHL Norris trophy. Bryan McCabe is a force to be reckoned with. A defensive stallwart who isn't scared of dropping the gloves, and who can quarterback a powerplay, lighting the lamp with a booming shot or sending a crisp pass through traffic. Bryan McCabe is a star - and pairing him with Wade Redden will give Boston one of the most potent defenses in the HFNHL.

The draw of the cup brings Matthew Barnaby - an agitator extraordinaire with an arsenol of rhetoric and punches. His specialty is getting under an opponents skin - a skill that he has honed to perfection. He has been known to rally in the playoffs and can change the mood of any game on a moments notice.

The Bruins are a stronger team as a result of the trade. And neither McCabe or Barnaby will be free agents at the end of this year. GM Krueger has one thing in mind - winning the cup. They're one step closer to that goal with this trade.

Bobby Orr
Boston Globe

Click to read more...

 

[Ohio Jones]

Well, let's just hope it works out better for you than that whole unfortunate Thornton fiasco...

Good trade, though, for both teams.

 

[Vaive-Alive]

Well, let's just hope it works out better for you than that whole unfortunate Thornton fiasco...

Good trade, though, for both teams.

Oh yes - the trade I'll never live down...well, we all have a few skeletons in our closet...c'est la vie.

Kruegs

 

[Ohio Jones]

Oh yes - the trade I'll never live down...well, we all have a few skeletons in our closet...c'est la vie.

Kruegs

To be honest, it only came to mind because of who your trading partner was. And in fairness, you did about as well as Mike O'Connell did...

... and I'm pretty sure a Cup will help you silence those who criticize you for that deal.

 

[HFNHL Red Wings]

Rich I think we need to put a sobriety test to any trade submitted by Rob from the Bar. Nick either plied Rob with one too many beers or there's a kick back involved regarding annual bonuses over at Cellwand me thinks

 

[Vaive-Alive]

To be honest, it only came to mind because of who your trading partner was. And in fairness, you did about as well as Mike O'Connell did...

... and I'm pretty sure a Cup will help you silence those who criticize you for that deal.

Well, I'd like to think that the players coming back were better than what O'Connell got. Nagy turned out very well, Nylander was pretty good at the time although his stock has tapered off significantly in recent years, and Hecht has proven to be that 40-50 point getter fairly consistently ( I seem to recall the next year Hecht was sent to Edmonton as the key component in the Weight trade so I wasn't alone in having high hopes for him) although he hasn't exactly lived up to the expectations that people put on him at the time. O'Connell got Sturm, the other Primeau and Stuart. We'll see if his pieces pan out. But needless to say - none will pan out for Boston like the big JT will ( already has ) for San Jose.

 

[Dr.Sens(e)]

Well, I'd like to think that the players coming back were better than what O'Connell got. Nagy turned out very well, Nylander was pretty good at the time although his stock has tapered off significantly in recent years, and Hecht has proven to be that 40-50 point getter fairly consistently ( I seem to recall the next year Hecht was sent to Edmonton as the key component in the Weight trade so I wasn't alone in having high hopes for him) although he hasn't exactly lived up to the expectations that people put on him at the time. O'Connell got Sturm, the other Primeau and Stuart. We'll see if his pieces pan out. But needless to say - none will pan out for Boston like the big JT will ( already has ) for San Jose.

Keep in mind the Thornton I traded for, was a 60 point scorer. Sure, he was EXPECTED to become a dominant center, but so was Daigle, Stefan and several others. So there was an element of risk involved with me making that deal (although Nagy might have been the bigger risk at the time).

Of course, in the same deal I also got a 2nd rounder I turned into David LeNeveu, and Landon Wilson, but whose really keeping track.

As to this trade, McCabe is going to be rated pretty freakin' high next year (and he is already one of the better rated defenders), and it's not like Stuart has turned into a dominant defender, so I think it's a pretty fair trade. McCabe will always be a guy rated better in the hfnhl than he probably should be. It was a fair enough trade that I hesitated in making it on more than one occasion, but Krueger basically wore me down with all his pleading...

 

[Ohio Jones]

...but Krueger basically wore me down with all his pleading...

Drew's strategy in that scenario is to keep upping the asking price every time he calls. That pretty much forces a deal on your terms.

 

[Vaive-Alive]

Krueger basically wore me down with all his pleading...

What can I say - I am a sucker for Leaf players . And when I traded Sundin, I needed to fill the void somehow. Need at least one Leaf player on my roster...it's a must.

I seem to recall you despising him because in real life he played for your arch rival... my beloved buds ( who appear to be absolutely $#@! in his absence ). He was never meant to stay long with Quain at the helm.

Don't get me wrong - I despise the Sens, but I don't mind having Redden and McCabe playing side by side...

 

[Vaive-Alive]

Rich I think we need to put a sobriety test to any trade submitted by Rob from the Bar. Nick either plied Rob with one too many beers or there's a kick back involved regarding annual bonuses over at Cellwand me thinks

Drew - I don't get drunk anymore ( well thats a blatant lie, but far less often anyway ) - I am just perpetually tired now that I have a son ( yes - little Jack Krueger was born on Jan. 8th and is already a die-hard Leaf fan...).

What was I thinking on this deal...

McCabe is an allstar defenseman. People are fickle on the guy for the sake of being fickle on him - he's a Leaf so people like yourself automatically hate him. People don't see him in the same light as other star defensemen in the league - despite the fact that he is outplaying them all this year, and outplayed most of them in the last full season. Just look at his stats. He's an 82 OV in our league, and his rating will only go up after this years league leading performance. I am making a run for the cup, and I am a Leaf fan, and this is a fantasy league. It's a good fit on all levels.

Stuart's development looks to have stalled - I too used to think he would someday develop into a franchise defenseman - he still might ( I obviously have my doubts, and Nick obviously hopes he's a late bloomer ), but I don't want to wait as I won't have a team capable of winning the cup by the time he develops - if he develops.

McCauley is the toughest one to let go of as he's one of my favourite players - but he was covering 3rd line duty for me - and I have plenty of wingers capable of filling his shoes. The toughest part of this deal was McCauley.

And the first rounder for the 4th round CAR pick - well what can I say: McCabe, Barnaby >> McCauley, Stuart. Too much you say - price of doing business. I don't really care. In the end I got what I wanted, and it should help me make a run for the cup.

So, there you have it Drew. There's my drunken, er...fatigue... reasoning .

Agree, Agree to Disagree, yada yada,

R

 

[kasper11]

Rich I think we need to put a sobriety test to any trade submitted by Rob from the Bar. Nick either plied Rob with one too many beers or there's a kick back involved regarding annual bonuses over at Cellwand me thinks

Why would I want to stop a Rob/Nick deal? Rob is in my conference, Nick in yours

Seriously though, it is hard to say somebody got ripped when they got the best player in the deal. You guys are ripping him for takign quantity over quality in the Thornton deal, then for taking quality over quantity in the McCabe deal. He may have overpaid, but how many dmen of McCabe's quality and contract are available? When you are talking about stars like that it is really a buyers market.

 

[Ohio Jones]

For the record, I gave him the gears a bit, as expected, but never ripped him. I actually liked what O'Connell got in his trade. Call me crazy.

And a hearty congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Krueger for the new arrival! We shall indeed have to gather to toast your mighty sperm, but I imagine your time is a little bit preoccupied these days, what with crying and pooping and the like.

Let us know when you feel better.