HFNHL Red Wings
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It is no secret that the Red Wings have been struggling with the loss of Roberts. Since his injury the Wings are only 6-5 which includes losses not only to key rivals like the Ducks and Oilers but also sub 500 teams like Tampa and Florida. As a result the team has dropped significantly in the standings and is in danger of losing home ice advantage in the first round.
With Roberts do back in a day or two he will be reunited with longtime friend Joe Nieuwendyk with the hopes that the two can help resuscitate a lifeless team.
The deal that brought Joe Nieuwendyk to Detroit was consummated late last night with less than 10 minutes to go before the trade deadline.
In the short term this is a good deal for Detroit but the price was not cheap as prospects Blair Betts and Joel Perrault along with team enforcer Peter Worrell were sent to Pittsburgh. Betts was expected to be the teams future 3rd line center and the tem had high hopes for Perrault who in 2002-03 was second in scoring in the QMJHL with 116pts and 98PIM’s. Both players should have good NHL careers and will be missed by the team.
Also acquired earlier in the evening was C/LW Claude Lapointe. Claude will most likely be used as an injured reserve for the remainder of the season.
The most surprising deal of the day happened early yesterday afternoon when the Wings traded prized RW prospect Alexander Suglobov to New Jersey for G prospect Antero Niittymaki and a 3rd round pick in 2005.
“We really didn’t want to trade him†said GM Niece. “We had received two excellent offers for his services the day earlier and really had to think this one over. At one point we were leaning towards rejecting both offers and retaining his services ourselves, however, the lack of depth at the goaltender position within our system ultimately drove us to accept the NJ offer.†Niittymaki joins Henrik Lundqvist on the farm where it is hoped that one of the two will emerge as the teams goaltender of the future.
With Roberts do back in a day or two he will be reunited with longtime friend Joe Nieuwendyk with the hopes that the two can help resuscitate a lifeless team.
The deal that brought Joe Nieuwendyk to Detroit was consummated late last night with less than 10 minutes to go before the trade deadline.
In the short term this is a good deal for Detroit but the price was not cheap as prospects Blair Betts and Joel Perrault along with team enforcer Peter Worrell were sent to Pittsburgh. Betts was expected to be the teams future 3rd line center and the tem had high hopes for Perrault who in 2002-03 was second in scoring in the QMJHL with 116pts and 98PIM’s. Both players should have good NHL careers and will be missed by the team.
Also acquired earlier in the evening was C/LW Claude Lapointe. Claude will most likely be used as an injured reserve for the remainder of the season.
The most surprising deal of the day happened early yesterday afternoon when the Wings traded prized RW prospect Alexander Suglobov to New Jersey for G prospect Antero Niittymaki and a 3rd round pick in 2005.
“We really didn’t want to trade him†said GM Niece. “We had received two excellent offers for his services the day earlier and really had to think this one over. At one point we were leaning towards rejecting both offers and retaining his services ourselves, however, the lack of depth at the goaltender position within our system ultimately drove us to accept the NJ offer.†Niittymaki joins Henrik Lundqvist on the farm where it is hoped that one of the two will emerge as the teams goaltender of the future.
