The old geezer
Registered User
- Feb 10, 2007
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While winning remains a priority the team has refused to let themselves get off track in terms of their long term goals. While earlier trades had focused on acquiring young assets the team was now on to their next big obstacle – bloated organizational size.
With the offseason just a few months away the team needed to clear several organizational spots to give them the flexibility to pursue a number of free agents without having their hands tied in the number of FA’s they pursued. Some spots would have been opened through expiring contracts and some prospect releases but many would just be filled back up at this summers draft. Therefore the team was looking at several buyouts which could have cost upwards of $10M total … an unacceptable cost. It is with an eye to this challenge that the Wings approached the trade deadline.
The first trade, which has already been announced, saw the Wings acquire veteran defensive forward Blair Betts from Pittsburg for NCAA grad Chris Tanev. Betts fits into the teams interim plans as the team lacks defensive forwards going into next season with only Brandon McMillan likely to crack the squad next year. The team will likely seek to add a 3rd defensive forward this offseason.
The second trade was the most significant of the three as Ed Jovanovski and two farm team players were sent to the Bruins for a 3rd round pick. This trade was all about freeing up cap room and organizational spots. All three were slated as potential offseason buyouts that would have cost the team over $8M to do so.
This also represents the fourth time in the past 10 months that the team captain was traded. Reports are coming out that three different Red Wings have declined to wear the ‘C’.
The 3rd trade sees Craig Rivet plus a 7th round pick coming to the Wings for Nathan Perkovich, Bryan Rodney, and a 6th round pick. In this deal all players involved have expiring contracts. Rivet is likely a short term rental who will help keep the team competitive in the short term. Perkovich was a guy the Wings, in an ideal situation, would have been willing to be patient with and resign this offseason but the numbers game meant he would have likely been made a UFA.
Trading JovoCop will likely be the coupe de grace for the Wings playoff chances but it’s been a strange season so far so who knows.
With the offseason just a few months away the team needed to clear several organizational spots to give them the flexibility to pursue a number of free agents without having their hands tied in the number of FA’s they pursued. Some spots would have been opened through expiring contracts and some prospect releases but many would just be filled back up at this summers draft. Therefore the team was looking at several buyouts which could have cost upwards of $10M total … an unacceptable cost. It is with an eye to this challenge that the Wings approached the trade deadline.
The first trade, which has already been announced, saw the Wings acquire veteran defensive forward Blair Betts from Pittsburg for NCAA grad Chris Tanev. Betts fits into the teams interim plans as the team lacks defensive forwards going into next season with only Brandon McMillan likely to crack the squad next year. The team will likely seek to add a 3rd defensive forward this offseason.
The second trade was the most significant of the three as Ed Jovanovski and two farm team players were sent to the Bruins for a 3rd round pick. This trade was all about freeing up cap room and organizational spots. All three were slated as potential offseason buyouts that would have cost the team over $8M to do so.
This also represents the fourth time in the past 10 months that the team captain was traded. Reports are coming out that three different Red Wings have declined to wear the ‘C’.
The 3rd trade sees Craig Rivet plus a 7th round pick coming to the Wings for Nathan Perkovich, Bryan Rodney, and a 6th round pick. In this deal all players involved have expiring contracts. Rivet is likely a short term rental who will help keep the team competitive in the short term. Perkovich was a guy the Wings, in an ideal situation, would have been willing to be patient with and resign this offseason but the numbers game meant he would have likely been made a UFA.
Trading JovoCop will likely be the coupe de grace for the Wings playoff chances but it’s been a strange season so far so who knows.
