Ohio Jones
Game on...
The HFNHL Columbus Blue Jackets cleared up their crowded goaltending situation today when they sent goaltender Mike Smith, prospect Maxim Gratchev and a pick to New Jersey for two-way pivot prospect Trevor Lewis.
Smith, who had signed a one-year extension with Columbus that will make him an Unrestricted Free Agent next summer, was buried in the depth chart behind starter Martin Gerber and established young backup Peter Budaj. With John Curry impressing in the AHL, the writing was on the wall for Smith.
The big goaltender will get a chance to prove his mettle as a starter this season with Tampa (NHL), and no doubt hopes that the team's new coach (rumoured to be Barry "The Mullet" Melrose) puts in place a more effective defensive scheme in front of him. Both Smith and Bolts' top prospect Karri Ramo - Smith's competition for the starter's gig - were absolutely shelled in the weeks following last season's trade deadline.
Lewis, a 2nd-round pick of the New York Rangers in 2006 (and a 17th overall pick of the NHL Kings that year), was traded to New Jersey in the package that brought Ilya Kovalchuk to Broadway. This makes his second trade in just two years, all before he's seen a single NHL game.
While some may take all this movement as a bad trend, it might be more fair to say that teams are very interested in the swift two-way pivot's game.
"Trevor's a bright young player", said the Jackets' GM in announcing the move. "He's defensively responsible, very aware, he's an extremely polished skater with tremendous speed, and he has good hands. He was a little slower off the mark offensively in his first pro season than expected, but we see that as a natural development - he's still only 21, and the offence he showed at other levels is starting to come. We're excited to see that he's working hard at all aspects of his game, not slacking on the many other things he does so well, and he's learning to tap into his offence on top of that solid foundation.
"I don't like comparisons when it comes to measuring potential, but in style terms Trevor is developing into a terrific two-way pivot, with similarities to Chris Drury and Kris Draper. If he develops along similar lines to either of those great players, we'll be very pleased."
Smith, who had signed a one-year extension with Columbus that will make him an Unrestricted Free Agent next summer, was buried in the depth chart behind starter Martin Gerber and established young backup Peter Budaj. With John Curry impressing in the AHL, the writing was on the wall for Smith.
The big goaltender will get a chance to prove his mettle as a starter this season with Tampa (NHL), and no doubt hopes that the team's new coach (rumoured to be Barry "The Mullet" Melrose) puts in place a more effective defensive scheme in front of him. Both Smith and Bolts' top prospect Karri Ramo - Smith's competition for the starter's gig - were absolutely shelled in the weeks following last season's trade deadline.
Lewis, a 2nd-round pick of the New York Rangers in 2006 (and a 17th overall pick of the NHL Kings that year), was traded to New Jersey in the package that brought Ilya Kovalchuk to Broadway. This makes his second trade in just two years, all before he's seen a single NHL game.
While some may take all this movement as a bad trend, it might be more fair to say that teams are very interested in the swift two-way pivot's game.
"Trevor's a bright young player", said the Jackets' GM in announcing the move. "He's defensively responsible, very aware, he's an extremely polished skater with tremendous speed, and he has good hands. He was a little slower off the mark offensively in his first pro season than expected, but we see that as a natural development - he's still only 21, and the offence he showed at other levels is starting to come. We're excited to see that he's working hard at all aspects of his game, not slacking on the many other things he does so well, and he's learning to tap into his offence on top of that solid foundation.
"I don't like comparisons when it comes to measuring potential, but in style terms Trevor is developing into a terrific two-way pivot, with similarities to Chris Drury and Kris Draper. If he develops along similar lines to either of those great players, we'll be very pleased."
