Why did I pick an agent with a 4.07GAA in '80-81?
Thank Jiri Crha for Hossa affair. He's a former player often mentioned in the same breath as Hardy Astrom in reference to the NHL. Now he's living vicariously through an immensely talented star in Marian Hossa, and has convinced him that he's worth Jarome Iginla money. It's been said many times before - no GM in his right mind would swap Iginla for Hossa 1-for-1. Maybe that was just posturing, but it reflects very badly on a great player who has given his all for the Ottawa Senators over the last six years.
On to the trade...
DeVries was a throw-in. He's a useful player, no question, but overpaid guys in tight cap situations are now pretty much given away (see Roenick, Malik, Sopel).
So it was basically Hossa at $18M over 3 years for Heatley at $13.5M over 3 years. Both are power forwards but where Hossa uses his size and strength for offense only a la John Leclair, Heatley is willing to crash and bang. A criticism of the Sens was a lack of toughness, so they acquired Varada and Rob Ray. That improved matters only a little - how can toughness on the 3rd of 4th line solve the problem of your top line players being pushed around? Guys like Heatley are the answer and that's why they're so valuable. He can put up Hossa numbers and dish out Rob Ray punishment. For less money.
What about Heatley's 'baggage?' People have said that he hasn't been the same player since his accident. True, he was not the same player in the 31 games he played in '03-04 that he was in his Calder season, but 25 points is pretty good considering his injuries and other circumstances that season. Then Dany led Canada to the gold in the '04 World Championships with 8 goals and 11 points in 9 games and was tournament MVP. Last year he bagged 14 goals and 24 points in 16 games with SC Bern. Compare that 1.5 point-per-game average to Joe Thornton's and Rick Nash's 'dominant' seasons in the same league: Thornton had 10g, 44a in 40 games and Nash had 26g, 24a in 44 games. In the '05 World Championships, Heatley was recovering from his eye injury and still posted 3 goals and 4 assists in his 9 games.
If his eye has completely healed, and John Muckler would have required firm evidence of that before making the deal, Heatley will be back to his dominant self. In getting a player who will put up Hossa's numbers, be more physical, and play for 75% of Hossa's salary, the Senators appear to have been big winners in this deal. Even more so if it allows them to keep Chara and Redden long-term.
On to the trade...
DeVries was a throw-in. He's a useful player, no question, but overpaid guys in tight cap situations are now pretty much given away (see Roenick, Malik, Sopel).
So it was basically Hossa at $18M over 3 years for Heatley at $13.5M over 3 years. Both are power forwards but where Hossa uses his size and strength for offense only a la John Leclair, Heatley is willing to crash and bang. A criticism of the Sens was a lack of toughness, so they acquired Varada and Rob Ray. That improved matters only a little - how can toughness on the 3rd of 4th line solve the problem of your top line players being pushed around? Guys like Heatley are the answer and that's why they're so valuable. He can put up Hossa numbers and dish out Rob Ray punishment. For less money.
What about Heatley's 'baggage?' People have said that he hasn't been the same player since his accident. True, he was not the same player in the 31 games he played in '03-04 that he was in his Calder season, but 25 points is pretty good considering his injuries and other circumstances that season. Then Dany led Canada to the gold in the '04 World Championships with 8 goals and 11 points in 9 games and was tournament MVP. Last year he bagged 14 goals and 24 points in 16 games with SC Bern. Compare that 1.5 point-per-game average to Joe Thornton's and Rick Nash's 'dominant' seasons in the same league: Thornton had 10g, 44a in 40 games and Nash had 26g, 24a in 44 games. In the '05 World Championships, Heatley was recovering from his eye injury and still posted 3 goals and 4 assists in his 9 games.
If his eye has completely healed, and John Muckler would have required firm evidence of that before making the deal, Heatley will be back to his dominant self. In getting a player who will put up Hossa's numbers, be more physical, and play for 75% of Hossa's salary, the Senators appear to have been big winners in this deal. Even more so if it allows them to keep Chara and Redden long-term.
posted by Jeff J at 11:06 a.m.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home