Autopsy of a controversial trade
Jan 28, 2003 13:57:28 GMT -5
Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Jan 28, 2003 13:57:28 GMT -5
Mathias Brunet
La Presse
Let's not mince words: the trade which sent Jeff Hackett to San Jose, then to Boston, is by far the most unpopular Andre Savard has made.
Many a fan, very emotional people, reacted with fury on the radio and on Web sites. They said this trade was the worst of Savard's career, was compared to his predecessor Réjean Houle, and even had his resignation demanded. Hackett's shutout in his first game with the Bruins did not help to calm them down...
And yet, in spite of this hurricane of protest, the majority of observers outside Quebec, among them Bob McKenzie of TSN, considered it a good trade for the Canadiens. Even Jaromir Jagr said so after the game on Saturday.
Here are comments most often heard for a few days from angry fans. Let's try to give the necessary explanations.
1. As long as he was on the market the Canadiens should have acquired Kyle McLaren.
Forget McLaren in Montreal. The Bruins GM, Mike O'Connell, did not want to trade him to the Canadiens. it would have been necessary to offer Ron Hainsey or Mike Komisarek to Boston along with Hackett, and still no guarantee that the Bruins would have done it. In any event, Savard values Komisarek higher than Jeff Jillson. it's necessary to pay attention before trading young players. Two years ago how many people predicted that Markov would become so good?
2. The Canadiens could have got much more for Hackett, who can be a number one goalie.
That's far from being certain. There was only one team interested in Hackett at the time of the trade, and it was Boston. The 29 other clubs have their number one goalies. However, Savard tried to trade his goalie this past summer. The Rangers were in the race for a while, but they acquired Mike Dunham. Moreover, the value of a possible UFA (Hackett will be completely free at the end of the season) is never very high. At the beginning of the season, some affirmed that the Tricolore would have been happy to offer Hackett without asking anything in return, if a club had agreed to pay all his salary. Imagine then a third round pick and a solid defensive forward... The interest shown by the Sharks for McLaren made it possible for Savard to put forward the deal.
3. The Canadiens shot themselves in the foot. McLaren is in the West as the Bruins wished, whereas Hackett comes back to hurt our chances of making the playoffs.
André Savard is obviously not happy to see Hackett with the Bruins, but he doesn't make a drama of it. The Canadiens are fighting with seven teams for a place in the playoffs, not only with Boston. The Canadiens are worried much more by the Lightning, Islanders, Rangers and Penguins. The Canadiens will face the Bruins twice before the end of the season, but Boston and Hackett will also play very often against the Canadiens' other principal rivals. Involuntarily, Hackett could even help Montreal take part in the playoffs!
In any event, the Bruins would have improved with or without the Canadiens. There are other top-notch goalies on the market, such as Arturs Irbe of Carolina. McLaren could have been traded earlier or later for a goalie and a promising defenseman. (it was a question of a three party trade between Colorado, Boston and Carolina: Irbe and David Tanabe to Boston, Alex Tanguay and Martin Skoula to Carolina and Kyle McLaren and Bates Battaglia to Denver).
4. The Canadiens should have required a defenseman from San Jose in return for Hackett; McGillis or Marchment, since their need is more urgent on the blueline.
The Sharks acquired McLaren to improve their own defense. it would have been astonishing that they give up one defenseman to acquire another. When Savard negotiated with the Sharks, he knew that his robust defenseman Sheldon Souray had practiced a few days earlier and that he could be available in four to six weeks. It's another reason for not having offered Komisarek and Hackett in exchange for McLaren, an often wounded defenseman who played on average only 57 games in the last six seasons, and an average of 48 games in the last two years.
La Presse
Let's not mince words: the trade which sent Jeff Hackett to San Jose, then to Boston, is by far the most unpopular Andre Savard has made.
Many a fan, very emotional people, reacted with fury on the radio and on Web sites. They said this trade was the worst of Savard's career, was compared to his predecessor Réjean Houle, and even had his resignation demanded. Hackett's shutout in his first game with the Bruins did not help to calm them down...
And yet, in spite of this hurricane of protest, the majority of observers outside Quebec, among them Bob McKenzie of TSN, considered it a good trade for the Canadiens. Even Jaromir Jagr said so after the game on Saturday.
Here are comments most often heard for a few days from angry fans. Let's try to give the necessary explanations.
1. As long as he was on the market the Canadiens should have acquired Kyle McLaren.
Forget McLaren in Montreal. The Bruins GM, Mike O'Connell, did not want to trade him to the Canadiens. it would have been necessary to offer Ron Hainsey or Mike Komisarek to Boston along with Hackett, and still no guarantee that the Bruins would have done it. In any event, Savard values Komisarek higher than Jeff Jillson. it's necessary to pay attention before trading young players. Two years ago how many people predicted that Markov would become so good?
2. The Canadiens could have got much more for Hackett, who can be a number one goalie.
That's far from being certain. There was only one team interested in Hackett at the time of the trade, and it was Boston. The 29 other clubs have their number one goalies. However, Savard tried to trade his goalie this past summer. The Rangers were in the race for a while, but they acquired Mike Dunham. Moreover, the value of a possible UFA (Hackett will be completely free at the end of the season) is never very high. At the beginning of the season, some affirmed that the Tricolore would have been happy to offer Hackett without asking anything in return, if a club had agreed to pay all his salary. Imagine then a third round pick and a solid defensive forward... The interest shown by the Sharks for McLaren made it possible for Savard to put forward the deal.
3. The Canadiens shot themselves in the foot. McLaren is in the West as the Bruins wished, whereas Hackett comes back to hurt our chances of making the playoffs.
André Savard is obviously not happy to see Hackett with the Bruins, but he doesn't make a drama of it. The Canadiens are fighting with seven teams for a place in the playoffs, not only with Boston. The Canadiens are worried much more by the Lightning, Islanders, Rangers and Penguins. The Canadiens will face the Bruins twice before the end of the season, but Boston and Hackett will also play very often against the Canadiens' other principal rivals. Involuntarily, Hackett could even help Montreal take part in the playoffs!
In any event, the Bruins would have improved with or without the Canadiens. There are other top-notch goalies on the market, such as Arturs Irbe of Carolina. McLaren could have been traded earlier or later for a goalie and a promising defenseman. (it was a question of a three party trade between Colorado, Boston and Carolina: Irbe and David Tanabe to Boston, Alex Tanguay and Martin Skoula to Carolina and Kyle McLaren and Bates Battaglia to Denver).
4. The Canadiens should have required a defenseman from San Jose in return for Hackett; McGillis or Marchment, since their need is more urgent on the blueline.
The Sharks acquired McLaren to improve their own defense. it would have been astonishing that they give up one defenseman to acquire another. When Savard negotiated with the Sharks, he knew that his robust defenseman Sheldon Souray had practiced a few days earlier and that he could be available in four to six weeks. It's another reason for not having offered Komisarek and Hackett in exchange for McLaren, an often wounded defenseman who played on average only 57 games in the last six seasons, and an average of 48 games in the last two years.