| Gagan Gandhi. 2nd March, 2010 - 11:55 am
 The NHL trade-deadline day may be just another day to some, but it is so much more.
With a newly minted silver medal attained, Brian Burke and Ron Wilson can now turn their attention over to the next big event of the hockey season. Sure, there is a game against Carolina between now and then, but who are we kidding, no one really cares.
For the players, it?s a day you could probably live without, unless of course you?re being traded to a Stanley Cup contender.
For the management, it?s a day you plan for weeks, but all it takes is one phone call for that plan to be thrown out the window.
For the fans, it?s a day you take off from school or work in anticipation that your team will acquire first-round draft picks or give up said picks for superstar talent; in the end, this day really is for the fans, especially in Canada where there will practically be all-day coverage on all the major sports networks. Speaking of which, for all day trade-deadline coverage and analysis, follow me on Twitter or join my new Facebook page.
That?s as shameless a plug as you?ll find.
That?s enough generalization for now, let?s talk Leafs.
Toronto is going to be both ?buyers and sellers? in the words of their general manager, Brian Burke.
What does this exactly mean? Quite simply, that Burke won?t be shy about making a deal that improves the club for the remainder of the season, and why should he be? With Toronto being 29th in a 30 team league and without their first-round pick, they have to do almost anything they can to prevent public humiliation on a Friday night in June in Los Angeles (the NHL Entry Draft).
The two players that are most likely to get moved would be Alexei Ponikarovsky and Lee Stempniak.
After seeing what the Montreal Canadiens gave up for former Maple Leaf Dominic Moore, a guy they could have signed for nothing last summer, it would not be out of the realm of possibility to suggest that Burke is holding out for a first-round pick for Ponikarovsky. Stempniak can fetch a nice mid-round pick as well as he?s played better as the season has progressed.
One player who will surely not get moved is Tomas Kaberle; he holds all the cards, until the summer that is, and it is clear his heart rests in Toronto. The Maple Leafs can get a real nice package for him, but he is still someone you don?t trade because it is going to cost them $6+ million per season to find someone who does the things he does, and that does not make sense considering he ?only? costs $4.25 million.
If he stays, going into next season the Leafs could have one of the best defenses in the league, although much of the same was expected going in the current campaign.
By 3pm eastern time on Wednesday (deals will still trickle in for minutes after this time), the Leafs will probably have made two deals to obtain draft picks or prospects and possibly a third involving the acquisition of a big-salary contract.
Seeing the clock tick tock to a second after 3 o?clock will probably bring much relief to many on the Leafs roster, albeit probably not as much as Canada as a country felt after Sidney Crosby potted the overtime-winner in what will probably go down as one of the biggest, and one of the best, games of our lifetime.
Downtown Toronto was the place to be on Sunday night; folks in Toronto hope that it is party central once again one day soon, except this time because of a blue and white Maple Leaf rather than the red and white one.
This trade-deadline could bring the Leafs one step closer to the prize, the Stanley Cup, that?s eluded them for far too long.
Well, a guy can dream can?t he?
So, just another day? I think not.
Follow Gagan Gandhi on Twitter and join his NEW page on Facebook. He also covers the Raptors for RealGM.com can be reached at: gaganhoops@gmail.com with any comments, concerns or requests. |
