Draft Day 1: No Shark Bite but a Pronger Hits the Road
June 26th, 2009, 9:43 pm
My prediction of Doug Wilson being able to land a first round pick fell by the wayside tonight as for the second year in a row, the San Jose Sharks did not take part in the fun on Day One of the NHL Entry Draft. There were a few moments during a rather dull evening that I thought Doug Wilson might strike. When I saw Chuck Fletcher on the phone at Minnesota’s #12 pick, it crossed my mind that perhaps the Sharks had dealt Ryane Clowe to the Wild in a package for the pick, especially with the big Russian defensemen Kulikov still on the board – but that pick ended up in Garth Snow and the NY Islanders hands.
But the best news the Sharks received on Friday night came when we learned that the hated Pronger has peaced out to the East coast and the Ducks, while they gained some picks, are a lot less menacing at the moment. Having spoken with Mike briefly tonight during the draft (he’s enjoying a vacation in a non-hockey state) he seemed to think the Ducks took the Flyers to the cleaners here. I’m not so sure. What did the Ducks get? Well, they got back Joffrey Lupel for a second tour of duty. I guess he’s shown in the last two years that when healthy, he can be a 50 point per year, second line forward. This is the 2nd time he’s been traded for Chris Pronger by the way. The Ducks also got the Flyers 1st round pick in 2008 Luca Sbisa, who played 39 games in the NHL last year before being returned to his junior team. He’s a 19 year old Italian that has a knock for not being physical enough to handle top NHL forwards. So they got 2nd line forward, a junior d prospect, #26 pick Kyle Palmieri and what could be a high 20’s draft pick in 2010. What did they give up? Their entire identity, that’s what!! I think the Flyers just got a top NHL d-man that makes them significantly better in their chase to catch the Stanley Cup champions. They won’t feel the loss of Lupul with Giroux and van Riemsdyk ready to step in, they would have taken Lupul’s minutes down the road anyways – and no one can say they’d rather wait and see if Sbisa will pan out instead of take a run at a Cup with Pronger (plus the first crack at keeping him long term). Plus history will show that the team that deals away the Mighty Pronger ends up looking like the fool.
1995 – The Hartford Whalers traded a young Chris Pronger to the St. Louis Blues for Brendan Shanahan. Pronger led the Blues to the playoffs for nine straight seasons. The Hartford Whalers don’t exist.
2005 – St. Louis trades Pronger to the Edmonton Oilers for Eric Brewer, Jeff Woywitka and Doug Lynch. Pronger took the Oilers to the Stanley Cup finals. Brewer played 28 games last year due to injuries, Woywitka has played more games in the AHL than then NHL and Doug Lynch is so good he’s playing in Austria. After Pronger left, the Blues missed the playoffs for three straight years.
2006 – Edmonton traded Pronger to the Ducks for Lupul, Ladislav Smid, a two first round picks (later traded to Phoenix to draft Riley Nash and used to pick Jordan Eberle in 2008). Pronger won a Stanley Cup with the Ducks. Lupul was traded for Pitkanen who was traded for Cole who was traded for Patrick O’Sullivan. Smid sucks – but it looks like the Oilers got two good future guys in Eberle and Nash…but still – it’s not a Cup – plus they haven’t made the playoffs in their three post Pronger years…
Anyone sense a theme here Sharks fans?
So good job Flyers. You either just bought yourself a ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals, or Anaheim will not make the playoffs for three years, or the Ducks will relocate to Carolina and name themselves after a fruity Southern cocktail. How about the Greensboro Mint Juleps or the Durham Sweet Teas? “Get your Jonas Hillar Sweet Tea jersey!”
So, in terms of what it would have cost the Sharks to get Pronger – it boils down to this. The Ducks wanted a 2nd line forward, a top young D prospect and two first round picks. The Sharks could have offered Michalek and Petrecki but San Jose didn’t have the two first round picks – plus I think Michalek and Petrecki are better than the Lupul/Sbisa combo – so it would have been a bad deal on our end. We’ll be better off with Pronger on Broad Street.
I would think Doug Wilson is going to try and get a few extra picks tomorrow, perhaps trading down from one of his 2nd rounders to get two later picks to add more prospects to the cupboard. Day Two isn’t usually full of major trades from what I remember in the past (am I wrong?) so I’m guessing that any news on Clowe or others will just have to wait.
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While I’m also relived that Pronger is gone, I’m thinking here that the Ducks got the best end of the deal here. They might not be as good this coming season (although who knows with them), but 3-4 years from now we may remember this draft as a wasted opportunity to restock our youth reserves, when Joe T and Boyle are all aging veterans and the Ducks are a young rebuilt team.
Please don’t tell me we don’t have a 1st round pick next year as well..
The Whalers did not lose in the Pronger for Shanahan pick. Carolina got Keith Primeau and Paul Coffey in return for Shanny later. Shanahan won cups in Detroit while Primeau was traded for Brind’Amour, the man who captained the team to a Championship (10 years after the Pronger trade mind you), but yes all the other teams got fleeced. At least the Ducks did the smart thing and sent him to the other conference so that they do not have to be constatnly reminded of what they did.
How Philly is going to manage this with the current salary cap is something of a mystery. More trades may be coming.
You can call me crazy, but with the Flames just getting Bouwmeester – could Doug Wilson be circling the Calgary Flames table trying to get Phaneuf or Regehr? No way they keep both if Jay Bo signs – and the Sharks can offer top tier scoring in return.
Work your voodoo DW.
I think the Flames have other options if they do sign JBo. They can trade Jokinen, or not sign Aucoin, or trade Kipper and sign a cheaper goalie in his place.
What’s the point of swapping JBo for Phaneuf? JBo played zero playoff games. Phaneuf was a major force against us a year ago.
There is also this trading within conference issue.
Of all teams interested in JBo, Calgary is a big surprise for me.
Respectfully to Darryl Sutter, I can’t say he’s been the most logical GM the last two years – and his two latest moves with hiring his bro to coach and trading for Jay Bo – tell me he’s looking to make major changes to a team that’s gone stale. If San Jose can offer the best talent, I don’t think he’d balk at sending Phaneuf in conference – but I agree Ivan, I would keep Phaneuf over Jay Bo every time.
Does the fact the Sharks have drafted two stay at home d-men in the 2nd round with some size (Doherty is 6’7, 220 and Wrenn is the captain of the gold medal winning U-18 USA team at 6’1, 190) mean the Sharks are stocking up because they might trade a young D prospect?
I think you’re right – young defenseman can easily be part of the trading package sent some place. But it can also be DW looking forward 4-5 years from now. Boyle isn’t 25 y.o. unfortunately, neither is Luko or Blake.
Now I’m waiting for token two picks – from Ottawa 67s and a European goalie.
Do you really think that the Sharks had a legitimate chance to land Pronger? If I’m the Ducks, the last team I trade Pronger to is San Jose. I think that was just wishful thinking. The Ducks are a smart organization. I’m with Mike: I think the Ducks got a great deal. Plus, they still have two really solid defensemen in Beauchemin and Brett Favre, I mean Scott Niedermayer. And while it’s true about Edmonton and St. Louis, Pronger leaving SoCal does not mean the Ducks are missing the playoffs. They have way more talent than either of those other teams did. Pronger wanted out of those cities (he was through with St. Louis and absolutely hated Edmonton). It sounded like he wanted to stay in Anaheim.
Too bad we won’t hear “PROOOOOONGEEERRRR” in San Jose multiple times a year anymore.
Yes!! Another German joins the Sharks.
Do I think we had a legit shot at Pronger? Well, DW confirms he did check in with the Ducks, but they made it clear they didn’t want him in the division.
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/sharks/2009/06/26/draft-day-getting-reach-for-the-inevitable-something-or-absolutely-nothing-to-happen/
The offseason will tell what the Ducks will look like in 2009-10 – it’s certain Murray is set on making his stamp – hell, he already has.
I thought the Flyers made a really good trade. The value of draft picks falls off dramatically after the first 5 or 10 picks to where it becomes a real crapshoot. Take a look at picks #20-30 in the first round since 2000. Except 2003, there are maybe 1 or 2 good players taken in that range each year out of 10, and very very few “stars”. It is far more likely those two first rounders turn into Lukas Kaspar and Luca Cereda than Martin Havlat and Matt Greene.
I think DW had it right, either get in to the top 10 or 11, or stock up lots of picks and hope to get lucky. And right now it looks 50/50 that the Ducks make the playoffs next year.
And now maybe Sharks fans can boo Corey Perry more, who is far more of a douchebag.