Bruins lost out in the deal?
"When any team doesn't win hockey games something has to change," Boston coach Dave Lewis said today.The Flames traded Andrew Ference and Chuck Kobasew to Boston for Brad Stuart and Wayne Primeau. The Boston coach is right no doubt, but I expected Lewis' head to roll before trades started happening. But the inability to sign Stuart to a deal forced Peter Chiarelli's hand. Did Boston get fair value back for those 2 players? My answer is no.
Sure, Stuart has struggled in Boston this year, scoring 17 points in 47 games, and a -23 rating. I would not expect the same struggles on a successful team like Calgary. A couple years ago, Stuart had 39 points in 77 games on a good San Jose team.
The other player arriving in Calgary, Wayne Primeau will be a great 3rd or 4th line addition. Primeau had 15 points in 51 games with Boston this season.
Defenceman Andrew Ference enjoyed his best offensive season last year, scoring 31 points in 82 games. But he otherwise has not panned out as the offensive defenceman that he was in Portland in the WHL. He is a tough customer though, but just not in Stuart's class.
Right-winger Chuck Kobasew is even more of a disappointment. He scored more than a point a game in Kelowna (WHL) but has never materialized offensively at the NHL level.
It's no doubt more of a gamble by Chiarelli than for Darryl Sutter. Was there no better deal out there for Boston?
On the flipped side, the Bruins have shaved some money of their cap total. Stuart ($2.4 million) and Primeau ($1.15 million) were more costly than Kobasew ($1.2 million) and Ference ($750,000).
Unfortunately, one of the biggest problems with this deal for Bruins fans is that Boston, in a sense, now traded Joe Thornton to San Jose for Marco Sturm, Andrew Ference, and Chuck Kobasew. This may haunt the Bruins fans' minds for an eternity.
We'll see. Maybe Ference and Kobasew will suprise us. All I know is that Calgary just got better.....again.
9 Comments:
So does this make the Thornton trade basically:
Away from Boston: Thornton, Sturm, Stuart, Primeau
To Boston: Andrew Ference, Chuck Kobasew
Yergh.
I think Nonis should offer Bulis and Choiunard and a 2nd round pick for Bergeron
Oh, and the Flames Fantastic D (TM) sure pulled out a great game against the Wings today, eh?
One wonders when Matt will show his face and comment!
Hey Jin. I think Matt jumped back into the closet!
Haha, yeah, the Bruins seem like suckers, maybe they would go for that Bunard deal! It's a shame though. I didn't want to see Calgary get better, and dI don't want to see Boston get any worse. I like Boston!
Hi guys.
Yeah, lets just forget today ever happened. What game? The Flames were off today. They didn't get scored on 7 times. Never happened.
I like the trade (if Stuart signs). I did not like Kobasew anymore. He was given plenty of chances this year (2nd line till he got injured) and could never manage to put the puck in the net. He seemed to have hands of stone this year. Maybe Boston will be good for him.
Ference is tough to lose. Not that he was an all-star, but he had heart. Great guy in the community too.
Did you see that hit on Bondra by Stuart earlier in the year. I hope he does that to both the Sedins at once! Send 'em back to Ikea land on a stretcher!!!
I guess Primeau can help with the PK. Wont expect too much offense from him.
But if Stuart buggers off to California after this season, we kinda gave up alot for Primeau. That is unless the Flames win the Cup!!! (They may have to win a game or 2 on the road to do that though!)
Now, I'm gonna read that Huselius post. More comments to follow I'm sure!
If Stuart puts out one of the sisters, will go to a Canucks/Flames game, run onto the ice, and smack him over the head with an unidentified foreign object!!
Stuart was not going to resign and was very overrated - Bruins picked up something they desperately needed in Andrew Ference; a physical presence and good in his own end.
Throw in Kobasew and the Bruins got the better end of the deal.
Have to forget about what they got for Thornton - that was a previous managment's doing and this managemenmt has to go on themselves and not worry about Thornton - no matter what team these two were traded to they would not have gotten Thornton value back in exchange. Got a deal done now b/c would have got nothing in return in free agency.
Good trade for Boston!!!!
Ah, it's good to hear a Bruins fan's perspective. I know they would have got nothing back for him in return in the summer, but I'd still like to be a fly on the wall so I could have heard what else was out there for Stuart and Primeau. What did you guys think of Primeau?
If Kobasew doesn't turn it around, then Boston got screwed IMO. Hopefully that is not the case. It is a gamble though, you have to admit!
I can't see to much being out there for a third liner and an overpaid average defenceman who will be UFA at seasons end.
If any thing Calgary took the chance here - looks like they are hired guns until the years end - I think it is a waste on their part as I don't see them having the team to go deep into the playoffs this year.
Bruins got 2 players who have 2 years left under contract.
I am a Ference fan - these type of defencemen are underappreciated but are so very valuable - everyone judges d-men on points now which is to bad because stay at home, take care of the goals against d-men are what the position is all about!
I will miss Primeau a bit but we still have Donovan in his role.
Kobasew I admit I no nothing about and I look at him as baggage Calgary wanted to get rid of.
"everyone judges d-men on points now which is to bad because stay at home, take care of the goals against d-men are what the position is all about!"
True enough. But I think Ference was supposed to put up more points than he was. Who knows? Maybe he'll thrive in Boston and then I'll eat my words, again! :)
I don't underestimate Calgary at all. I just wonder how their team chemistry will hold up with all the new faces arriving. I read nothing into their loss to Detroit yesterday. For whatever reason, Alberta teams are not to be trusted in the stretch drives to the playoffs. They play with a lot of heart and can turn it on, kind of like Edmonton is doing all of a sudden. I still think Calgary will do the same.
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