Oilers Win, Flames Lose on Trade Deadline Day

Who's kidding who, the 2010 trade deadline was perhaps one of the most uneventful we have ever seen. I had sympathy for James Duthie and the TSN crew for trying to keep the proceedings exciting as the day went on. In the words of Darren Dutchyshen, "Someone punch me so I can see some stars."
No extremely big names moved. Vinnie Lecavalier is still in Tampa, Tomas Vokoun remains with the Panthers, Marty Turco's stint in Dallas continues and Dan Hamhuis is staying with the Predators.
The Edmonton Oilers knew they had to shed salary and shed it they did as they got rid of their top three defencemen and likely their fourth if he was healthy. After shipping Denis Grebeshkov to Nashville on Tuesday, the Oil sent Lubomir Visnovsky to Anaheim and Steve Staios to Calgary. It saves almost 7 and a half million dollars. When you look at what the Edmonton roster will look like at the end of the year, they will have 10 million dollars. It would have been more if they could have found a taker for Sheldon Souray, but when word leaked out that Souray has a hand infection and is done for the year, any plans for him went POOF!
The Oilers likely will finish last and at worst will have the number 2 pick in the draft meaning Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin will wear the copper and blue. Add Jordan Eberle and Magnus Svensson-Paajarvi to that mix and add some talent that can be purchased through trade or free agency seeing there is money to be spent and the road to respectability begins for an Edmonton team that starts basically at ground zero.
Did anyone hear Craig MacTavish's blunt assessment of the Oilers during trade deadline day. James Duthie was trying to goad him into saying "see it wasn't me", but MacTavish wouldn't do that saying he has a tremendous fondness for the organization that treated him so well as a player and coach. Pierre McGuire then chimed in by saying McTavish did too good a job coaching the team to the Stanley Cup final and that this cleansing is a direct result of what happened. MacTavish agreed by saying it was good to see the team taking this approach because they have admitted its time to start over. They aren't going to fool the fans into thinking they are competitive and that the fans will buy into this rebuild movement much like Pittsburgh, Washington and Chicago had to do. It was then thrown out there that the Ryan Smyth trade was one of the worst things to happen because the face of the franchise was traded for basically nothing that is helping the team today. That trade by the way was Ryan O'Marra, Robert Nilsson and a first round pick that turned out to be Alex Plante.
The trades of today also mean Edmonton has 10 draft picks in the next draft. They can use some of the picks they have to perhaps get a 2nd first rounder and maybe an impact player. The rebuilding process started today. How long will it take for Edmonton to start making noise in the West again? That will be up to Steve Tambellini and what he does in the off-season.

As for Alberta's other team, what the hell was Darryl Sutter thinking? He helped the Oilers by taking the 2.7 million dollar contract of Steve Staios. Why? I can't see Staios making a huge impact in Calgary. With some of the d-men that were available, why Sutter decided to take Staios is beyond me. What also is beyond me is why they picked up Vesa Toskala. Yes, he will be more experienced than Curtis McElhinney come playoff time, but Toskala likely won't play because of Miikka Kiprusoff and if he does get in there, you will have a goalie whose confidence is basically shot after his time in Toronto. Again, that deal doesn't make sense. Then he sends Dustin Boyd to Nashville for a 4th. I'm guessing he could have packaged Boyd to an Eastern Conference club (Pitts, Wash, NJ, Buffalo) for that instead of a Western Conference team they are chasing and if Toronto could get a 3rd and 5th for Lee Stempniak, surely Sutter could have gotten that for Boyd who is a much better player. If the Flames don't make the playoffs this year, and I don't think they will, Sutter will have some questions thrown upon him that will need answering from a Calgary fan base that will be hostile.
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Other winners yesterday had to be Phoenix and Washington who really strengthened their team. Nashville did quite well also in getting guys like Grebeshkov and Boyd and not losing Hamhuis. Not getting a quality defenceman like Hamhuis will hurt Vancouver and not getting a goalie will hurt Philly. Those two teams go down as the biggest losers of the day in my opinion.
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Rider fans are wondering what the team has in store for the offensive line after signing free agent Dan Goodspeed. He adds to what already is a very talented and deep offensive line. Many believe one or two of those linemen will be used to get some quality players on defence to replace those who left. I don't disagree with that, but I ask who will go? It won't be Geno or O'Day and I can't see it being Joel Bell either. Jonathan St. Pierre is said to be O'Day's replacement so I don't anticipate him leaving. Ken Miller and Brendan Taman obviously have a plan. Lets see what that plan is and when they activate it.
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Have you seen the new burger Wendy's has trotted out. Bacon and blue cheese. Blue Cheese???? Thanks, but no thanks!
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My good friend Keith Colhoun at Regina Community Radio CJTR had this link on his Facebook page and it is extremely cool. This is Vancouver when Sidney scored the golden goal Sunday. You gotta go about 1:15 in.....


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A message to governor general Michelle Jean. Leave our anthem the way it is. There is nothing wrong with it. Do not change it. Thank you!
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As you go into your Thursday, I say this....

Why do you say you're going to the bathroom to take a crap. Why would you take one? I would rather leave one!
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Have a good one!