The Preydators averted a bidding war on Travis Zajac by quickly dealing him to the Powder Rangers for injured Ville Leino and Christian "On pace for 38 without the Sedins" Ehrhoff. The Preydators also threw in defenceman Alex "Blue chip 21 year-old 4th overall pick in 2008 on an up-and-coming team" Pietrangelo.
Analysis:
Read between the lines.
IN MY DEFENCE:
ReplyDeleteThere was no "bidding war" for Zajac, or even the real promise of one. The Powder Rangers put a tangible proposal on my lap, whereas Claassen offered me poop and Teehan promised he would "take a look at it". I doubt any rational actor would choose to spend precious life minutes negotiating with Claassen or waiting for Teehan to find the password for the pool login, rather than just accepting a perfectly viable offer from a trusted and respected colleague. (And yes, Schizz also indicated some interest, but I had forgotten about this at the time I was considering offers. Plus, asking me to start a bidding war between Eric and Schizz would have been like Sophies Choice.).
Further, trading Zajac for Leino is obviously a downgrade. However, neither of them would make my SR this year, and in the years to come, the difference in Zajac to Leino (or Zajac to any other 9th spot plug) was not enough to dissuade me from making the trade for the obvious upgrade in D (which is what my end game was). Leave it a canucks-centric commissioner to think that Ehrhoff's talent is contingent on the sisters. Because Kevin "Wade Redden" Bieksa is just killing it in his stead, is he? Ehrhoff is adjusting to a new team and a new contract. Either way, I will gladly take side bets regarding Ehrhoff and Pietrangelo, so put your money where your mouth is Ivory Tower.
Yup, Micah does not believe in Ehrhoff. NBot to give up confidential negotiations, but Ehrhoff was a replacement for Carle, who has more points, to sweeten the deal. I think Ehrhoff is an upgrade on Pietrangelo at least for the rest of this year and probably a couple more years in the future. I was unhappy to give him up. But I'm a Buffaloptimist - I am the guy who insisted on Leino being part of my deal with Stefan.
ReplyDeleteBut that's no reason to make a sisters comment. Look where that got Dave Bolland! Alain is already crafting a clever, pointed retort about how you're ugly.
FYI - I would have beaten the offer you actually accepted for Zajac and Pietrangelo.
ReplyDeleteA fair defence, Lia, for a birdseed. You can't say Bieksa plays in Ehrhoff's stead because he doesn't play on the top PP unit. However, if you wanted to compare, Bieksa has 15 points - same as Ehrhoff. I'll put $20 on Pietrangelo outscoring Ehrhoff next season, if I can have the option of renewing the bet for each of the next three seasons.
ReplyDeleteThere are three truths in this world Greg: taxes, death, and lia is lazy about this hockey pool. I don't woo. And either way, I'm not buying what you're selling.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, if Zajac can't usurp Henrique for the cushy job centering Parise and Kovalchuk (he hasn't so far), and Leino comes back in a couple weeks, this trade could bite Eric.
ReplyDeleteMicah: Is this coming from the GM that traded "blue chip second overall pick" Gabriel Landeskog and "blue chip 12th overall pick" Cam Fowler for an aging Patrick Marleau and somebody named Kyle Quincey (who I can only assume is a hockey player?). I get it - you made the trade thinking you were trading Marleau's immediate upside vs. Landeskog's long-term potential, but they both have the same number of points since the trade (which, if you're counting, and I am, is 4). Gee, good think you threw in a little something extra (Fowler) to even things up.
ReplyDeleteYou have your opinion on Ehrhoff, but from where I'm sitting, he's an upgrade over Pietrangelo, maybe not forever, but for this year and the short-term future, he is. Buffalo is struggling but I believe they will turn it around. It's a little something called "buy low sell high". It does not appear that you have heard of the concept.
I'll take your bet, but I refuse to give you the option of backing out when you realize how wrong you are. I bet Ehrhoff gets more points than Pietrangelo for this season, and the next two, straight up.
Yeah, I know I got fleeced. Don't forget I also threw in a third round pick. I'm already dibsing the Milbury award.
ReplyDeleteI will email you to sort out the bet details.
It's only fair that I got the better of someone after Fy completely robbed me on various defencemen trades last year where I was excited to get Brandon Dubinsky who now likely won't be a keeper a year later. Makes me sad all the time.
ReplyDeleteAlso, for the record, I didn't offer you poop. And, if you ignore a first offer, how do you expect to see a better second offer?
ReplyDeleteThe evidence suggests Lia has a two-pronged approach to negotiation: accept or decline.
ReplyDeleteThere we go Lia and Micah. Money, meet mouth.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I get sad at how much the daily ups and downs of this league affect my mood.
ReplyDelete