Who won the Kovalchuk trade?

To Atlanta:
Bergfors, Oduya, Cormier, 1st round pick, 2nd round pick

To NJ:
Kovalchuk, Salmela, 2nd round pick

It'll be debated for a while...might as well start.

Atlanta is gonna have such a stock pile of prospects and picks, they will be a very good team in 5 or 6 years... as for now, they are totally screwed. I dont see how that franchise doesnt move.

N4L wrote:Atlanta is gonna have such a stock pile of prospects and picks, they will be a very good team in 5 or 6 years... as for now, they are totally screwed. I dont see how that franchise doesnt move.

Really? You think they'll fold?

I voted even. Oduya is a key piece who is signed for a couple years beyond this I believe. He'll help that blueline in every way. Bergfors could end up a 25 goal man if he's given enough minutes and PP time.

NJ loads up about as much as any one team can this season. Kovy is a top 5 talent no question. Just keeping him away from the Caps, or anyone else in the East is part of the appeal here from a NJ persepctive. Hard to look down on this from a NJ POV

No, they will move to Southern Ontario or Las Vegas, or where ever they decide to put the team, but if that team even gets 10 000 on average next year Ill be shocked.

They dont make the playoffs they are done as a franchise if they arnt already.

SpezDispenser wrote:

N4L wrote:Atlanta is gonna have such a stock pile of prospects and picks, they will be a very good team in 5 or 6 years... as for now, they are totally screwed. I dont see how that franchise doesnt move.

Really? You think they'll fold?

They'll have to. Bettman won't allow one of his beloved non traditional markets lose it's team.

I voted NJ by a lot. They give up a 1st and 2nd and spare parts. Oduya is nothing more than a 2/3 pairing guy playing in front of (God I hate to say it) great goalie. Lou also gets rid of a headache in Cormier.

Talk was that Waddel made this trade now to save $860K over trading him at the deadline. And that was the best deal he could get a month early. If that's true, that's terribly short-sighted.

The Thrashers ownership has been fighting in court for a couple of years now. It would be a major story in a market that cared about hockey. I hope the team moves.

Best player went to the Devils, so I say they won the trade. It will be a big win if they can resign him.

well, Cormier is definitely the wild card... that and that 1st round pick. Granted it's a late pick but could still work out in the long run to be a what if pick for NJ.

The real deal breaker here is if Kovalchuk decides not to sign with NJ this summer!

Tough for Atlanta to actually have to pull the trigger.

Sure, the theory "whoever gets the best player wins the trade" is true here, I just think that Atlanta wins in the long run as I don't see how NJ will fit Kovalchuk into their long term plans. They already have some fairly big tickets in their lineup and their #1 DMan Martin is a UFA at year's end as well. Parise and Kovalchuk does equal disgusting but I still don't see them taking the East -- don't underestimate the loss they will feel with Oduya gone.

In Atlanta's case they found themselves in their all too familiar position where they had to deal a star. Kovalchuk was gone regardless and I feel that they got some good pieces going forward.

Bergfors will play on the top line and should be a 25-30 goal man.

Oduya is a vastly underrated puckmover and will look good on the PP and PK, him and Bogosian would look nice together.

Cormier was a highly touted prospect, let's not forget that. If he can clear up his issues than this may be a great addition.

1st rounder in a deep draft.

SDH89 wrote:Tough for Atlanta to actually have to pull the trigger.

Sure, the theory "whoever gets the best player wins the trade" is true here, I just think that Atlanta wins in the long run as I don't see how NJ will fit Kovalchuk into their long term plans. They already have some fairly big tickets in their lineup and their #1 DMan Martin is a UFA at year's end as well. Parise and Kovalchuk does equal disgusting but I still don't see them taking the East -- don't underestimate the loss they will feel with Oduya gone.

In Atlanta's case they found themselves in their all too familiar position where they had to deal a star. Kovalchuk was gone regardless and I feel that they got some good pieces going forward.

Bergfors will play on the top line and should be a 25-30 goal man.

Oduya is a vastly underrated puckmover and will look good on the PP and PK, him and Bogosian would look nice together.

Cormier was a highly touted prospect, let's not forget that. If he can clear up his issues than this may be a great addition.

1st rounder in a deep draft.

+1 This is what I've been saying all evening.

If someone puts a gun to your head and says give me your wallet or I'll shoot you and you give him your wallet, you a not a loser because you lost your wallet, you had no choice. Waddel had no choice and will continue to have no choice.

I feel bad for the guy because he is a great hockey man who gets screwed over by being in just about the worst hockey market possible. If he had anything resembling stability or a crowd to watch him team play he would be pretty close to raising a Stanley Cup by now IMO. They guy has no options.

dennycrane wrote:The Thrashers ownership has been fighting in court for a couple of years now. It would be a major story in a market that cared about hockey. I hope the team moves.

Best player went to the Devils, so I say they won the trade. It will be a big win if they can resign him.

I was never a big fan of that saying.

It's like saying you would trade Ovechkin and Bradley for Kane, Toews and Keith and saying Washington won the deal.

I think Bergfors is vastly underrated here also. Waddel got fair value for a RENTAL I would say, so I voted even.

wprager wrote:I voted NJ by a lot. They give up a 1st and 2nd and spare parts. Oduya is nothing more than a 2/3 pairing guy playing in front of (God I hate to say it) great goalie. Lou also gets rid of a headache in Cormier.

Talk was that Waddel made this trade now to save $860K over trading him at the deadline. And that was the best deal he could get a month early. If that's true, that's terribly short-sighted.

You don't even talk about Bergfors who is the best player out of the parts?