One more trade to announce and its a doozy: Seattle sends '92 import forward Marcel Noebels to Portland for '93 forward Seth Swenson and Portland's first round picks in the 2012 and 2013 bantam drafts.
Yeah, TWO first round picks for an import forward. Make that an import forward with 10 goals this year (with a -22 rating) who tried to return to Europe this year before being told by his NHL club to play in the WHL. He had 28 goals and a mere -11 last year so clearly his performance is down quite a bit this year.
Two first rounders for this guy? Has the hockey world gone insane?
9 comments:
I saw the two 1st Rounders & Swenson going to Seattle before I saw who it was for. Thought for sure we just got Pickard. Huge price to pay for Noebels. Also, I assume Portland drops the rights to Nino. Correct?
Niederreiter is on a different protected list because he has not been returned to the WHL from the NHL. So he doesn't count against the two import limit (which applies only to players on the regular 50 man list) and the Hawks retain his rights.
The fun starts if the Islanders decide to return him to the WHL though. The Hawks would be forced to get rid of one import somehow, and since the trade deadline is past, their only option would be to release one.
I think it is safe to say that the Hawks fully expect to never see Niederreiter again in order for them to be willing to make this trade. It's just an interesting "what-if" to think about. :-)
In a word .... "yes" - this is a crazy move. Does this make Portland better now? - marginally. But is Noebels going to win you the Memorial Cup? No chance. Not saying the Hawks won't win the Cup, but this guy is not going to be the difference maker. Portland, who have made a lot of good moves in the last few years, have mortgaged the future for an average Euro. Totally do NOT get this.
Note: When he scores the winner in the Mem Cup Championship game, please erase this post!
Will do. :-)
In all seriousness - and I didn't say this in my original post about the deal, but should have - if Portland wins the WHL (and even better if they also win the Memorial Cup) then nobody will ever say a word about this trade again, nor should they.
It is the nature of the thing: if you win, then the potential mistakes weren't mistakes. If you win, then the price you paid for your players was not too high.
But only one team can win.
Totally agreed Alan. But I just don't get what Portland Management was thinking. When Schenn went to Saskatoon last year it was basically for two firsts (plus the Blades 2nd for Brandon's 3rd). But Schenn's numbers at trade deadline last year 59GP-34G-65A-99pts +41. Noebel's numbers: 31GP-10G-14A-24pts -22. Price paid was essentially the same.
Russ Farwell must have been wondering if it was April 1st instead of January 10th when Portland called with this offer.
Please tell me what I am missing??
Sorry my mistake. Schenn's numbers were from the year before. He only played a few games with Brandon before the deadline. But the point remains the same.
Schenn essentially cost three first rounders and two second rounders, since the Blades also gave up two prospects who were their 2010 first and second round picks, Tim McGauley and Ayrton Nikkel.
So, Schenn cost a lot more than Noebels did - but that's as it should be, since Schenn was a much, much better player.
I really don't care if Portland traded every first round pick they will ever have in the next 20 years. That's their prerogative. It's the fact that they paid such a huge price for such a fairly average player (relatively speaking of course) that blows me away.
If you think about it, Portland's package for Noebels was probably superior to what Brandon paid for a much better 19 year old forward, Kevin Sundher. Why not acquire Sundher instead? Or surely there were other 19 year old forwards better than Noebels who would have been made available if that bait was dangled.
Totally agree. What in your mind would have been reasonable compensation for a 19 year old import forward with middling numbers? I realize you don't want to play GM, but you have seen many more trades go down than me.
This just seems so far off the mark.
I like Mike Johnson and the job is done with the Winterhawks but I got to admit that this trade out of character for them.
I can see this price if the return was Kevin Sundher. But for what they got just makes no sense at all
Post a Comment