The minor trades are starting to trickle in now. Two of particular interest to me are:
Leafs acquire Luke Richardson from Columbus. Okay...what is JFJ thinking? This looks like classic Leafs mismanagement on the face of it. Consider:
- Richardson is 36 years old and a pending UFA. He is slow and offensively lacking (check out his stats this year). These are none of the things the Maple Leafs need now or later. Richardson isn't going to compliment a push for the play-offs and he's basically going to take up a roster spot which should belong to a younger player IF the Leafs (for whatever reason) decide to re-sign him next year. Is one Belak never enough?
- The Leafs give up a 5th round pick and ANOTHER conditional pick if they sign Richardson in the off-season. All this for a rapidly declining, defensive-type-defenesman in the last year of his contract. DUH.
- This is the team that released a very, very similar player in Bryan Marchment at the start of the year. Baffling.
On a more personal/homer note, the New York Rangers traded Ville Nieminen to the San Jose Sharks for a third round pick. A small, secret part of me was hoping Nieminen would somehow make it back into Flame colors come springtime, though I knew that was a long-shot. Oh well. Best wishes to "the Joker" in his new surroundings.
