It looks like I can speak about Jack Johnson again, as he was traded today along with Oleg "I'm the most expensive #7 defenseman in the league" Tverdovsky to Los Angeles in return for Eric Belanger (center) and Tim Gleason (defense).
To say my first impression was "What in the blue hell was JR thinking?!" is a very edited and sanitized understatement. I mean, getting rid of Oleg Tverdovsky is addition by subtraction. But even as a three for one deal, we lose badly. JJ is the best player in this deal unless 23 year old Gleason suddenly blossoms into a legit top pairing defenseman or JJ takes a long walk off a short pier. I'm just not wild about this and, unlike many "sky is falling" critics and fans, I think the Canes could survive with the crop of D we had, even Oleg.
I'll have to see Belanger and Gleason in action to get a final opinion, but this still screams "crap" to me. The only thing that could alter my outlook is the "unknown" factor (there are known unknowns and unknown unknowns, ya see). There is probably something about the whole JJ/JR relationship that we don't know. The closest I've heard was something a teammate of mine told me from a conversation with JR at a lunch he held. Hearsay, I know, but it's a pretty reliable source. The word is that JJ's papa is a little nuts. JR had dinner with JJ up in Michigan a while ago. JJ's dad dropped him off at the restaurant and waited in the car in the parking lot. JR found out at the end of the evening when Jack mentioned it and JR inquired why he didn't come in and have dinner too. Just plain weird. Regardless, I'll hold final judgement for a while - maybe several years when Jack decided he's tired of playing college hockey.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
I think I was a little unclear. My first impression (upon hearing it) was that this was a bad trade, but I cannot say for sure until I see the players we got in return.
I've seen Belanger in action, but not consistently enough to get a good read on what kind of player he is. If these two guys can shore up our gaps, great - it might be worth it. It doesn't matter now. What's done is done and JJ is no longer a concern.
None of my post was meant to disparage Belanger and Gleason. I don't know enough about them yet to do that. :-)
Post a Comment