(With the trade deadline upon us, Cycle like the Sedins decided to ask about 30 or so friends in the blogosphere to represent his or her team and answer the question: "What would you do if you were the GM during the trade deadline?Since things change in a heartbeat, the date of each person's submission is listed next to each entry. So before you start screaming "BUT THEY TRADED HIM!" while food spills out of your mouth, we're showing what they thought at the time.
Don't like it? Psh.)
San Jose Sharks
Mr. Plank from Fear the Fin
(2/24)
If I'm Doug Wilson, I stand pat at the deadline unless I'm moving prospects (Lukas Kaspar in particular) for a UFA who can contribute with bottom line some scoring punch. Jonathan Cheechoo's name is bound to be tossed around, but moving him this year would be a mistake in my opinion- he's a solid third line winger who gives us scoring depth, and has brought too much to this franchise to deal in a year when the Sharks are poised to make yet another run for the Stanley Cup. The potential problem with the fanbase/locker room coupled with the fact that we probably wouldn't be receiving a high-profile gamebreaker in return makes me leery of that type of deal.
The funny thing about the deadline however is that the Sharks might be in "read and react" mode. Detroit is still the team to beat of course, but the Sharks have held onto that top spot in the West for the entire season. If Detroit picks up a guy like Manny Fernandez/Vesa Toskala, do the Sharks react and try to add some depth and sacrifice a little of the future? Does Dous Doug Wilson join the Toronto firesale and add Nik Antropov? What if Dallas, Chicago, or Calgary makes a move?
Interesting possibilities across the board, but at the end of the day I say stand pat and go with the roster. You have the high profile stars in Thornton and Marleau, a second line that could be a top line on many teams in the league, depth, experience on the blueline, Cup rings, agitators and veteran leaders. The list honestly goes on and on.
But hey- DW has pulled a rabbit out of his hat before. That's why we call him The Godfather.
Chris Kontos: Like Detroit, don't mess with success. It's actually good that the Sharks haven't been as dominate recently as they've been all year... it reminds them that there is still the playoffs ahead. With Grier and Roenick out until the start of the playoffs the Sharks don't need to pick up any veteran players (remember how well Bill Guerin worked out) and they should 100% keep Cheechoo around. That's a not a bad player to have on your 3rd line for a Stanley Cup run.James O'Brien: This team is as good as it's going to get. Just suck it up, Sharkies.
Los Angeles Kings
Rudy Kelly from Battle of California(2/28)
I'll tell ya, the thing about the trade deadline is, the thing you need to understand, is that it's all about boxes. You got your boxes and you can't deviate from that plan. A guy like Kopitar, you see, he's in the Center #1/A/Sec. 43-B box. That's a good box. A guy like O'Sullivan, on the other hand, is in the 32-1="Box O'Shame" box, so we'll see where that goes. I could see us trading Erik Ersberg, although everyone knows the old saying, "The sands of time go only down," so I don't know if we'll trade him. Denis Gauthier might also go, but he's a Stallion so I don't know if I want to part with him. And maybe we'll trade for a gamebreaker, but only if he knows how to work from the backend, because, as we all know, "Eagles only fly in fair wind." Plus, you know, the boxes.
-Dean Lombardi
Chris Kontos: Who cares about the Kings? That team SUCKS!(how awesome would it be if they pick up Ryan Smyth for a young defenseman/goaltender? I wonder what box of Lombardi's that would fit in?)
James O'Brien: The Kings are a year away, so if they can stock up on a few more draft picks/prospects then so be it. As Rudy said on BoC today, they could also be interested in that no-name Russian guy in Hotlanta.
***
Phoenix Coyotes (no guest entry yet)
Odin Mercer from Five for Howling:
As GM of the Coyotes right now, I’d be in a tough spot. On one hand you’ve got a decent group that could use some better coaching quite frankly. Derek Morris would be resigned it whatever deal got the job done, but right now the Coyotes can’t be saddled with a big long term deal until they get their books in order. Olli Jokinen has done alright for us, but I’d trade him in a heartbeat if I could get a good deal for him. Also, I’d trade Jovanovski for a bag of pucks to get rid of that money and give it to Morris. Just take a look at Jason Arnott’s goal against us on 2/26 and you’ll see why I’m eager to do that. After the recent losing streaks, I’d just grab as many high level picks as I could since the playoffs are out of reach again. Which sucks! So long as we don’t go trading for players we don’t need just to dump money.
Chris Kontos: Sell. Sell. Sell. Sign Gretzky and Grant Fuhr to player contracts for the remainder of the season. Then sign Paul Coffey, Jari Kurri and Charlie Huddy and you have the makings of the 1990 Los Angeles Kings.
James O'Brien: I'd be against selling, but they clearly are in some kind of financial bind. So, sell away I guess *sigh*.
Anaheim Ducks
Earl Sleek from Battle of California (March 2)
Option A (not that silly):
Option B (a little sillier):
Option C (whatever):
Chris Kontos: This is an interesting one. New GM Bob Murray is thinking about the future... witness last weeks trade with the Penguins. And if he's able to get the farm for Pronger... an amazing defenseman, but someone on the 2nd half of his career... I think you have to go for it, right?
James O'Brien: The Ducks are going to be really interesting to watch. Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry are one of the best bang for your buck duos in the league. Do they stick with veterans or go young? It's looking like the latter, but who knows.
Brandon from Defending Big D (March 2)
If I were Les Jackson and Brett Hull I would be resisting every urge possible to make a big splash on Wednesday. The Stars are in the midst of six game skid and are in grave danger of not making the playoffs.
n a city that craves success, especially from the Stars, the G.M.’s are to going to be feeling the pressure to do something, anything that would put them back in the middle of the playoff hunt. Yet the Stars must be careful to not mortgage the future of the team by giving up draft picks, prospect or young wingers just to find a temporary, soon to be unrestricted free agent solution.
The Stars aren’t in trouble because their main lineup is bad, they’re in trouble because of some debilitating injuries some very key players. Ride out the season with what we have and hope for the best.
Chris Kontos: They should get Avery back. This team has been in a tailslide since they made arrangements for him to go to New York.
James O'Brien: Just a real tough couple of breaks for the Stars. If I were their GM, though, I'd run a firesale on the veterans. Sergei Zubov is about to be an unrestricted free agent. Convince him to pull a Keith Tkachuk back-and-forth. Mike Modano? Keep him for the whole "lifetime player" thing. But Jere Lehtinen? Feel around. This team needs an injection of youth.
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