Havlat and Smolinski headed to Chi-town!
The Ottawa Senators have traded forwards Martin Havlat and Bryan Smolinski to the Chicago Blackhawks, in an unusual three team trade. The Blackhawks have sent Mark Bell to the Sharks for Tom Priessing and Josh Hennessey, who they then flipped to Ottawa along with Michal Barinka and a 2008 2nd round pick.
Nice pick up for the Hawks. If they can sign Havlat to a long term deal, then it's a great pick up. For the Senators, it appears that Muckler was tired of Havlat's on ice antics, and his refusal to sign a deal longer than one year. Havlat has been adamant about testing the free agent waters next summer when he becomes a UFA. Smolinski is a salary dump, plain and simple. The guy is a good player but he is making way too much money.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Comments
I wouldn't mind seeing the Blackhawks become competitive sometime this century. Maybe this trade will help the odds of that.
And yes, I probably said the same thing last year when they signed Khabibulin and Aucoin.
Posted by: Playoff Moustache | July 10, 2006 10:10 AM
Great, effin' move for the Sens. They dump a drama-case who's inconsistency is a huge headache and a guy who was only good because he was on a line with Heatley and Alfredsson when Spezza went down.
In return, they get three stud prospects and a second-round pick in '08, which should only help out their prospect hording.
Posted by: Wazz | July 10, 2006 04:19 PM
Whoa...Havlat is going to make 6 million a year for the next three years. That is WAY too much money for this dude. Wazz is totally right - this trade is so much better for the Sens. And hell, watch Mark Bell put up big numbers in San Jose.
Who is running this Blackhawks team into the ground??? Michael Jordan could put together a better hockey team than the one that pays Martin Havlat 6 mill for 3 yrs.
Insane. Chris Farley is spinning in his grave. And not just because David Spade is still famous.
Posted by: Playoff Moustache | July 10, 2006 06:24 PM