The draft weekend trades have started.
First up: Adrian Aucoin to the Flamesfor Andrei Zyuzin. Aucoin makes $4 million and Zyuzin makes $1.4…Chicago essentially is shedding salary with this one. Calgary seems to be hedging their bets against the loss of Roman Hamrlik and/or Brad Stuart this summer. Aucoin is better than he’s shown the last two seasons and it’s already been documented that he’s played well under Mike Keenan in the past. Still, seems like a lot of money to tie up in a guy, especially for a team with a lot of core guys that will need to be re-signed in the next year or two.
This one confuses the heck out of me: Vesa Toskala and Mark Bell to Toronto for a 1st and 2nd rounder this year and a 4th round in 2009. Perhaps the Leafs had plans tonight and didn’t want to have to hang around in Columbus doing boring things like drafting players? Mark Bell has had a few chances to shine in his career, but is looking more and more like a $2 million salary cap anchor. The rabid Toronto media is going to love this guy. (not). Toskala, of course, is the key. I like him…but I’m not sure he’s that much of an upgrade to Andrew Raycroft. It seems like a lot to give up for him.
trust me Toskala will be a HUGE upgrade over “it’s not my fault” Raycroft…… take that to the bank
upgrade, yes. huge upgrade? I’m not so sure on that. And that’s less of a dig on Toskala as it is praise for Raycroft. I personally don’t believe Toskala is 3-draft-picks-and-stuck-with-Mike-Bell better than Raycroft
“A lot of people want to slight me and spurn me,” Raycroft said. “But the fact is, I had a lot of wins, I’m only 27 and my best years are ahead of me.
Well “Rayzor”, the truth is, it don’t matter how many wins you had, your team would have made the playoffs if you were more reliable. Does game 82 ring a bell???? A simple guage is to ask yourself.. do you feel confident with Raycroft in net??. 9 out of 10 Leaf fans will say “NO”…. Toskala will change that…
9 out of 10 Leaf fans are mentally unstable, though.