| Subject: New Warriors, Two Deals, and Three First Round Picks |
Author:
Sal Trachan
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Date Posted: 20:09:47 11/14/02 Thu
News is sweeping across the nation like fire across a dry marsh in a heat wave.
Ok, maybe not that intense, but shocking to say the least. BIG NEWS IN THE WORLD OF HOCKEY, MAN WE ARE TALKING BIG! YES, Manute Bol is lacing them up.
Oh yeah, and the Warriors have dealt three of their pro roster players this past week.
Gone are Warriors Scott Gomez, Shane Doan and Matt Cooke.
In are two first round picks (VIC - 14th overall and WIN - 12th overall), WHI 2nd round pick (24th overall) and SAS 3rd pick (45th overall)... along with Chris Gratton, Dan Boyle and Martin Skoula.
"It was terribly hard to part with all three of those guys," GM Steve Gandour of the Warriors said to this reporter in the secret non-press conference press conference. "Scott is young, super skilled and made his linemates better scorers. But Oates also fills this role for us, and his leadership is needed. Scott also suffered from the numbers game. He was battling with Matt Cooke, Michael Peca, Andrew Brunette and Steve Rucchin for 4th line duty. Plus we were not big on the fact he was entering his final contracted season. With Lemieux we can not afford to be signing all our restricted free agents to decent raises. Cooke was set for another year in the minors and he was unhappy entering his contract season that way. His solid playoff showing earned him the right to a chance for a top three line on another team. Doan was hard to let go of, as he was entrenched in a top two line spot and locked up another year. But with Daze, Deadmarsh, Brindamour, Samsonov, Rucchin, Smyth, Gratton and Brunette we feel confident we are strong on the wings on all four lines. Lemieux, Oates, Comrie and Peca down the middle make us still a deep and solid team."
"Saving one million was a nice bonus," Steve went on to say when asked if Lemieux's salary forced these moves. "But it was not forced on us. We had several options including demoting a few higher salary players to the minors. But we felt that unfair so we were glad to get these deals done. Besides we are happy with the return in each deal. We were very high on this upcoming draft, it is deep and we are not in prospects. We love what we got, we lost two players that would have been fighting for ice time on the last line who were in there last contracted year for three cheaper players who we feel have equal or maybe more upside, and are contracted three years a piece. That was more of a factor than Lemieux... to ensure a cheap salary for these players for a few years. Gomez and Cooke are in line for nice raises. That leaves Doan being moved for four draft picks, two first rounders. That is how we see the trades breaking down. Win / win all around. Knowing what we are giving up though, I feel confident all three teams won in these deals."
There is no question this draft is deep. Now boasting five picks, three in the top 14, Whitehorse seems prepared to bolster their prospect depth in this draft. Steve also admitted to not having ruled out a trade or two on the draft floor, though he doubts any more will be finalized before the draft, and he seems sad but certain that no more picks will swap either way involving the Warriors.
"We are definitely looking, but most teams that were interested have made their moves and the picks still with teams seem to be comfortable where they are. We are not going to become foolish overnight just to add a 40th overall selection for example."
Whether or not more moves are imminent, Whitehorse definitely had a glut of offensive skill, and now have dealt with that before it becamse a distraction, saved some cash and added some excitement for all Warriors fans in the upcoming draft. A critic however would mention they have only switched their glut from forward to defense.
"True," Steve responded to my question, "but that critic would not see how wonderful depth is. It allows us to make more trades likes these two today, to deal from strength means to add to our team and yet remain very competitive. Pronger, Brewer, McLaren, Schneider, Lumme are a great top five, Slegr we hope to resign and would be a nice sixth. We feel great about our future on our D too now with Skoula, Boyle, Phillips, Gill, Salei and of course McLaren, Brewer and Pronger already up with the big club."
All in all, this Whitehorse club has made some interesting changes and it will be exciting to see if these changes help or hinder Whitehorse's depth for now and the future. One thing Steve did close with was an admittance that losing Doan and Cooke meant losing two power forwards in the making, but adding Gratton may cover for one of those losses. Intensity is a hard thing to replace, so Steve will be hoping heartily that Gratton can provide that at least to start the year.
Reporting for your Warriors in the off season,
Sal Trachan
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