| Subject: Warriors shuffle their D |
Author:
Sal Trachan
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Date Posted: 08:41:48 12/23/02 Mon
Whitehorse has been very busy this offseason in revamping their defense. After adding O'Donnell and Wesley to their core, and signing Berard, the Warriors have traded highly touted future superstar Olli Jokinen, and another highly touted young defensive stud in Martin Skoula for immediate superstar defensive help in Kenny Jonsson. To restack their slightly depleted youth pile they then dealt recently re-acquired Mark Messier to Halifax for young prospects Brian Gionta and Christian Berglund.
Jokinen had the highest upside of all the players involved in the two deals, but the three year wait was too much for Whitehorse management.
"We were really happy to get St. Louis, Bertuzzi, Jokinen and Iginla," Steve began, "but Jokinen we realized would not be useful to us for many years yet. We have enough depth up front to be set for a long time, so we decided the move to address our immediate D situation was priority."
In Jonsson the Warriors do just that. He is known league wide for his defensive awareness... and many project his defensive skills to be top in the league in a years time.
With the newly added depth, the Warriors find themselves with a problem most teams might envy. A glut on defense.
"We now have Johansson, Schneider, Jonsson, Wesley, Lumme, Berard, O'Donnell, Gill, Phillips, Duchesne on our defense." Steve said. "Any and all of them could play in the GWHL this season for us, and we may still yet be close to adding one more d-man."
Steve would not specify who that might be, but he did specify what he intended to do with his glut on the blueline.
"I am not looking to move the excess defenseman, that does not mean I will not, but ideally with Johansson and Schneider and O'Donnell and Lumme all in their last contracted years and all UFA's at years end, and with Wesley hinting at retirement after this year, I need that young glut on the farm this year to develop and replace the four, maybe five spots that will likely open up after this season."
The move did mean the loss of one of those young d-men though in Skoula.
"Again, you always must give something to get something," Steve replied, "and looking over his projections with our scouts we knew he would not be good enough to make the team for us in the next two years. He has taken a step back lately and when next year comes around we feel he will actually be still another two years away from being a top defenseman. He has all the skills, and he will haunt us down the road, but Jonsson helps us now and down the road."
Not much was said in this press conference about the prospects added in the Messier deal... but a lot of time was spent talking by Mark himself. A tearful goodbye was not in the cards for this his second time leaving Whitehorse, but he did have the following to say about the organization.
"Steve and Jim and Linh have all been great to me and made me feel real important here. They let me run the dressing room and trusted my leadership. Though I am off now to make a run at the Hoser Cup with Halfiax, I know I leave a team that will challenge their opponents every night and may even face my new team in the playoffs. I wish all the best to the organization and my former teammates."
Reporting for your Whitehorse Warriors,
Sal Trachan
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