Avalanche Make Some Surprise Moves...And Some Surprise Non-Moves,Too

by David Driscoll-Carignan on Mar 3, 2010 3:48 PM MST in NHL News

The NHL trade deadline has passed. The Avalanche made a big move, shipping out Wojtek Wolski to the Phoenix Coyotes for Peter Mueller and Kevin Porter and a sentimental move, trading for former Avalanche Stephane Yelle. The Avalanche were not expected to mortgage their future and they met expectations. Although they did move Wolski, the only other assets they parted with were minor-league forward Cedric Lalonde-McNicoll and a 6th round pick.

While the Wolski deal raised a few eyebrows and the Yelle deal tugged at a few heartstrings, today may be more notable for what the Avalanche didn't do. Once again, John-Michael Liles sweated through another trade deadline without changing teams. Ditto for Ruslan Salei and Marek Svatos, both of whom were expected to be moved for draft picks today. It's possible that the recent injuries to Brandon Yip and Kyle Cumiskey put any potential trade plans on hold. Or, perhaps Avalanche GM just didn't feel there was a deal to be made there. Whatever the case, the Avalanche have some depth and flexibility both up front and on the blueline - not a bad thing to have considering how many injuries this team has suffered. There may be some interesting roster decisions to make if everyone gets healthy at some point but, as someone I know is fond of saying, those are good problems to have.

I don't love the Wolski trade, but don't hate it either. Mueller and Porter are intriguing players and this move could really swing in either direction. The Avalanche save cap space and get younger in the deal and lose a player they thought was going to be overpaid, so it's not a terrible move. Yelle is a nice veteran addition. I don't think he will have as much an impact on the ice as we'd like him to, but he should provide depth on draws, the PK as well as providing some veteran tutelage for the young forwards - especially the centers.

Not the splashiest of days, but not a bad day indeed.

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Projected top scores that were Traded: WW.

They keep talking about his shoutout skills. Have they not seen him this year?

Sandie

"There are two types of forwards. Scorers and bangers. Scorers score and bangers bang. -Ken Dryden

by Sandie Gauthier on Mar 3, 2010 3:52 PM MST reply actions

TSN

Colorado took the biggest risk of the TDLD. – They want to know why the Avs did it because it doesn’t make sense to them.

Sandie

"There are two types of forwards. Scorers and bangers. Scorers score and bangers bang. -Ken Dryden

by Sandie Gauthier on Mar 3, 2010 3:54 PM MST up reply actions

They want to know why the Avs did it because it doesn’t make sense to them.

Them and me both, unless they know something about Porter that no one else does.

The New Improved Avalanche. Now with Real Coaches!
Jibblescribbits: C'mon over and waste some time

by Jibblescribbits on Mar 3, 2010 4:05 PM MST up reply actions

I don’t understand the move on this one either. Taking away the fact that I like Wolski, and trying to look at this trade objectively and I still don’t get it.

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I'm The Canary - but I'm not cute nor cuddly, and I don't sing.

by Americanario on Mar 3, 2010 5:32 PM MST up reply actions

I’m sure PL would be more than happy to da a tell-all interview on TSN.

Our criminal institutions are full of little creeps like you who do wrong things... and many of them were driven to these crimes by a horrible force called MUSIC!

by Pinchy The Lobster on Mar 3, 2010 4:07 PM MST up reply actions

This made me laugh loudly.

Sandie

"There are two types of forwards. Scorers and bangers. Scorers score and bangers bang. -Ken Dryden

by Sandie Gauthier on Mar 3, 2010 4:08 PM MST up reply actions

me too

Mile High Hockey: stupid jokes for the intellectual crowd

by David Driscoll-Carignan on Mar 3, 2010 4:13 PM MST up reply actions

Thanks Joe...

by mfured20 on Mar 3, 2010 5:06 PM MST up reply actions

agreed, nice post david.

like it was mentioned earlier, in god knows which thread today, i think the yelle deal takes pressure off radar have to be Mr. PK, and instead learn from one of, if not the best in the biz, certainly one of the best ever to wear an avs sweater.

Ferris Mueller (love it, i think we have a nickname) is a wait and see, like you said, this could go either way, but I’d like to think that if he’s on a line with Dutchy, seeing a 19 year old kick his ass out there effort and ‘give-a-shit’ departments could help, I don’t think he had the support in Phoenix like he will here

'I googled what the white stuff in a Ho-Ho was, i found out it has NINE cups of sugar..that will KILL YOU, it would turn your blood into fruit punch!'

by horbayj on Mar 3, 2010 4:01 PM MST reply actions

I think I would be more upset with the Wolski move if he was playing better. He has shown flashes (again, see 1st half of the year)…but his consistency (or lack thereof) has shown it’s ugly face again.

Wolski has just 9 points in the last 22 games (6 of those came in a 3 game period, which means he had just 3 points in the other 19 games). He had 38 points in the first 40 games.

His defense has been good, sometimes great…but again it comes down to consistency.

This guy has been in the league for 5 years, and had 3 different type of coaches. His inconsistency has had him in the doghouse with all 3. Something had to give…
(I only bolded the spots I did to get those number out of the jumble)

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Advice to Red Wing Fans: If you don't want the reputation of being whiners, then stop whining about EVERYTHING. Your team is allowed to lose games, and when they do, it's not always because of the refs or Gary Bettman, and you seem to continuously claim

by chiavsfan on Mar 3, 2010 4:12 PM MST reply actions

yeah, something I posted in the Wolski thread. Wolski has 9 points in the last 20 games. Mueller has 7.

Mile High Hockey: stupid jokes for the intellectual crowd

by David Driscoll-Carignan on Mar 3, 2010 4:14 PM MST up reply actions

agreed, while initially we see wolski being the ‘better’ half of this deal, if Mueller comes out every night and plays his game, doesn’t take a game or shift off, i can dig it.

that being said, if we have Wojtek 2.0 on our hands…

'I googled what the white stuff in a Ho-Ho was, i found out it has NINE cups of sugar..that will KILL YOU, it would turn your blood into fruit punch!'

by horbayj on Mar 3, 2010 4:17 PM MST up reply actions

But 40+ points is nothing to sneeze at....

I believe that Wolski has shown progression over the last couple of years. I don’t think you trade a top scorer on your team because he is in a slump. If coach feels Wolski is just not putting in the effort and that is influencing his teammates, then you move him. But replacing those kind of points in the heat of the playoff race is a bit too risky IMO.

"Pain don't hurt" - Swayze (Road House) -- We miss you man!

by bonaire on Mar 3, 2010 5:20 PM MST up reply actions

it’s not THE year. playoff race, yes, it’s tough to lose a Wolski short term. But long term, I think we can replace Wolski easily (be it Mueller or in UFA), and we can do it on our terms with a guy that fits our needs better.

it’s a bummer to lose Wolski at some level, but I’m happy we’re staying focused as a franchise on long term rebuilding.

by thedoctor on Mar 3, 2010 5:27 PM MST up reply actions

I can't disagree....

my hope for this year is to make the playoffs so our young guys get the intensity and pace of a playoff series. I think that is important to accomplish this year. I don’t like our chances the first year we make the playoffs with this new team, they lack that experience…so lets get our feet wet this year so we can make a good run at the cup next year.

"Pain don't hurt" - Swayze (Road House) -- We miss you man!

by bonaire on Mar 3, 2010 5:31 PM MST up reply actions

I think the short term is important for this franchise. They need a playoff birth and a decent run (no 0-4 1st round sweep like Columbus or St. Louis last season).

I don’t see why this deal couldn’t have been done on draft day.

And I’m not sure who the Avs will replace him with on LW in UFA. Maybe they are setting themselves up for a run at Kovy, in which case this becomes a mich better deal. looks good, freeing up ~$4M in salary for him.

I just think a guy like WW could have been part of a better deal. Maybe as a piece in a 3-way for Sharp in the summer or something.

The New Improved Avalanche. Now with Real Coaches!
Jibblescribbits: C'mon over and waste some time

by Jibblescribbits on Mar 4, 2010 8:22 AM MST up reply actions

Wolski for Mueller 7 Porter

If all three players stay exactly where they are right now (in terms of play), Phoenix pulled a fast one. But Mueller can’t suck this badly for too long, head injuries be damned.
DDC is correct when he talks about the cap $ and what not, and that makes the trade less painful for the Avalanche.
Mueller: Games: 54 Goals: 4 Assists: 13 Points: 17
Wolski: Games: 62 Goals: 17 Assists: 30 Points: 47

by Brett Shumway on Mar 3, 2010 4:20 PM MST reply actions

I hope with all my being that you're right.

But seeing this just terrified me:

But Mueller can’t suck this badly for too long, head injuries be damned.

Preissing, Thomas Preissing.

God have mercy on our souls!

2009-2010 Colorado Avalanche - On the upside, there's only 20 more (regular season) games of Darcy Tucker left!

by Hopfenkopf on Mar 3, 2010 4:23 PM MST up reply actions

shhh, preissing is like our retarded inbred son that’s kept in the basement..the longer we don’t talk about him..the more we think he’ll just go away

'I googled what the white stuff in a Ho-Ho was, i found out it has NINE cups of sugar..that will KILL YOU, it would turn your blood into fruit punch!'

by horbayj on Mar 3, 2010 4:24 PM MST up reply actions

He’d go away if we waived him.

(and got a restraining order….)

2009-2010 Colorado Avalanche - On the upside, there's only 20 more (regular season) games of Darcy Tucker left!

by Hopfenkopf on Mar 3, 2010 4:26 PM MST up reply actions

Wasn’t Preissing already waived when he was sent down to LEM?

I don’t see Preissing similar to Mueller . The Avs plan to use and develop Mueller. Preissing was only moved to CO to make room for Smyth. The Avs knew Preissing was no good but bit the bullet to move Smyth’s large contract.

Budweiser is a lot like making love in a row boat. They're both fucking close to water.

by smoky201 on Mar 3, 2010 4:31 PM MST up reply actions

Preissing was assigned to LEM and as a part of that transaction, he had to pass through waivers. I’m referring to an unconditional waiver, in which a player is told “I don’t care where you go, but you can’t stay here!” and is shown the door.

I know that Preissing was a salary dump in the Quincey/Smyth trade, the point that I was trying to make is that head injuries scare me. Preissing was a stud before he got his chimes rung too hard.

2009-2010 Colorado Avalanche - On the upside, there's only 20 more (regular season) games of Darcy Tucker left!

by Hopfenkopf on Mar 3, 2010 4:45 PM MST up reply actions

Uh no

Preissing was not a stud.

In the 2007 playoff run, Ottawa’s defence corps had a bottom six pairing of Joe Corvo and Tom Preissing. Both had fairly weak playoff runs (minus a Joe Corvo overtime goal). When it came to the series against Anaheim, both of them were basically benched because they just could not handle the competition. Preissing was shipped out as soon as possible and Corvo was dumped to Carolina after requesting a trade.

SNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE!!! - ryanclassic.net

by Ryan Classic on Mar 3, 2010 6:04 PM MST up reply actions

OK

Never saw him play, but he had pretty stats prior to getting his chimes rung.

Better?

2009-2010 Colorado Avalanche - On the upside, there's only 20 more (regular season) games of Darcy Tucker left!

by Hopfenkopf on Mar 3, 2010 10:57 PM MST up reply actions

I will say it again, but it bears repeating...

Mueller was consistently on the 4th line in Phx. Wolski put up those numbers with SoS and Dutchy. Just savin’. I wanna give Mueller a really big chance because I was able to watch him in juniors and it was amazing. I’m hoping that fire and passion he showed there comes out in a Unipron.

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by Derek B on Mar 3, 2010 4:28 PM MST up reply actions

He was taken in 8th in the 1st Round, ten spots ahead of Stewie. There is potential.

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by tele-mon on Mar 3, 2010 4:30 PM MST up reply actions

i remember gretz lauding him during his time in phx..and I remember him going over and over about some kid from atlantic canada..so I wouldn’t think he creams his pants for nothing

'I googled what the white stuff in a Ho-Ho was, i found out it has NINE cups of sugar..that will KILL YOU, it would turn your blood into fruit punch!'

by horbayj on Mar 3, 2010 4:32 PM MST up reply actions

not over and over…on and on…haha it’s been a long day

'I googled what the white stuff in a Ho-Ho was, i found out it has NINE cups of sugar..that will KILL YOU, it would turn your blood into fruit punch!'

by horbayj on Mar 3, 2010 4:33 PM MST up reply actions

With the Yelle trade I am not happy with this day, but not unhappy either. But for the record, I’d like to say that this Mueller on the 4th line even somewhat excusing the disparity in points is BS. If Mueller was playing remotely well he would have been in the top six as Phoenix does not have much offensive depth. Maybe it was a chemistry issue but let’s not attribute all Wolski’s success to his linemates.

by Dustin Burfiend on Mar 3, 2010 4:33 PM MST up reply actions

His GFON/60 was just a shade over 2.0 Wolski’ s was in the 2.7 range.

The New Improved Avalanche. Now with Real Coaches!
Jibblescribbits: C'mon over and waste some time

by Jibblescribbits on Mar 3, 2010 4:56 PM MST up reply actions

Wolski put up those numbers with SoS and Dutchy. Just savin’.

But Those are the same type of number he puts up every year.
06-07 = 50pts
07-08 = 48pts
08-09 (TI4T campaign) = 42pts
09-10 = 47pts so far.

Sure he’s in a slump right now, but he to say the SoS and Dutchy are the reason he has the points he has is BS.

MHH: The Burgundy Army is on the March!

I'm The Canary - but I'm not cute nor cuddly, and I don't sing.

by Americanario on Mar 3, 2010 5:36 PM MST up reply actions

and every year he generally played with Stastny, Sakic, etc. only stretch where he didn’t was the bizarre arny – svatos – wolski thing, which we all know was a massive outlier.

by thedoctor on Mar 3, 2010 5:45 PM MST up reply actions

from our buddy Greg Wyshynski over at Puck Daddy

Here’s why the acquisition of forward Peter Mueller by the Colorado Avalanche is a good one: He’s a 21-year-old drafted eighth overall, and this is the first time he’s going to be pushed by North American peers at his position. Paul Stastny, Matt Duchene, Ryan O’Reilly … these are young guns that might be able to inspire whatever it is Mueller’s been unable to capture in the NHL. They don’t need him in the middle, they need him on the wing. And he could develop there

'I googled what the white stuff in a Ho-Ho was, i found out it has NINE cups of sugar..that will KILL YOU, it would turn your blood into fruit punch!'

by horbayj on Mar 3, 2010 4:37 PM MST reply actions

Liles...

AD put a video interview up…he kinda looked either really pissed or really releaved that he’s staying.

"It comes from motivation within" - Matt Hendricks

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by InfamousM on Mar 3, 2010 4:43 PM MST reply actions

I think the either

depends on whether he plays or not, which is perfectly rational.

2009-2010 Colorado Avalanche - On the upside, there's only 20 more (regular season) games of Darcy Tucker left!

by Hopfenkopf on Mar 3, 2010 4:46 PM MST up reply actions

http://blogs.denverpost.com/avs/2010/03/03/quick-trade-deadline-day-analysis/

Liles seemed relieved to be in CO, and a bit angry that he always gets rumored. He hearts CO.

by Brett Shumway on Mar 3, 2010 5:47 PM MST up reply actions

I saw that too,

and it struck me as though Hot Pocket was kinda pissed.

Could be that the MasterDater was just pissing him off.

2009-2010 Colorado Avalanche - On the upside, there's only 20 more (regular season) games of Darcy Tucker left!

by Hopfenkopf on Mar 3, 2010 10:58 PM MST up reply actions

Could you blame him?

Sandie

"There are two types of forwards. Scorers and bangers. Scorers score and bangers bang. -Ken Dryden

by Sandie Gauthier on Mar 4, 2010 11:07 AM MST up reply actions

Not even a little bit.

2009-2010 Colorado Avalanche - On the upside, there's only 19 more (regular season) games of Darcy Tucker left!

by Hopfenkopf on Mar 4, 2010 11:17 AM MST up reply actions

In case anyone was wondering...

…Kevin Porter’s name appears on the LEM roster online.

I hate the Red Wings.

by wtnelson on Mar 3, 2010 4:55 PM MST reply actions

Are we ever

going to trade for a LW?

Money is the root of all evil... Send $19.95 for more info.... Oh, and screw the Wings.

by i2strange97 on Mar 3, 2010 5:29 PM MST reply actions

Nope just centers…..

MHH: The Burgundy Army is on the March!

I'm The Canary - but I'm not cute nor cuddly, and I don't sing.

by Americanario on Mar 3, 2010 5:37 PM MST up reply actions

And defensemen.

Screw the Wings. Screw Lidstrom. Screw Franzen. Screw Holmstrom. And Super Double Mega Screw Bertuzzi (May God NOT have mercy on his sick twisted warped soul).

by i2strange97 on Mar 3, 2010 6:04 PM MST up reply actions

And offensive defensemen.

fixed.

MHH: The Burgundy Army is on the March!

I'm The Canary - but I'm not cute nor cuddly, and I don't sing.

by Americanario on Mar 3, 2010 6:12 PM MST up reply actions

Not until after the playoffs.

Sandie

"There are two types of forwards. Scorers and bangers. Scorers score and bangers bang. -Ken Dryden

by Sandie Gauthier on Mar 3, 2010 5:38 PM MST up reply actions

should of traded liles and salei

Should of traded salei and liles to edmonton for sheldon souray. even kowing he has a broken hand still we need help on our power play we needed a big shot like bourque and blake a few years ago. sourey can log minutes and keep foote from getting to beat up.

by JacobG on Mar 3, 2010 8:03 PM MST reply actions

Can’t help the power play from the press box.

MHH: The Burgundy Army is on the March!

I'm The Canary - but I'm not cute nor cuddly, and I don't sing.

by Americanario on Mar 3, 2010 10:58 PM MST up reply actions

Welcome!

Thanks for posting. Please don’t take this wrong, but you are, IMHO, dead wrong.

Salei has a moderately strong shot from the point and, in stark contrast to Souray, plays defense. Pretty damned good defense. Like actually hitting people & stuff. He will also be MUCH cheaper to keep than Souray.

Liles, if he continues to play as he did tonight, is at least as good as Souray, though in a different way.

Both Liles and Salei will play for not only the rest of the season, but into the playoffs – in contrast to Souray.

Neither Liles nor Salei, as frustrating as either, or both together may be, are whiny little douchebags like Souray.

They ought have traded Clark for whatever they could get. He was bad again tonight and will continue to be bad until he is sent packing.

Liles couldn’t be moved due his salary. That’s perfectly reasonable. If he plays like he did tonight, he’ll begin to earn that salary.

2009-2010 Colorado Avalanche - On the upside, there's only 20 more (regular season) games of Darcy Tucker left!

by Hopfenkopf on Mar 3, 2010 11:03 PM MST up reply actions

Thanks for saying what I wanted to say.

Sandie

"There are two types of forwards. Scorers and bangers. Scorers score and bangers bang. -Ken Dryden

by Sandie Gauthier on Mar 4, 2010 11:08 AM MST up reply actions

What he said.

Proud Soldier in the Burgandy Brigade.
"You mess with our Hejduk and the Spirit of Lappy is coming!"-Jibbles

by gl avfan on Mar 4, 2010 3:06 PM MST up reply actions

Way to go Hopf, I thought that was a joke until I got to the end and there was no punch line, well, I mean, the part about him keeping Foote from getting too beat up was funny.

I know I have honestly advocated trading JML at one point, even though he has been one of my favorite Avs for a long time. But seriously? JML and Salei for Souray is just plain ridiculous. Why don’t we trade Andy and Budaj for Manny Legace while we’re at it?

meh

by Jimmy_the_scumbag on Mar 4, 2010 10:49 PM MST up reply actions