Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.24 - Featuring Wade Belak

www.afootinthecrease.com

Call it the calm before the storm. With the NHL’s trade deadline just over a week away, general managers seem to be lying low in advance of the bell tolling at 3pm on February 26th. In recent years, we have started to see a myriad of deals consummated in the days leading up to the deadline. Last year a total of twenty four trades occurred in the month of February not including the twenty five alone on deadline day. This season throughout the month of February, a mere four trades have been agreed to. So why all the trepidation from the men in charge of each of the thirty teams?

Well for at least two reasons, all of them hailing from Scandinavia. Firstly Peter Forsberg. Arguably the biggest impact player available and you don’t even need to give up players or draft picks to get him. All it will take is a cheque. Forsberg though has yet to decide, one where he wants to play, and two if his ankle is even strong enough to play this season. He is likely the keystone to opening the floodgates of the marketplaces. Why, because he can add the most to a team while posing the least risk for the future. Once Forsberg makes a decision, teams that lost the Forsberg sweepstakes will scramble to improve before the deadline.

Secondly Mats Sundin. Still a franchise player at age 37 and by far the player who could have the strongest impact of those available at the deadline currently under contract. Sundin, though holds all the power with a no trade clause and continues to insist he does not want to move. Don’t think though that GM’s won’t be calling Cliff Fletcher to see if there is anything he can do to convince Sundin otherwise.

The best moves are usually the ones made in advance of deadline day. The ones on deadline day are usually last ditch efforts to improve with little attention given to the future. Strangely enough, few of those moves ever result in championships. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.