News Article: Patrick O'Sullivan to Edmonton; Justin Williams to LA (3-way Trade)

[Zad]

It's getting late. Gotta hit the sack...maybe this has all been a bad dream and tomorrow I will wake up to find out that Sully is still a King and we still have that 2nd rounder....plus Kovy...

 

[Zad]

Aren't these the same folks who were convinced that Cloutier and McCauley would fully recover from their injuries?

pft...a little late to the party pal. I posted that 3000 posts ago.

 

[jt]

Aren't these the same folks who were convinced that Cloutier and McCauley would fully recover from their injuries?

Not me and you know it damn well. I hated both of those moves and you read my posts saying that.

 

[Zad]

Maybe so, but he was skating just fine when he came back at the start of this season. In fact, it might end up being a positive that his hand was fractured if he used that time to rehab even more.

Now all he needs is a concussion and that knee will be 110%

love you jt. Miss you man.

 

[Live in the Now]

No one knows that better than me. But Zeus was Free agent, well not so much free at 4MM for each of 4 years. But to get him, we didnt trade away a guy who is likely to develop into, at minimum, a 25+ goals 60+ point player in a faster more offensive styled system than what TM runs here. That was my point.

I liked Sully on this team, and thought of all the guys he had the hardest time adjusting to the new system. Of course he was also shuffled around more than any other player as well, and that hurt his productivity, and probably his confidence as well. With a faster team and more offensive minded system, I think he will flourish.

We just better hope Williams doesnt take as long to get back to his prior levels of performance as Handzus did, although, arguably, Zeus will never return to his former offensive production.

I got your point, I just felt compelled to say that about Zeus. They say they've checked out all these players, but they've just done what they've wanted since DL's showed up and made a whole ton of mistakes. O'Sullivan is not one of my favorite players, but I also believe he is one which we should probably not be trading at the moment. It is what he was traded for that's really getting to me, rather than the fact that he was dealt. Trading for a player with some injuries here and there is fine. Trading for a player with a list of injuries that reads like a rap sheet is not. I know you feel the same.

Maybe so, but he was skating just fine when he came back at the start of this season. In fact, it might end up being a positive that his hand was fractured if he used that time to rehab even more.

One can hope, more than for just his sake, but for that of the GM as well.

What I am glad about, is that if healthy, we have moved on one top six forward. Now we have to get another, and surely we will. Executives do not trade for guys like Williams unless they are going to try to hit the playoffs shortly.

 

[jt]

Now all he needs is a concussion and that knee will be 110%

love you jt. Miss you man.

My Kingdom for a Craig Johnson!!!

 

[TonySCV]

Not a single one of those for either player compares to a torn ACL. Your legs are your legs, you need them to skate, if you were once a great skater and have no knees, where do you go.

You go to the Kings.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/teams/players/bio/?id=66

 

[PSP]

Not me and you know it damn well. I hated both of those moves and you read my posts saying that.

I actually meant the medical team that analyzed his injuries and recovery I didn't believe them then and I don't believe them now.

If his other injuries were no longer an issue, why did he only have 3 goals and 10 points in 32 games?

 

[Live in the Now]

Heh.

 

[William H Bonney]

Brown isn't regressing offensively:
07-08 33G/27A
08-09 30G/34A (projected)

Frolov isn't:
07-08 23G/44A
08-09 34G/27A (projected)

Stoll isn't:
07-08 14G/22A
08-09 21G/29A (projected)

Handzus isn't:
07-08 7G/14A
08-09 14G/23A (projected)

And that's not counting guys like Quincey, Johnson and Doughty who have blossomed under Murray. I'm not some big Murray fan, but you're just wrong about them all regressing. And that's not even factoring in that Cammy is gone so they're not getting points from his offense.

Kopitar is, but he's 21 and I expect him to be more inconsistent.

Projections are nice, but we'll see. Earlier in the year O'Sullivan projected to have a lot more points at this point than he does.

Why do you expect Kopitar to be more inconsistent? He has more NHL experience than Sully. That is of course, unless you believe all players progress at the same rate, which I don't think I need to prove you wrong on.

You didn't, but you made an excuse for O'Sullivan by saying he's struggling because of a new coach. New coaches are OFTEN a major reason players do BETTER. It's just excuse-making, especially when the other players on the team aren't struggling as much.

It's not an excuse it's a reason. He's been quite vocal ALL year that's he had trouble adjusting to Murray's style. Understandable that new coaches can often make players better, but that didn't happen here or for everyone on the team.

Yep. You're not one of those fans who thinks offense is the only thing that matters are you?

Stoll is better defensively and brings more leadership than O'Sullivan.

No it's not, but for all the criticism Sully has taken in here, Stoll is about the same damn thing but older.

Sully is a better defender IMO and leadership I'd give to Stoll.

How about if you wait until next year before bashing Kopitar.

I'm not bashing Kopitar. I want him here regardless.

How about you wait until next year before proclaiming Williams healthy and back to 05-06 form.

Me too. But I'll settle for 05-06 Williams.



Age 24: 31G/45A
Age 25: 33G/34A

Then he has some injuries that limited his play. I would hardly call that "regressing". He scored more goals at age 25 and then he had injuries. At worst, I'd say he plateaued.

Miscalculation on my part on the age. He's 27 now. He's regressed the last two years. He had 3 goals this year before being hurt again. That's regressing, regardless of your "excuses" for him. Injuries are a part of why a player regresses.

Sure, it's garbage. But what in the world has he done THIS year to make you think he has NOT stopped improving? You're just HOPING he'll keep getting better.

Well it's all projections, so I can't prove that he hasn't stopped improving. He's been snake-bit this year, he's had his chances, just hasn't buried them, so that's why I think he'll improve. I'm hoping he'll get better? That's what we do.

You and Lombardi are HOPING Williams can actually stay healthy and HOPING he reverts back to 05-06 form.

There's a difference between an "excuse" and a "reason". Blaming a new coach is an excuse. Injuries are a reason.

And yes, his injuries should worry everyone with the Kings. That's why doctors get involved.

Only when you clarify your point as one and my the other.

I'm not blaming Murray for Sully's struggles, there are lots of reasons, but it's one of them.

So there's doubt with both of them. Which is currently the better player? O'Sullivan. Based on their play this year and health.

If it's 05-06 Williams, there is NO WAY Lombardi gets him for O'Sullivan and a 1st, much less a 2nd. If it's 05-06 Williams, I am ECSTATIC with this trade unless O'Sullivan suddenly turns the corner.

If it's 05-06 Williams I'm fine with the trade too, but you act like O'Sullivan is the only one that needs to "suddenly turn the corner."

Just like the Kings, the Canes have doctors too, and I'd bet their doctors don't agree with ours, hence the trade.

It sort of does. Who would you expect to have more TOI?? Handzus? Stoll? C'mon, O'Sullivan is a major disappointment this year and being a 24 yr old with less than 20 goals has GOT to be a big concern.

Considering how much Sully was moved around the majority of the first half, his TOI is pretty impressive all things considered. He has disappointed this year, but you are obsessed with age. Again: not all players develop at the same rate.
A 27 year old with 3 goals and major injury concerns is a major disappointment and HAS to be a major concern.

 

[kingscups]

This trade is going to be a footnote compared to the day when the decision on what DL wants to do with Frolov is made public. What DL does with Frolov will make or break his tenure as GM.

- T

Sh***ing Pants

 

[DIEHARD the King fan]

My Kingdom for a Craig Johnson!!!

Bob Miller: "Johnson, with speed down the wing, winds up and shoots, its high and wide of the net."

And that's why we called him "High and wide" because almost every shot he ever took went that way.

 

[Live in the Now]

Sh***ing Pants

All but guaranteed I'll lose it that day. However, I've decided to condition myself. He won't be here.

 

[DIEHARD the King fan]

All but guaranteed I'll lose it that day. However, I've decided to condition myself. He won't be here.

Yep, you're right, and if we have any hope of landing Kovy in a Kings uni, you know Frolovs going the other way.

 

[jt]

I actually meant the medical team that analyzed his injuries and recovery I didn't believe them then and I don't believe them now.

If his other injuries were no longer an issue, why did he only have 3 goals and 10 points in 32 games?

So let me see if I understand you right.

You think that DL had incompetent doctors give Williams a clean slate so that he could send O'Sullivan away and waste a 2nd rounder.

For the record, the drs diagnosed McCauley just fine and told DL the risks. He just decided to take them. They did the same with Cloutier. If you talk to Hextall (I did), you know it was all in his head...he just lost it.

Projections are nice, but we'll see. Earlier in the year O'Sullivan projected to have a lot more points at this point than he does.

Are you making your point or mine?

You said they're all regressing....they aren't.

Why do you expect Kopitar to be more inconsistent? He has more NHL experience than Sully. That is of course, unless you believe all players progress at the same rate, which I don't think I need to prove you wrong on.

Why? Because he's younger. I expect more inconsistency from younger players. It's not more complicated than that. I certainly don't think players all progress the same based on the number of games they play, which is your implication.

It's not an excuse it's a reason. He's been quite vocal ALL year that's he had trouble adjusting to Murray's style. Understandable that new coaches can often make players better, but that didn't happen here or for everyone on the team.

Then that's an even better reason to trade him. Murray is EXACTLY the coach Lombardi wants and if O'Sullivan can't play that style his value will only decrease.

No it's not, but for all the criticism Sully has taken in here, Stoll is about the same damn thing but older.

Sully is a better defender IMO and leadership I'd give to Stoll.

I bet if you asked Lombardi, Murray, MacTavish, or Tambellini they'd disagree.

I'm not bashing Kopitar. I want him here regardless.

Sure you did. You said he's not earning his $7M salary, which he doesn't have to (and never will since his contract is actually $6.8M/yr), since his salary is $765k.

How about you wait until next year before proclaiming Williams healthy and back to 05-06 form.

Show me where I did that and I'll retract it.

Miscalculation on my part on the age. He's 27 now. He's regressed the last two years. He had 3 goals this year before being hurt again. That's regressing, regardless of your "excuses" for him. Injuries are a part of why a player regresses.

Just so we're not arguing semantics, do you see a difference between "excuses" and "reasons"? I see an excuse as an invalid reason. Saying it's the coach is an excuse...injuries are a reason.

I'm also not sure we agree on what regression is. IMO, it's when a player takes a step backward in development or ABILITY to perform. We won't know if Williams has done that until he plays. We do know that O'Sullivan has.

But I'll grant you that in the last two years he's been injured and his numbers have gone down.

Well it's all projections, so I can't prove that he hasn't stopped improving. He's been snake-bit this year, he's had his chances, just hasn't buried them, so that's why I think he'll improve. I'm hoping he'll get better? That's what we do.

That's not what it sounds like. It sounds like you're COUNTING on him getting better, but without any reason other than hope. You've even admitted that he isn't doing well in Murray's system...why would you think that'll change?

You and Lombardi are HOPING Williams can actually stay healthy and HOPING he reverts back to 05-06 form.

Yeah, based on what medical experts say. Now if you want to go off on a conspiracy theory, or say that doctors are liars or incompetent, that's fine. But I don't agree.

Only when you clarify your point as one and my the other.

I'm not blaming Murray for Sully's struggles, there are lots of reasons, but it's one of them.

So there's doubt with both of them. Which is currently the better player? O'Sullivan. Based on their play this year and health.

Are you blaming O'Sullivan for his failure to play well in Murray's system? It didn't sound that way. What are some of the "lots of reasons" he's struggling?

Williams was struggling but there's no reason to think he wouldn't get back to normal. Lots of athletes tear their ACLs and play just fine again. Hell, the Patriots traded Matt Cassell banking on that...and I'd say they're a pretty smart organization.

If it's 05-06 Williams I'm fine with the trade too, but you act like O'Sullivan is the only one that needs to "suddenly turn the corner."

Just like the Kings, the Canes have doctors too, and I'd bet their doctors don't agree with ours, hence the trade.

At least Williams has a history of success...O'Sullivan doesn't.

And according to the Canes' GM on either tsn or nhl network today (I was listening to both and don't remember which one at the time), Williams is perfectly healthy except for his hand. Sure, they could be lying but that would be a pretty bad idea since the Kings' doctors see all the same things the Canes' doctors did. It's pretty unbelievable they could come to different conclusions about this kind of injury...it's not like it's a judgment call.

Also according to the Canes' GM, they made this trade for the same reason they made the Johnson-Gleason deal: because they wanted a player who could get them into the playoffs NOW. Williams wasn't going to do that...Cole can.

Considering how much Sully was moved around the majority of the first half, his TOI is pretty impressive all things considered. He has disappointed this year, but you are obsessed with age. Again: not all players develop at the same rate.
A 27 year old with 3 goals and major injury concerns is a major disappointment and HAS to be a major concern.

I'm not obsessed at all with his age. If anything I'm obsessed with his lack of progress in his crucial 4th pro season. I don't know if you follow stats, but most forwards show the type of player they'll be by their 4th pro season. Not all, but most. You want to talk about odds? The odds are that O'Sullivan will be the type of player he currently is.

 

[Willard]

I actually meant the medical team that analyzed his injuries and recovery I didn't believe them then and I don't believe them now.

If his other injuries were no longer an issue, why did he only have 3 goals and 10 points in 32 games?

Two answers:

1) JW is one of those warrior-mentality type players, he was eager, maybe over-eager to return from the achilles injury and it appears that he may have come back too soon from it, and was slow to get himself into his old form. His play was actually starting to really get better when he broke his hand.

2) He's been without his favorite center this season (Brind'Amour) and was out of his element to some degree for that reason. Just like Sully has really been out of his element. Sully's not a third liner. He needs to be on a scoring line. We've been seeing it this year. POS has been shuttled around, he's been a man without a line. I look forward to seeing Kopitar and a recovered Williams playing together. I suspect that will be a sweet combination, really sweet -- my 2 cents.

 

[kingdoughty]

Chill out guys, this will turn out in our favor.

Who here expected Sully to be a 30 goal scorer? That's right nobody did, because he never would have been with the Kings. Williams IS a 30 goal scorer when healthy. When he is healthy you can be assured he will score around 30 goals, but yeah there is the problem with his health. I think he will get better, because he is only 27. He got surgery and fixed many of his health issues and I think he will be back and be a good asset to the Kings.

Usually that's why people get surgery you know...to fix the problem. Now he's like a bionic Williams, even better than before. In all honesty though his body better hold up...

P.S. Don't reply with "well he has only had two different 30 goal season". I will refute this before it comes up by saying that he has only had 2 full NHL season, and in both of those seasons he had 30 goals (AND these 2 seasons were back to back and right before this season). But yes there is the question mark with his health...I trust DL's judgment though. I would normally be mad at us giving other teams a good player, but from past experiences I learned that DL knows his ****.

Bottom line, Sully isn't an impact player and Williams definitely is, and that's what the Kings need for a playoff run.

GO KINGS

 

[jijalba]

First off, I'm going to say this is a great trade for the Kings! Someone explain to me how having a 27 year old guy, with a cup ring, leadership traits, hard work ethic & willingness to do whatever it takes to win is a bad thing?

I can understand everyone's concern's about the injurys. However it's not like Lombardi picks up the phone & makes all these deals on his own. Do you not think that many of the LA top brass gave their views of Williams?

This kid is a stud, a guy that is going to be a top 6 player, will re-gain his form & will be a player that will make you say Patrick O'Who? I'm sorry but when was the last time O'Sullivan had a game that made you say WOW, that kid is coming along? Who is Patrick O'Sullivan to make himself bigger than the team? To hold out while the rest of his team takes part in trainning camp?

You guys all want a winning team in Los Angeles; just as much as I want a winning team in Los Angeles. Let Lombardi complete what he's working on, he's not going to be perfect in every deal but he's sure making things look great. The future has to become the present at one point or another, I think Lombardi knows the Kings are going to get a top 10 pick this year, they have Frolov to sign, and they are making progress in many areas.

This is the time when a guy like Williams is IDLE! I bet you that he is so excited to be coming to this team, even though we are not making the playoffs. There is no team in the NHL that is in better shape for tomorrow than the Kings...and when tomorrow comes & the Kings take shape with Lombardi's vision, I hope all of you come back & read the comments your leaving....

I couldn't have said it any better.

 

[123slam]

Chill out guys, this will turn out in our favor.

Who here expected Sully to be a 30 goal scorer? That's right nobody did, because he never would have been with the Kings. Williams IS a 30 goal scorer when healthy. When he is healthy you can be assured he will score around 30 goals, but yeah there is the problem with his health. I think he will get better, because he is only 27. He got surgery and fixed many of his health issues and I think he will be back and be a good asset to the Kings.

Usually that's why people get surgery you know...to fix the problem. Now he's like a bionic Williams, even better than before. In all honesty though his body better hold up...

P.S. Don't reply with "well he has only had two different 30 goal season". I will refute this before it comes up by saying that he has only had 2 full NHL season, and in both of those seasons he had 30 goals (AND these 2 seasons were back to back and right before this season). But yes there is the question mark with his health...I trust DL's judgment though. I would normally be mad at us giving other teams a good player, but from past experiences I learned that DL knows his ****.

Bottom line, Sully isn't an impact player and Williams definitely is, and that's what the Kings need for a playoff run.

GO KINGS

This.

 

[William H Bonney]

Are you making your point or mine?

You said they're all regressing....they aren't.

Ok, based on their projections, they've all pretty much stagnated from last year (withstanding Handzus obviously).

Why? Because he's younger. I expect more inconsistency from younger players. It's not more complicated than that. I certainly don't think players all progress the same based on the number of games they play, which is your implication.

Ok, and I expect inconsistency from less experienced NHL players. It's not more complicated than that.

Then that's an even better reason to trade him. Murray is EXACTLY the coach Lombardi wants and if O'Sullivan can't play that style his value will only decrease.

If you go back to my original post, I wasn't against trading O'Sullivan, it the return that bothered me. O'Sullivan could play Murray's style, it just remained to be seen if he could progress with that system. We'll never know.

Crawford was also the coach Murray wanted at one point.

I bet if you asked Lombardi, Murray, MacTavish, or Tambellini they'd disagree.

Since neither of us can accomplish this, it's a moot argument.

Sure you did. You said he's not earning his $7M salary, which he doesn't have to (and never will since his contract is actually $6.8M/yr), since his salary is $765k.

Ok, if he doesn't get a lot better he won't be earning his $6.8M/yr salary next year. That's not bashing him it's just what it is. If anything, it's bashing Dead for signing him to that contract.

My point was more how everyone was trashing on O'Sullivan when he's not the only one struggling.

Show me where I did that and I'll retract it.

"At worst, I'd say he's plateaued." - how a guy who 2 years ago had 33g/34a to 3 goals this year has plateaued sounds like a proclamation of that.

Or "Me too but I'll settle for 05-06 Williams"

just so we're not arguing semantics, do you see a difference between "excuses" and "reasons"? I see an excuse as an invalid reason. Saying it's the coach is an excuse...injuries are a reason.

I'm also not sure we agree on what regression is. IMO, it's when a player takes a step backward in development or ABILITY to perform. We won't know if Williams has done that until he plays. We do know that O'Sullivan has.

But I'll grant you that in the last two years he's been injured and his numbers have gone down.

If you can't understand that a coaches' system can affect a players progression, than there's no point of debating this. There are tons of examples of this happening. That doesn't mean a GM shouldn't trade the player if he doesn't fit in with the system, but Sully wasn't given ample time to show he could.

Williams HAS played since his 2 good seasons, and he did take a step backward in his ability to perform. Based on your statements about O'Sullivan, it's obvious Williams is too old to develop anymore of course.

Ok good, so you've agreed Williams has regressed.

That's not what it sounds like. It sounds like you're COUNTING on him getting better, but without any reason other than hope. You've even admitted that he isn't doing well in Murray's system...why would you think that'll change?

Because I see his struggles as being snake-bit. If he wasn't even getting chances, then I'd be more skeptical, but that's not the case.

Funny how this is a negative against O'Sullivan but your exact argument applies to Williams. You're COUNTING on him getting healthy and back to 2 years ago, without any reason other than your argument's sake.

Sully was struggling in Murray's system. Trade him, I'm fine with it, as mentioned in my first post, but we should have received a more concrete return IMO. Because players get better with experience?

Yeah, based on what medical experts say. Now if you want to go off on a conspiracy theory, or say that doctors are liars or incompetent, that's fine. But I don't agree.

Are medical experts never wrong? Williams' past injuries may be deemed "healthy" now, but history doesn't agree with you when a player has 2 major knee reconstructions and an Achilles injury.

Are you blaming O'Sullivan for his failure to play well in Murray's system? It didn't sound that way. What are some of the "lots of reasons" he's struggling?

Williams was struggling but there's no reason to think he wouldn't get back to normal. Lots of athletes tear their ACLs and play just fine again. Hell, the Patriots traded Matt Cassell banking on that...and I'd say they're a pretty smart organization.

I'm not "blaming" anyone for the system issue. Systems differently affect different players. If him not adjusting as quickly as some is his fault, then so be it. Other reasons for his struggling include: constant juggling of lines (from 1st to 4th to 2nd, etc), missing camp, constant changing of linemates even when that line is doing well, etc.

Ok. O'Sullivan was struggling but he's not given the benefit of the doubt to "get back to normal" as in last year's form but William's is? Umm, ok.

Quarterbacks don't compare well to the NHL game, but Tom Brady didn't tear both ACLs/MCLs, an Achilles, and break his hand.

At least Williams has a history of success...O'Sullivan doesn't.

And according to the Canes' GM on either tsn or nhl network today (I was listening to both and don't remember which one at the time), Williams is perfectly healthy except for his hand. Sure, they could be lying but that would be a pretty bad idea since the Kings' doctors see all the same things the Canes' doctors did. It's pretty unbelievable they could come to different conclusions about this kind of injury...it's not like it's a judgment call.

Also according to the Canes' GM, they made this trade for the same reason they made the Johnson-Gleason deal: because they wanted a player who could get them into the playoffs NOW. Williams wasn't going to do that...Cole can.

Williams also has a history of injuries and underachievement. Crap shoot I guess.

Why would the Canes GM come out and say anything differently when he's trying to trade said injured player?

If you don't think opposing sports doctors disagree, let me just redirect you to your Patriots point earlier and see Tom Brady.

I'm not obsessed at all with his age. If anything I'm obsessed with his lack of progress in his crucial 4th pro season. I don't know if you follow stats, but most forwards show the type of player they'll be by their 4th pro season. Not all, but most. You want to talk about odds? The odds are that O'Sullivan will be the type of player he currently is.

So you seem to like stats. Any stats to back up that claim?

If the odds are that O'Sullivan is done developing, then so is Williams, and due to his regression (as you admitted) and likeliness of recurrent injuries, we're stuck with a marginal player as well.

 

[Willard]

Williams also has a history of injuries and underachievement. Crap shoot I guess.

I beg to differ. History of injuries, OK... (but it can be argued that the worst may be behind him now)

...but history of "underachievement", no way. You will really need to defend that one because Williams's history is actually one of playing his ass off whenever he is in the lineup and producing on both ends of the ice.

Last year, only 37 games -- but 30 points in 37 games. If you're a stat-watcher, as it appears you are, how is THAT underproducing?

The achilles injury threw him offstride this particular year, no doubt. He's also been missing Brind'Amour on his line, bigtime. Put him with Kopitar, you'll see. It goes beyond the stats. As a player, this guy is focused, and he is a force. JW is one troop that no one is ever sorry to have in their platoon, believe you me.

 

[DougieSmash]

Good luck, Justin. He's my all-time favorite hockey player. I miss ya every day .

 

[Legionnaire]

Moves like what? Trading good young players for injured players? Let's go to the videotape...the Wings traded Shawn Mathias for an injured Bertuzzi and TWO picks.

I phrased that wrong first of all. Winning teams trade youth for established talent all the time. Those are moves to put good teams over the top.

However, you never see a successful franchise trade a (JUST TURNED) 24 year old AND a 2nd round pick for a guy who's been pretty beat up already AND is currently recovering from major surgery.

That throwing in the 2nd is SUCH ABSOLUTE CRAP! Where did Dean go to law school again? Bend Me Over U? Jesus.

But what if O'Sullivan keeps regressing? Or plateaus and turns into the next Tyler Arnason? You always lose by waiting if you're already convinced a guy isn't going to develop into a more valuable asset than he is today.

You're making a pretty big assumption that O'Sullivan is going to improve...THIS season he got WORSE. And he's no spring chicken anymore...he's 24.

He got worse? He's only 16 points of his pace last year with 20 games left, and he's hardly gotten any PP time. Blah, blah. Play away from the puck. Blah. The effort has been there most nights, and he's still producing at a decent rate.

I mean seriously, is his "drop off" any worse than Kopitar's before this surge?

I'd say O'Sullivan's chances are about as good as Williams being durable enough to make an impact.

Oh, and by the way, how old was Williams when he first scored 20 goals? 24? So O'Sullivan is actually ahead of that pace right.

Cheaper too. Shorter contract. Likely to play actual games for those dollars to boot. I'll be damned.

Why would you think any of those things? If Williams got healthy, came back and started scoring, he'd cost ALOT more than O'Sullivan and a 2nd. According to the Canes GM, the ONLY reason they traded him was because they want scoring NOW to make a push into the playoffs. It's just like the Gleason-Johnson trade...the Canes made a trade for "now" and the Kings made one for next season.



I don't want to get into a big argument about Cammalleri, but I'm not one of his fans. I really like Teubert and I think DL got fine value.

He would? I doubt it. No way to prove it one way or the other but I will say this...the guy was traded for Danny Markov. Make of that what you will.

That's really a non-starter isn't it. He's not healthy.

There's a reason why the Canes traded Williams, and I think the slick used car salesmen just got sold a lemon, and paid EXTRA to do so.

 

[aegwillnotwinthecup*]

Direct quote from my friend, one of the most knowledgeable hockey guys I know, when I asked him about the trade.

"Williams is a fantastic hockey player. He's dynamic and a gamechanger and one of the reasons the Canes won the Cup in 06. His injuries over the past couple seasons have been pretty fluky, at worst. Dude's a warrior, and with Kopitar as his centre, I wouldn't be surprised if he cracks 80 or even 90 points during his peak...which has yet to come. LOL, Kings won't regret this. Not a bit."

 

[KingLB]

When i first heard this trade i hated it...now that I've let a few hours go by I've decided I still don't like it... The reason being...why they are we the ones giving up a 2nd round pick when JW basically hasn't played for 2 seasons. For those that say oooo it's just a second, need i remind you Simmonds, Moller and VV (can't spell his name) were all second round picks...

Also there is a big part of me that hopes we don't see JW play at all this season. He is coming off all these major injuries, the Kings should let him rest for the duration of the season and have him come back 100% (if he can ever be "100%" again), its not like we have anything to play for. And secondly i think we can use the remaining games to see what Purcell and Moller(maybe Boyle) really have, when they have to be relied upon for offensive. O and I kinda want us to tank so we can grab Evander Kane.