I am sorry, but GM George McPhee has seriously bought the farm on this trade. McPhee traded Brian Sutherby to Anaheim for a second round draft pick. What? A draft pick. Ben Clymer has to be steaming right about now.
Apparently for McPhee it's of no concern his team has a worse record than the season before, it doesn't matter that his team is considered an afterthought and now a joke. Nope, he got himself a draft pick, whoopee! Are you kidding me?
This trade does squat for the Capitals. Even after a summer of great signings, it's blunder moves like this that makes this a second rate, never-gonna-go-anywhere club. Don't fire Glen Hanlon, kick GMGM to the curb. McPhee was in talks with Anaheim since training camp wasting a good player on the bench just to get a "good" deal. A piece of drift wood at this point would be a better trade than this.
2 comments:
Sutherby wasn't going to play here. He doesn't have the offensive to warrant a top six role and Gordon has the checking line center role locked up. Steckel is going well on the PK, in his own end 5-on-5 and on faceoffs.
Sutherby is a 4th line player and occasional penalty killer who could develop into a 3rd liner. He was not playing for the Caps and the Capitals moved him for a pick - what's the problem? The team is no longer in total rebuild mode but that doesn't mean it doesn't have to think about the future too.
I can understand the levied criticism of 'this does nothing to help us now', but what are the odds Sutherby could be dealt for anyone who would help the Capitals significantly at this point? McPhee took an asset he wasn't using and got rid of it for one he will use, either in another trade or as a pick.
I guess if I was in a position where my job could end at the end of the year, I would fix whatever problem that is facing me that could lead to my demise. True Sutherby was not a top line talent, true I can understand keeping an eye on the horizon while trying to get what needs to be done in the now. But you have to look at what Sutherby brought to the Capitals.
Brian was one of the leaders of this team. Even Hanlon acknowledged last year that Sutherby could be a future NHL captain in the making. The only concern about this trade is if I trade him,I better get a better deal than just a second round draft pick that may only get me another 4th line or career AHLer for a team that needs to be shaken up somehow, someway. A second round draft pick will most likely not see NHL ice for 2 to 3 years, sometimes even longer.
I almost think that the timing of the move is more in question here rather than just what was traded for. To me, and I am not a General Manager (important to note), I would have done more to find some one to replace the talent I traded if nothing else but to try and spark this team. And a spark is maybe all they need.
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