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Originally Posted by Bouchie Well since I feel this thread speaks only to me (unless there's some unknown Washington fan in existence), I'll throw in my two cents. I'd like to see Chicago get him, obviously; however, I don't think they should be dealing away anymore players from the current roster in order to get him. They already traded half the team away last year (Sullivan, Zhamnov, Nieminen, Klemm, Dempsey, Karpovtsev). Ideally, I'd say use some of the many draft picks the hawks have this year in exchange for Ovechkin.
Another problem, though, is that as he becomes one of the NHL's best he will undoubtily "out-grow" the hawk's low budget and he will most likely be traded away for - you guessed it - more draft picks.
So in closing, I still say "go get him", but I really don't see the point long-term. |
The point long term is a few years with the next Ilya Kovalchuk. It wouldn't be for another 4-5 years that he would leave Chicago, if he goes there.
However guys Ovechkin isn't miles ahead of the next player in the draft, which is viewed as the weakest in years. Magnitogorsk Russia centre Evgeni Malkin is right up there with Ovechkin as skilled in everyway, the only thing that could keep him from being picked is a history of concussions.
I would hate to see Washington trade away the Ovechkin pick, just imagine the team they would have in a few years, Ouelette and Stana in net, Ovechkin, Aulin, Tomas Fleischmann (from the Lang trade, incredible player), Jonas Johannson, Brooks Laich. So much more future talent than the Hawks, who I think would be better picking Malkin, or Medicine Hat Tigers blueliner Cam Barker.
Needless to say it looks like a pretty sad crop of players for the 2004 draft, which I'll be mainly tuning in to see what insane trades take place, if any.