Breaking news? Not breaking news?\u00a0 More on that later.
\nI have had a hard night.\u00a0 No, not drinking or partying.<\/p>\n
Yesterday afternoon, more than one reliable source gave me information about a potential blockbuster trade after Game Seven of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.<\/p>\n
So off to internet to see how off base the rumor is.\u00a0 It wasn’t off base, in fact it was dead on.\u00a0 Only to have both sides deny the darn thing.<\/p>\n
Phone calls were made to people inside the teams and they were tight-lipped.<\/p>\n
Called Joe Torosian to see about running it and get the use your judgment.\u00a0 That could prove wrong.\u00a0 No comments from the Peanut Gallery.<\/p>\n
So I decided to throw the potential trade out on this kind of daily column.\u00a0 Here goes.<\/p>\n
The Los Angeles Kings would trade second-year defense man Jack Johnson and the fifth pick overall to Anaheim for aging defense man Chris Pronger.<\/p>\n
Here is why this makes no sense.<\/p>\n
Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi has preached a youth movement at Staples Center for the last three years.\u00a0 Getting rid of Johnson and the fifth pick is completely against his philosophy.<\/p>\n
Now throw in adding a long-in-the-tooth Pronger with a huge contract that will hurt the Kings salary cap and it we have strike two on the trade.<\/p>\n
But, after talking to sources, it only makes sense if Johnson is asking for too much money and Lombardi is stuck with the same situation that has faced him the previous two off-seasons with Mike Cammaleri (traded in last years draft) and Patrick O’Sullivan (traded at the deadline).\u00a0 Lombardi would be able to get a All-Star defense man to help the development of rookie Drew Doughty.<\/p>\n
The Ducks with the fifth pick, wouldn’t be able to get a goaltender.\u00a0 Something they so desperately need as Jean Sebastian Giguere is past his prime and Jonas Hiller was suspect.\u00a0 Why not get one of the Kings “prized” netminders that are getting sharp in the minors?<\/p>\n
One last observation.\u00a0 The fifth pick is critical for the Kings as they need to add a front-line goal scorer.\u00a0 Trading it defeats the purpose.\u00a0 Also, going after a goal scorer in free-agency won’t be done due to Pronger’s contract.<\/p>\n
Oh by the way, the Pittsburgh Penguins survived a flurry of last minute chances to take Lord Stanley’s Cup away from the Detroit Redwings.
\nMore on that tomorrow.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Have a great day.<\/p>\n
On The Couch can be read Wednesday to Sunday at www.midvalleysports.com.<\/p>\n
Andy’s Rants can be read on Monday at www.midvalleynewsonline.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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