The Forsberg Deal in Retrospect....
Posted 7:27 PM ET | Comments 0
By D. Smith:
Well, hindsight is always 20/20, but I believe the deal was worth making. Also, you have to remember that injuries played a role that no one saw coming. Bringing in Forsberg was supposed to secure three incredibly talented lines in Nashville. (in no order) the 3 centers were supposed to be Forsberg, Arnott, and Legwand. The 6 surrounding wings were supposed to be Kariya, Sullivan, Radulov, Dumont, Erat, and Hartnell. That nucleus could've done amazing things for this team, but thanks to injuries, which trickled down to a lack of chemistry and productivity, those nine players played a total of 2 games together.
Forsberg came to town on February 15. Sullivan had 60 points in 57 games before he was injured February 22. He never returned, which in many minds including my own, became the death of this team. That was also the last game Scott Hartnell played until April 5 due to a broken foot. Forsberg missed two weeks from March 3 to March 17 due to injury, and Martin Erat was injured March 13 and never really regained the momentum he had up until that point with his 57 points this year.
Paul Kariya also disappeared during the end of the season. He had 1 goal and 5 points after March 13, and led us to wonder if we would see him back in a Preds uniform again. Personally, I'd like to see him back in the lineup because when he's on, he's extremely valuable and lets face it, having him is better than not having him.
I would've loved to see how this team could have been with the entire nucleus together and going strong, but we never had the shot. Many of our key players are free agents this year, and that's probably why the trade was made. This was our year to try for it all and it wasn't to be. Too bad, I think a fully-healthy Nashville club could've given the league some exciting hockey to watch through the playoffs.
Well, hindsight is always 20/20, but I believe the deal was worth making. Also, you have to remember that injuries played a role that no one saw coming. Bringing in Forsberg was supposed to secure three incredibly talented lines in Nashville. (in no order) the 3 centers were supposed to be Forsberg, Arnott, and Legwand. The 6 surrounding wings were supposed to be Kariya, Sullivan, Radulov, Dumont, Erat, and Hartnell. That nucleus could've done amazing things for this team, but thanks to injuries, which trickled down to a lack of chemistry and productivity, those nine players played a total of 2 games together.
Forsberg came to town on February 15. Sullivan had 60 points in 57 games before he was injured February 22. He never returned, which in many minds including my own, became the death of this team. That was also the last game Scott Hartnell played until April 5 due to a broken foot. Forsberg missed two weeks from March 3 to March 17 due to injury, and Martin Erat was injured March 13 and never really regained the momentum he had up until that point with his 57 points this year.
Paul Kariya also disappeared during the end of the season. He had 1 goal and 5 points after March 13, and led us to wonder if we would see him back in a Preds uniform again. Personally, I'd like to see him back in the lineup because when he's on, he's extremely valuable and lets face it, having him is better than not having him.
I would've loved to see how this team could have been with the entire nucleus together and going strong, but we never had the shot. Many of our key players are free agents this year, and that's probably why the trade was made. This was our year to try for it all and it wasn't to be. Too bad, I think a fully-healthy Nashville club could've given the league some exciting hockey to watch through the playoffs.