|
|
|
Wednesday, November 8, 2000
Draft day filled with trades
ESPN.com news services
|
As expected, activity on NHL draft day wasn't limited to picking prospects. There was some movement on the trade front, started early on by the Islanders.
But one of the biggest deals was made by the Colorado Avalanche, who sent all-star
defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh and the 32nd pick to the Carolina
Hurricanes for defenseman Nolan Pratt and the 14th, 47th and 63rd
selections.
| |  | | | Ozolinsh |
Faced with difficult negotiations in trying to
re-sign the All-Star defenseman, the Avalanche decided to trade him. Although seven other key Avalanche players are due new contracts for next
season -- putting a burden on Colorado's already hefty payroll -- GM Pierre Lacroix insisted that potentially difficult talks with Ozolinsh
had "nothing to do with" the trade, and said the organization,
even with new ownership, has no intention of cutting costs.
Ozolinsh, a restricted free agent who made $4 million last
season but who slumped in the latter stages of the playoffs, became
expendable after the Avalanche signed veteran defenseman Ray
Bourque to a one-year, $5.5 million contract on June 14.
By moving up, Lacroix was able to use the
first-round slot to take a player he coveted, Czech center Vaclav
Nederost.
Ozolinsh is one of the better offensive-minded defensemen in the
NHL. The Latvian had 52 points including 16 goals last season, his
eighth in the league.
"Ozolinsh became expendable because we signed Ray Bourque and
because Martin Skoula has developed so well," explained Lacroix. "It's sad to see him go because he is a quality
player. There was a lot of interest.
"The last five years, it has been pretty clear that we are
building for the future while winning."
Draft-day trades
The Islanders sent goaltender Kevin Weekes, former first-round pick Kristian Kudroc
and a 2001 second-round pick to Tampa Bay for the No. 5 choice
along with fourth- and seventh-round selections.
The Islanders traded goaltender Roberto Luongo, the team's No. 1 pick in the 1997 draft who started 20 games last season, and center Olli Jokinen to thePanthers for right wings Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha.
The Hurricanes traded Nolan Pratt and the Nos. 14, 47 and 63 picks to the Avalanche for Sandis Ozolinsh and the No. 32 pick.
The Islanders sent left wing Josh Green, defenseman Eric Brewer and a second-round draft pick to the Oilers for defenseman Roman Hamrlik.
The Coyotes acquired left wing Brad May Saturday from the Canucks for future considerations.
Post-expansion draft trades:
Minnesota selected Mike Vernon from the Panthers and
dealt him to the Calgary Flames for Boston University center Dan Cavanaugh
and a future eighth-round draft pick.
The Wild claimed Joe Juneau from the Senators and traded him to Phoenix for Swedish prospect Rickard Wallin.
Minnesota claimed Chris Terreri, New Jersey's backup goalie, and then traded him back to the Stanley Cup champions for defenseman Brad Bombardir.
Columbus traded forward Turner Stevenson, taken from Montreal, to the Devils as compensation for the deal that sent Krzysztof
Oliwa to the Blue Jackets just days after the Stanley Cup finals.
The Blue Jackets also acquired a second-round pick in the 2001
entry draft from Montreal in exchange for taking goalie Frederic
Chabot.
Buffalo gave up defenseman Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre,
minor league forward Matt Davidson and two fifth-round draft
choices -- the 149th pick in this weekend's entry draft and one next
year -- to Columbus. The trade was done to ensure that the Sabres would not lose
forwards Doug Gilmour and Stu Barnes, and defensemen Richard
Smehlik and Jason Woolley.
Columbus claimed goalie Dwayne Roloson and winger Geoff Sanderson from Buffalo.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
|
|
ALSO SEE
Isles shake things up with draft-day trades
ESPN.com's NHL Draft 2000 coverage
AUDIO VIDEO
 ESPN's NHL draft team breaks down a busy day around the league.
RealVideo: 56.6
|
|
