The Games Have Begun - Isles Trade Campoli & Comrie

Dean McAmmond
Mike Comrie
Chris Campoli






Well......... here we go. The trading wars have begun.
Earlier today the Isles traded Chris Campoli & Mike Comrie to the Ottawa Senators for Dean McAmmond and Ottawa's 1st Rd pick - which started out as San Jose's 1st Rd pick. Right now, San Jose is the 2d best team in the NHL - so this pick will end up being somewhere between 25th through 29th overall. While I understand the strategy to "stockpile picks" - that strategy only works if you stockpile good picks, you don't send away too much talent, and then you of course have to actually draft correctly.

In light of the Isles long and sad draft history (keeping this to the last decade or so) I am not sure I am excited about more picks. We will have to wait to see what Campoli ultimately develops into and what the Isles get for this pick to see if Garth was a winner.

Comrie for McAmmond was essentially a salary dump and two teams throwing away players. Comrie probably wasn't going to re-sign and quite honestly his production has been disappointing so I am not sad to see him go. I am not happy about Campoli leaving. I am concerned that ultimately this could look like Chara, Redden, McCabe, etc --- where the Isles dump a young, puck moving defensemen who comes to play - and play hard every night - and then he develops into a star elsewhere. Only time will tell.

THANKS to Chris Campoli for his years of hard work here on the Isle. My middle son is crushed again. First - he loved Bergeron. Then Fedotenko. Next Campoli. He has been cursed by the trade bug. I told him he needs to root for Hilbert !!!!!

I think this is only step one for Garth. Let's hope he knows where he is stepping and its not into a pile of you-know-what.

Next up: Charity!
MLD