Matt Cullen Traded to Ottawa for Alexandre Picard and Second Rounder
by Bob Wage on Feb 12, 2010 11:08 AM EST
175 comments
TSN's Bob McKenzie is reporting that the Carolina Hurricanes traded center Matt Cullen to the Ottawa Senators for defenseman Alexandre Picard and a second round draft pick.
It was expected that Cullen would be traded before the deadline today for at least a second rounder, but apparently Jim Rutherford was able to squeeze a defensive prospect out of Ottawa GM Bryan Murray as well. The Senators acquired Picard from Tampa Bay in a previous trade for Andrej Meszaros two years ago.
The 24 year old Picard has decent size, (6'3, 215), averages about 19 minutes a game, and has scored 4 goals and 11 assists in 45 games so far this season. Last year he had 6 goals and 8 assists in 47 games.
Matt Cullen was a fan favorite in Carolina and was instrumental in the team's playoff run last season as well as the Stanley Cup Championship in 2006. He will be missed.
More about this and a tribute to Cullen a bit later.
(For Ottawa's take, check out Silver Seven Sens.)
0 recs |
175 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
++ … good return. Picard is a puck-mover who still makes some mistakes, but he’s got a lot of potential. He’s an RFA after this year.
by Cory Lavalette on Feb 12, 2010 11:11 AM EST reply actions
Seems to be the perfect place for him to come in (here) and play w/ no pressure and really take his game to the next level….
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Feb 12, 2010 4:07 PM EST up reply actions
Steal
Getting Picard in this deal and a second rounder is a steal. No two ways about it.
Greensboro was a black hole.
I was absolutely stunned by this deal.
Cullen you glorious bastard, you brought us one last piece of awesomeness.
by Iggy Reilly on Feb 12, 2010 11:19 AM EST up reply actions
Hahahahaha...
Picard isn’t awesome. Watch the highlights from last night’s game; admittedly, plenty of defencemen are victimized by the Capitals snipers, but Picard was awful. I will admit that he has potential, but he’s got a long ways before he meets that. Still, if he can do alright with you guys, that’s fine.
Any word on if this is Ottawa or San Jose’s second-rounder?
by Peter Raaymakers on Feb 12, 2010 12:16 PM EST up reply actions
A player + a 2nd round pick is awesome.
Considering word was we would be lucky to get a 2nd.
So yes, this is an awesome trade for us.
by Iggy Reilly on Feb 12, 2010 12:20 PM EST up reply actions
Ottawas’ own pick
Staal + Jussi = GOAL
by canescup on Feb 12, 2010 12:39 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I wouldn't say Picard was Awful against the Caps
I looked at the high lights of the game and I think it showed a lot.
PIcard had a solid hit in the corner in the 1st. He also had an amazing outlet pass to Spezza, nearly getting an assist had Spezza barried the break away. Of the 4 goals Picard was on the ice for I would say 1 maybe 2 were within his means to stop. The first one was a short side shot around the hashmarks against the boards. A strong goal rarely lets that in. I admit those shots aren’t impossible to score on, but def not high percentage.
The 2nd -1, Ovechkin knocked Picard’s stick out of his had (a clear slash) which allowed for the Caps to control the play in the O-zone and score.
The 3rd -1, Picard tied his guy up at the bottom of the circle and Smin ripped a shot passed Elliot. Semin was Kuba’s man. So is that really Picard’s fault?
The last -1, Semind took a wicked wrister over Picard’s knee as he went down to block the shot at the top of the circle. Picard probably should have blocked it, but it is not like he got burned one vs. one. Semin is sniper in the league, so it goes to show his shot can do damage no matter where he shoots from. Example: His last goal of the game was a top shelf shot from the blue line that Elliot didn’t flinch on.
I think it is hard for defenseman to look good when there are 11 goals scored in a game, but taking the good that Picard did (the hit and outlet pass) are two things that intrigue me and in addition to the 2nd rounder lead me to believe we got the better end of this trade.
Yeah, I can’t believe we would do something like pick up an ailing defenseman from Ottawa. I mean, that could never work out. ;)
by Raccoon Fink on Feb 12, 2010 12:52 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah… But you are a Senators fan… The media in Ottawa is worse for putting unwanted and unneeded pressure on players causing them to crack….
Picard will thrive in the easy going state of new hockey…. It’s a new day.
(remember “uh-oh Corvo” ????)
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Feb 12, 2010 4:09 PM EST up reply actions
Even if Picard turns out to be a solid, affordable, bottom pairing guy next year (Which we need anyway)… What did you expect? I was expecting to only get a 2nd… I’ll take a young D in return also.
Lets not forget that fans in Ottawa hated Joe Corvo and also thought he was a turnover machine (Uh-Oh Corvo).
Thanks for the memories, Cully
I’ll never forget Cully and Whitney sporting the porn-staches at the Stanley Cup parade.
Pour out some beer for Cully...
…but not RBC center beer, because that stuff’s expensive!
Like I’ve said, this makes me sad, but I’m sure Cullen would be the first to tell you that it’s all part of being a pro. Holding out hope that he can come back…again.
on a diff. note … what is Bryan Murray doing? Cullen’s a good addition, but the Sens are going nowhere this season. Guess he’s feeling good after his contract extension.
by Cory Lavalette on Feb 12, 2010 11:15 AM EST reply actions
What do you mean? They are the 3rd seed in the east right now so they have to be going somewhere. You mean they don’t have a chance at the Cup getting through NJ, Pittsburg, and Washington? This could be a replacement for Ward but it could also mean Corvo is in the works to be traded soon.
"Last season we couldn't win at home and we were losing on the road. My failure was that I couldn't think of any place else to play." - Harry Neale
by hotchipsnsalsa on Feb 12, 2010 11:19 AM EST up reply actions
They may be third, but there is still the matter of Washington, and the Devils, and the Pens. Giving up Picard for a gamble on Cullen is a lot when you have those giants to slay to get to the Cup finals.
Greensboro was a black hole.
And that is just in the East.
No way the Sens take home the cup.
by Iggy Reilly on Feb 12, 2010 11:20 AM EST up reply actions
If there’s anything a Canes fan should understand, it’s that once you get into the playoffs, anything can happen.
I’m surprised we got Picard in the deal. But not as surprised as I was that we got a 2nd rounder for Wallin.
-m
Anything can happen, but this isn’t Doug Weight, it’s Matt Cullen. And the Sens aren’t the best team in the East let alone the NHL. Ottawa may have had reservations about re-signing Picard in the off-season, but that still seems like a lot to give up to get Matt Cullen. Makes me wonder what other teams had offered.
Greensboro was a black hole.
I agree with both your points.
And this has me pretty hopeful on what Whitney could bring in.
by drifterscape on Feb 12, 2010 12:19 PM EST up reply actions
Nobody counted us to make the ECF last year either. When the playoffs start it’s a hole new season and anything can happen.
"Last season we couldn't win at home and we were losing on the road. My failure was that I couldn't think of any place else to play." - Harry Neale
by hotchipsnsalsa on Feb 12, 2010 11:22 AM EST up reply actions
I am not sold on their goaltending.
It is MIKE Brodeur on their roster, not the other one.
by Iggy Reilly on Feb 12, 2010 11:25 AM EST up reply actions
b/c they aren’t winning the Cup this year. It’s only good for them if they convince Cullen to stay after the season.
by Cory Lavalette on Feb 12, 2010 11:28 AM EST up reply actions
Granted they would not be favored to win the Cup this year. But I just think it’s silly to dismiss any chance of it happening. There was no way Edmonton was gonna beat Detroit in the first round and make it to the finals in 2006. There was no way we were going to beat Boston and NJ last year. I’m just saying that getting in is the first step. After that it’s sometimes a crap shoot.
DO I think the Senators will win the cup this year? No. Do they have a shot? Sure.
And I think their Gm needs to improve his team however he thinks will work towards that goal. Standing pat because “oh Washington and Pittsburgh are just too good” would be suicide.
-m
No one said they couldn’t, but that’s the only way it makes sense, IMO
by Cory Lavalette on Feb 12, 2010 1:39 PM EST up reply actions
sens going nowhere?
they just took over the Atlantic division lead last night…good for the third seed in the East at the moment. They are at the very least going to the playoffs and he is trying to upgrade.
Not sure how far they will go once the playoffs get here, but you never know.
-m
They’ve won 13 of their last 14… I don’t understand how, but somehow they have put it together. The only thing I can figure is that Clouston is a genius.
Well, they have suspect goaltending (as has seemingly been the case for years), but when things are clicking, they definitely have some offensive firepower….Spezza, Alfredson, Kovalev, Fisher, Michalek…things just did not click for them early in the season, and Spezza and Alfredson spent significant time on the pine with injuries…Fisher went into a funk once his engagement to the American Idol was announced…Kovalev and Cheechoo have been enigmas…as is their m.o….it’s been a weird season for the Sens, dating all the way back to the Heatley fiasco in the off season. But there’s no denying that they are one of the hottest teams in the NHL over the last month and a half. I like Cullen’s fit on the team. Would have loved to see him go out west (Minnesota), but at least he’s with a team that I have a hard time working up any animosity towards. Of course your mileage may vary.
-m
I also hoped he’d go to Minnesota, or maybe Chicago. I have a hard time working up animosity towards Ottawa, but I have a hard time getting excited about them either. I had hoped that whoever got Cullen would be the team I’d pull for in the playoffs.
PS – Hi Martin! Didn’t realize you were a CC regular too.
Going Nowhere
We have only lost once in our last thirteen games, we have beaten Pittsburgh, Devils, Flyers, Blackhawks, Capitals…..Who else do you want us to beat Team Canada or USA.
Be fair I am not saying that we are the most talented team, but we have four decent lines that we roll, play as a team, toughness and have a hot hand goalie….
As you saw in Carolina a hot team goes a long way.
Do you honestly think that with the goaltending the Senators have they can legitimately call themselves the favorites to come out of the East? The senators are playing great, but they’ll still have to go through the Penguins, the Caps, and the Devils in the playoffs, and likely have to beat two of those just to get to the Cup Finals. A lot of people on this board have said that anything can happen in the playoffs, and that’s true. The thing is, it usually doesn’t. Better teams usually win. The sens should win a first round series, but I doubt they make it past the conference quarterfinals given what they’ll likely run in to.
Greensboro was a black hole.
It's totally unpredictable once the playoffs start
In my view all bets are off once the Stanley Cup Playoffs start; and the winner will be the team whose goalie rises to the occasion and whose offense gets creative and timely scoring. In terms of betting, I agree that Ottawa would not be the favorites to win the Stanley Cup this year; but they have the kind of firepower when they get their A game going to make a deep run. Cullen is going to help Ottawa and will give them needed speed and secondary scoring.
omg i’ll be at that game! now im extremely excited
by silent_shadow36 on Feb 12, 2010 3:31 PM EST up reply actions
So if Picard is coming in . . .
Will the Canes move another d-man out today? Corvo, Ward, Alberts?
Greensboro was a black hole.
But then what do you do about the 7 d on the blue line tomorrow night? I guess Carson could return to the AHL to keep playing during the break.
Greensboro was a black hole.
We better not move A Alberts !!!
He and Gleason are our best defensive d-men…We should part with Ward and his contract which will likely be hard. He is still playing for the b’s I think.
Corvo will likely get us some botty if we move him…
Going to miss Cully immensely…I thought he was by far our best skating center…
by sdbrassfield on Feb 12, 2010 11:41 AM EST up reply actions
I like Alberts a lot … he’s good at what he does. But he’s not the second best defender in the Canes zone.
by Cory Lavalette on Feb 12, 2010 1:40 PM EST up reply actions
Alberts and Puck Handling
I think Alberts provides a much-needed physicality to the Hurricanes defense. I wish he would work over the off-season on his puck handling. His decision-making is good; but too often the puck slithers away off his stick. I suspect, but don’t know, that he is literally gripping the hockey stick too tightly and is losing feel for the puck. In any event, I hope Alberts stays because I think he has tremendous potential.
Sens fans are always happy to get rid of someone.
by Iggy Reilly on Feb 12, 2010 11:26 AM EST up reply actions
I’m sure they thought Stiller and Commodore for Corvo was a coup as well.
by Iggy Reilly on Feb 12, 2010 11:27 AM EST up reply actions
exactly. Good trades are mutually beneficial. A rival GM will do business again, if the deal comes of well for him, And you will want to do business again if the deal was good for you.
by wylde4canes on Feb 12, 2010 11:43 AM EST up reply actions
The past 5 or so games Cullen has just been on fire and scored some real pretty highlight reel goals. I’d be willing to guess that is why they are so excited, he has been flashy recently., appearing on NHL.com’s front page for his Florida toe-drag goal.
I’m extremely happy with the return. Picard has been playing well this year, I’d be willing to be he is a lock for next year’s roster in the bottom 4. Plus the 2nd is a great added benefit. With the amount of 2nd picks we will have next year I’d be willing to guess we could even trade up to a higher secondary first round pick (The one we will presumably get from Whitney) at the draft if we wanted which is pretty common.
You clearly don’t know much about Picard beyond the numbers. He has not been playing well at all this year. In fact, he’s often been a healthy scratch. He’s got a decent point shot and can contribute on the powerplay but is often a disaster in his own end.
I think the reason that Sens fans are excited about Cullen is that he brings experience in the form of a cup ring and he’s bound to put up 50 points this year which contributes to our secondary scoring. However, I haven’t followed the Southeast division enough this year to say I can know a whole lot about him. I’d really appreciate if some of you guys could fill me in on how he stacks up.
We don’t need Picard to man the top pairing… Just be decent enough to be an affordable last pairing guy. I don’t think Picard was our big potential top-4 D trade. Hopefully we can make a deal with a team like LA or NY to get one of those.
I think Cullen is a really great player, especially as a 3rd line center. He gives his all most of his shifts and has both goal scoring and playmaking ability. He is definitely a good addition if you are looking for secondary scoring. He also was probably one of our best penalty killers and very often goes north-south and creates a breakaway or 2-on-1. He also plays a pretty good point man on the power-play if you want to go with 4 Forwards and 1 D.
Cullen has been great
I agree. Cullen has been on a tear recently. He will help the Senators and they need secondary scoring. It’s a good trade for both teams.
hi guys
i am not here to hate on you guys, but i think the enthusiasm should be tempered for picard.
im not normally one to have a serious hate on for a player, but picard makes me want to rip my eyes out of their sockets so i will never have to see him play again. he is that bad. i had high hopes as this sort of puck moving smart defenceman with some offensive upside but he really really let me down. he is bad in all aspects of the game. poor shots from the point, generally bad offensive instincts on when to pinch or jump up on the rush. awful in his own zone. lacks any physicality and doesnt play defence well with his stick. worst of all, cant make a breakout pass to save his life and routinely turns it over in the most painful of ways.
corvo had his ups and downs in ottawa, and suffered from giveaways himself, but he is 50x the player that picard is. im sorry, but im so glad hes off our team.
again, im not meaning to harp on you or say that its not a good trade for you, but im basically just using this as an opportunity to get out all the hate iv been harbouring for picard.
i hope he does well the canes, and i will eat my hat if he gets 30 points for you guys next year.
by Buz Killington on Feb 12, 2010 8:59 PM EST up reply actions
quality of coaching
Sometimes it’s the quality of coaching, I feel with our defensive coaches can work with him in all areas of his game. If JR and crew see something in him then they know what needs work. He is young enough that he can be retrained so to speak, where the bad habits are set in enough not to be corrected. I remember Ottawa fans hating on Corvo but wow what a difference. Also players hate playing for Ottawa so maybe they aren’t playing to their full potential. A LOT of players ask to be traded to get out of there as fast as they can. We’ll just have to wait and see how it all pans out.
Staal + Jussi = GOAL
fair enough about the coaching.
now, aside from heatley (and corvo because he couldnt handle the pressure of a real hockey market) name me three guys who have asked to be traded out of ottawa.
by Buz Killington on Feb 12, 2010 9:16 PM EST up reply actions
Wade Redden, Marian Hossa, Martin Havlat, it would be easier just to say any body thats been traded probably ask to be before it happen. You probably know more players than I would that have left that wanted to.
Staal + Jussi = GOAL
ha thats comical. all of those guys were traded or let go because of their contract demands. wade redden, we made a token offer, realizing that his career was already on a steep slow downhill. he went for 6.5M x 6 in NY. hossa and havlat, both traded as rfa’s because of their outlandish contract demands. the fact that everybody who played in ottawa during their powerhouse years had inflated stats helped contribute to them making demands that we didnt want to meet. see: meszaros. heatley, corvo, yashin (who we didnt want anyways) are the only guys i can think of who demanded out, not counting some russian prospects who couldnt make the team.
by Buz Killington on Feb 13, 2010 1:02 AM EST up reply actions
Let's look at the deal from a few perspectives
Whether or not Picard turns out to be a legitimate NHL defensemen still remains to be seen. He has his issues, but he’s still young enough where it’s not the final word on him. What you have to admit though is that he does have the tools to do it he just needs to be able to put those talents to use and not make the bad mistakes. This has been said and will be said about many a 24 year old defensemen. He may work out, he may not, but he’s a legitimate d-prospect and to get him and a second round pick out of renting out Matt Cullen is a nice return, and I’d think you’d have to admit that.
The other thing to remember with Picard is that he won’t even get to sniff being a top pair guy here in Carolina, and likely won’t be thought of as a second pair guy. Gleason and Pitkanen are the top pair guys, and will be for a while. McBain will be on the second pair next year or the year after with someone that is more of a defensive d-man. Picard is going to slot in as a third pair guy playing with someone like Carson or Alberts. In many ways that is going to take the pressure off of him. The Canes staff will not try to have him do more than his skill set allows. They’ll have him focus on what they need him to do and reduce his game so he does fewer things but does them better. It’s one thing that this staff excels at, both for forwards and blue-liners.
And hey, there’s no guarantee he’ll even remain with the team. He could be coupled with Ray Whitney or Joe Corvo to bring back a bigger package in return. Or he could get moved at the draft with a couple of the picks the Canes have to acquire a better pick or a higher end roster player.
All that said, welcome to the board. You’ve made excellent points, presented them logically, affirmed your allegiance but not been rude or let that get in the way of making excellent hockey conclusions. Stick around and join the fun if you’re so inclined.
Greensboro was a black hole.
I’ve just got to say that, this:
again, im not meaning to harp on you or say that its not a good trade for you
Coming from a guy named Buz Killington, is somewhat ironic :P
As to the question (though I find it odd that you ask it but immediately disallow the most recent example, and that you arbitrarily require three examples), I’ll take a stab at it:
Mike Comrie, Alexei Yashin and (I know I’m reaching) Ilya Zubov.
Alexandre Picard and 30 Points
Your perspective is interesting. I have been following Alexandre Picard while watching the Senators on Center Ice because he was on my list of possible young defensemen for the Hurricanes to acquire. I have not been reading the Senators posts and rarely read the Ottawa hockey media, so I was not aware that there was an anti-Picard sentiment. I do remember the anti-Corvo sentiment prior to his being traded; and Corvo has been great for us.
I think Picard is going to get a substantial amount of minutes for the Hurricanes and may well wind up in a top four pairing. The Hurricanes have had significant success working with physically talented young defensemen who had to learn not to make wooden-headed mistakes. My respectful guess is that you may be eating your hat in 2011.
I’m guessing that someone will be a healthy scratch. Would not be surprised to see another D-man moved before the official trade deadline. Corvo? Ward?
They might also send Carson down to get some playing time during the break. BUt I’m not sure about how that would work. I remember hearing something about not wanting to, or being able to back when Corvo came back and Nicky was still around? Anyone know the skinny on that one.
Can they send Carson down without ramifications?
Very sad to see Cullen go. Absolutely my favorite Cane. But I had prepared myself for the inevitability. Will still be rocking my #8 jersey for years to come. Just like I did when he left for the Rangers. I’m also gonna have to make sure to be there when he comes back March 4th.
Good luck Matt. Hoping for a good playoff run for you. Thanks for everything you contributed to the Canes.
(And no, I don’t think he is coming back next year)
-m
I was wondering that too. I just didn’t want to be the first to say it.
by CoastalCane on Feb 12, 2010 11:51 AM EST up reply actions
I believe that Carson would have to clear waivers to go to the AHL. And even if he didn’t, he wouldn’t be able to play in the AHL during the Olympic break due to playing too many NHL games prior to the break.
Or they could send Picard to the AHL, no? I think he’s been up and down this year with the Sens.
Of course they will probably want to see him on NHL ice sooner or later this season to know what they have going into next year and his RFA.
I think once the trade deadline has passed we will see a lot of players bouncing around between the AHL and NHL, and some healthy scratches for veterans who are still around but on the way out. (Doesn’t the roster expand after the trade deadline as well?)
As well as we have played over the last month, the playoffs are a pipe dream and we will officially/mathematically eliminated from the chase sooner rather than later. For some guys it will be like a 2 month tryout for next season. And I definitely think Picard will be in that mix.
-m
How would games played prior to the break keep him from playing in the AHL?
Greensboro was a black hole.
A player can’t play in more than 16 of his NHL team’s previous 20 games and be eligible to play in the AHL during the Olympic break. It’s why Tlusty was sent down a few games ago. Had he played any more he would have been ineligible to play in the AHL during the break.
That’s good info, thanks. Thought that was a mysterious statement they made as to why he was being sent down at that time (“so he can play during the Olympic break”).
Now I get it.
I thougt so too. thanks for the info kahz
by CarolinaCanes on Feb 12, 2010 5:23 PM EST up reply actions
Anyone notice that the photo shows that Picard appears to be celebrating a goal against the Slugs? I like him already.
Also, the picture caption was awesome
by HinesCatchUp23 on Feb 12, 2010 11:55 AM EST up reply actions
So happy JR squeezed a D-Man out of this trade. With the potential to lose Ward and Corvo, we are going to need some defense next year. As ambitious as the AHL is, I would much rather have someone with some NHL experience.
by HinesCatchUp23 on Feb 12, 2010 11:53 AM EST reply actions
hmmm lest see…cullen goes, the canes get Picard and a 2nd rounder…gee just how many picks does the canes have in the first round ?/ anybody know for sure ??
If you think you can't, you won't !
as of right now they have one first round pick.
and if we still have our own 2nd rounder (I’m assuming we do, but am not sure) we now have 3 second round picks…and counting.
-m
Wow. To add insult to injury, the lady host on the show (her name escapes me right now) just knocked Cam Ward’s bobblehead off the desk and broke one of the arms off.
by CoastalCane on Feb 12, 2010 12:10 PM EST up reply actions
That would be funny if it wasn’t so sad.
"This guy is as meat and potatoes as there is of a man."
Gleason for Emperor!
not so sure about cheechoo...
He used to be really explosive back in the day on the Sharks. But he kind like…died down or something. :(
Before we got the Hurricanes in NC, I was a Sharks fan (I grew up in San Jose and moved to Raleigh when I was 12). Followed the Sharks games off and on for a few years even after the Canes came to Raleigh.
Cheechoo to me wouldn’t seem like a great pickup for the Canes. Unless he rediscovers his explosiveness.
If Ray Whitney does not retire a Carolina Hurricane, I'll go egg Jim Rutherfords car and TP his house.
by thebl4ckd0g on Feb 12, 2010 12:21 PM EST up reply actions
Cheechoo has a 3mil cap hit and a salary of 3.5 million. If you could move out Cole, then it may be worth a flier, but I doubt it.
Greensboro was a black hole.
I don’t think that the Canes are in the market at the moment to pick up more salary.
Definitely not Cheechoos’ salary. Even on a flier. Even if the Sens have to eat half of it.
Cheechoo would be a flier for someone hoping he miraculously catches fire and helps them on a run. The Canes are not in that position.
He’s struggled for a couple if years now. One breakout season in San Jose (where he benefited tremendously from Thorton joining the team) was parlayed into a big pay day. A pay day he has never lived up to since.
-m
that’s because Joe Thorton wasn’t feeding him.
Cheechoo in 05
Setoguchi in 08
Heater in 09
A rock could score 20 goals with JT feeding it.
Sharks or Black-Hawks?
Hey Leaguer…At this point I wouldn’t put my money on the Blackhawks either! ’how about a little love for our Captain last night? At some point you have to jump on the bandwagon and trade in those old allegiances.
When in Rome….Do as the Romans do!
I haven’t stopped rooting for the Canes, I’m just paying attention to the Hawks this season. Canes are #1 and will remain that way until they decide not to air home games.
Greensboro was a black hole.
Nice on C-L
There is only one person in the whole wide world of sports who truly thought that broadcasting home games was a bad idea, and that belief died with him. Ding Dong….
Go Canes!
Senators fan's take:
http://www.silversevensens.com/2010/2/12/1307713/senators-receive-cullen-for-picard
I think it’s a fair deal for both teams.
Picard has a good skill set but is too soft in his own zone and makes boneheaded turnovers a lot, but he’s still a borderline NHLer at best. Still, for a guy going UFA, the Canes made out quite well for themselves.
Silver Seven: the Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators blogs.
Agreed Darren .. the key here, imo, is Picard is still just 24. The Canes pride themselves on taking in young defensemen who haven’t found their way totally and developing them … Commodore, Gleason, Pitkanen, ect.
by Cory Lavalette on Feb 12, 2010 1:44 PM EST up reply actions
I really like this deal. Sad to see Cullen go but think we all expected it. Good job by Rutherford so far. We have BUF 2nd rounder in the Wallin deal, and we now get another second rounder plus Picard. Don’t judge Picard yet, he is only 24, when we traded Johnson for Gleason, everyone was like who did we just get? Think we are all pretty happy with how that has turned out. Not saying Picard will be Gleason, but the kid has good size and a lot of potential, let’s give him some time to develop.
The other interesting point to this is that with cullen gone, it opens up a center spot for next year, assuming we don’t sign him back. You would think Sutter goes into second line, but does this mean Dalpe may go pro and slide into roster next year or do they have someone else in mind on the roster or through free agency. Just wondering??
Good luck to Cullen!
A slight red flag for me on Picard is that he’s already been been with three NHL teams. The ‘Canes will be his fourth. If he hasn’t found his system yet, it’s a little worrying that he might not ever find it.
I don’t think the Canes being Picard’s 4th team is that big of a red flag. You could look at as him being desirable. On each of the teams he has played in the NHL so it’s not like he has been a prospect that teams have an issue getting production out of. I think he may be an average NHL defenseman, serviceable is probably the best word to use. This is just my take on why he has been traded 3 times in his short career.
for what it’s worht, Gleason was a first round pick and the Hurricanes were his third team at the age of 23. Think players just need to be given a chance to play and develop.
and was on his way to his third team at the time of the trade
by Cory Lavalette on Feb 12, 2010 1:47 PM EST up reply actions
Just saying it’s not always clear cut as to why a guy is moved around. He went so quickly from Philly, they prolly never got a chance to know him.
by Cory Lavalette on Feb 12, 2010 2:06 PM EST up reply actions
At a certain point it’s not just Luck anymore.
by drifterscape on Feb 12, 2010 3:13 PM EST up reply actions
Don’t put to much into that sometimes players have to find that match that fits. Jussi has made his round with other teams and look at him now.
Staal + Jussi = GOAL
I still think much of the NHL is stubborn coaches hammering round pegs into square holes
With Whitney, Jokinen, Ruutu, Pitkanen, Samsonov, and Corvo as a few examples, the Hurricanes seem to do a better job than many organizations of resisting the temptation to take a round peg and hammer it relentlessly to see if it will fit in a square hole. In other words, I don’t think it is a matter of luck. I think Jim Rutherford is very talented at determining that certain players will fit well at Carolina where they were not well-suited for previous teams. The Hurricanes organization is excellent at nurturing players and I think the Caniacs are by and large a patient group — particularly with younger players.
I also think the Carolina organization does an excellent job of passing on divas even when the player is talented. In the case of Alexandre Picard, I am convinced the Hurricanes got a young, talented defenseman who will do well under the Maurice/Francis/Rowe system. My guess is that the trade occurred with the timing in order for Picard to get some time with the coaches in order to learn the system.
For the moment, the lines are listed as
Staal, Whitney, Joikinen
Sutter, Samsonov, Kostopoulos
Dwyer, Goertzen, Ruutu
Boychuk, Brind’Amour, Yelle
Picard is listed as healthy scratch for tomorrow.
"Last season we couldn't win at home and we were losing on the road. My failure was that I couldn't think of any place else to play." - Harry Neale
No word yet on anyone being recalled. On Picard — expect immigration issues. Though at least he’s Canadian and not European. As we saw with Tlusty, Euros have a hard time getting this stuff straight.
by Cory Lavalette on Feb 12, 2010 1:49 PM EST up reply actions
Thanks Matt!
Don’t sell your house just yet….J.R. all but implied this was a rental.
Completely off topic
But it looks like McBain has been taring it up. Now tied for 3rd on the Rats in scoring.
The Q Continuum got him stuck in another dimension for half the season.
(Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. I’m sure he’s been hearing “Make it so!” jokes ever since the show aired.)
by Raccoon Fink on Feb 12, 2010 2:04 PM EST up reply actions
Thanks for your awesomeness Cully Wully!
Sad to see Matt go. Listened to the Picard interview, he sounded happy to be getting out of Ottawa, even though it’s essentially his hometown. Hopefully he’s another diamond in the rough and just needs to find the right team to flourish.
Good luck Matt! Miss you already.
Not sure where the master of links is today (that’s a shout out to HM), but if you haven’t seen this article it has some good info from JR.
"Last season we couldn't win at home and we were losing on the road. My failure was that I couldn't think of any place else to play." - Harry Neale
I must not have the expertise to do it.
"Last season we couldn't win at home and we were losing on the road. My failure was that I couldn't think of any place else to play." - Harry Neale
by hotchipsnsalsa on Feb 12, 2010 2:21 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t really know what to make of this trade. The 2nd plus a roster player seems to be good value. I’m just wondering where Picard is going to be playing. Are we hoping he’s in the top 4 next season? And now that we have three 2nd’s, I hope we convert that into something because generally 2nd rounders don’t do a lot in the N. The good side is, maybe we can play decent the rest of the season, get out of the bottom 3, and trade our 1st and a couple of 2nds to get back in a top 3 pick.
Good luck Matt!
by PackPride17 on Feb 12, 2010 2:40 PM EST via mobile reply actions
I think just by getting a player back in this deal, especially a young guy, you at the very least have an additional asset to use in trades. Best case, we get a guy who finds his stride in our “system” ( almost laughed out loud typing the word in association with us) or worse case he becomes the sweetener in a deal that gets us something bigger and better.
I just searched thru old 2nd round results and the percentage is pretty low for draftees who play in the NHL to any effect. Like well under 50%. So with 3 (so far) picks maybe one plays in the NHL in the next 5 years.
by drifterscape on Feb 12, 2010 3:36 PM EST up reply actions
2nd Round Picks
I will go look at the last five years or so of second round picks; but my recollection is that when the second round picks work out, they are excellent. It is definitely more hit or miss with second round picks. As I recall, McBain, Dalpe, and Peters are all second round picks and I’m very glad they were selected. In 2007, the Hurricanes didn’t have a second round pick.
With the improved scouting and improved coaching that has occurred over the past six to eight years, second round picks are becoming more predictable as NHL players. Typically what separates a Zach Budish from being a second round pick rather than first round is either a bad season or an injury.
Obviously, we all prefer first round picks over second round picks; but three second round picks will give the Hurricanes the chance to load up on some very talented young players.
Certainly this org’s experiences with second round picks has been dismal, until of late anyway. Prior to 2004, we never got anyone up to the NHL at all, except for brief looks in seasons like this one.
Our luck/skill got better in the last few years, with finds in 2004 (Peters), 2006 (McBain), and 2008 (Dalpe), although none of those three have proven themselves yet.
Still, you need players in the AHL, too, and the second round gave us plenty of players at that level in the past, like DeFauw, Kurka, Zigomanis, and Richmond (who turned into Babchuk)
Plus, if we get enough of them, we hopefully can trade a bundle of lower picks, including one or more of those seconds, for some disenchanted team’s first rounder.
Wow … nice job by Minny. Johnsson never worked out there as an offensive guy (though he developed into a very good defensive d-man … similar path to Wesley, actually). Looks to be a good one for both teams.
by Cory Lavalette on Feb 12, 2010 3:40 PM EST up reply actions
wow how is it that Ek did not have either of these big trades on his radar? I though he had insider knowledge. He works the phones, I know it because he told me so!
When Cullen was traded back to Carolina…. I was on vacation and saw it on the ticker rolling across the bottom of the TV Screen…. I was waking people up….
Will miss Matt Cullen. Good luck to him… From all accounts Ottawa seems like a horrible place to play… But knowing Culley… he WILL make the best of it….
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Feb 12, 2010 4:11 PM EST reply actions
Most players are very happy to get traded away from Ottawa… But it’s sad when their own home town boy is excited to get out of there….
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Feb 12, 2010 4:19 PM EST reply actions
Alexandre Picard: the asset
Regardless of how we feel our new D-man will fit into the org, both this year and next, the important element of the trade is that we acquired an asset back for an expiring UFA contract (Cullen @$2.8M/yr) that is an RFA this summer and only running $0.875M/yr for current payroll.
We now get a nice long look at this player for the remainder of the season and make decisions over the summer about retention. Hasn’t had a great year to date, so the RFA contract negotiation shouldn’t be a problem. Could be a very affordable third-pairing element.
If not, he’s a very nice throw-in asset on other potential deals this summer, with his RFA status delivering the value, regardless of performance.
We knew we’d have to take some salary relief back on some of these deals. This one both saved money and perhaps yields a useful player, or the means to acquire one.
Agreed. Picard is a low risk, high potential gain. I think he may well be a player who challenges for a second-pairing and particularly so if Corvo does not re-sign. From what I’ve seen, Picard was in the Ottawa doghouse and once there, it seems difficult for a player to get out without getting out of Ottawa entirely.
In re: the doghouse, I suspect Elsker that you might say there are three players in the ADog doghouse and that I would not let them out of the doghouse no matter what. Picard seemed to be blamed for everything that happened during a game by the Ottawa press. If it rained, somewhat Picard would be found to be the reason.
at least we can see Cullen play on March 4th… and get a free Eric Staal bobblehead that looks like Bill Clinton…
by silent_shadow36 on Feb 13, 2010 11:20 PM EST reply actions
lol your right! wow. will they ever make a bobblehead that actually looks like the player its supposed to look like?
by silent_shadow36 on Feb 14, 2010 3:00 PM EST up reply actions
Last season's E.Staal bobblehead looked like E.Staal.
"This guy is as meat and potatoes as there is of a man."
Gleason for Emperor!
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Canes Country
Related FanShots on Canes Country
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recent FanShots
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
