Hey folks! I purposely waited for today to do the blog to tell you that... no, I was not traded. But, today is the trade deadline in the NHL and guys who have been in the rumors may be on edge until 3:00 pm., which is the end of the time when deals can be made. Then everyone can give a big sigh of relief or for some guys maybe some disappointment. Some players don't want to to go and some guys may hope for a new address. All in all, it makes for a tense morning...
As you can imagine, players have become pretty creative in the prank category on this annual day. Things like, telling a guy the coach wants to see him in the office, or calling his phone when he gets home or leaving him a message to call his agent. Believe me, I've seen them all, and it can be very unnerving during the day when your name has come up in the rumors. Nowadays, of course, texting or leaving a message on a guys cell phone is the easiest way to play a joke...
Other aggravating problems? Last year at the deadline, I was rumored to go to a few different teams, and an hour past the 3:00pm, there was still rumblings of deals being made. Then, I get a call from a radio personality from Vancouver informing me I have been traded to the Canucks. Wanting a reaction, I had to tell him that I needed to talk to the proper people before I could comment on any news. Sure enough, after a few missed calls and a conversation with my agent, it was official. But, the flip side of this is how things can go awry very quickly. One player, watching the trade updates on TV, saw his name come up on a deal to another team. Having the same agent, we discussed what was happening. Later in the day, I found out that the players excitement about getting moved ended in disappointment, when he found out, along with the team who was trying to acquire him, that the deal was acted upon to late and was nullified. These types of technicalities do not happen often but do occur when deals heat up all at once, and the league office gets bogged down with paper work...
Why does all this happen? Teams are looking for that missing piece to get them over the hump and make a Cup run. Some teams may have a spot vacated by an injury, that a certain trade may fill. Often, players get traded for the rest of the season, then in the summer, sign back with the team that traded them in the first place. This accomplishes two things: one, the traded player gets an opportunity to win a Cup coming from a team most likely out of contention. And two, the team trading will get something in return for the future. The other scenario that happens often is a team that is out of the playoff race may try to unload players in the last season of their deal to get something in return when that player may not resign...
Getting traded does not always work out the way you hope it will. The three times I was dealt at the deadline were all good deals for me, but only once did I make it to the playoffs. I was traded to Boston and Vancouver, both very talented teams, and we lost out on last day of the season. In St. Louis, a team with less talent than the other two, we made a late season 12- 4 run and clinched a spot with an emotional win in Nashville on the second to last day of the season. Everything fell into place for me in St. Louis and my play landed me a two year deal back in St. Louis when my chances were going to be limited for a multi-year contract that summer. Sometimes a trade becomes a blessing in disguise...
So, if you are a fan, and like to keep up with the days happenings, tune into TSN out of Canada, with all days coverage of the wheeling and dealing. Who is going to pull the blockbuster and who may get the steal of the day? It never plays out until the playoffs start...
Speaking of the playoffs, we have crept back into the hunt, and have picked up points in 8 of our last 9 games. And still we find ourselves looking in from the outside. Nothing ever comes easy, but when you accomplish the goal of a playoff spot as a team, it really feels good. A collective sense of accomplishment. Then the real season starts! And that is what we are striving for... As always, with just less apprehension on deadline day, Weino

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