I understand not everyone was on board with my suggestion of attempting to acquire some talent from the Carolina Hurricanes. I doubt everyone, the Winnipeg Jets included, wanted to give up a big package.
But the Winnipeg Jets maybe should’ve been making a call to Don Waddell, who seems like he’s reached the same level of job competence that anyone playing in a Buffalo Sabres jersey usually hits.
Unfortunately, his former best player will soon join those ranks. And, as you may have noticed, he did not receive much for his star skater.
First off, good for Buffalo. They deserve a win after years of being spit upon. I don’t think they’re great, but this is a good move to make for any team. A steal, if you will. Unless Cliff Pu, a third round pick, turns into a superstar.
I, for one, don’t see that happening. I don’t know the first thing about Cliff Pu, other than that he’s hardly qualified to headline a package for a top-tier goal scorer. Skinner isn’t a superstar, no, but he’s really, really good.
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They didn’t even get a first round pick! Unreal. Maybe Kevin Cheveldayoff isn’t a huge Skinner fan. But he makes the Jets better. I don’t know that I’ve heard anything about him being a headache in the locker room, either.
Is it just one trade? Does he just love Cliff Pu? Or is this an exploitable pattern?
And hey, if you call up Waddell, maybe you can offer him some coupons for Jordan Staal. Maybe he’ll give up Sebastian Aho for a couple third rounders and the promise that you’ll take him to Tim Horton‘s and get him whatever he wants next time he’s up north.
Did he just hope to get fired? I mean, I’m not a hockey expert. And I’m not alone in lambasting this deal. And there’s one thing to wonder if a team got ripped off.
It’s a whole other thing to wonder if Waddell is a plant to destroy the Carolina Hurricanes from within. This is embarrassing. This is worse than giving up a first rounder for Andrea Bargnani.
Worse than giving up Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano. Gary Bettman is probably angry and thought about vetoing the trade. I get it, Skinner’s on an expiring contract. But he’s a thirty goal guy, and you can’t just give him away.
If that’s the best you could’ve gotten for Jeff Skinner, keep Jeff Skinner. I’m only disappointed the Winnipeg Jets weren’t on the other end of this deal, being that I suggested him as a pickup.
I know that’s no great feat. “Hey, good team! Go trade for this really good player on an expiring contract from a bad team”. I’m not breaking the mould, here. But when it comes to garbage trades, Don Waddell might be.
I make bad decisions in my job, too. It’s just less public. But if you’re going to go all Marion Barry, maybe you’re unqualified. I mean, this isn’t illegal, but it should’ve been.
I love bad trades, personally. It gets me all riled up and I can come out and blast Waddell with near impunity. Bad executives are good for the sport, in a way. They’re just awful when you are rooting for them.
And for that, I’d like to publicly apologize to any Carolina Hurricanes fans. And I’d like to apologize to the Jets fans that our boys didn’t pull of a steal like this one.