NHL Trade Deadline: Feelin’ the Pressure?

WARNING: The following contains speculation, analysis and opinion and may not be suitable for some viewers. Viewer Discretion Advised

I was going to do a preview for the NHL Trade Deadline (AKA: Sillinger Day), but it seems a post mortem is in order.

There’s been 38 trades since the start of the season, but all those are not really “Deadline Deals”. Early season moves are often more about moving surplus roster players or contracts to teams that need to fill positions or are better able to absorb the contracts. These moves typically are not about adding something to improve your team, but moving out the deadwood.

So what is a “Deadline Deal”? And what more should we expect before the deadline?

Blue Jays add Escobar, Say Goodbye to Gonzalez

Alex Anthopolous (hereafter known as AA, because I am lucky I spelled his name correct once) doesn’t seem to know how to take time off.

Wednesday, saw AA use the last day of the All-Star break to continue addressing the organization’s weaknesses and add to the young core he has been developing. He traded shortstop Alex Gonzalez, along with minor leaguers, Tim Collins and Tyler Pastornicky to Atlanta for shortstop Yunel Escobar and pitcher Jo-Jo “The Psychic Network” Reyes.