The Atlanta Thrashers continue to load up their roster to make the playoffs, acquiring forward Pascal Dupuis from the New York Rangers in exchange for Alex Bourret, who was considered the Thrasher top prospect.
Dupuis had been dealt to the Rangers last month from the Minnesota Wild, and has been brought in by the Thrashers as a depth acquisition.
There’s concern that Thrashers GM Don Waddell has been sacrificing his future to make the playoffs this season, that there’s a sense of desperation for this team to finally make the post-season for the first time in franchise history.
Certainly dealing a top prospect like Bourret for a checking line forward like Dupuis certainly qualifies as a panic move. It would've been understandable if Bourret had been part of the Keith Tkachuk trade, not this deal.
Looks like Waddell is going all out to make the playoffs this season and perhaps to save his job.
The greatest trade in Rangers history since Messier. Essentially we just got a lot more talented version of Avery for a lousy role player. Atlanta is out to lunch. Now they actually have to play prospects.
Waddell is overpaying like crazy this year just to make the playoffs. Well what happens in a couple years from now when they have no high draft picks or prospects left in the system and all they got out of it was a playoff berth or two?? Waddell has done a decent job of building the Thrashers (Kovalchuk, Hossa, Lehtonen, etc..) but now he is trying to speed up the process by making desperate moves that arent making much sense.
From what i've read on tsn and sportsnet is atlanta has to make the playoffs or waddell is gone. I agree he has done some good moves, but he has overpayed this year. I guess that is the price you pay for the chance to win the cup,
Atlanta are true losers in this years trade deadline. They over payed for Alexei Zhitnik, and they gave way way too much for Tkachuk and now this. Atlanta feels like they NEED to make the playoffs, but once they get put out and have time to sit down and look at what they've done, they'll realize how bad it really is.
Thanks for the clarification, I guess that explains the desperation moves. Its too bad because it looks like he will end up hurting the franchise more than helping it
Wow, what the hell is Waddell doing? Dupuis for f'n Bourret? I wish the Kings could have gotten in on the rape session that everyone else has gotten in on.
There is no doubt that Waddell is making panic moves, but the Thrashers have been stocking up on high draft picks for several years... Bourret showed up for camp this year fat and way out of shape... he was labeled a bust a while ago... Looks like TSN made an error... the trade actually has ATL getting the third round pick from the Rangers in this deal.
Last edited by ThrashFan on February 27th at 2:06 PM.
I'm Lyle Richardson, also known as Spector, Foxsports.com 's "Prince of Pucks".,which is based on the fact I live in Prince Edward Island, Canada and I couldn't think of a better byline. I've been an NHL hockey commentator since 1998 on my website, Spector's Hockey, and I'm a contributing writer for Foxsports.com , The Hockey News and Eishockey News. I'm also a regular on The Faceoff Hockey Show and a frequent guest on "The Late Crew" on The Team 1200 Ottawa.
