[Nicko999]

Originally Posted by The_Architect

Wow that is a really good signing for him. Who's pick was he taken with anyway? (looks it up) Dammit... Oh well who was traded for that pick? (reads down) SON OF A *****!

Yea, that 2007 draft was something else...

When it came to the draft choices, it was then Canadiens general manager Sam Pollock who perfected the art of the deal, culminating in the manipulations that led to Guy Lafleur becoming part of his team in 1973.

Even the far-sighted Pollock would have trouble keeping up with the twists and turns taken by today’s NHL general managers.

Case in point, the series of connected deals that brought Josh Gorges, Max Pacioretty, Lars Eller , Aaron Palushaj and Ian Schultz to the Canadiens’ organization.

Once upon a time ( actually February 25th 2007), Bob Gainey executed the often criticized trade with the San Jose Sharks. in which he sent defenceman Craig Rivet to the San Jose Sharks. Rivet was eligible for unrestricted free agency at the end of that season. In return the Sharks gave up defenseman Josh Gorges and their 2007 first round draft pick.

Four months later….. June 22nd, 2007 – NHL Entry Draft day in Columbus Ohio. The Sharks, looking to regain the first round pick they had traded to the Canadiens, traded goaltender Vesa Toskala and troubled leftwinger Mark Bell to Toronto for their first round pick (13th overall).

But the Sharks had their sights set on a player who was likely to go higher in the draft. Within minutes they wheeled Toronto’s 13th overall pick to the St. Louis Blues for their first round pick, ninth overall. The Blues, in return, got that 13th overall pick that originally belonged to Toronto, plus the Sharks second rounder (44th overall) and a third round draft pick in the 2008 draft.

The Sharks then exercised the St. Louis pick to take centre Logan Couture from the Ottawa 67′s.

Four picks later with the Sharks pick, the Blues chose Danish-born centre Lars Eller from Sweden’s Frolunda juniors .

Meanwhile, using the first round draft pick the Canadiens got in the Rivet deal, the Canadiens drafted Max Pacioretty (22nd).

But the story doesn’t end there. As part of their deal with the Sharks, the Blues had that second round pick (44th) and used it to select right wing Aaron Palushaj out of the University of Michigan. (Using their own pick the Canadiens selected P.K. Subban 43rd).

Fast forward to the 2008 draft. Using the other draft pick that came in that Sharks deal, the Blues took leftwinger Ian Schultz from the Calgary Hitmen.

Do the names sound familiar?

Last March 2nd, the Canadiens traded left winger Matt D’Agostini to the Blues in return for Palushaj even up. Palushaj was immediately assigned to Hamilton where he continues his hockey apprenticeship.

Then on June 17th, the Canadiens made the much discussed Jaroslav Halak for Lars Eller trade. The other component of the deal? Ian Schultz.

Through all of this wheeling and dealing, the Canadians have Gorges plus Eller and Pacioretty on their roster; Palushaj is one of the Hamilton Bulldogs top scorers and Schultz is completing his first full year in professional hockey.

Ultimately San Jose did fine. Craig Rivet served them well until he was let go to Buffalo and Logan Couture is one of the Sharks young stars. The Blues acquisitions, Jaroslav Halak and Matt D’Agostini are on their roster. In an all-too-familiar scenario, the Leafs were the big losers. The last we heard, Toskala is playing in Sweden and Bell in Switzerland.

http://thereuschblog.com/?p=6449