|
Could A White Sale Be Of Benefit To Waddell? |
|
|
|
|
|
By all accounts, Todd White had a career year in Atlanta last season. His 73 overall points were by far the most he’s ever accumulated and the 51 assists led the team…Ilya Kovalchuk led the previous year with 35 helpers.
White started the season playing on the second line between Bryan Little and Slava Kozlov…the “Little White Russian” line as it was dubbed…and for the first half of the year it was the team’s most productive unit. He finished off the campaign as Atlanta’s first line center…with Kovy to the left and Little remaining to the right.
However, in light of all of that, what are the chances that general manager Don Waddell gets idea of shopping him around this summer…possibly using him as an asset to obtain help on the blueline or a top-line winger?
Now, admittedly, it may seem odd to discuss trading away the team’s "top center"…especially when the Thrashers have been searching for just such a player ever since Waddell watched Marc Savard pack his things and bolt to Beantown. But I do so for a couple of reasons.
First off, Todd White is not a "top-line center". In a way, he was placed in an unfair situation here two years ago when he was brought in as such. At the beginning of the 2007-08 season he was the middleman on Kovy’s line while the number two centerman was Eric Perrin. Two fine players, but if you’re going into an NHL campaign with those as your one-two pivots…things aren’t really going to work out very well for you.
And as we recall… they didn’t.
Also…and this may seem somewhat cynical… what are the chances that White duplicates his 22 goals, 51 assists type of performance again next season? What are the chances he reverts back to the 15-ish goals and 25-ish assists kind of numbers that he put up in the previous three seasons?
I think one is just as likely as the other.
Another reason for D-Dub to consider holding a White sale is because if there is one thing the Thrashers need going into next season…it’s toughness. Whitey proved last season he can help produce numbers playing on the top two lines, but he did nothing to disprove the notion that he…well…that he plays “soft”. So much so that some fans have given him the nickname “Charmin”.
White, who will turn 34-years of age later this month, is currently under a contract that pays him $2.375-million for this coming year as well as the 2010-11 season, (which oddly enough makes him the only forward on Atlanta’s roster who is at this time signed beyond next summer). That salary could make him an attractive alternate to a team looking to shed a proven player making much more…whether that be a defender or forward. This is especially true if that team already has the “toughness” in their lineup and simply needs help producing goals.
Given all that…if Waddell is looking at a player deal to upgrade his team with a top-four defenseman or hard-nosed top-six forward…Todd White’s market value might just be at it’s highest level right now given his performance last year.
Now, if Waddell does decide to move White…assuming another center does not come this way in return…how does that spot become filled in his wake? Well, there is the possibility that Angelo Esposito is ready to make the jump to the NHL level. But that won’t be known until training camp…not to mention the concern over his knee being totally healed.
If a top-line winger is procured via such a trade or free agency, then Bryan Little could move to the center position. If that’s the case, I’d like to see Rich Peverley as the top centerman with Kovy and the new player alongside of him, then move Little to the second line with Kozlov and Armstrong. The third line could be made up of Reasoner, (pending his re-signing), with Joey Crabb and Colin Stuart on the boards.
Regardless, the option is there for Don Waddell to consider. And given last summer’s failure to bring in a top-six forward via free agency, trading for one might be the route he he’s force to go this year. But to get something…you have to give something.
And Todd White’s career year last season, combined with his relatively affordable salary, might just have inflated his worth in the market.
Join the Discussion:
»