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After mulling over the Ellis/Boyd for Kostitsyn trade I am still not sure what I think about it. By most accounts, Kostitsyn does not appear to be a “Predator”-type player from a chemistry and work ethic perspective but does have some Pred-like tendencies, especially his speed and habit of passing up the good shot for the extra pass. :-)
This young Belarusian player has quickly gained a reputation for not being the best guy in the locker room, for being a bit of a head case and for some off ice associations that may be considered unsavory at best.
I'm not automatically against this trade for some sound reasons...
- Already Qualified – Kostitsyn, an RFA, has already been tendered a qualifying offer from Montreal that transfers with the trade. Unless another team puts forth an offer sheet, Sergei will be a Predator in 2010-2011.
- Youth – Sergei Kostitsyn is only 23 years old. There are plenty of good players in the NHL that had rough starts to their NHL careers, if he learns from them it can only be a good thing.
- Upside – By all accounts, this is a player with tremendous headroom in his game. No one doubts that Kostitsyn has the skills to be a top line player… it will be up to the coaching staff and his teammates to coach him up on the mental aspects of the game and the work ethic necessary to succeed. There are plenty of examples of this in the current Pred locker room.
- Desire – According to many folks in Montreal, this player wants to be a top line player. It simply wasn’t going to happen in Montreal, it has some real possibility in Nashville. Does this drive Kostitsyn to up his game as an “I told you so” to the Habs? Circle Nov. 18th 2010 on your calendars, that's when the Preds visit Montreal.
- Big Brother – I really wonder how much playing with his older brother Andrei in Montreal impacted his play. Sometimes the little brother trying to outdo the big brother can be detrimental to performance.
While the trade itself may be a low-risk move, signing him may be a “high-risk / high-reward" scenario from a GM that does not have a reputation for high risk moves. David Poile is taking a chance on a Kostitsyn, who seems to be the dictionary definition of a player needing a fresh start. Moving from the harsh media glare in Montreal to a city where you can actually move about and have something close to a “normal life” may be good for Kostitsyn. Coach Barry Trotz’s system in Nashville requires a work ethic and discipline that should help develop his game. With young players, Trotz has traditionally been unafraid to sit them to get a message across. I would expect nothing different from the coach with Kostitsyn. I would also expect that Kostitsyn would want to take advantage of this fresh start and rebuild his reputation in the league.
A risky move, but one that could pay big dividends for the Nashville Predators.
Thursday July 1st - The Season Finale of SlapShot Radio on a Special Day… as we break down the signings on UFA day… it’s an unpredictable show as we discuss the Predators moves of the day, the big signings across the league and their impact. Predators radio play-by-play man Tom Callahan is joining Pete Weber and I in the studio. The definitive word on Free Agent Frenzy is SlapShot Radio… 6pm tomorrow on Sports Radio 560 WNSR, listen online at slapshotradio.com.
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