The Thrashers have traded forward Ben Eager to the San Jose Sharks for their fifth round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Eager is fresh off of a four-game suspension for his actions in a game against Toronto on January 7 and had been used sparingly by Craig Ramsay in the month before his suspension. the rugged winger shad a strong preseason for the Thrashers but struggled to solidify a role for himself. He wasn’t contributing consistently at the offensive end and wasn’t strong enough defensively to earn PK time.
By moving Eager the Thrashers add a draft pick that either gives them some depth at the draft in June or can be peddled in a deal before the trade deadline (Feb. 28)or at the draft. The move also frees up a roster spot and gives the Thrashers a more manageable 14 forwards (including Jim Slater who is on the IR). With Eager on the roster management would have been forced to make a roster move when Slater (who has been missed in the faceoff circle and on the PK) is healthy. Now they can keep both Spencer Machacek and Patrice Cormier if they want to and take a longer look at what they have to offer.
Eager gives the Sharks some more size and depth, and sends their struggling team a message that roster spots and playing time aren’t safe.
In short, the Sharks get a useful player that may be able to help them and the Thrashers get more roster flexibility and a draft pick while moving a player who wasn’t contributing as much as had been hoped.
Eager had three goals and 10 points in 34 games as a Thrasher along with 77 penalty minutes.
I had very high hopes for Eager who seemed like he was going to contribute in a positive manner for this club. At times he appeared to be just what we needed, but the consistency just wasn’t there.
I wish no ill feelings towards Eager, wish him good luck and appreciate what he did contribute here, but a very welcomed sigh of relief that we made a move since he just did not seem to really fit in here.
Sweet!!!!! He was not a good fit for this team.
Can Zach Bogosian be next? I cant believe it took 40+ games for our coaching staff to realize the kid needs a wake up call
40+ games, please at least try to be fair, I know Zach has now become all you computer hockey players target, but as you may remember he was out for many games due to a shoulder injury, he was never put on the power play this year even though he has a cannon of a shot, he has lost his confidence and needs a good coach and guidance, after all he is only a kid, where is the coach anyway? I have seen him play, the guy has huge talent. Maybe there are a few other players on this team that also could take just a little blame for the prior losses? Or is Zach the only guy out there.
according to nhl.com, zach averages 1:37 of pp ice time a game. maybe you just thought he doesn’t play on the pp, because all he does is fire wide shots from the point. so he had an injury last year. does that make it ok for him to play like he is this year? of course he’s not the only reason we were losing games, but he’s definitely a powerful contributing factor. at this point, he looks like a draft bust. the organization has tried to give him different partners, different coaches, more experience, more time in the gym etc. and he only gets worse.
Trading away Eager does give us more flexibility. I heard that one reason we were unable to pull off a deal for Brian Rolston was because Lou Lamoriello didn’t want to take a contract back in return for him and the Thrashers were at the max with guys under contact (something like 50) so we couldn’t deal. Whether a 37 year old Rolston would be the needed positive acquisition is still a question in my mind (Ben, I know you were very high on him when he was with the Wild).
I certainly hope we do make a move (SOON) for a good two-way forward or scoring forward and/or a shut-down defenseman. We can’t rely down the stretch on so many young players like we have playing now.
I do like Rolston, and he’s a superb penalty killer. He would make sense in a lot of ways.
Ben,
How many draft picks do the Thrashers have in this upcoming draft? Can you post them by round please? Thanks
I think even though Eager wasn’t a great fit with this team, he is much more valuable than a 5th round pick.
How about aquiring some talent instead of draft picks? This team sure could use a top 6 forward, especially a center that can score and win face offs.
Last night the team was EXTREMELY lucky to get two points, or any points at all actually. They played like crap and it showed that the “balanced scoring” approach that both Dudley and Ramsey discussed at the beginning of the year isn’t happening. Big Buff and Ladd have gone quiet and just like when Kovy was here, no one to carry the team when the stars slump.
It’s not looking good. At this point I’m not expecting to see playoff hockey at Philips Arena this spring.
you were expecting top 6 talent for eager?? what team would give more than a 5th round pick for a bruiser rental? this move frees up roster and cap space and sets up a possible future move to help the team make a playoff run. i’m happy with the move, and i think a 5th round pick is very fair for a future ufa.
“…this move frees up roster and cap space…
Since when was cap space this franchise’s problem???
To quote Mark Bradley from over a dozen years ago (on the subject of the Hawks):
“I go to see wins, not salary cap space accrue.”
Cap space doesn’t matter but budget space (assuming there is a team budget) does. If Dudley has been told he has X dollars to spend he just saved some of those dollars for a future deal.
Wayne, your first mistake is quoting Mark Bradley or anyone else that works at that piece of sh1t that people call the paper.
The point is not that the team is in danger of hitting the cap, its that now they have a littler bit more breathing room. Not much, but a little.
Everyone knows the “Spirit” Group will not come close to the cap, so dumping a little here or there can only help.
“Everyone knows the “Spirit” Group will not come close to the cap, so dumping a little here or there can only help.”
Yes, so we can be 30th in salary instead of 29th.
Let’s give the sound of one hand clapping to the signing (and re-signing) of Joe Johnson.
I don’t know how you can say Ladd has gone quiet when he just had a six-game point streak.
Nobody was going to give up a top 6 forward for eager, but the draft pick Dudley got could be used in a package to land one down the road.
Have to disagree with you on how the boys played last night. I thnk it was just what we expected from a team like Florida who clogs up the neutral zone very effectively, especially when they have the lead. I give a ton of credit on how the guys responded after going down 2-0. I think the only real mistake last night was Oduya’s failure to clear the puck when he had full possession during the PK. I am sure he’d be the first one to admit that he should have cleared into the Panthers zone instead of trying to make a move. How can you not give credit for the play Hainsey, Antro and Pavs put forth last night is beyond me. I would also check your stats on Ladd who had a nice point streak going until last night, but was also a +1 in the effort.
I think this sends a message to the team that his antics will not be tolerated either. It wasnt just the Toronto game he lost his cool either. I think it also solidifies that Cormier is here to stay. They fill the same role, and Duds likes him and he is younger.
This was a great move! You can’t expect to get more than a 5th round pick for Eager and it gives us his salary to spend on a trade. I think Cormier is filling his role and he was no longer needed in Atlanta.
fifth round!?!??! omg this is like a don waddell trade…. he is worth way more than a fifth round pick. at least third or fourth and a player. bad move dudley
3rd or 4th and a player?? your expectations are way too high for a bottom 6 ufa, with low goal expectations who frequently loses his cool and goes on penalty tirades.
My thoughts are that Eager was frustrated with lack of playing time. He is a grinder and the Thrashers don’t grind. I believe if he had Boulton type minutes he could have really helped. I think he has more upside than Boulton, including speed. I do not believe Ramsay used him properly. The guy they really need to trade is Antro but nobody wants a slow Russian. I mean really how does he fit into the speed game of Atlanta? He was brought here to feed Kovi and Kovi is gone. Time to dump the salary.
1. The Thrashers do grind. the system is based in part on cycling.
2. Eric Boulton is faster than Ben Eager.
3. Eager played three minutes more per game than Boulton when he was in the lineup.
4. Antropov is from Kazahkstan and also has Canadian citizenship.
Boom! Roasted!
Didn’t Bolt beat Kovy in a race a few years ago?
they should just go ahead and fire the coach and dudley….i mean really. Might as well trade big buff too for some no good draft picks… I mean im disappointed in atl’s effort to get this club to a playoff picture…..They got lucky in 2007 while getting stomped by the rangers in a 4-0 series. maybe they are right….maybe they should move this club to winniepeg…..ever since this team was made, every other team in the NHL have been running over ATL. Also the only way ATL is gonna get more people coming to the arena is when the coaches and players start getting their acts together on the ice and start winning some important games. Right now ATl sits 8th in the standings for the EASTERN conference. At 53 points with carolina at 51 ATL is gonna end up the same as last year….missing the playoffs once again. It doesn’t matter if ATL gets to the playoffs again…they’re just going ot get stomped again 4-0 in the series. I am shocked that they would trade eager for a dumb worthless 5th round pick in the draft…ATL is getting dumber and dumber every year. This is why i dont cheer for the thrashers at all….but I do want to see our home hockey team do something worthwhile while the team barely hangs on in the south.
Wow buddy, calm down. This team hit a bit of a slump in the past few weeks. There’s no reason to think they can’t turn it around. It’s still a new GM, and a new coach. To be holding onto a playoff spot right now is more than I could have expected given the huge overhaul we went through. We’ve seen that they’re capable of playing great hockey, just give them a bit of time to solidify and make it out of this funk.
As for the trade, I agree that Eager didn’t work out for this team. I think one could make the argument that he was worth a 4th round pick, but at this point, that’s just splitting hairs. A pick is a pick. Need I remind anyone that our two All Star blueliners were both 7th round picks? Besides, we can use that later in a trade, sweeten a deal that might not have gone through without it.
Oh, and while we’re on the topic of changing things up, can we PLEASE move Antro back with Burmi? Maybe with Machacek on the wing? I think Cormier would do far better as Slater’s current replacement on the Greek Gods line, until Slates is ready to hit the ice again.
To set the record straight – Carolina has 50 points, but more to your point they have played three less games to this point than we have. Not a position to be comfortable with.
I for one believe this team has a very good chance of seeing the playoff’s this year.
Make that two less games for Carolina, they just lost to Boston for the second straight night.
Eager lost my respect when he sucker punched Colby Armstrong. Armstrong is one of the few clean players out there. I love to see a good scrap just as much as the next person, but that was uncalled for. I’m glad he’s going to San Jose. Maybe he will fit in better there.
I liked Eager and he was playing + 4 hockey which is better than some of the other guys on the roster. I like the move though and mainly because it gets Cormier and Machacek more time for the coaches to work with them. We need someone to get motivated offensively and it would be nice to see it happen against the T B. I would have liked a fourth over a fifth for Eager though. At 26, he brings enough to the table for a fourth imo. Hopefully it will still help us land a top six forward that scores and wins FO’s consistently AND plays good defense in the future.
I was surprised they gave the late goal to Thorburn. I saw it hit off of Kane stick but not Thorburn. Toby should gotten the assist to continue his steak. I think Zach may only get traded if someone offer Dudley a good deal. Oduya hasnt been doing good as well. I heard rumors that the thrashers may trade Bergfors & a pick to Toronto for Versteeg. I also heard the thrashers are getting new 3rd jersey next season that would be cool. The thrashers need to find a superstar in free agency or traded deadline with all the cap room.
Guys! Dont get all bent up about what round pick Eager was traded for. There is always a diamond in the rough. Take the 2003 draft. Your two All-Star d-men were taken in the 8th round! In 2004 we saw Kris Versteeg go in the fifth. Same year Pekka Rinne went in the 8th. Not the greatest of goalies but better than the LAST pick of the 8th. Mark Streit went in the 9th! Again, not the best guy in the NHL, but a Thrasher killer still. Martin St. Louis- Never drafted.High draft placement is nice to have, but its not worth the drama you guys make it out to be.
I can’t believe some of the stuff on this board…
To “Penguins”…do you know anything about hockey? Fire Ramsey and Dudley? Are you kidding? They are the best things to happen to Atlanta hockey in YEARS! The building process is not accomplished in one year and they have made a TON of great moves to get us closer to be a playoff team with the lowest salary in the NHL. The Eager move was perfect. He wasn’t a good fit here and you shipped out a $1mm salary that can be used in a trade. He wasn’t worth more than a 5th round pick!
To “Irish Amazon” I’m still laughing about Colby Armstrong being one of the few clean players out there. That is a JOKE! Do you watch hockey? He is known to be cheap. The reason Eager went after him was because he took a run at Peverly and Little. He was cheap when he was here. Get a clue!
Actually, I have been watching hockey for years, moron. I didn’t just stumble upon this blog. I watched that particular game and all eight replays of the hit. Regardless of his reason, it was still a dirty hit.
So what if Armstrong is known to be cheap. I didn’t cry when Armstrong left the Thrashers either. That doesn’t change the fact that I am just as entitled to an opinion as you are.
edger/bolton not much differents between them id like to get slate back and get rid of bolts and one other forward then bring in a big gun 3/2 liner! so thrash nation what you think of that idea?
Michael Long – I don’t like the idea at all about getting rid of Bolts. He is a very hard working player who turns in solid minutes every night. Someone like Bolts is not going to show up on the score sheet every night, but players like him are just as valuable. Bolts is a key ingredient to our success this season.
Wayne, you are clueless. Re-signing Johnson to the deal they did may be retarded, but who was it they traded? JJ has given something. Anyway this sport is called hockey. If you wanna talk Hawks, go to there board. Moron.
For everyone saying Eager should have fetched at least a 4th round pick, I believe San Jose does NOT have a 4th round pick this year, it was traded to Anaheim.
So it is either a 5th or a 3rd and I think a 3rd rounder may be pushing it.
Zach Bogosian was told he was going to be the face of the franchise, and played and oozed confidence last year. It is difficult for a 19 y/o to be told this. Then Ramsay comes in with all these Blackhawks that are supposed to carry the team to the promise land and pulls the rug out from under him. He is now #4 on the depth chart and NOT the captain or assistant captain. He is a leader and is now down to a different role. He is NOT used to it. He is playing with NO CONFIDENCE at all! There is someone there in the organization that can help! Wait the asst. coach is too busy coddling all the players that came from Chicago with him. Buff scores goals but he gives up so many odd man rushes because his decision making. Watch teams when they break out of the zone, they chip by him because he has NO agility to stop the puck and forwards blow by him for easy odd mans! Zach will be back and Buff will get traded when they don’t make the playoffs so Atlanta can pretend to be a team and disappoint again this year and next! SPEND SOME MONEY and get some veterans PROVEN players to lead these young guys!