Trade Deadline Summation: Saying goodbye to 3 loyal Stars

By now you've certainly read that the Stars' two-headed GM made a huge trade, one of the biggest, if not the biggest, moves on this years Trade Deadline: Brad Richards & Johan Holmqvist from Tampa Bay for Mike Smith, Jussi Jokinen, Jeff Halpern and 2009 4th Round Pick.  If you didn't know about it, what kind of rock are you living under that I'm your only source of news?  HAHA - ok seriously though ...

My quick summation of the trade: I will miss those we traded away, especially Mike Smith, but this is in EVERYONES best interest.  For once I see a trade that both teams came out stronger for.  Marty Turco isn't going anywhere anytime soon and Smitty is ready to try for a starting position.  Jussi has talent but beyond his shoot-out capabilities he has not reached his potential here the last year and a half, and between Martin St Louis and Vincent Lecavalier, well, if he doesn't reach it there he never will.  Jeff Halpern is used as a checking-line center here, at best, but Tampa wants him to reach his scoring potential.

As for the incoming - not enough good things can be said about Brad Richards, but let me try: 2000 All-Rookie Team; 2002 Young Stars Game; 2004 Lady Byng Trophy (for Sportsmanship); 2004 Conn Smythe Trophy (Playoffs MVP); 2004 Stanley Cup Ring.  Oh yeah, he come to us with 2 years left on his contract after this year, a desire to play in Dallas (he DID wave hs no-trade clause to come here, specifically here) and he's only 27.  The only major negative that came with Richards was his price tag, US$7.8 million annually: the highest paid player on the Stars' roster the next two years.  Holmqvist, though he doesn't come with the resume of Brad Richards, will be a fine backup for Turco and his different goal-tending style will be a welcome change for the fans who cringe every time Turco goes out to the point to play the puck.

Ok - so it wasn't THAT quick of a summation - but here's what really drove me to write this article.  Last night our boys who left us, Smitty, Halpie & Jussi, all had their first opportunity to prove themselves to Tampa Bay and its fans.  I didn't get a chance to watch it personally, so don't expect a first hand point-of-view, biased by the fact that, like every other Stars fan, I love Mike Smith, but here, let me quote something from Tampa Bay reporter Damian Cristodero:

If not for Smith's 24 saves, three on breakaways, two on Marian Gaborik, the outcome would have been worse.

Smith, allowing 3 goals on the night, was not the only hero of the game either.

All the players acquired in the Richards deal ... made general manager Jay Feaster look like a genius.

Halpern had 1 goal, 1 assist and three hits
Jussi, who played along-side two of the biggest names in the league (Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St Louis), had 22 minutes on ice with 4 shots and 8 minutes on the power play.
I'll miss seeing these guys on home ice here in Dallas, but it sounds like they are all on their way to something great.

[ src: St. Petersburg Times | Andrew's Stars Page | Wikipedia.org ]