WRALSportsFan
Canes Trade Commodore, Stillman
Feb 12, 2008
The Carolina Hurricanes have made no secret of the fact they needed a defenseman who could move the puck.
On Monday, they made a move to acquire just that.
The Canes traded defenseman Mike Commodore and left wing Cory Stillman for defenseman Joe Corvo and right wing Patrick Eaves of the Ottawa Senators.
Corvo and Eaves will be available for the Hurricanes’ game on Tuesday at Boston.
“We tried for a long time to get our defense more mobile and to get a guy who can play on the point on the power play. We’ve talked about Corvo for a couple of months," Canes general manager Jim Rutherford told 99.9 FM The Fan. "We could never come around to something that would make sense.”
Commodore and Stillman were popular Canes, but both were going to become unrestricted free agents at the end of this season.
“They [the Senators] have a chance to get two guys who have won a Stanley Cup and both Commodore and Stillman are really good dressing room guys," Rutherford told The Fan. "They’ve got good leadership. In our case, we filled a need we’ve been looking for.”
Eaves is a restricted free agent after this year. Corvo, who is 30 years old, is signed through 2010.
Stillman and Commodore combined for about $3 million in salaries. Corvo makes $2.5 million and Eaves $941,000, according to NHLPA information.
Corvo, 30, has played in 51 of the Senators’ 56 games this season and ranks first among team defensemen with 15 power-play points (one goal, 14 assists).
Corvo’s 27 points this season rank him tied for 23rd among all NHL defensemen in scoring. The Oak Park, Ill., native is in his ninth professional season following a three-year collegiate career at Western Michigan.
The Kings selected Corvo (6 feet, 204 pounds) in the fourth round, 83rd overall, in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, and he signed as a free agent with Ottawa on July 1, 2006.
Eaves, 23, has played in 26 games with the Senators this season, recording four goals and six assists (10 points). The Fairbault, Minn., native suffered a separated shoulder on Nov. 21 at Buffalo and missed 24 games before returning to Ottawa’s lineup on Jan. 15. Eaves, 5 feet 11 and 190 pounds, has missed Ottawa’s last six games with a shoulder/neck injury suffered at Tampa Bay on Jan. 24.
“I don’t think he’s 100 percent as of today but we hope at some time this week he will be," Rutherford said. "We wont' have to wait a long time for Patrick Eaves to contribute to this team.”
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Most Recent Comments
I've been a fan of the Canes since the day they announced they were moving here back in '97 and while I agree that it's tough to see players leave thats just the way it is in the world of professional sports.
Personally I think this trade is great for the Canes. We traded away two soon to be UFAs for a puck moving defenseman and a forward with a lot of upside. By all accounts Commodore was due a raise this offseason and the chance he was going to get it from the Canes was unlikely and with regards to Stillman I think the chances of him re-signing with the Canes this offseason are the same as they were if we hadn't traded him.
And finally I don't think this trade is JR sending up a white flag on the season because he is getting solid talent back in return for the guys and not just prospects/picks.
Bottom line: Good deal for now, great deal for the future.
Seems like the Senators faired much better than the Hurricanes on this trade; just looking at stats and number of games played to this point for these players. As if the Senators needed to strengthen their team any further- now they are getting a 20+ goal scorer who is very good at setting up goals for his teammates(and who also has been on 2 Stanley Cup teams). It's no wonder the Senators agreed to this trade; I would have as well.
Time will tell as to whether this was a positive move for the Hurricanes- I hope so.
maybe people would show up if Rutherford would quit dealing away fan favorites. Isn't it time for the Canes to announce next year's seats will be 10% more?
"It sure feels like they are giving up on the season already."
I think if that were the case, they'd have just dumped the big salaries for a team looking for a rent-a-player to put them over the top.
I'm inclined to give Rutherford the benefit of the doubt here. He's made some pretty smart moves in the past, and he knows hockey a lot better than I do. This is a business, and one that operates close to the edge more than most businesses. If he did nothing, and the Canes didn't make the playoffs, everyone would be calling for Rutherford's scalp. Let's see how it plays out.
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