Eurolanche

Thank you for the memories, Johnny!

Chris Stewart for a potential no 1 D-man that came with the label of "bust" form St. Louis and John-Michael Liles for a 2nd round pick in next year's draft. Wait, that's not all. That's not Toronto's pick, which could be high. It's Boston's pick! Yes, the Stanley Cup winners. Does Greg Sherman even know that the Bruins won the finals? What does he expect them to do? Become bottom feeders from champions? That's almost like a 3rd round pick. For your number one defenseman! A guy that put up around 50 points! I was upset with the Stewart trade and that whole "he was a locker room cancer" nonsense. But this is ridiculous. And saying he wasn't part of the plans for the team going ahead. Really now? But Matt Hunwick is? Really?? You keep Hunwick and get rid of Liles?! Is that smart GM-ing?

I have only one question. How ***** was Sherman when he traded Liles and he kept Hunwick? Or did he lose a bet? Cause I can understand that. In the immortal words of Joey, from "Friends", "A bet's a bet, and if you lose a bet, you lose the bet."

Joking aside, people say Liles was sent away to make room for the young prospects. Now here's what I don't get... Are they planning to put 2-3 youngsters in the lineup with no veteran leadership, now that Adam Foote retired and Liles is gone? Who's going to guide them? Hunwick? Or  Kyle Cumiskey? Or young  Erik Johnson? I want to say I have nothing against Johnson, but he's yet to prove he's Rob Blake reborn. Of course, patience is needed, but let's not get crazy just yet over him. Some even proposed him to be the new captain! Over Paul Stastny, Ryan O'Reilly and Matt Duchene? After a couple of months as an Av? Sure, why not make Gabriel Landeskog the captain?But I digress. The bottom line, in my opinion, is that JML was needed here. Not because he is a great guy, not because the ladies and some guys loved his looks, but because he is a good player, because he brought leadership and experience which were needed in such a young team and also because he loved playing for Colorado and loved the team.

I remember meeting him after the games during the Eurolanche trip, a year ago. He wasn't playing much, being in Sacco's proverbial doghouse (where Hunwick never resided, even if he was atrocious, but that's a different story), but he always came to the fans, smiled, signed autographs and took pictures with them. A class act if I ever saw one. And now I only have one regret from that trip. That I don't own a John Michael Liles Avalanche jersey. So good luck wherever your career takes you, Johnny, and I hope you make Sherman and Sacco regret that the day they wanted you out for a bag of pucks.