Weight traded to Anaheim
I’ve got a house full of people over for a Christmas party, so instead of blogging, I will post the story that I wrote for tomorrow’s Post-Dispatch:
Doug Weight is leaving the Blues, but not willingly. The veteran center was dealt Friday to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for center Andy McDonald, after Weight took several days to waive his no-trade clause.
“The trade’s gone down, and I’m going to California,” Weight said. “That’s all I can really say about the situation. The team I’m going to should know that I’ll be ready to play . . . just like I would here. It didn’t work out that way. Things could be worse in the world, so I’ll go on.”
The Blues are also sending forward prospect Michal Birner and a seventh-round draft choice in 2008 to Anaheim for McDonald, who had a team-high 10 playoff goals in the Ducks’ run to the Stanley Cup last season.
McDonald is expected to be in a Blues’ uniform Sunday when the club hosts Calgary at Scottrade Center.
The holdup in the deal was Weight’s no-trade clause, which he waived with reluctance. Weight spent six seasons in St. Louis, re-signing with the club in 2006 after winning a Stanley Cup in Carolina.
When asked how the deal unfolded and why he waived his no-trade clause, Weight said: “I just don’t feel like I want to comment on that. It is what it is . . . Over the last 15 years, I’ve developed a pretty good reputation and I’m an honest person. I have no need to leave this city throwing mud, you know. I’m not going to comment on how it went down. If somebody asks me, I’ll tell them . . . and I guarantee my teammates and friends will know exactly what happen.”
Blues President John Davidson said: “Dougie is a proud guy. He didn’t bail on his teammates. He didn’t waive his no-trade clause because he didn’t want to be here. He waived it for the right reasons, to go to Anaheim and get a lot of ice time. There’s no way in the world that Doug would leave his teammates with that feeling. This was a hockey decision that we went to him with and he eventually wound up accepting.”
Davidson said the deal was made for several reasons - the top one being that Weight will turn 37 next month and McDonald is 30. Also, Weight will be an unrestricted free agent next season and McDonald has another year on his contract at $3.3 million.
“We have to move forward and get younger and I feel responsible for that, and I’m doing my job on behalf of the Blues,” Davidson said. “We have to continue our plan of being a team that’s getting younger. It’s as simple as that.
“Andy comes here 30 years old. That means we’re set at center ice, not only this year but next year too. For us, Doug wouldn’t have been here next year . . . and we would have had to find a centerman. That or force our prospects to make the club. Now it gives those players the opportunity to develop properly and not be fast-tracked here and thrown into lineup.”
McDonald suddenly finds himself in the Blues’ plans. He is off to a slow start this season with four goals and 12 assists in 33 games, but he’s had a solid career with 92 goals and 259 points in 391 NHL games.
“I rely heavily on my speed, but I classify myself as a play-maker,” said McDonald, who Wednesday played in his 276th consecutive game with the Ducks, a franchise record. “I also take a lot of pride in my defensive play.”
Blues left winger Paul Kariya played with McDonald for three seasons from 2000-2004.
“They’ve had success,” Davidson said. “He’s a player who brings speed, can score, he’s durable. He’s got good playoff experience. He’s a good fit, not only this year but next year and who knows after that.”
The Blues entered talks with Anaheim after semi-retired Ducks defenseman Scott Niedermayer announced recently that he was returning to the team. With Niedermayer’s $6.75 million contract on the books for this season and next, the Ducks had to subtract salary.
“We knew that Anaheim had to make a deal regarding the salary cap,” Davidson said. “That’s when you start looking at the possibility of seeing what they want to do.”
Said Anaheim GM Brian Burke: “Moving a player like Andy is tough. But we’re following our compass, which is to keep the best defensive group we can put together and that’s what happened here.”
Unfortunately for Weight, it came at his expense.
“There’s nothing more I wanted than to try and win here,” Weight said. “It was an exciting atmosphere at the beginning of the year. Sometimes things happen that aren’t in your control. Some things aren’t always as they seem.”
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It’s sad to see Dougie go but in the end, it looks like it will be better for the organization. Doug, you are a real class act and you made the city proud to be associated with you. Good luck in Anaheim.