It appears that the Rivermen have decided that they no longer need the services of leading scorer Brett Sterling, sending him to the Portland Pirates for left wing Patrick O’Sullivan.
O’Sullivan is clicking along at 30 points in 26 AHL games this season and has spent 20+ games in the NHL with the Phoenix Coyotes.
Sterling has 48pts in 52 games with the Rivermen.
So… with Hensick still with STL, and now Sterling is on his way to Portland I am wondering what the front office is thinking. Admittedly O’Sullivan is a guy who will help take some of the slack that Sterling is going to leave, but I’m not sure that I see the logic is shipping off your leading goal scorer. Admittedly, Nesbitt is only one behind Sterling in that category… but still.
Was there discord in the locker room? Did he want out? I can’t answer those questions. The Eminian article has a quote saying that he liked the coaches and team, so I doubt it was a personality issue. This looks to me just like a hockey deal where each team gets a piece that it thinks it needs to get into the playoffs.
Each player is undergoing a “reassignment” not a trade per se, as each player remains the signatory of their respective team (Sterling with STL and O’Sullivan with PHX).
Dave Eminian has posted some info that I am sure will be updated. You can read it behind the Great Pay Wall HERE.
Safe to assume that O’Sullivan won’t be in the lineup until next week. Turns out the Rivermen are trying to get him here for tonight’s game against the DALLAS COWBOY CHEERLEADERS Rockford IceHogs
I bet the penalty box is sad to see Sterling go. (I kid… I kid…)
Safe to assume he won’t be here until next week is incorrect he will be here today. personally I like the trade. I like Sterling but he doesn’t create his own chances and with TJ that wasn’t an issue. O’Sullivan is a premiere player in this league and gives them another playmaker that they desperately needed.
They’re TRYING to get him here today. We shall see… but you’re right and I have updated the post accordingly.
O’Sullivan is good, this is certain, and I like the idea of him playing for us instead of against us. I think it is a good move to get a playmaker in here (moreso with Hensick with STL) and maybe this will only help Nesbitt and Cheechoo find the back of the net more often.
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I leave town for a 4 days and things go crazy around here. I know O’Sullivan is a good player, but I don’t think trading Sterling for him at this time of the season is a good idea or an improvement. It seems strange to bring in a new player who has to learn a new system.
Are the Blues ever going to send Hensick back? I don’t think he’s played one minute since being called up. I’m still irritated that they didn’t make Cole eligible for the remainder of the AHL season.
Remember, the Blues were not high on TJ last year, saying he was “too slow’ for the show. Interesting they keep up for so long. And a healthy scratch too. Man, let him play.
Remember that the Blues just wrapped a long west coast roadie… and likely they called up TJ for the body in case someone got hurt. Now they spend three at home (where it will be a lot easier to call up a guy) before heading back out for another long trip mostly in the middle of the country. We’ll see TJ soon I think.