Another Yellowknife Legend Dealt -- Great White Rumour Mill

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Subject: Another Yellowknife Legend Dealt

Author:
Lien Seyah

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Date Posted: 14:47:09 07/25/05 Mon

This has been one of the toughest seasons to endure if you are a fan of the Yellowknife Blades. Also true if you are Blades GM Neil Hayes.

Under intense pressure from demanding fans who expect a winner every season, Hayes has made every attempt to turn the season around.

In doing so, many Blades fan have been calling for his head in recent weeks after dealing away fan favorite players like Markus Naslund and Alexei Kovalev. If the Blades had started winning after the trades, Hayes would have looked like a genious. Instead, the team has still hovered below .500 and many fans are not impressed.

So today's massive trade of true Blades Legend Mike Modano will undoubtedly not sit well with those fans.

Gone to London is Mike Modano and upcoming defenseman Bryan Allen along with an undisclosed amount of cash. In return comes star forward Peter Forsberg.

While Forsberg is clearly one of the best in the GWHL talent wise, he has been struggling mightily this season, sporting the worst plus/minus on an average London team.

Modano has been one of the bright spots on the Blades team, leading the league in assists and eighth in the overall scoring race. Nevermind the fact that the Blades have been Modano's team for many seasons and he won the Conn Smyth for his heroics bringing a Hoser Cup to Yellowknife two seasons ago.

But times change, and Hayes decided his team needed new blood.

"Man, it sure was hard to let Modano go. He's been everything we have ever wanted out of a player. He is a class act and we wish his all the best with London."

"With Modano's contract expiring at the end of this season, we simply felt we could not afford him at that price tag and remain competitive. While it hurts to lose Modano over business, this is a business and to be competive we have to make tough decisions."

If Forsberg can come in and turn his and the Blades' season around, perhaps that will make the loss of Modano an easier pill to swallow.

-Lien Seyah, Yellowknife Sun

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