Surprise Swap Sending Suzuki Coast-to-Coast
Jan 1, 2024 13:30:34 GMT -5
Glenn-Philadelphia, Chris-Suffolk, and 2 more like this
Post by Jedediah-Hartford on Jan 1, 2024 13:30:34 GMT -5
Hartford fans awoke to the news that the team has agreed to trade fan favorite Nick Suzuki to Oregon, with forwards Lukas Reichel, Jonathan Drouin, and a 2024 1st round draft pick headed east in return. While the recent trade of Nick Cousins and Scott Wedgewood to Suffolk was well-received given Wedgewood’s value as a goalie rental, Suzuki’s departure is sure to be more polarizing among the Mariners faithful as the young center had previously been seen as untouchable. There had been no whispers of Suzuki being on the trade block during the season, and unnamed team sources are confirming that even in recent weeks Suzuki was still viewed as a core piece of the future. His unexpected absence from the lineup Saturday night at Moncton can now be explained as the return of 2 players (including a 2022 1st round selection in Reichel) and a 2024 1st round pick was enough to turn the heads of the Mariners front office.
Suzuki had been one of Hartford’s most consistent players since his rookie season, but ultimately the return has a chance to be worth the move if Reichel can continue to develop. Not lost in the shuffle is that after spending 3 weeks as a Mariner during the 2018 offseason, Drouin is set to finally make his team debut. The presence of Mason McTavish on the top line for Saturday’s win against the Golden Flames suggests that he might be set to assume that role in the Mariners lineup for the time being. Reichel can be expected to slot into a center role in either the 2nd or 3rd lines. Drouin’s versatility means that his future role is perhaps harder to discern, but he will be in the lineup somewhere. Overall it's a move with an eye to the future rather than the present.
Suzuki had been one of Hartford’s most consistent players since his rookie season, but ultimately the return has a chance to be worth the move if Reichel can continue to develop. Not lost in the shuffle is that after spending 3 weeks as a Mariner during the 2018 offseason, Drouin is set to finally make his team debut. The presence of Mason McTavish on the top line for Saturday’s win against the Golden Flames suggests that he might be set to assume that role in the Mariners lineup for the time being. Reichel can be expected to slot into a center role in either the 2nd or 3rd lines. Drouin’s versatility means that his future role is perhaps harder to discern, but he will be in the lineup somewhere. Overall it's a move with an eye to the future rather than the present.