Washington, D.C. - After the NsHL trade ban was lifted, a trade between the Washington Capitals and Detroit Red Wings was finally allowed to be officially announced.
Although the trade was finalized about a month ago, due to NsHL policies, the trade was not allowed to be officially announced. The trade only take a couple of days of negotiations between GM Bonkosky and GM Cawker and they both were happy when the deal was finalized. It was a great deal for both franchises and it was one of the largest deals in Washington Capitals history. Not only did the Capitals land veteran winger Brett Hull, but they also landed veteran defenseman Jason Wooley and Detroit's 1st and 4th round picks in the upcoming 2004 NsHL Entry Draft.
When reporters asked GM Cawker how he felt about the deal, he responded by saying "It was one of those deals that was perfect for both sides. Our right wing is that much deeper with the addition of Hull and our blue line adds a solid veteran defenseman in Jason Wooley. The scouting staff has been looking at prospects for months and I'm confident that the 24th pick in the 2004 NsHL Entry Draft will land us an upcoming star and the 3rd rounder will land us a player with tons of potential." He concluded by telling reporters the following "Brett Hull will be our #1 right winger and will see tons of time on the powerplay. We have high expectations and we're confident that he will not only reach the expectations, but also achieve them."
He then chose to comment on the departure of the former #1 overall pick, Patrick Stefan. "Patrick Stefan was a great person and it is unfortunate to have to let him go. However, when someone with Brett Hull's talent is on the block, sometimes you have to sacrifice. We wish Patrick nothing but the best of luck and we are confident that he will have a solid year in Detroit and eventually become one of the elite players in the NsHL."
GM Cawker chose not to comment on whether or not he will be active in the free agent market or if the fans of Washington can expect more deals to come. We'll have to wait and see.