WASHINGTON AND DETROIT BLOCKBUSTER DEAL #2

WASHINGTON POST

(07/25/04)
Washington, D.C. - GM Bonkosky and GM Cawker negotiated for almost a complete day before finally coming to an agreement where Curtis Joseph landed in a Capitals uniform.

--Washington, D.C.

After almost a day of continuous negotiating, Detroit GM Dave Bonkosky and Capitals GM Spencer Cawker were finally able to come to an agreement. The papers were sent back and forth all Friday night and right through the first day of the 2004 Entry Draft. The deal was officially completed in the fourth round of the draft.

The deal saw the Capitals send their upcoming sniper, Alexei Morozov, backup goalie Jani Hurme (moved to clear space for Maxime Ouellet), seventh defenseman, Cale Hulse and prospect Rob Bellamy (drafted 114th overall) to the Wings. When GM Cawker was asked to comment on the departing players, he told reporters "Alexei is definitely a very talented player with a tremendous upside. He was a solid first line right winger for us last year and we had no intentions of moving him; however, GM Bonkosky wouldn't consider any deal unless it had Morozov," GM Cawker told reporters. "Jani Hurme simply had no place on the Capitals this year. Ouellet proved to the management that he deserves some playing time at the NsHL level and it would've been unfair to Jani to have him play in the AsHL. Finally, with Yonkman and Eminger having spectacular rookie campaigns, Hulse would've been our seventh defenseman and we plan to only play six this year for the most part. The final piece to the deal was 114th overall pick, Rob Bellamy, and I personally feel he has tons of potential and can potentially be a very solid NsHL player one day. We wish Alexei, Jani, Cale and Rob the best of luck in Detroit and throughout the rest of their careers."

As for what the Capitals got in return, the main part to the deal was all-star netminder, Curtis Joseph. Another solid player in Kris Draper was also sent to the Capitals along with farmer Tomas Kopecky and $2.4 million. GM Cawker told reporters the following "When you have the option of acquring a goalie as talented as Curtis Joseph, it is very hard to say no. He proved himself in Detroit last year, and did a fantastic job in filling in the shoes of Dominik Hasek. We have high expectations for Joseph and we are comfortable with him between the pipes," he told reporters. "Kris Draper is a very intense, two-way centre who will see tons of ice-time on the penalty-kill this year. As for Tomas Kopecky, he is still a ways away from being an elite NsHL player but we are confident that he will be a very dominant player in the future. We would like to welcome Joseph, Draper and Kopecky to the Washington Capitals organization."