Thrashers Acquire Defenseman Mark Popovic from Anaheim for Kip Brennan

[Thrillhouse]

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Thrashers have acquired defenseman Mark Popovic from the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in exchange for forward Kip Brennan, according to Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Waddell.

Popovic (poh-PUH-vihk) notched 18 points (one goal, 17 assists) in 74 games with Cincinnati (AHL) last season. The 6-1, 215-pound defenseman shared third among Cincinnati blue liners in points and was third in assists. Popovic also shared first among team defensemen with three assists and was tied for second with five points in 11 playoff games.

The native of Stoney Creek, Ontario made his NHL debut with Anaheim at Buffalo on Jan. 2, 2004. Popovic set AHL career highs with 21 assists and 24 points in 2002-03. He has earned 56 points (eight goals, 48 assists) and 156 penalty minutes in 221 AHL career games with Cincinnati over the past three seasons.

Popovic, selected by Anaheim in the second round, 35th overall, in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, collected 155 points (36 goals, 119 assists) and 210 penalty minutes in 247 OHL games with Toronto St. Michael's over four seasons from 1998-2002. Popovic tallied a career-best 12 goals and was named an OHL First-Team All-Star in 2001-02, and set junior career highs with 35 assists and 42 points in 2000-01.

[North man]

Burke dosent need anymore figters in Anaheim right now, he have Fedoruk and Gillies on the farm so why Brennan?.

[tuff duck 29]

holy crap. dont **** with us man brennan, fedoruk, moen, gillies. damnnnnnnn. watch out kings fans. although i dont know why he is adding so many enforcers

[Thrillhouse]

Might be a salary dump move. After Salei, who'll get around $2 mil, he still needs to sign a few players.

[Sputnik]

No, it's not a salary dump, we were fine after giving up for nithing Rucchin and Leclerc, simply Burke is out of his mind.

Two second rounders for two goons.
Sorry guys, I know we're on hockeyfights, but the moves made by BK will remain among the worst trades ever.

Anyway, currently the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim are the toughest team in the NHL and probably in the world.
Funny, isn't it?

So, DON'T MESS WITH US!

[2,5,10GameMatch]

Originally Posted by Sputnik

Anyway, currently the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim are the toughest team in the NHL and probably in the world.
Funny, isn't it?

So, DON'T MESS WITH US!

Oh pulllleasssse, the odds of them having Gillies ,Fridge and Brennan in the lineup at the same time is slim to none, I'd put Belak, Perrott and Domi against them anyday, and those guys should ALL be in the Leafs lineup on most nights this coming season.

[Thrillhouse]

If it's not a salary dump then yeah, this trade is teh suck!

[Dirk]

Burke is tearing up the Ducks IMO

[O-Gnimh]

Popovic wasn't going to get Anaheim a cup this year or anything. Brennan, who has actually played in the NHL, will be fun to watch when he plays.

2-5-10: Fridge-Gillies-Brennan are 3 heavies at or near their prime, and are very tough. I wouldn't take Belak, Domi, and Perrott(especially) so I wouldn't take them so easily.... Fridge could definitely hold his own against Belak, as could Brennan. Same with an aged (but tough!) Domi. Gillies v. Perrott is hard for me to call, since I have only seen Gillies drop em a couple of times, but Perrott has not impressed me at all. But yeah, those 3 are better hockey players.

[Odjick29]

Originally Posted by Dirk

Burke is tearing up the Ducks IMO

And there is something wrong with that? The team needs a shake-up...

[Sputnik]

Originally Posted by Odjick29

And there is something wrong with that? The team needs a shake-up...

Giving up valuable assets and high picks for goons?

Yeah, we're gonna make the playoffs with the offensive production of Fedoruk and Brennan.

[O-Gnimh]

Originally Posted by Odjick29

And there is something wrong with that? The team needs a shake-up...

Agreed. Burke makes no bones about the style of play he insists on and making the personnel moves to get the team there. In that sense, trades like these are not unexpected. We will have to see in a year or two if they were ultimately good or bad. And come on, I've never seen so many on here knock trades that bring toughness to a team. Just because it is the Ducks and not your team doesn't make it bad!

Burke is definitely in a fix with the cap. He has a couple of players in particular (Fedorov, Sykora, perhaps Jiggy, we'll see) that have pre-cap type salaries. He'll need to be creative until those contracts are up or shipped out.

[O-Gnimh]

Originally Posted by Sputnik

Giving up valuable assets and high picks for goons?

Yeah, we're gonna make the playoffs with the offensive production of Fedoruk and Brennan.

But Sputnik, the Rucchin of today is not worth 2.2 mil or whatever he was due to get. The injury-prone Rucchin of today isn't going to get the Ducks into the playoffs. Give Burke a chance to do something with the salary he freed up. The guy has an excellent track record. The Ducks STANK last season for heaven's sake.

As far as I can tell, Popovic was a prospect that may have panned out in the NHL, but not a major prospect. Brennan can play an NHL shift and give the young and small forwards some confidence. Think about Andy MacDonald, for example. Great player, but fragile. He could use some protection.

And BTW, what the hell is wrong with Goons?!?!

[LAKINGSNUT]

awe, c'mon Kip with the Ducks? Taylor needs to move his ass and get another enforcer. at least a light heavy cuz Flinn and the Kings are gonna get bullied by teh Ducks for at least 8 games if this doesn't change. Fridge and Kip will be in Anaheim, but Gillies will be the tough guy for the Portland team. isn't Chris Tamer still available? i'll take him, he's more than willing and mostly capable.

[JohnnyUtah]

Exactly Kingsfan. Kings now have Parros and Flinn to battle potentially Fedoruk, Brennan and Gillies in the pre-season. Throw in Moen and the Kings have to counter with Cowan and Gleason.

I don't know, the Ducks look solid. They have 3 heavies, the Kings have 1 in Flinn, potentially 1 in Parros, a two middlweights in Cowan and Gleason and a light-middle/middle in Avery. They don't match up well at this point.