Interesting how history puts a perspective on things?

1.) Yes, but it was different needs for different teams, even moreso in the pre salary cap era. Contenders (which Ottawa was) are buyers while basement dwellers (which Washington was) become sellers. Laich isn't a game changer and is a nice complement player and he has come into his own the last couple of seasons.

2.) Yes....they have traded players I liked on alot of occassions, sometimes it worked, other times it did not.

3.) I don't know if you would say it was a poor choice but at face value when they traded Mark Recchi (a star) for Gilbert Dionne (thought to be the key to the deal), Eric Desjardins and John Leclair, it became a ridiculous steal of massive contributors, especially when they re-acquired Recchi for Dainius Zubrus.

4.) Not the greatest player and a poor skater but an all-around nice guy and hometown boy, Jody Shelley.

BQ1- A hockey game

BQ2- The ones where they were big goals in huge games and it was a team celebration. The individual goal celebrations (like Ovechkins) are stupid and selfish....unlike some (cough*cough) I even have the ability to be objective and say that Daniel Briere makes me puke with his fist pumping goal celebrations.

As a sidenote, "Brooksie?" Come on man, referring to him in the same manner as his teammates-disrespectful! Stop it "Jaysie!"

P.S. I noticed you mentioned being a Dale Hunter fan recently. Were you lobbying for his banishment from the NHL after one of the cheapest hits in history...when he labelled Pierre Turgeon?

People are always going to freak out whenever something shocking like when a team trades away a key player. The y get the thought of doom in their heads. Most of the time it spells the end of a team. But in Washingtons case, I don't think anyone could have seen Alex Ovechkin coming along and destroying the league like he has. So all that happened before him is irrelevant.

1) Does it matter? Washington has a killer team right now.

2) Throughout history, yes. In my lifetime yes (too many to list). It worked out in the long run. 4 Stanley Cups since 1997.

3) Historically, yes. A team that has been around since 1926 is going to go through that.

4) Don't really have one. I love the Wings, but I prefer the players that were there a few years ago as opposed to the ones that are there now.

1) Yes, as did Ottawa. It was a win-win trade.

2) Pens traded Jagr (and Kucera) to Washington for Kris Beech and two other no-name players. I was devastated. At the time Beech was a promising young prospect... he went on to score 27 points in 100 games for the Pens. The two other players COMBINED for 6 points.

3) Nothing comes to mind.

4) Craig Adams or Max Talbot

BQ1: A good hockey game? I don't expect any retaliation.

BQ2: Teemu Selanne http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptnM8KZwleg

Edit: on a side note, I happen to know Dale Hunter personally. I live in London and Dale owns the Knights and a bar that I frequent pretty often. I've talked to him about the Turgeon hit. He admits he "went too far" but at the time the 21 games were the most ever in NHL history for an on-ice incident... that's a pretty hefty suspension.

Actually, I do not view Christianity itself as 'unhealthy' in any respect. There is little mistaken with the standards of forgiveness, love, kindness, treating individuals good, generosity, sharing upon which a lot of it is theology is founded. The traditions of guys are in which Christianity is going off target. Those who might pass judgement on others although it is not their position. All-in-all I am a miles greater character when you consider that fitting a Christian due to the fact that I do not cross round reeking havoc like I did in a more youthful day. However, all in all I suppose your final sentence sums it up really properly for every body. Sometimes we're too fascinated with being proper and hence leap off the deep finish after we will have to simply forgive and fail to remember.