Trades 'can be devastating' - 11-10-11
The Penguins traded Mark Letestu (above) earlier this week. For the Penguins organization, little had to be done beyond removing his name plate from his stall in the locker room. For Letestu, he had to move his entire life three hours west.
Players commonly acknowledge the business of hockey and accept moving among teams as part of that. Afterall, this is the sport that saw Wayne Gretzky, the most prolific scorer in NHL history, play for four different franchise. If it could happen to him, it could happen to anyone.
But there is an emotional toll that takes place outside the rink, particularly with families. Three members of the Penguins who have been traded or moved to different teams during their career talked discussed it yesterday.
Left winger Steve Sullivan (right) has been moved three times in his career: In 1997 from the Devils to the Maple Leafs, in 1999 from the Maple Leafs to the Blackhawks and in 2004 from the Blackhawks to the Predators.
How jarring is it to be traded or moved in the middle of a season?
"It’s a big adjustment. You’re going into a group where you’re lucky if you know one or two guys. So you got to get to know everybody and that usually takes a little while. It’s tough on family. It’s tough on yourself because your world is turned upside-down for a good couple of weeks until you get settled back into other things. There’s a lot that goes with it from behind it that’s the toughest part. The hockey part is probably the easiest transition for a player. It’s everything around the game that’s the toughest."
Are the three moves in your career in anyway similar in how they impacted your personal life?
"There all different. They’re different parts of (my) life. The first one, I was single and it was just me making the move, heading to what I consider my hometown team. So that was very exciting going to play for the (Maple) Leafs, looking forward to a challenge. Second one was a time to move on and I wanted an opportunity, so (I was) glad to move on. The third one was a little devastating because I didn’t see it coming at all. Two kids at home with an eight-month pregnant wife. That turned my life upside down. The first two, I could kind of see them coming. I was able to prepare. The third one, caught me right off guard. It couldn’t come at a worse time so that adjustment was a little bit tough."
How large is the impact on a player's family?
"Huge. Huge. Completely underrated. Their worlds turn upside down too. Coming to Pittsburgh from Nashville (as a free agent) was kind of easy but hard. Easy because I knew we were doing it. I had to prepare. I had control where I was going. Tough because I’m uprooting my whole family, their friends, their school. I’m uprooting their whole world. And when you’re between the ages of six and 12, that can be devastating. My kids have adapted extremely well and I’m proud of how they’ve been able to make the adjustment."
Does it take time to establish relationships with new teammates and new team employees?
"Not overly. It’s a good sport to do it in. I think there’s not too many bad guys in the game of hockey so everyone really tries to make you feel comfortable really, really quickly."
Left winger Matt Cooke has been traded once in his career, in 2008 from the Canucks to the Capitals.
What is it like being traded in the middle of a season?
"It’s tough. Anytime you’re in that situation and you buy in and commit fully to an organization and find yourself some place else, it’s hard. It’s an adjustment period."
What was your reaction when you found out you were traded?
"I heard I was going to Washington so I was pretty excited. It was a pretty fun team to go to. At the time I went there, they traded for (goaltender Cristobal) Huet and (forward Sergei) Fedorov at the same time. It was a time when the Caps were going in the right direction and I looked at it as an opportunity to revive my career a little bit."
Is it tough for a family?
"Oh for sure. Families take the brunt of most of this. We go and we play hockey and we do the things we need to do. But when you have a wife and kids, sometimes they’re left behind in the city you once place and that’s a hard situation. You get through it but you don’t want that for anybody."
Does it take time to establish relationships with new teammates and new team employees?
"I try to do it as quick as I can. I tried to get a relationship with everybody and spend time with everybody right away. And you have to make a conscious effort to do that because it’s tough. You go into a room and maybe it’s a little bit intimidating. You got 20 (players) plus five or six trainers and three or four coaches you got to get on the same level with."
Right winger Craig Adams has been moved twice during a season in his career. In 2008 from the Hurricanes to the Blackhawks and in 2009 from the Blackhawks to the Penguins.
What is it like being moved?
"It think a lot of it depends on the situation your in and the situation you’re going to. I think no matter what, it’s always a shock even if you think you expect it. It’s always kind of shakes up your world a little bit, especially when you have a family and a young kid at home."
What was your reacation when you were moved to the Penguins via waviers in 2009?
"I was excited to come to Pittsburgh but I was apprehensive. I had a young kid at home and one on the way. We had a lot of things going on. But at the same time, it wasn’t a great situation for me in Chicago so I was excited to be going somewhere else."
How long does it take to feel like a member of a new team following a trade or move?
"Immediately. It’s just kind of the nature of the business. You walk in and you get a new uniform and new teammates and that’s it. You do anything you can to help that team win. Even if that team was a bit rival before or guys you played against before. That’s probably the easiest part of being traded."
(Photos: Letestu-Harry How/Getty Images; Sullivan and Cooke-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images; Adams-Jeff Gross/Getty Images)