Bobby Bevilacqua

After trying out Emerson Etem in the lineup for a little while, Jeff Gorton made the decision to ship out the 23 year old and get something in return. Etem, 23, had been part of the trade with the Ducks when trading the rights of Carl Hagelin, a trade where Gorton was mainly concerned with moving up to select Ryan Gropp.

Many people complained about Etem’s usage and the lack of chances that he was given, but personally, I never saw anything from Etem. He really wasn’t that effective offensively, had trouble with the puck, and he wasn’t good in puck battles against the boards, which he pointed out as one of his strengths. So trading him for some kind of prospect was a smart move.

Jeff Gorton sent Etem to Vancouver, reuniting him with his junior hockey coach, and getting 23 year old Danish prospect Nicklas Jensen in return. Jensen didn’t turn any heads or create headlines, as he seemed to be just a middle of the pack AHL prospect. Read the rest of this entry →