In terms of sports few times of the year are more intriguing than February when it comes to having keeping me watching the sports news feeds.
Baseball is headed to spring training, with pitchers and catchers reporting soon.
The simple question of who the Toronto Blue Jays will fashion into a five-man starting rotation is an interesting one.
Sadly it is also the only question that really holds any interest in terms of the Jays, and the answer won’t make much difference. This is a team destined to finish at best a distant third behind Boston and New York, and may not stay ahead of Tampa Bay. If not for the completely woeful Baltimore Orioles, the Jays could finish dead last in the American League East.
While spring training brings a wave of baseball interest, it will be short-lived this season.
But the hint of baseball is only the smallest element of February.
Of far greater interest is the arrival of the trade deadlines in both the National Hockey League, and the National Basketball Association.
Starting in the NBA, their deadline was last week, there was the expectation the Toronto Raptors would roll the dice and make a significant addition to compliment Kawhi Leonard.
And a deal they did make, a huge one at that.
The Raptors sent a package of Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, C.J. Miles and a 2024 second-round draft pick to Memphis in exchange for Marc Gasol.
Gasol is an upgrade today, at least in experience over Valanciunas whose spot he fills, but at eight years older, the edge will be with JV very soon, and Wright weights the deal heavily in favour of the Grizzlies mid to long term.
The Raptors also shipped Malachi Richardson with their 2022 second-round draft pick and the draft rights to Emir Preldzic to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for cash considerations, and sent Greg Monroe and the 2021 second-round draft pick to the Brooklyn Nets for more cash.
There was obviously merit in making a move, but only if the ultimate success is a championship.
I just don’t see Leonard resigning in TO after this season, and that certainly forces the issue in terms of win now, or go back to bridesmaid status.
There is an expectation the road through the NBA East is easier without a team with Lebron James on the roster in the mix, but Milwaukee, Boston and Philadelphia are all good teams, and it might come down to what moves those teams pull off at the deadline too.
Still the Raptors may have given up too much to make a deal on the slim chance of a championship – I say slim chance because Golden State looks poised to win it all again. If you gave up too much, and the depth the Raptors once relied so much on took a kicking on trade deadline, and Leonard does depart as I expect, the aftermath will be rather dismal.
In the NHL the expected deadline trading frenzy has begun, with Toronto making a sweet deal to shore up a long-time shortcoming on the team, its defence. Adding Jake Muzzin, a minute-eating rearguard with Stanley Cup experience was a winning effort by the Leafs, made better because they gave up no one from their roster, and he is signed through next season too.
It is expected other teams will soon be making their moves, with more teams admitting defeat this season, deepening the pool of available talent.
The Winnipeg Jets are likely to add at least a depth guy up front, although a full-fledged second line centre seems more likely. With the Jets though you are never sure what they have brewing. Last year at this time they added Paul Stastny from St. Louis in a deal no one saw coming.
Calgary should be looking for a defenceman for depth, if not a guy that can chew up some minutes and take some pressure off Mark Giordano who is great this year, but is also 35-years-old.
Vancouver, who are in the wild card hunt should wisely be trading veterans such as Loui Eriksson, with an eye to next year.
Edmonton should be sellers too, but whatever they do at the deadline is not likely to work out if recent Oiler moves are any indication.
Ottawa has to be in full sell mode.
Montreal is the dark horse in Canada. They are better than anyone expected, but what piece they could add to push them into a Stanley Cup final is hard to fathom, especially with Tampa Bay looking poised to make a serious Cup run. Like Vancouver, Montreal would be better served to look to add for next season.
And, there you have it, the fun element of speculating on trades as the deadlines near, and at the prospects of a new season if following baseball. It might be cold outside, but sports certainly heats up in February.
