A few years later, it's just good theatre to have Robert Lang in one corner, and Fleischmann/Green in the other.

I'm with you about Kuznetsov (obviously, given my earlier statement) and Avery: getting anything of value (and the Wings did, very much so) is a HUGE boon.

Thanks for the link — it only proves, once again, that you're the go-to prospects man.

I don't like the logic in calling a trade bad because of who the other team took with their pick. When you trade a first round pick, you're trading away a specific certainty of an NHL player. I don't remember the number exactly but it's around a solid 70%ish of first rounders who go on to play at least a few seasons in the NHL. Once you trade the pick it's gone, it doesn't become any better or worse in my mind depending on who the other team takes. You've got to give something to get something, and for a long time Detroit was comfortable with their late-round drafting enough to move first round picks for bonafide talent.

I don't think they'd have moved their first round pick nearly as much if they weren't so proficient at the mid-round drafting. And I don't think they'd have taken a small -29 defenseman in Mike Green that year. And if they did, I don't think he'd have scored 30 goals this year because we don't have Alexander Ovechkin and we demand that our defensemen actually play their position and don't skate around like a 4th forward out there. He's a great fit in Washington, but I don't look at him and see the 1st we traded for Lang to be a tremendous loss.

It's always interesting to look back and see who those players became, but it doesn't make a trade any better or worse, in my mind. And you're right — it was definitely Karsums who that pick ended up being. I think George accidentally created a bit of confusion because I just saw a thread pop up on RWC where someone is calling the Schneider trade terrible because we "missed out" on David Krejci. Despite the fact that we got ANYTHING for Kuznetsov and we moved Avery before he became a total distraction.

http://www.prosportstransactions.com/hockey/DraftTrades

If you go back any further, use that. Most accurate draft pick site out there, and it notes who was actually picked with picks that get traded.