Wild Fans React To Belanger Trade

The Minnesota Wild, a team with not much of a hope to make the playoffs this season, have traded Eric Belanger to the Washington Capitals for a second round pick. Given those slim playoff hopes, fans in Minnesota are happy with getting a draft pick in return.

Here's Nathan Eide at SBN's Hockey Wilderness:

Eric Belanger has been traded to the Washington Capitals for Washington's second round choice in the 2010 NHL entry draft. Frankly, I have absolutely no problem with this move at all. Belanger was an unrestricted free agent and would have likely walked on July 1. He's certainly not irreplaceable, and is a nice role-player on this squad, but is a good fit as a rental down the stretch for a team like the Capitals.

So, let's say good-bye to our second-line center. He was a very streaky guy. He'd have stretches of multi-point games, then vanish for two weeks. Frankly, looking at his numbers this year, his trade value has never been higher. Put him with a guy like Backstrom or Semin, and he's looking at a definite career high in points the rest of the way.