STOCKHOLM, (OTHL) - - Sidney Crosby might be the brightest young star in the OTHL, and he has been, since he was drafted, the face of the Washington Capitals. And just like many said that Wayne Gretzky was untradable when he was in Edmonton, people have said the same about Crosby. But just like Gretzky, Crosby has now been traded. And while Gretzky was traded to Los Angels Kings, Crosby has been traded to the Buffalo Sabres, in what is the biggest trade in the history of the OTHL.
In an eight player deal Crosby will join the Buffalo Sabres going with him is Andrew Cassels, Oleg Tverdovsky and Dimitri Afanasenko. The price the Sabres was forced to pay was hefty one, as Ilya Kovalchuk, Joni Pitkänen, David Legwand and Andrew Alberts will go the opposite direction. The Capitals will also receive two second round draft picks in the 2007 entry draft.
"This is the biggest deal in the OTHL history, not in terms of the number of players involved, but for the fact that two of the best young stars in the league is involved. Sidney Crosby is one of the best players in the league already, and the same can be said about Ilya Kovalchuk. So if you look at the names involved, then you realize that this is one major deal." – Commissioner Mathias Vaigur commented on the deal.