The NHL trade deadline has come and gone, and while there were not nearly as many trades as usual, players were still nervous about the possibility of getting traded. For some, they did not want to leave their current team, while others couldn't wait to get out. Jason Arnott was traded from New Jersey to Washington on Monday. Here's how Arnott's day went:
--FEBRUARY 28TH, 2011--
6:43 AM - Text message received from Devils coach Jacques Lemaire reading "klurznygbl" Ignored.
6:46 AM - Incoming call from Lemaire: "Jason? Oh oops, sorry, wrong number. Damn these stupid phones."
6:49 AM - Incoming call from Lemaire: "Oh, by the way, Jason, there's no practice today. Trust me, it's not just for you since you might get traded, it's for everyone."
8:18 AM - Arnott finally wakes up. He searches for a trade deadline show, then remembers he's in the U.S.A. He checks Versus and finds hunting, and becomes heavily engaged in the program.
8:22 AM - Arnott falls asleep while watching hunting.
9:03 AM - Breakfast. Arnott treats himself to leftover waffles from the diner last night. He immediately thinks about Toronto, and the possibility of being traded to Toronto and having waffles thrown at him. Well, at least they'll have good maple syrup, Arnott thinks to himself.
9:07 AM - Arnott falls asleep while eating waffles.
9:10 AM - Arnott wakens from a nightmare. He had been traded to the New York Islanders in his dream.
9:58 AM - Arnott wonders if the Nashville Predators will take him back. He feels that they are a much more attractive team now. I wonder if Carrie Underwood has anything to do with that...
10:34 AM - Arnott finishes polishing his Stanley Cup ring, and ponders the thought of being traded to Montreal. It would be the first time he'd be in a full arena every night since...the Edmonton days.
10:49 AM - Arnott keeps refreshing his internet page, which is glued to "hockeybuzz.com." So far, Eklund has reported trades for Arnott to Pittsburgh, Montreal, Washington and Siberia. Eklund's sources are a bit shaky on the Siberia rumor...
12:05 AM - Arnott tunes into NHL Live, only to learn that there have been few trades. Reality hits him that he probably won't be dealt anywhere, but he logs into his Twitter account, of course disguised so that Lou Lamoriello wouldn't be able to find it, and has Eklund's tweets send to his phone.
12:23 AM - Hunting is still on Versus.
12:47 AM - Arnott calls Lou Lamoriello to hear if there's any news. Lou's answer: "Everything is status quo."
1:18 PM - Eklund reports that the Washington Capitals are closing in on a deal to acquire Jason Arnott. Arnott immediately thinks to himself that his chances to go to D.C. are officially done.
1:20 PM - Arnott receives a text from Patrik Elias saying that sources say Arnott's going to Washington. Arnott replies telling Elias not to believe Eklund, but then Elias tells him that Darren Dreger reported it.
1:44 PM - Dustin Penner to the Kings. Arnott realizes his small chance to go to Hollywood are gone.
2:01 PM - "Status quo" keeps wandering through Arnott's mind. Eklund reports that the Arnott to D.C. trade will not go through. Arnott immediately gains hope.
2:07 PM - Arnott wonders what the return will be for him. Jamie Langenbrunner returned just a conditional third round draft pick, but then again, he was captain crybaby, right? Arnott turns on his X-Box and tries trading himself to Washington for a 2nd round pick. "We here at the Washington Capitals take trading seriously." Arnott sighs.
2:14 PM - Joffrey Lupul has been traded to the Islanders? Uh-oh, Arnott panics that the Isles might be trying to pick up another big player, such as himself.
2:17 PM - The Lupul trade was a gag set up by a Toronto Maple Leafs blogger who amuses himself which such humor.
2:26 PM - Eklund now says there's no way Arnott is going anywhere.
2:27 PM - Arnott receives a call from Devils GM Lou Lamoriello informing him that he has been traded to Washington. To avoid sounding obnoxious, Arnott mutes Lamoriello as Lou spends ten minutes telling Arnott what an asset he was, and Arnott screams in joy.
2:31 PM - Patrik Elias wishes Arnott well in Washington.
3:00 PM - From Kovy to OV, Arnott leaves for the airport.
3:28 PM - On the plane ride, Arnott hopes that the trade won't get rejected by the league. Not that he has any reason at all to worry about that happening.
5:06 PM - Arnott meets his new coach, Bruce Boudreau, and is informed that the trade did process. Boudreau tells Arnott that the entire trade was "status quo." Arnott rolls his eyes...
8:12 PM - Arnott puts Versus back on, only to find a hockey game being televised. He looks for another channel that might broadcast hunting, but he has no such luck.
2:01 AM - YES! Hunting!!!
