Teammates Bid Farewell to Cogliano, Know Trades are Part of the Business

The mood in the locker room today following an optional practice in Detroit was understandably subdued in the wake of the news that forward Andrew Cogliano was traded to the Dallas Stars in exchange for forward Devin Shore.

Cogliano was respected by his teammates and he served as one of the leaders in the room. He was a model of durability and toughness, having never missed a game in which he has been eligible. Since he joined the Ducks in the summer of 2011, the club has played 586 regular-season contests and 64 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a total of 650 games. Cogliano played in all but two. He finished with 233 points (102g/131a) and a +61 rating in 584 regular-season games with the Ducks, and co-led franchise leaders in shorthanded goals (16) and shorthanded points (21), ranked sixth in plus/minus, tied for seventh in goals and 10th in points. He also recorded 25 points (8g/17a) in 64 postseason games, including the game-tying goal in Game 7 of the 2017 Second Round against the Edmonton Oilers - a game the Ducks won, 2-1.

The business side of hockey can be cruel at times, and the mark Cogliano left on his teammates was evident. Long-time linemate and close friend Jakob Silfverberg had a feeling something was going to happen with the way the team has performed as of late. "I played with him on the same line for the past three or four years, so he's a really close friend of mine," Silfverberg said. "It's tough, but at the same time this is the way the business is. You can't say you get used to it, but it happens. You lose good friends. That's the way it is. Our team hasn't performed the way we'd like, so we knew things were going to happen around here."
Cogliano was Cam Fowler's teammate for nearly his entire NHL career. Fowler was drafted in June 2010 and played one season (his rookie 2010-11 campaign) prior to Cogliano's arrival. Like Silfverberg, Fowler had to say goodbye to a longtime friend.
"Unfortunately, it's part of the business," Fowler said. "It's difficult when you've spent a lot of time with somebody. He's become a really good friend. Unfortunately, these things happen. The position we're in, anybody is susceptible to that happening to them. I wish him all the best. I know the player we have coming back is a good player, too. Just one of those things you have to learn how to roll with."
The emotions of a trade like this don't just affect players. Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle was asked today what Cogliano meant to the team. "We're losing a veteran guy that's worked extremely hard here," he said. "He's been one of our leaders, both on and off the ice in a lot of ways. We wish him well. This is another example where the business of hockey gets ugly when these things happen. This is the greatest game in the world for us, but these are things that shake the fabric of you and your family when these things happen."
Ducks Executive Vice President/General Manager Bob Murray had this to say on Cogliano: "First off, as part of the organization, I just want to thank Cogs for his eight years of hard work, showing up every day and being a total professional. We hope nothing but the best for him and his family. As much as some of us may sound like we're heartless, last night wasn't very good. Let's leave it at that."
In his post-practice media scrum, Carlyle was asked what a trade like this does to the players within the locker room. "As cruel as this sounds, it'll affect our group today," he said to reporters. "There are people feeling it today. But when the new guy comes in and we start to play, it's business as usual. That's the cruelest part about this business because it's happened to us all. Anybody that's played the game, anybody that's been involved in it, you've either been traded, fired or replaced. When it's your turn, it's not a lot of fun for you and your family, and the support group around you. The business still goes on. There are games to be played. You have to move forward. It'll be the same for Cogliano going into the Dallas locker room. This day is really tough on him and his family, but once he gets into that locker room it'll be business as usual because they're hockey players."
With the move, the Ducks get younger (Shore is 24 and Cogliano is 31) and gain some flexibility, as Shore has the ability to play the wing or center. The Ajax, Ontario native has collected 82 points (29g/53a) in 209 career NHL games with the Stars, including 17 points (5g/12a) in 42 games this season. At the time of the trade, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound forward co-led the Stars in game-winning goals (3) and ranked tied for seventh on the team in points. He set career highs in goals (13) and points (33) during the 2016-17 season and followed up with a personal best in assists (21) and shots on goal (123) last season.
"When trades are made, you're hoping the player you're acquiring is going to come in and fit in with your group," Carlyle said. "As an organization, we felt Shore has some things to offer. He can play left wing or center. He's a bigger-bodied kid. We're looking for strength on the wing and down the middle. He's been in the league, and he's still young. He's only 24 years old."
Cogliano put out this statement via Twitter on Monday evening:
Tweet from @AnaheimDucks: A message from Andrew Cogliano. pic.twitter.com/KxpilsqwKh