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Hordi out the door

Thanks to the heads-up from Kukla's Korner, word comes that the Predators have made their first swap of the off-season, trading enforcer Darcy Hordichuk to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a 5th-round pick.

This smacks of a classic "something for nothing" deal similar to last summer when David Poile shipped Kimmo Timonen and Scott Hartnell to Philadelphia, since he knew he wouldn't be able to sign them to new contracts anyway. Even when he was in the lineup, Hordi didn't get more than a few minutes of ice time, and it doesn't appear like that would change in 2008-9.

If he sticks with Carolina, Hordichuk will serve as a relatively useful enforcer, in that he's actually pretty disciplined (no minor penalties in 45 games last year), and appears to be a positive, team-first player despite not getting regular ice time. The fans in Carolina will enjoy his personality as well; he hosted a weekly radio show here in Nashville that's made him a fan favorite. He certainly has a pretty good website...

All in all, this is a very minor deal for the Predators, but doing the small things consistently well is the hallmark of a quality organization. Well played, Mr. Poile...
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