FanHouse Kris Beech

July 11 marks the anniversary of when the Pittsburgh Penguins traded Jaromir Jagr to the Washington Capitals for the woefully underwhelming (and somewhat embarrassing) return of Kris Beech, Michal Sivek and Ross Lupaschuk. Pensburgh, taking a look back at the trade, referred to the deal as a "lose-lose for both sides."

Statistically speaking, however, it was, and still is, the worst trade involving a Pittsburgh sports team.

Following the trade, Jagr played 467 games in the NHL, scoring 207 goals and recording 520 points with the Capitals and Rangers. The three guys the Penguins received? 239 games, 28 goals and 73 points.

While Jagr's stint in Washington may have been a disappointment, his time with the Penguins is still legendary.

A couple of weeks ago, TSN hockey analyst Gord Miller came to the conclusion that in order for the Pittsburgh Penguins to remain competitive in the NHL, they would have to deal the league's leading scorer, Evgeni Malkin, for a first-line winger, a No. 2 center, and "hopefully" a pick or a prospect. It was a laughable proposal.

On Sunday night, Rob Rossi, Penguins beat writer for the Tribune-Review, appeared on a weekly Pittsburgh talk show and suggested the team would be wise to put Sidney Crosby on the trade block this offseason. I guess this is what happens when you go from being two wins away from hoisting the Stanley Cup to being the No. 10 team in the Eastern Conference in a matter of one season.

I recently mused about how Kris Beech was one of many disappointing draft picks for the Washington Capitals, earlier in the decade. After bouncing around the NHL and AHL, Beech has yet to plant his roots with one team and establish himself as a bonafide NHL player.

This whole journeyman role he's taken on? It has been taken to the extreme. Beech Nut has now been waived (again), and finds himself on his fourth NHL team ... in January! Is this a record?

Jan 10th - Beech is waived from the Columbus Dinner Jackets after playing 16 games, despite putting up a respectable nine points in that time. The Canucks make a claim to shake things up.

Jan 22nd - After just four games with the Canucks (and two points), Vigneault decides that Beech has to 'work on his game', and tells him to get the hell out. The Capitals, of all teams, decide to take the guy back.

Jan 26th - The Capitals realize how badly Kris Beech played for them the first time around, and try to send him to the farm. The Penguins, a team Beech used to play for, and in serious injury trouble, decide to make a claim.

I wonder how Beech is feeling right about now. Is he upset that nobody seems to want him around, or happy that somebody always seems to want him? All I know is that somewhere, wherever he may be, Jarrod Skalde is cracking a big smile. And that, according to this Capitals promotional video found by Empty Netters, Beech (the last to answer) is about to throw on a uniform he's not exactly proud to wear:

Once upon a time Kris Beech was the type of top prospect that had NHL scouts drooling (an activity they seem to do a lot of). Beech has the size (6'3" 211) and playmaking skills that the Washington Capitals thought would bring them success when they drafted him 7th overall in 1999. Big centers were in, and Beech was the next big thing.

Instead of wowing the NHL with his mad skillz, Beech has become just a footnote in the Jaromir Jagr trade the Caps made many moons ago. In 193 NHL games, Beech has just 67 points to go along with a poor-looking -37.

The Vancouver Canucks were the latest stop on his journey around the continent, and it lasted only FOUR games! Wow, what did he do to piss Alain Vigneault off?

"When we picked up Kris it was for depth at centre but he has areas where he needs to improve," Vigneault said following today's practice at GM Place. "If he clears waivers, he'll go work on those in Manitoba. We felt we had a little bit more torque, or offensive punch, or whatever when Jaffray was here."

At 26, if Beech is being demoted to 'work on his game', it's pretty much sealed in stone that he'll be bouncing around between the AHL, NHL, and other leagues for a long time. By the time you reach that age, you ought to be fully developed and ready to take on the world. Beech has had more than enough time to work on his game, eh?

Now, let us flash back to 1999 ... (cue creepy music)