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BY MIKE WWA Staff Writer edgeit’sapartofmegame. "You don't know from one day tofllenextwhereyouwillbemlless youhaveanoâ€"uadedauseinyour oonuact,"saidSteve'Ihomas.a45- year-oldfomleIMarldlamresidem wtmwasdealtfourtimesduringhis mwaHLcaneer. 10 W.m ‘Whenyou’mtraded,it’sbecause anomerteamwantsymgl'saidSyl Apps 11:, a 61 -yearâ€"old Unionville residentwhowaspartoftwou'ades dufinghileâ€"yearNIflcareermat imludedstintswidmleNewYork Rammme InsAngeleslGngs.“1t’sapartoffl1e Drafiedbyfl1eRangersir11964. Appsfelthisaoquisitionbythe Pulguinsin 1970-71,alongwith defgnoemanSheldonKannegiesser inadnangeforGlenSamer,wasa tumingpointinhisNPEcamer. Durmghiseightseasonsthere, heledtheminsooringmreetimes and played inthe 1975 NHLAlLStar “When I got traded to Pittsburgh. it turnedout to begood for me because I wasn’t playing much in NewYork," he said. “At that time, they had a wealth of talent. “Butitwasstillashock. No one aqaectstobemdedunlessthewritâ€" ingisonthewall." WhileAppsenjoyedhistimein Pittsburghbeingslfippedtome lGngsin1977-78withHardand MonahanforDaveSdmltzGene CarranddleIGngs’founh-mund dloioein1978amatemdrafnwas atougherpilltoswallmmfispedally sinoehehadforgedplentyoffi'iend- “Everyone likes some degree of ' consistency in their lives." said Apps, who retiredtwoyearslaterwith 183 goals and 423 assists in 727 games “But. at that time, Pittsburgh was tryâ€" ing to change their team. You’ve just gottogoforwardwith it. ltwashald to deal with." Athletes, including Stoufflille’s Cory Tanaka, roll with punches when they get dealt Thomas had two toms of duty mhoarlnotostn With patent pending features, now available “ for your best hearing to date! ‘4 - Would you like to improve yournearfi? With Destiny", science brings you closer to natural human hearing than ever before 0 SALES and SERVICE In all IAAKES OF HEARING AIDS - Tinnitus merapy 0 ADP, VISIB, DVA AUTHORIZED DISPENSERS - NO CHARGE all Inclusive less and damage Insurance -1 year 0 Hearing assessments - newborn lo nerlalrlc - NO CHARGE all lncluslve Hanulaelerer’s Irananly â€" 2 years - Hearlae llll evaluallons - 35 day lull sallslactlon guarantee - Ballerles and hearing all accessories - Assoclaled wlllr EH1 (Ear. Hose and Throal) Doclor - Asslallve Uslealee Devlees and FAI Systems 0 Full-lime experleneell Cerllllel Aelleleolsls .mmmu-mm swlmpluos oil-hm 10mm JUST RELEASED, THE MOST ADVANCED I Toronto Hearing HEARING AID "Fusmn Services lerseyDevihAnaheimDudcsand DetroitRedWings 'I‘llefixsttilnehewasdealmotlw BlacktmwksileB’lwiflaniVaive andBochGillfmm'lbmnto forAlSeooldandEdOkzyk. A itwaslargelyoveroon- A-oouple of thou- sand exn'a dollars. to itwasamistake becausefllegrass isn'talwaysgteener ontheotherside." hesaid.”lbrontowas myhomeanditwas wherelwantedto playandstayeven thoughlenioyed my tiine in Chi- Thomas was surprised when he was shipped to the New York Islanders with Adam Cleighton from the Blackhawks l 1 games into the 1991-92 season for Brent Sutter and Brad Lauer. , “I got ofl the from practice and I was called into the coach's oflice," he said. “They told me I was traded “That was a shock because I had just come off a 35-goal year. “But you have your family with you and all of a sudden when you're traded. they are the ones who have to pick up, pack up or sell the house and go I just have to put my bag (hockey equipment) together and go the next day." Involved in two trades since launching his NHL career in 2001-02 with the NewYork Islanders. Columbus Blue Iackets’ forward Rafli Torres said there is always a degree of surprise. But the 27â€"year-old Markham native feels the after- shocksalen'tasseriousomeyou've beenduoughflleringerorm Suchwasthecasewlmhewas dealtforaseoondtimeinhismreer thispastsmnmer mtheBlue lacketsforGil- A . be: - Tinnitus Therapy - NO CHARGE all inclusive toss and damage insurance -1 year 0 NO CHARGE all Inclusive iAanirtactrrrer's warranty â€" 2 years 0 35 day iuii satisfaction guarantee 0 Associated with [IT (Ear. ilose and Throat) Doctor - Full-time experienced Certified Audiologists on-irand to serve you was traded to Edmonton from the Islanders (in 2003 along with Brad lsbister for lanne Minimaa, secondâ€" and fourthâ€"pound draft picks in the 2GB NHLentry drafi), they told me I wasn‘t going anywhere," he said. “But 48 hours later, I was traded. Markham Stoufl‘ville Hearing Services ’ Established 1990 377 Church St, Suite 8203 and was just there for a litde (more than) one seas'on." he said “But the Whalers were going for the title that yearandtheyuadedsomeoftheir younger guys for veterans" Tahakh harboured no regrets He was part of the Bulls team that went to the Memorial Cup last year. “I’veleamedthattmdesareapan of the business. We seen a couple of close friends get traded and, usu- ally, they work out for the best. Guys get more ice time and they become a bigger presence on the team," he For players one level down in the Jr. A Ontario Junior Hockey League, trades can be a springboard to better exposure. Recently dealt by the Stoufiville Spirit to the Grande Prairie Storm of the Alberta Junior Hockey League for cash, 20-year-old forward Matt Viola requested a move hoping it might improve his chances of earning an NCAA scholarship to a United States university team. “I asked for the trade. It was going through my mind for a while. I wanted to see if things would turn around with the Spirit. Things weren’t going too well so I called the coach out west He saw me play before and he was more than happy to bring me here,” Viola said from Grande Prairie. Starting his Tier 2 junior A career with the Newmarket Hurricanes two years ago, Viola was dealt to the Dixie Beehives. Itwashisthildtransactioninas many seasons. Last season, he began the year with the Beehives before the Spirit acquired him for Scott Johnstone: in both instances, Vlola figured he would be dealt. The Hurricanes were building a veteran team as hosts of the central Canadian championships. Dixie changed its coaching stafi and its roster. And it isn't just limited to hockey. When Newmarket resident Peter Orr was released by the Atlanta Braves at the end of the 2007 major league baseball season, he was dis- appointed. But the 29-year-old utility infield- er signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals just a few months later and tieâ€"signed another minor league deal with the national league club this fall. Orr believes it’s best to go out. tend to business between the foul lines and play the game as he can. The Audiology Contra Establisth 1m 1333 Sheppard Ave. 6., Suite #340 ' MARKHAM 905-47 1 -4327 West End Haring Establishod 1991 1243 lollngton AV... Suite .71 1 NORTH YORK 41 6498-41 51 ETOBICOKE 4 1 6- 233-858 1