CHICAGO (CP) - Many Blackhawks, including captain Tony Amonte, were surprised when winger Dean
McAmmond was traded Tuesday to the Philadelphia Flyers for a third-round draft pick.

"Dean was playing well and was a good part of that second line," Amonte told the Chicago Sun-Times.
"That line was very successful, so it was surprising."

McAmmond is looking forward to the playoffs for the first time in three years. His former teammates are
left to reflect on general manager Mike Smith's emphasis on acquiring draft picks.

After overcoming Achilles tendon injury in 1994-95 and back surgery in 1995-96, Dean McAmmond broke Edmonton's lineup for good in 1996-97 and even became the 1997-98 Oilers' second top point-producer behind star centre Doug Weight. His 19-goal and 50-point effort were career highs. A 1991 Chicago Blackhawk first-rounder (22nd overall), McAmmond only played five games in the Windy City before being traded to the Oilers in 1993, in exchange for Joe Murphy and Igor Kravchuk. A creative player who prefers the offensive zone, McAmmond scored 110 goals and 252 points in 235 WHL with Prince Albert and Swift Current. In 243 NHL games, he's recorded 52 goals and 138 points.

The story of Dean McAmmond's 96/97 playoffs is not what was, but what could have been. After a
solid regular season, he was unable to play a single playoff game as a result of season-ending back surgery in early April. For this 24 year old, about the only thing that can be said is "wait till next year."

"You want to get some goals, produce and do well," says the former Prince Albert Raider and Swift Current Bronco who had 110 goals in four seasons in junior. "It's not like I've been playing really awful, it's just that I don't have much to show for it."


Dean does charity work for the Canadian Cancer Society, Lou Gehrig's Disease, and Turner's Syndrome.