With Gus gone is there more of a push to resign Kimmo?

[JackStraw]

OK, but the Flyers kept Gus up all season, wanted Gus to re-sign, are tendering him to keep his rights and no other team could have picked him up without an offer sheet.
 
That's a far cry from "no one wanted him." The Flyers did want him and do want him so they are keeping his rights.

 

He's an asset. Qualifying him is just good business. I've never heard any rumors of any team being interested in trading for him.

 

Dennis Seidenberg got about the same number of games as Gus with the Flyers - "a chance" - and when he was shipped out I remember vividly many people stating that it was no great loss, that no one really wanted him, that he was never going to amount to much...

 

Well yeah, that's kind of my point. He wasn't exactly expected to become the next Orr. He's turned out to be pretty good which I think is somewhat of a surprise to almost everyone.

As for the "three amigos" I honest to God see no reason to peg Morin (1st round), Haag (2nd) and Gotsbeer? (3rd) higher than Joni Pitkanen (1st round), Kevin Marshall (2nd round) and Marc-Andre Bourdon (3rd round).

 

Well, Hagg was projected by some to go in the 1st round, Kevin Marshall certainly wasn't. But the larger point is that unless my memory is failing me (possible) they never had Joni, Marshall, and Bourdon in the system together. Joni was already gone by the time they drafted the other two wasn't he? Joni was a high pick, but the other two were not hyped nearly as much as these young guys.

 

The question for me is will they get "a chance" that is more than 30-60 games before they are disappointing, obviously not going to be developed and trade bait for "better players."
 
That's what I want to see from Hextall's "new direction."

 

You and me both.

[OccamsRazor]

Even though youngsters play, the Flyers account for all 7 defense spots with veterans who are locked into contracts for the upcoming year. They never just see if a guy can break into the top 7 spots with a wicked pre-season. They show no faith in the kids, and usually screw themselves in the process. I'd love to see a legit competition for our defensive spots this fall. In other words, if Laurdinsen and or Alt have an awesome camp, let them both play.

 

Yes Lord then...THEN....if they don't cut it or seem ready now you go out and sign you Hal Gill (please God no i'm just using him as an example)....Ron Hainsey or someone....but only after you have given the kids a chance and they prove they are not ready.

 

You don't block yourself in by signing the vets first then turn around and use that as an excuse that hey there is no room so we have to send them back crap....that is just stupid and bad roster management.

[OccamsRazor]

I don't disagree - to an extent. As jammer said, they are more likely to go out and find a retread Lilja or Gill to fill a 6/7 spot than rely on their own draft picks/developing players.

You may also be stretching a little - Sbisa played 39 entire games with the Flyers and was shipped out for Pronger (for example); MAB played 45 (yes, injury); Parent 102 (over 3 years). I think this past playoff where they decided to put a traffic cone on the ice instead of Gus shows the "development" path they had embarked upon with that player. None of those guys got significant development time with the Flyers. Carle wasn't a pick - he was a trade acquisition. So was Coburn. Both of whom played a relative lot when they were "young" here (as you note) and both of whom are seen as "disappointing" and "inconsistent" and "trade bait" by large portions of the fan base.

To speak to your point, maybe it's not just the organization that has no patience with the "kids" - it's the "win now" mentality among the fan base.

Again, the last defenseman that the Flyers drafted and developed was... Chris Therien. In 1990.

The Flyers had Yuskevich, for example, and let him walk. Other draft picks of the 54 defensemen chosen over the next 20 years who have played any significant* time in the NHL: Aris Brimanis (20 Flyers games); Janne Niinimaa (143); Dennis Seidenberg (92); Milos Honan (8); Dmitri Tertyshny*; Jeff Woywitka (0); Joni Pitkanen (206); Alexandre Picard (72); Oskars Bartulis (66)...

Of those, maybe you could say that Pitkanen and Niinimaa were "given real chances" - but I don't know that any of the rest were. And, your point is quite valid that many of them didn't step up and grab "their chance."

The thing about the Flyers (and I've said this repeatedly) is that they don't want to develop defensive talent. They would rather pick up a guy (like Carle or Coburn or LSchenn) at 24/25 who's been in the league and made his "rookie mistakes" with another organization. There's nothing inherently wrong with this strategy.

But it does mean that they're more likely to give up on a Dennis Seidenberg (for Petr "shutdown center" Nedved) or trade a Luca Sbisa for Chris Pronger or a Joni Pitkanen for Jason Smith and Joffrey Lupul. And it measn that Bruno Gervais, Hall Gill and Andreas Lilja have been higher on the depth chart for the org than "their guys." And it means that they are likely to trade a 30-goal scorer for Luke Schenn or extend a Grossmann or a Coburn or an Andrew MacDonald.

Not that I "want Pitkanen/Sbisa/Seidenberg" back - for reasons which I have just stated.

But it does fly in the face of "they aren't reluctant to play young defensemen" - they are. And there is nothing inherently wrong with that.

I HOPE that Ghost/Haag/Morin/etc. are given chances, step up and take them. It's a new regime and a "new philosophy" to an extent. It'll be interesting to see where they go from here.

* there are some stretches in "significant time"

 

 

Yes what you said and you saved me the time researching all that and made my point for me. So ditto is the word i believe. 

[OccamsRazor]

The thing about the Flyers (and I've said this repeatedly) is that they don't want to develop defensive talent. They would rather pick up a guy (like Carle or Coburn or LSchenn) at 24/25 who's been in the league and made his "rookie mistakes" with another organization. There's nothing inherently wrong with this strategy.

 

Well i did have to point this out though. When this is your strategy....well you'll certainly have to fork out your 1st and 2nd rounders to get those and then when you're wrong with that targeted Dman....well then you're in the predicament they were in a year ago...the cupboard will be bare.

 

So lets change that mentality and invest more in the scouting and let s make our 1st and 2nd count for the Flyers and restock which i would like to say we've seen happen over the last two drafts. So keep the youth and build within and use free agency to plug a hole or two not to be the foundation. Which i know i'm preaching to the choir i know just saying to clarify. 

[radoran]

Well, Hagg was projected by some to go in the 1st round, Kevin Marshall certainly wasn't. But the larger point is that unless my memory is failing me (possible) they never had Joni, Marshall, and Bourdon in the system together. Joni was already gone by the time they drafted the other two wasn't he? Joni was a high pick, but the other two were not hyped nearly as much as these young guys.

 

Not pretending I knew Marshall's draft projections, but the Flyers traded up to get him and took him all of 11 picks after the first round... Again, bad drafting... (It's also hard to find guys to put into the "drafted in the second round" position since there are so few of them )

 

They did have Sbisa, Bourdon and Marshall all in the system together - and really gave none of them "a chance."

 

And two second rounders from the year before Marshall - Bodrov and Ratchuk - and they never even played a minute in the NHL. Again, bad drafting...

 

FWIW, digging a little, Hockey's Future has Haag as a "C" prospect and also had Marshall as a "C" (Hagg at 7.0, Marshall at 6.0 - Hagg is the "better prospect" of the two with more two way ability). Marshall's "mean streak" was also compared to Chris Pronger (which sounds eerily familiar to...Morin).

 

HF also has Gotsbeer? as a "C" with the same rating as Hagg. Morin is a "C" with a 7.5.

[fanaticV3.0]

See i'm spinning it in the positive light for the upcoming season. Kimmo i'm thinking a t a reduced role and more of a teacher on ice so to speak.Say back at 2-3 mill for one year would be tops for me.

 

Amac/Coburn

Kimmo/Schenn

GrossmanN/Streit

 

The mathcup Kimmo could make be the teacher on ice for Luke.

 

this would be a nice start during camp....or if you could trade GrossmanN

Amac/Coburn

Streit/Schenn

Kimmo/Alt

 

Or with this lineup Kimmo could help ease Alt into the lineup.

 

But with out some crazy trade/shake up i'd like to try to change the blueline slowly and not go into the next season with the same pairing as this past postseason....... something has to change to help figure out the Rangers cause well they now are the team to beat to get to where the Flyers want to be ...use to be the Penguins but they are in disarray and are not longer the team in the East to beat.

 

Yes i know Boston is good too but if they can figure out the Rangers riddle they should be ok be able to beat Boston too. First things first division opponents.

 

I'm ok with this, but you know if they resign him they're going to play him top 4, if not top 2, minutes. Sports sometimes lack creative thinking. Rather than doing something like what you suggested, they would milk him until he can't walk anymore.

[OccamsRazor]

On more than one occasion Berube made it very clear that his preference (not a historical organizational preference mind you, Chief's own preference as coach) was to have one puck mover and one stay at home guy on each pair.

 

And BINGO ding ding ding now see here in lies the problem that crap don't work...look at the Rangers Das the best exmample....they don't deploy that philosophy all 6 of there guys have decent size yeah, no Prongers but they all can skate....

 

...you get one BIG dude weather it Luke or Nick caught up ice in a pinch or line change and...BAM...now we have the endless flow of odd man breaks and the forwards constantly have to expend all their energy back checking to retrieve the puck.

 

Now once they get it back (if they do) they get one rush and it's time for a line change...no sustained pressure in the offesnive zone.

 

All of the Rangers guys can skate and retrieve the puck even in their own zone.

 

How many times do we have to watch the slow Flyer Dmen get the puck but now they can't even get it out of the zone it would be nice once in a while for them to be able to skate it out but no now they have to find their partner to do that for them.

 

So really the problem lies in their philosophy.....look at the Wild or Hawks or Kings even....6 guys that make a decent outlet pass and can skate the puck out if need be even when caught in their own zone maybe...unlike the Flyer Dmen and watching them reverse the damn thing back into their own zone because they are pinned against the way get them damn thing out and start the transition.

 

The good team left do that till the Flyers change that philosophy it rinse and repeat!!!

[brelic]

but only after you have given the kids a chance and they prove they are not ready.

 

But what does "not ready" mean exactly? I suspect this may be why we see what we see with the Flyers. 

 

Developing a defenseman includes playing him in the NHL knowing full well that he will make mistakes. Probably more than a few that will cost you goals, and games. How the heck else are they supposed to learn what to do and what not to do at the NHL level unless they get a chance to do it without feeling that a screwup means they're gone? That's kind of how they treated Gus. 

 

Duncan Keith (2nd rounder) got a shot at 21 years old. A real shot, playing 81 games. His junior and AHL totals were unspectacular. Certainly not the kind of numbers that would ever suggest he would be capable of being a true #1, and putting up 60+ points multiple times in the NHL. He leapfrogged their 1st round pick in Seabrook, who had a much better offensive pedigree than Keith. 

 

Hjalmarsson was a 4th rounder who got a shot at 20 years old and 21 years old. He played 34 games over those two seasons, going back and forth between the big club and AHL. At 22, he cracked the squad and hasn't looked back since. Just about any team would love to have him as a 2nd pairing guy. 

 

Leddy (1st rounder) got his shot at 19 years old. Has been there ever since. Played all of 50 AHL games over two seasons... and this is not a guy who went the CHL route, so he didn't have that kind of pedigree and seasoning. 

 

And there's your top 4 defenseman. All developed by the Hawks (3 of them drafted by the Hawks).

 

You look at the Predators, and you'll find the same thing. 

 

I'm not saying we have a Keith or Hjlamarsson in our stable... but if we did, would this team be able to recognize it and nurture that talent?

 

I'm not so sure.

[brelic]

Not pretending I knew Marshall's draft projections, but the Flyers traded up to get him and took him all of 11 picks after the first round... Again, bad drafting... (It's also hard to find guys to put into the "drafted in the second round" position since there are so few of them )

 

They did have Sbisa, Bourdon and Marshall all in the system together - and really gave none of them "a chance."

 

And two second rounders from the year before Marshall - Bodrov and Ratchuk - and they never even played a minute in the NHL. Again, bad drafting...

 

FWIW, digging a little, Hockey's Future has Haag as a "C" prospect and also had Marshall as a "C" (Hagg at 7.0, Marshall at 6.0 - Hagg is the "better prospect" of the two with more two way ability). Marshall's "mean streak" was also compared to Chris Pronger (which sounds eerily familiar to...Morin).

 

HF also has Gotsbeer? as a "C" with the same rating as Hagg. Morin is a "C" with a 7.5.

 

 

The 'new' guys in the stable are promising, but none of them project to top pairing. They're all mid-level kind of guys. One might surprise, we can hope. But I wouldn't expect on getting a true #1 out of Morin/Hagg/Ghost. 

 

Prior to that, yes, it was some bad drafting!

 

I mean, we took Marshall ahead of Subban, whose junior numbers were outstanding. 76 points in 56 games? Sign me up. In their draft years, the numbers were closer (46 Subban vs 34 Marshall), but sheesh.. you only had to watch one game from each player to realize that Subban had oodles more potential than Marshall. 

 

But they went with the tough guy. 

[OccamsRazor]

I'm ok with this, but you know if they resign him they're going to play him top 4, if not top 2, minutes.

 

Yes i know but if they do well it's their own damn fault and proof they just don't learn...you can't keep doing the same damn things yet expecting different results each time.

 

I'm not asking to revamp the whole blueline i believe in changing one part of at a time (first choice to go is Nick), kind of like a recipe...you don't just change all of it at once.

 

You change one ingredient at a time that way you'll know what works and what don't to give you the desired effect you're looking for.

 

But that like i point out to Jack is the problem...its desired effect they are looking for that is the problem. Their philosophy. 

 

The one puck rusher with one BIG sloth mentality that has to go...it doesn't work.

 

You need 6 guys that can skate.

 

You can have big there is nothing wrong with that like the Rangers Marc Staal BIG guy but he can skate...6 guys who can retrieve the puck make a nice simple outlet pass to help with the transition game and keep the puck in the offensive zone.

 

Take some pressure off the forwards some and let them concentrate on offense and generating chances yes they can help with back checking but we don't want them expending all their energy in the Dzone...they'll be nothing left to use to score with....which like we saw creates the scoring issues.

 

That is it...all the good team left have it...the average Dman is 6-1 210 on these team but they all can skate the puck out of harms way if need be.

[OccamsRazor]

Developing a defenseman includes playing him in the NHL knowing full well that he will make mistakes. Probably more than a few that will cost you goals, and games. How the heck else are they supposed to learn what to do and what not to do at the NHL level unless they get a chance to do it without feeling that a screwup means they're gone?

 

Yes that is it like Rad said they don't want to do that part it's like they want their cake and eat it too....all the good teams Doughty, Voynov,Ketih, Seabrook, Mcdoangh

Gerardi all those guys were inserted and let to work out the kinks in time and now those team are reaping the rewards for their patience...first and fore most it starts with scouting.

 

Scouting and believing in it and identifying those young guys and giving them time and when ready bring them up and letting them work through the issue acclimating them selves to the BIG league it has to happen.

 

If not you'll end of having to over pay with money and picks acquiring the Kimmos, Coburns. Streits, GrossmanNs, Amacs, Carles those types it endless the list of guy they have to trade for because they don't believe in drafting and developing.

 

So they seem to have changed that it seems with the last 2 drafts...bravo....but i won't truly believe it till one of the young guys they drafted is skating on the Flyers blueline.

 

Till them i just think they look at them as trading chips...God i hope not.

 

But next to change is how they believe there defense should contribute.... i want all 6 to have decent size 6-1 to 6-2 is sufficient...but i want them to be able to skate...i'm not asking for 6 Bobby Orrs.

 

Just 6 guys that can help get the puck in the D zone and start the breakout with a crisp pass up ice to the forwards and help hold the point in the offensive zone.

 

Basically like all the teams in the conference finals would be a great start.  

Edited May 20, 2014 by OccamsRazor

[brelic]

all the good teams Doughty, Voynov,Ketih, Seabrook, Mcdoangh

 

Three of those guys are 1st round picks, and I wouldn't include them in 'development' if only because the team pretty much expects that player to be an NHLer. It's the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th rounders that can pay off if you know what you're doing and you have a bit of luck.

[OccamsRazor]

Three of those guys are 1st round picks, and I wouldn't include them in 'development' if only because the team pretty much expects that player to be an NHLer.

 

Sorry but those guy too still need to be given time to develop they just have a higher probability of succeeding is all but go back over the years and you will find guys that was drafted and didn't succeed for various reason....but it's all a crap shoot but the scouting is suppose to give you better chances is all..if they are worth their salt. But that is true in every sport. It seems to be changing for the better...we'll see.

 

I'll just go back to the 2008 NHL draft a lot of Dmen were drafted and are playing now in the NHL.

 

Except two may by now be considered bust.

 

LAs Colten Tuebert (#13th 2 picks later Erik Karlsson) and Wild's Tyler Cuma (23rd 4 picks later John Carlson) so as you can see in that one example scouting can make or break you.

[JackStraw]

They did have Sbisa, Bourdon and Marshall all in the system together - and really gave none of them "a chance."

 

They did give Sbisa and Bourdon chances. Sbisa made the team right out of camp and played a regular role. I didn't like the Pronger trade then and don't like it now but it was kind of an exceptional circumstance. Bourdon got his chance and injuries have probably ended whatever career he might have had. Marshall just sucks and hasn't played a game in the NHL for anyone other than the Flyers (Caps, Leafs).

 

I still maintain that it's more a problem of drafting than developing.

Edited May 20, 2014 by JackStraw

[fanaticV3.0]

Yes i know but if they do well it's their own damn fault and proof they just don't learn...you can't keep doing the same damn things yet expecting different results each time.

 

I'm not asking to revamp the whole blueline i believe in changing one part of at a time (first choice to go is Nick), kind of like a recipe...you don't just change all of it at once.

 

You change one ingredient at a time that way you'll know what works and what don't to give you the desired effect you're looking for.

 

But that like i point out to Jack is the problem...its desired effect they are looking for that is the problem. Their philosophy. 

 

The one puck rusher with one BIG sloth mentality that has to go...it doesn't work.

 

You need 6 guys that can skate.

 

You can have big there is nothing wrong with that like the Rangers Marc Staal BIG guy but he can skate...6 guys who can retrieve the puck make a nice simple outlet pass to help with the transition game and keep the puck in the offensive zone.

 

Take some pressure off the forwards some and let them concentrate on offense and generating chances yes they can help with back checking but we don't want them expending all their energy in the Dzone...they'll be nothing left to use to score with....which like we saw creates the scoring issues.

 

That is it...all the good team left have it...the average Dman is 6-1 210 on these team but they all can skate the puck out of harms way if need be.

 

I don't understand your point here. They just lost 1 defenseman. They're not revamping the entire blue line.

[OccamsRazor]

I don't understand your point here. They just lost 1 defenseman. They're not revamping the entire blue line.

 

They haven't lost a D men Kimmo is coming back...but that gives them 6 Dmen right now. I don't count Gus really casue he wasn't part of the starters.

 

I'm talking about moving GrossmanN. Move one guy off the roster to open a spot for some youth. Then if say Ollie or Alt aren't ready GrossmanN would be easily replaced.

 

They need 6 Dmen that can skate....and GorssmanN is the odd man out in my book. I think Ollie and Alt could replace him if they start the process at camp.

 

At the draft just move him for picks even. Or a prospect if possible.

[fanaticV3.0]

They haven't lost a D men Kimmo is coming back...but that gives them 6 Dmen right now. I don't count Gus really casue he wasn't part of the starters.

 

I'm talking about moving GrossmanN. Move one guy off the roster to open a spot for some youth. Then if say Ollie or Alt aren't ready GrossmanN would be easily replaced.

 

They need 6 Dmen that can skate....and GorssmanN is the odd man out in my book. I think Ollie and Alt could replace him if they start the process at camp.

 

At the draft just move him for picks even. Or a prospect if possible.

 

There is no prospect in their system that will come in and replace anyone as a rookie. Besides the fact that almost never happens with defenseman, they don't even have anyone of that caliber waiting in the wings to begin with.

 

They need an NHL ready defenseman, preferably an impact one, not some kid trying to prove himself. The kids should not be thrust into "must have" roles, they should slide in supporting ones as they are ready for it.

Edited May 22, 2014 by fanaticV3.0

[aziz]

There is no prospect in their system that will come in and replace anyone as a rookie. Besides the fact that almost never happens with defenseman, they don't even have anyone of that caliber waiting in the wings to begin with.

They need an NHL ready defenseman, preferably an impact one, not some kid trying to prove himself. The kids should not be thrust into "must have" roles, they should slide in supporting ones as they are ready for it.

Agreed, but then again, all defensive positions are kinda "must have". 18-20 minutes a night is tough to see as supporting. Which is why, I imagine, the Flyers don't tend to break in their own defensive rookies.

[OccamsRazor]

There is no prospect in their system that will come in and replace anyone as a rookie.

 

Yes there is. Oliver Lauridsen is ready he'll be 26 next season. He is 6-6 225 and is ready.

 

GrossmanN who is 6-4 230 was 23 when he started in the NHL. His first stint was 8 toatal games in which he added zero points and was -1 in those games.

 

Ollie has 108 games of college under his belt where he scored 7 goals 15 assist for 22 points +8...remember for a stay at home defenseman. He also 189 games in the AHL with 5 goals 19 assist 24 points -5. And with almost no talent on the farm to help him. So he is ready

 

Ollie played last year and held his own he and Luke looked pretty decent in 15 games scoring 2 goals and adding another assist and was even. So he is ready.

 

He hasn't had another chance.

 

But he is ready and camp is the time to insert those so they can throughout the preseason as well and adjust. What you meant to say is that the front office just doesn't want to give them a chance. Which well is another issue all together.

 

Just a little research is required before just assuming because you haven't seen him. Like Gus just said before departing you have to play in order to get better.

 

And Ollie is just once example of the 3 that are ready for a chance in the NHL. But if you would prefer to not let these guy play and let them go somewhere else and get a chance and play that is find but don't come here later and whine that they were never given a chance when they do else where.

 

Noone has a crystal ball you have to play them with some actually talent around them to really see if they can contribute...anything else is merely speculation regardless who it comes from.

Edited May 22, 2014 by OccamsRazor

[JackStraw]

I could certainly see either Alt or Lauridsen making the Flyers out of training camp. Grossman wouldn't be all that hard to replace. He's ok at what he does but he doesn't do very much. Lauridsen is big, physical, and has NHL experience. I think he could probably do the job ok. Alt is a better skater and a better two way player. He should be better than either Grossman or Lauridsen eventually, possibly not too far in the future. If Timonen doesn't come back then there is a spot open and I would expect one of those two guys to fill it. If Timo does come back then I could still see one of those guys making the team and splitting time with Grossman on the third pair.

 

So something like one of these (top two pairs could look a little different depending on who plays well with who):

 

Streit-Coburn

Schenn-MacDonald

Grossman-Alt/Lauridsen

 

Timonen-Coburn

Schenn-MacDonald

Streit-Alt/Lauridsen/Grossman

[OccamsRazor]

I could certainly see either Alt or Lauridsen making the Flyers out of training camp. Grossman wouldn't be all that hard to replace. He's ok at what he does but he doesn't do very much. Lauridsen is big, physical, and has NHL experience. I think he could probably do the job ok. Alt is a better skater and a better two way player.

 

Completely agree GrossmanN was very limited what he could do any how many times did we see them get bogged down in their own zone when he couldn't get it out or just made a dumb play like reversing it in his own zone.

 

The bottom 6 is right where you want to break someone in 16-18 minutes a night is a good start and go from there.

 

Timonen-Coburn

Schenn-MacDonald

Streit-Alt/Lauridsen

 

THIS!!!!!!!!!

 

Sign me up!

 

I think both could handle it like i said they aren't 19 or even 20 year old the are 23 and 26 basically grown men almost way old enough to handle it.

 

Then i'm afraid if they can't then they have reached their full potential and that would just be career AHL fodder and nothing more.

 

But then we would know and then you could move on. Give them a chance like Akeson and Mcginn is all it takes. EARLY NOT THE LAST GAME OF THE SEASON!!!!!!!!!! They need time to adjust.

Edited May 22, 2014 by OccamsRazor

[aziz]

Yes there is. Oliver Lauridsen is ready he'll be 26 next season. He is 6-6 225 and is ready.

And Ollie is just once example of the 3 that are ready for a chance in the NHL. But if you would prefer to not let these guy play and let them go somewhere else and get a chance and play that is find but don't come here later and whine that they were never given a chance when they do else where.

I guess my question (and it really is a question) is : what's the point? It looks like lauridsen and Grossmann are a wash offensively, knock on the both is ponderous and plodding skating. Lauridsen had size and aggressiveness on his side, but that is accompanied by way more PIMs, which really isn't a great thing in a dman. Factor in the relative experience levels, and I'm not sure what it accomplishes swapping lauridsen in for Grossmann. I'm not saying I'm opposed (though I'm actually a bit of a Grossmann fan), but I'm not sure what the point is. Lower cap hit, I guess, so that's something.

If we're talking about someone with a completely different skill set, then I can see why a change would be made. Swapping one thing for a slightly younger and less experienced version of the same thing..... Why?

[JackStraw]

I guess my question (and it really is a question) is : what's the point? It looks like lauridsen and Grossmann are a wash offensively, knock on the both is ponderous and plodding skating. Lauridsen had size and aggressiveness on his side, but that is accompanied by way more PIMs, which really isn't a great thing in a dman. Factor in the relative experience levels, and I'm not sure what it accomplishes swapping lauridsen in for Grossmann. I'm not saying I'm opposed (though I'm actually a bit of a Grossmann fan), but I'm not sure what the point is. Lower cap hit, I guess, so that's something.

If we're talking about someone with a completely different skill set, then I can see why a change would be made. Swapping one thing for a slightly younger and less experienced version of the same thing..... Why?

 

Lauridsen would be cheaper, he's more mobile and has at least a bit more skill handling the puck. Same would be true of Alt only more so. If you're replacing Grossman I don't think you want a completely different skill set. You want someone who can do what Grossman does (defensive d-man) but also brings at least a little more to the table.

Edited May 22, 2014 by JackStraw

[OccamsRazor]

but that is accompanied by way more PIMs

 

Yeah but that is skewed with all the fighting he has done cause he picked up the Lion share of the enforcing job.

 

And it is important to know can/will they be able to contribute  i don't know and i refuse to use the crystal ball when playing them all it takes then if not send them back down to rot and then they can look else where.

 

But what is the point of drafting them if you're never going to play them...then just trade all the picks it's useless.

 

But look around the other team give the young guys a chance don't all are going to be Duncan Keith's. It's weird how many here just don't seem to understand what the minor system is for. Not just saying you.

 

Oliie is a better skater period than GrossmanN. I watched him very closely last year in his limited time and thought he looked much better then than him. I would have traded Gross then and just played Ollie but i'm not the GM.....and that would maybe then seem like Homer was admitting another mistake and good lord we know he don't like that.

[OccamsRazor]

Lauridsen had size and aggressiveness on his side, but that is accompanied by way more PIMs, which really isn't a great thing in a dman.

 

He had 9 fighting majors last year so his PIMs are going to be bloated.......good lord the other stiffs like Fitz and Mathers could barely skate much less fight.

 

So that has to be considered. Right.