Thatâs all well and good but if KD doesnât improve this team over the summer so the team starts showing improvement on the ice are theregoing to be some potential problems. With the excitement the of Bedard pick, ticket sales went crazy, that enthusiasm will die if the team doesnât show its progressing. KD risks creating a toxic culture weâve seen in other teams where the priority was collecting draft picks instead of progressing on the ice. And he runs the risk of alienating the younger players.
- paulr
All, I expect the rebuild minus any giant outside UFA or trade.
They will sign Mrazek.
They will play all their already here kids. They will not quit on trying to make NHLers out of them.
They will welcome the drafted prospects that are entering the pro game, and whether they play with the IceHogs most of the time, they will get a taste.
Just like their Rockford kids have earlier this season, the signed older prospects will be around.
They have already made decisions on vets they want to stay around.
Loading up on UFA journeymen would just take chances at the youth to play.
To me that (more outside job fillers) is what would alienate the kids.
I bet if we were able to be the close friend of the kids who have been up and down the line up, and in confidence answered the question on their experience, I have to think most were thrilled that they were given NHL minutes in real opportunities, whether it was decided they need to be back down and improve, or if if they were one of guys the hawks gave more rope.
the team has to use Rockford to their advantage, and the numbers of newbies isn't going to decrease, so while they are able to shuffle them without having to use waivers, we are going to see journeymen.
(I am not gonna use the word plugs...a plug is a description oused to describe a horse that was considered to be of little value and not worth betting on. These horses were often older and slower and were entered into races to make up the numbers.)
I am sure that I could never excel to the highest level of the game and these guys have.
To me, that describes the older Corey Perry, Tinordi, injury addition J Megna, and
Foligno. T. Johnson is not coming back, but he will find a job. Same with Taylor Hall;there will always be a team who wants this type player.
But this "plug" line-up doesn't fit, because besides the 30 yr. old Blackwell, the rest of the line-up 24-26 year old forwards. (I am not going to count the rookie defenseman.)
All, much better than any of us are.
That is about 13-14 forwards all brought in and give opportunities to gain experience and play with regularity.drafts
As the KD drafts come in and fight for opportunities these 24-26 yr. olds are guys who they have to take positions away from.
A little easier that what Hawks draft pick Kevin Hayes had to beat out and I guess he wanted no part of that...
So I just don't see a future where this team satisfies the likes of those using "plugs" in acknowledging the weak parts of THIS team's line-up.
I would love to see that to.
First, we need to see success by youthful improvement, and team building and I guess I see it, embrace it, and don't see a quick fix, but I do see lots of team building; if Cole Gutman will do that, maybe that plug Tinordi is why he did.
