BladesFan_2010
04-24-2010, 08:41 PM
If you go to SaskatoonHomePage.ca you will find Les writing his final blog on this past Blades season. What do you guys think about what he wrote?
I personally think that the trades they made were good ones. If you look at the trades he makes, like dumping that Galimore, he brings in guys like Acolatse and Boyer and Viedensky. Yes, Sena was steady on forward and defence, but we can get a young guy on defence and a forward to, to maybe have more production offensively from those spots. Boyer was inconsistent at times, but he always did things at full speed, and was very valuable in the playoffs. Here is how I see the nine players who are 20 year olds....
Viedensky - He should stay. He is a big, physical presence that we have lacked at the forward position for many years. He is a great forechecker and a force!
Patterson - I am on the fence about this one. Sure, he is a great penalty killer, but we have many good penalty killers now with the emergence of Inglis, Nicholls, and Hamilton in those roles. The only thing we would miss are his faceoff abilities.
Stanford - He has to go. I can't see how we can keep him. If he stays, then what does that say to Morrison? Adam has been here for 3 years, and the starter for only one of them? Stanford didn't do well in the playoffs and Adam would have started a few games had he not received his concussion. If Adam starts then we can have a rookie backup who can stay for a year or two so when Mo leaves, the goaltending would be in good hands.
Zahn - Chicago hasn't signed him to a contract, not sure why. If he comes back, he probably will be named the team captain. We MUST keep him.
McNaught - Hopefully he stays. I had no idea he was such a capable player, as witnessed to Lorne leaving him on the ice in critical situations in games.
Toomey - His leadership and defensive play might keep him here, but as Les pointed out, if you are a 20 year old, you're here for your offensive ability. I don't know if he has the ability to put up decent numbers on a consistent basis to stick around.
Boyer - I am on the fence about him too. He does everything at top speed, but sometimes tries a bit too much to make things happen, which leads to mistakes. He was great in the playoffs though.
Acolatse - Why does he always play with his mouthpiece hanging out of his mouth? He played up front and on the back end very well, but for him to be around we'd need more production out of him, and I am not sure if we'd get it. It's probably better to trade him for some younger assets with offensive upside.
Niemi - If he hit the net with his shot, he'd be a shoo in, but most times he misses the net. He said his time here is done, so he might as well go pro and learn to get some much needed accuracy on his shot.
I would keep Viedensky, Zahn and Boyer/Patterson
Get rid of the rest, but we need to make sure that we get some younger assets with offensive upside!
I personally think that the trades they made were good ones. If you look at the trades he makes, like dumping that Galimore, he brings in guys like Acolatse and Boyer and Viedensky. Yes, Sena was steady on forward and defence, but we can get a young guy on defence and a forward to, to maybe have more production offensively from those spots. Boyer was inconsistent at times, but he always did things at full speed, and was very valuable in the playoffs. Here is how I see the nine players who are 20 year olds....
Viedensky - He should stay. He is a big, physical presence that we have lacked at the forward position for many years. He is a great forechecker and a force!
Patterson - I am on the fence about this one. Sure, he is a great penalty killer, but we have many good penalty killers now with the emergence of Inglis, Nicholls, and Hamilton in those roles. The only thing we would miss are his faceoff abilities.
Stanford - He has to go. I can't see how we can keep him. If he stays, then what does that say to Morrison? Adam has been here for 3 years, and the starter for only one of them? Stanford didn't do well in the playoffs and Adam would have started a few games had he not received his concussion. If Adam starts then we can have a rookie backup who can stay for a year or two so when Mo leaves, the goaltending would be in good hands.
Zahn - Chicago hasn't signed him to a contract, not sure why. If he comes back, he probably will be named the team captain. We MUST keep him.
McNaught - Hopefully he stays. I had no idea he was such a capable player, as witnessed to Lorne leaving him on the ice in critical situations in games.
Toomey - His leadership and defensive play might keep him here, but as Les pointed out, if you are a 20 year old, you're here for your offensive ability. I don't know if he has the ability to put up decent numbers on a consistent basis to stick around.
Boyer - I am on the fence about him too. He does everything at top speed, but sometimes tries a bit too much to make things happen, which leads to mistakes. He was great in the playoffs though.
Acolatse - Why does he always play with his mouthpiece hanging out of his mouth? He played up front and on the back end very well, but for him to be around we'd need more production out of him, and I am not sure if we'd get it. It's probably better to trade him for some younger assets with offensive upside.
Niemi - If he hit the net with his shot, he'd be a shoo in, but most times he misses the net. He said his time here is done, so he might as well go pro and learn to get some much needed accuracy on his shot.
I would keep Viedensky, Zahn and Boyer/Patterson
Get rid of the rest, but we need to make sure that we get some younger assets with offensive upside!