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LifelongChiefsFan
10-13-2006, 05:09 AM
spokanechiefs.com


The Spokane Chiefs have announced that defenseman Matt McCue has left the team.

“We’re disappointed Matt has chosen not to be a part of the Spokane Chiefs. We as a staff have difficult decisions at this time of the season regarding our line-up. We expect and need our players to be patient,” Chiefs General Manager Tim Speltz said.

“We will work on trading Matt, but a trade will have to be something that improves our team.”

McCue appeared in four games this season and scored one goal and two points.

Jimmypop316
10-13-2006, 05:30 AM
too bad, but thats how things have been lately. Hopefully we can get something for him

CrushKillDestroy
10-13-2006, 07:21 AM
...to see McCrimmon and Speltz attempt to work something out with McCue moving to Brandon.

Brandon has four 19-year old defensemen and only one 18-year old. I think McCrimmon might be interested in moving a 19-year old (Mark Louis) for McCue.

I am not suggesting that there is anything wrong with the way that Louis has performed for Brandon, but adding another 1988-born player would likely be appealing to McCrimmon.

Louis and McCue are similar players in many ways, with McCue likely having the better offensive skills. Both don't seem to mind dropping the gloves with other big players when necessary.

AmsPhotos
10-13-2006, 10:51 AM
Trading an 18-year-old McCue for a 19-year-old Louis would leave the Chiefs with nine 19-year-olds to go along with their three 20-year-olds. It would also mean they would probably be looking at keeping both Mercer and Louis as overagers next season with the loss of Haw, Zimmerman and Courchene.

dondo
10-13-2006, 11:29 AM
that sucks -- just didn't want to play in Spokane anymore?

Frankly I find these kinds of moves by these players gutless and unprofessional. I know they are just kids, but they are kids who need to learn what it is to be a professional and TEAM player.

Don't see decisions like this helping him being considered for higher levels with this attitude. Its too bad because I think Spokane has the makings of a good solid team this season and that means everyone plays their role and contributes, and someone like McCue with a good attitude fills a certain role and then with good unselfish play climbs the depth chart.

langdak
10-13-2006, 11:37 AM
that sucks -- just didn't want to play in Spokane anymore?

Frankly I find these kinds of moves by these players gutless and unprofessional. I know they are just kids, but they are kids who need to learn what it is to be a professional and TEAM player.

Don't see decisions like this helping him being considered for higher levels with this attitude. Its too bad because I think Spokane has the makings of a good solid team this season and that means everyone plays their role and contributes, and someone like McCue with a good attitude fills a certain role and then with good unselfish play climbs the depth chart.


Eric Lindros started it all when he was drafted by Quebec and said "i dont want to play there, i am going to suck my thumb instead"

Since then this kinda stuff happens on a semi regular basis

Rattlesnake
10-13-2006, 11:46 AM
Why is it that the 'kid' is always blamed for making an "unprofessional" decision. Sometimes it isn't the kid that's calling the shots at all. They are many parents who continue to control their childrens' lives, even well into adulthood. There are also other sources of bad advice and influence besides parents. I'm not suggesting that this is the case here but don't be so hasty to always point the finger at the kid.

Jimmypop316
10-13-2006, 01:51 PM
Why is it that the 'kid' is always blamed for making an "unprofessional" decision. Sometimes it isn't the kid that's calling the shots at all. They are many parents who continue to control their childrens' lives, even well into adulthood. There are also other sources of bad advice and influence besides parents. I'm not suggesting that this is the case here but don't be so hasty to always point the finger at the kid.

True, and lets not forget players have agents that like to say bad things about teams.. ie Cowan.

chiefgongshow
10-13-2006, 02:05 PM
that sucks -- just didn't want to play in Spokane anymore?

Frankly I find these kinds of moves by these players gutless and unprofessional. I know they are just kids, but they are kids who need to learn what it is to be a professional and TEAM player.

Don't see decisions like this helping him being considered for higher levels with this attitude. Its too bad because I think Spokane has the makings of a good solid team this season and that means everyone plays their role and contributes, and someone like McCue with a good attitude fills a certain role and then with good unselfish play climbs the depth chart.
He just wants to play, something that wasnt happening here in Spokane. Playing time was something he wasnt exactly quite about the last 2 seasons. Reportedly via a Spokane writer, Vancouver is interested in McCue.

dondo
10-13-2006, 04:26 PM
I watched him play decent minutes when he was here ... and he got a lot of ice-time during the Everett preseason tourney -- you earn ice-time - apparently he wasn't earning his .. and why blame the kid?

Cause ultimately it comes down to the kid's decision -- Parents and agents not-withstanding its up to the kid to choose whether he wants to play somewhere or not. The agents can cajole, beg and threaten but its up to the kid to make the actual decision and if he's not then its time he learned.

It strikes me as McCue wants some sort of free-ride here, and that shouldn't happen, but he could if he decided to play as part of team be a part of something bigger than himself -- too many selfish players in the dub (as of late) and unfortunately it affects franchises like yours more than one like mine.

And the Lindros comment is bang on, he pulled that crap at every level and now he's a joke in my mind. The Nordiques (as the Avs) won the Stanley Cup because the Flyers over-valued a whiny puke and traded the farm for what has been an underachieveing, dressing room poison. I think NHL teams are a bit more aware of dressing room chemistry being a deal maker/breaker.

It's really too bad that McCue felt he needed to make this decision, but frankly if that's his attitude then you are better off without him -- imo-- I really don't think he helps himself careerwise in any way though. You think the multi-talented hanzal is going to be picked as high as he could have been -- no way.

and as far as McCue coming to Vancouver-- I don't see Hay allowing a player like that in his dressing room. And if Matt came here he'd get with the program immediately or be shipped out and he wouldn't be playing decent minutes unless he earned them, so he'd proabably be playing less minutes here than he would have on the Chiefs.

Swando
10-13-2006, 05:42 PM
Why is it that the 'kid' is always blamed for making an "unprofessional" decision. Sometimes it isn't the kid that's calling the shots at all. They are many parents who continue to control their childrens' lives, even well into adulthood. There are also other sources of bad advice and influence besides parents. I'm not suggesting that this is the case here but don't be so hasty to always point the finger at the kid.


Good point. In the Giants case we have a dandy in Machacek who made the team 2 years ago only to be called home by his mom. He didn't speak to her for for the whole drive from BC to Alberta (he wanted to play she thot he was to young).. Never know who is right. Just saying this cause it's not always the kids.

Hunt24
10-14-2006, 08:08 PM
I think too often we forget that these guys are just kids. At 15, 16, 17, 18 you're prone to making decisions that might not be the best. Nobody knows 100% why McCue left the team, it could certainly have been about playing time, but until he and the team confirm this, it's unfair to crucify this the teenager. The player may be in a situation where he's not comfortable or he feels like his development is being hindered in some way. Who knows. If Sheldon Kennedy had left his team at 18 and asked for a trade, would we have crucified him in the same way?

As for whether or not it was his parents who made the call, that's still unfair. If your 16 or 17 year old son is working part time at McDonalds and was being mistreated (in his mind at least) by his boss, wouldn't you be at least tempted to step in? Or advise the kid on how to handle it? Now imagine if he wasn't allowed to get another job if he quit. That's the boat McCue is in. He can't go to another equal level team. His choices are quit and wait for a trade or go to Junior A.

There are also cases where during the early stages of a career promises are made to parents by coaches and GMs about playing time. It's all part of a very political process and to put the blame on the kid here, is unfair.

As fans we're accustomed and wanting to hold players accountable, but we can never forget that these are 16, 17, 18, 19 year old kids who left home for a chance to play major junior hockey. They're not professionals and to hold them to same flame is unfair.

dondo
10-14-2006, 09:41 PM
actually H24 I don't feel its unfair at all --- if you guys think that some of these players don't know exactly what they are doing in these instances then I think you have a low view of the decision-making ability and awareness of teenagers.

If they wish to be treated like pros then eventually they need to learn how to act like one. I understand that there are more outside forces involved here and that David Frost-like relationships exist, but someone like Lindros knew exactly what he was doing -- even though it was his father/agent pushing him from behind the whole way.

So obviously we disagree but part of the game and the life is to learn these things and learn how to adapt and be part of a team. He played a few seasons with the Chiefs already if I'm not mistaken so it isn't homesickness, its about wanting a free ride and that's not a good message to send.

But w/e I still believe the Chiefs are better off without distracting egos in their dressing room, but those of you who brought up the Sheldon Kennedy incident you are right we never know. But this is what we are discussing on the boards and it warrants discussion imo -- how do we solve this kind of thing happening -- better education? Counselling enabling players to become more self-sufficient and capable of making better decisions for themselves and their careers? I don't know, but its interesting none-the-less.

Hunt24
10-14-2006, 10:14 PM
actually H24 I don't feel its unfair at all --- if you guys think that some of these players don't know exactly what they are doing in these instances then I think you have a low view of the decision-making ability and awareness of teenagers.

I think some of the players are well aware of the decisions they're making, but not all. They're still teenagers. The kid obviously does want to play pro hockey (he was in San Jose's training camp) but by getting only a few minutes a game or not getting time on the powerplay he may feel that the coach "has it in for him". How many of us made it through high school without thinking that about at least one teacher, no matter how true it was/is? If my kid wants to be a scientist but he feels he's not getting a good enough education from his current biology teacher, I think it's only fair he looks for a better place to learn. Same goes for this kid with his situation. Also, given that his camp in San Jose didn't go that well, he may have decided to go home and be close to his family and play it out in Junior A. Until they player says publicly why he left, it's not fair to roast him over it.


So obviously we disagree but part of the game and the life is to learn these things and learn how to adapt and be part of a team. He played a few seasons with the Chiefs already if I'm not mistaken so it isn't homesickness, its about wanting a free ride and that's not a good message to send.

I'll agree that he needs to learn to be part of a team, but he's been there two years and might just be frustrated by his environment. You can't tell me that every job you've ever had was a perfect situation where you didn't wish for an improvement of some kind. Often times the only way to get that improvement is to move on. I don't fault him for looking out for his future. We don't know that he wants a free ride and honestly, we don't know much about who this kid really is. So to say he's looking for a free ride is really ragging on somebody none of us know the first thing about.


how do we solve this kind of thing happening -- better education? Counselling enabling players to become more self-sufficient and capable of making better decisions for themselves and their careers? I don't know, but its interesting none-the-less.

I don't think there's a way to completely remove this stuff from the game. Coaches and GMs are prone to making unfair and unrealistic promises and committments to players to ensure they don't go the Junior A route after being drafted in the bantam draft. There's so much pressure on junior coaches to win and GMs to put together a winning team that they'll often tell the kid what he wants to hear no matter what. Then the reality of actually playing the games sets in and the kids promises aren't being met. You can't fault the kid at that point (or his parents).