Roster Decisions: Dmitry Osipov

[Giantsfan]

It's tough because how good can Bondra be? He has an NHL shot & is it just a case of him needing to make the adjustment to WHL hockey? He did turn it up the month or so but can he do that over a full WHL campaign? If he can that is a huge hole filled.

[Lucic]

If the Giants were picking late in the euro draft I would agree. But 4th overall...chances are you will likely end up with a high end talent. And with new people in charge (hopefully better connections) one would have to hope the odds of that pick being better than their most recent euro selections. You could really make an argument for either scenario. Either way, all three potential euros are guys you could keep. It isn't the worst problem to have in the world. It just sucks (the new rules regarding euros and trades) you can't move Bondra. So basically that might force the team to move the asset that can be traded in Osipov.

[Uncle Winty]

Forgive me, but I thought the rule change prevented teams from trading import draft picks for one year from the date they were drafted? Have I missed a further amendment to the rule?

[Giantsfan]

Forgive me, but I thought the rule change prevented teams from trading import draft picks for one year from the date they were drafted? Have I missed a further amendment to the rule?

You are correct Uncle. I spoke with a former GM & he said Bondra can be traded. Good problem to have.

[Lucic]

Forgive me, but I thought the rule change prevented teams from trading import draft picks for one year from the date they were drafted? Have I missed a further amendment to the rule?

Apparently Bondra can be traded. The rule is a bit confusing and to be honest I didn't pay too much attention to it since it was put in place. But it seems both euros for the Giants can be moved. Obviously whichever euro they take #4 overall can't be traded. So that makes things a little better for the Giants. Gives them more flexibility. I still think Bondra is the guy to move (I think Osipov is more valuable to Vancouver) but at least they should be able to get something for either guy.

[dondo]

I'm normally not happy to see a two-spotter, but Osipov is the kind of guy the team needs on the back-end for the next season. He ain't flashy, but he's become a punishing force in his own end - something we haven't had for a long time. I was originally disappointed as he was a first overall CHL euro pick for the Giants that year and despite that draft not having any Ovechkin-like players I still think that first overall in any draft should garner elite talent and Osipov is not elite imo. I also think that our euro/agent contacts were especially weak around that time and we could and should have selected better.

[dondo]

As for Bondra... Talking to Bonner he assured us that he was going to be a productive, yet hard hitting north American-style euro. He got the recommendation from his usual source and once again it was a bust. I don't know if it is the player's fault or the teams fault. I suspect mroe the latter. We as a team lack skill development acumen. We have players with skill potential who come out of the gate looking very attractive down the road a year or two and then they fizzle out as their skill level drops down during their tenure here. So we deal Bobylev (who like Bondra was okay his first year here) to Victoria and he lights it up. Maybe Bondra would grow similarly not with this franchise. The Giants have never been good at developing euros - but maybe it goes so far as we are hampering their burgeoning skill with poor management and coaching. That for me is a more frightening scenario than picking the wrong euro.

[Giantsfan]

I'm normally not happy to see a two-spotter, but Osipov is the kind of guy the team needs on the back-end for the next season. He ain't flashy, but he's become a punishing force in his own end - something we haven't had for a long time.

So you didn't think Geertsen was a physical force in his own end? He was probably the most physical defenseman they've ever had. The guy was fun to watch & I think Osipov learned from playing with Mason & started to use his body to his advantage.

[Giantsfan]

As for Bondra... Talking to Bonner he assured us that he was going to be a productive, yet hard hitting north American-style euro. He got the recommendation from his usual source and once again it was a bust. I don't know if it is the player's fault or the teams fault. I suspect mroe the latter. We as a team lack skill development acumen. We have players with skill potential who come out of the gate looking very attractive down the road a year or two and then they fizzle out as their skill level drops down during their tenure here. So we deal Bobylev (who like Bondra was okay his first year here) to Victoria and he lights it up. Maybe Bondra would grow similarly not with this franchise. The Giants have never been good at developing euros - but maybe it goes so far as we are hampering their burgeoning skill with poor management and coaching. That for me is a more frightening scenario than picking the wrong euro.

Osipov was a really good pick. He was slow to adjust & having 3-4 different coaches I'm sure didn't help but he's become a very reliable, stay at home defenseman, one of the best in the West, & highly underrated because the team has been below par.

I don't know how much influence the agents have but you can bet that a lot of the top Euros have their say on what team they play on & it seems many prefer the OHL brand of hockey with London & Windsor as their preferred destinations.

[Lucic]

Osipov was a really good pick. He was slow to adjust & having 3-4 different coaches I'm sure didn't help but he's become a very reliable, stay at home defenseman, one of the best in the West, & highly underrated because the team has been below par.

As the #1 overall pick in the euro draft he hasn't lived up to those expectations. If he were any other normal euro pick I would have a different opinion. But being #1 gives you that extra pressure, whether right or wrong. Osipov has developed into a good player but it really took him a long time to become a solid defender. Some of that isn't all his fault (Hay simply wouldn't play him early on after making a few mistakes, a stupid move, IMO). All in all I would say he was a solid pick. Just didn't have quite the impact you'd expect from a #1. It probably didn't help he played on some pretty poor teams as well.