The changing of the guard

[maple leaf]

Yes it is true the Blades are lacking in the 19 year old department but that

doesn't mean the talent isn't there. Guy's like Justin McCrae, Blair Macaulay

and Colton Gillies have to take more of a leadership role. The experence of

the international play should nothing but help Gillies. They should and have to

put up some decent number's this year. They have some character guy's with

the like's of Geric and Zasitko that seem to play with all they got every night.

They may not have the natural talent of a Wacy or Devon but they make that

up with their work ethic. I would like to see Devon back even though he can

be lazy on many occasion's, but what is a coach to do if he put's up number's

like he can. One shift you wonder what he is doing on the the ice and the

next shift he goes though the whole opposition and score's. There is no doubt

if he played hard every night he would be the top point getter this year. The

Blades have a good but young defense and need a guy like Brad Cole to be a

calming influence for them. Brad was the Blades number 1 defenceman in last

year's playoffs. How will the Blades new euro's fair, who know's our last and

only good euro was Martin Erat, this whole euro draft thing is a big crap shoot

But luck should be on the Blades side sooner than later and let's hope it's this

year. Will Teigan Zahn, Troy Crowley and Mike Clement's push the veteran's

for job's. This could be a totally different team than we saw from last year.

Looking foward to the very interesting season that just await's us.

Go Blades Go

[Trav]

you think the only good euro we've seen in a Blades jersey is Erat? I have to disagree. He's been the best euro of course but we've had other good euros like Bahensky, maybe not so much his first year but his 2nd year he played well, was deadly on the penalty kill. Khudobin was solid yet inconsistent but he still gave the Blades good goaltending. Daniel Volrab wasnt bad either so there's been more then just Erat that have done well.

As for the team itself, if guys like Barnes, Rabbit, Setoguchi come back, the Blades could have another solid year although if both Barnes and Rabbit are back, I think we could see Barnes get traded along with Logan and have Rabbit, Cole and Schulz on the backend or else Schulz might be moved to and Logan could stay. Could get one or two decent 19's for both.

The young guys look like they can play so hopefully they step up and improve on their last year's performance.

Goaltending will be the interesting part of training camp.

[GOBLADESGO#3 (among other aliases)]

i strongly aggree with trav on this one i think thhe blades have had many great euro stars liek as you mentioned bahensky, who played for the czech last year, and also another that comes to mind last year was boris, and yes erat was a great euro to but he wasnt are only euro star

[maple leaf]

what I would like to see is a player come over and make me get out of my seat. And Martin did that. I think the reasoning for the euro draft is to find that diamond in the rough. Anton was unbeatable at time's, but not on a consistent basis. Zedenick was the number 1 euro draft pick a few year's ago and I was expecting more from him. Like I said I want the Blades to find that diamond in the rough superstar euro.

[GBG BLEED BLUE]

The Euros that were selected in this past draft(Rastislav Konecny,and Bohdan Visnak) will be those players that will be the next best Euros? That is one of the many reasons why I am excited to watch the Blades this season, I think that these two will pan out.

[Trav]

So far Molleken is two for two when it comes to euros. McEwen, only Erat and Volrab that really did anything here in the time that he was the GM so I gotta think Molleken knows what he's doing and has good NHL contacts.