In the first of what I'm sure will be many installments of interviews posted in the next couple of days, Hammond has begun posting portions of his interviews with Dean Lombardi and Ron Hextall. I'll update this post as Hammond updates his blog.
Yeah Clifford and Westgarth seem to be the most ready. Moller might be in the AHL for another year it looks like. Kid gets smashed way too much. I honestly think he needs a full non interrupted year down there.
Clifford is easily my favorite prospect right now. It will be nice to eventually have two legit NHL players who can also handle themselves very well with the gloves off in Simmonds and Clifford.
It's funny how some fans got mad when we drafted Simmonds and Clifford so high and so far Wayne has been the most productive young forward drafted by Lombardi and Clifford has looked better than half of Manchester and he is only 18.
Yeah Clifford and Westgarth seem to be the most ready. Moller might be in the AHL for another year it looks like. Kid gets smashed way too much. I honestly think he needs a full non interrupted year down there.
Looks like it. Both Moller and Loki have the skill but they need the maturity! They both need a few years of weights.
I'm also surprised that Hextall didn't mention Trevor Lewis at all.. shocked to be honest, he is a RFA, we'll see what the do about that situation, I'm kind of sad.
The defense is up. I guess we shouldn't be writing Voynov or Hickey in yet, seems like Hextall thinks they all need work. Seems like Muzzin is a long shot this year considering he came up from juniors, but they like him.
The defense is up. I guess we shouldn't be writing Voynov or Hickey in yet, seems like Hextall thinks they all need work. Seems like Muzzin is a long shot this year considering he came up from juniors, but they like him.
Yeah, but he also didn't say any of them were ready, and right after said it looks like one of them will make a run at it in camp.
All depends on if Dean sees two more guys he likes out there. If he only gets one defenseman, the hole will be there for one of the young guys to fill.
After reading that, seems like Hextall's favoring Hickey & Muzzin over Voynov even though they both barely played in the AHL last season. Guess we'll see at camp right?
Campbell and Martinez are old enough to have graduated college with Hickey and Muzzin being just on the edge or walking last week. Voynov would be looking at junior year!
What is up with Oscar boys? It almost appears he has been the same in the AHL as in the NHL - a dispensable piece that brings neither offense or defense but is just...there...is Moller's ceiling Smolinski?
What is up with Oscar boys? It almost appears he has been the same in the AHL as in the NHL - a dispensable piece that brings neither offense or defense but is just...there...is Moller's ceiling Smolinski?
Honestly if some divine being said that I could have Möller develop into Smolinski or let him continue his own development I'd take him as Smolinksi without thinking twice. Right now I'm having doubts he'll ever turn into a 20 goal scorer.
I definitely fear for Moller's development. I am just hoping he continues to develop and we see something from him this upcoming camp, because as things sit, he is not even in the equation next year.
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"It has not been a good day. I lost my glasses early this morning and I had to go buy a pair of 79 dollar reading glasses today. 79 bucks. You can literally get them at Costco, three-for-20." - Darryl Sutter's response to going up 2-0 in the series.
What is up with Oscar boys? It almost appears he has been the same in the AHL as in the NHL - a dispensable piece that brings neither offense or defense but is just...there...is Moller's ceiling Smolinski?
That would be just fine. Smoke was a serviceable NHL player for over a decade.
HEXTALL: “The next challenge for him, and basically what I told him at the end of the year, is, `OK, Jon, you did everything we asked. Now you’ve got to get yourself in the best possible shape” — and he’s good at that, every year he comes to camp in real good shape — “and you’ve earned a platform to challenge for the job this year. That’s what you’ve earned. You haven’t earned the job. You’ve earned the right to challenge for the job, so get yourself into shape and come to come ready to challenge to win the job.’ That’s where it’s at. He’s not guaranteed anything, but he earned the right to challenge.”
It's not just Murray that thinks that. If Lombardi wanted Bernier up last year, he would have been there. If Quick was struggling as he was and Lombardi had Bernier on the bench, sitting there, ok then it's all Murray.
Ugh. I just defended Murray. I didn't like that.
__________________ "I have been complimented many times and they always embarrass me; I always feel that they have not said enough." - Mark Twain.
I definitely fear for Moller's development. I am just hoping he continues to develop and we see something from him this upcoming camp, because as things sit, he is not even in the equation next year.
I'm thinking Moller may be moving along at the draft.
It's not just Murray that thinks that. If Lombardi wanted Bernier up last year, he would have been there. If Quick was struggling as he was and Lombardi had Bernier on the bench, sitting there, ok then it's all Murray.
Ugh. I just defended Murray. I didn't like that.
I was talking about the fact that Murray has already said that Quick is the number 1, no challenge from anyone.
Quote:
Question: Is there any way you see him playing 72 games next season?
MURRAY: “Well, you never say never. I think now that he has showed his level of play, and that he is a No. 1 goaltender, first of all that’s very important. Now that is settled, and there will be no discussion about it next year going into the training camp. He’s our guy. He’s our No. 1 goaltender.
I would say Quick's 0.884 SA% in the playoffs doesn't settle anything. Especially with Bernier's 0.939 SA% and 1.81 GAA leading the Monarchs to the conference finals.
I was talking about the fact that Murray has already said that Quick is the number 1, no challenge from anyone.
I would say Quick's 0.884 SA% in the playoffs doesn't settle anything. Especially with Bernier's 0.939 SA% and 1.81 GAA leading the Monarchs to the conference finals.
Okay, got it. Yeah, in that you're 100% on point. Hopefully that's just banter to try and keep Quick's confidence up going into the off-season. We should want both these guys to be #1 caliber guys so we can eventually move one of them. If that's Murray's motivation, I'm okay with him saying that but the way he anointed LaBarbara a couple years back makes me wonder.
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