I'm a huge Burke fan and I think he's brilliant. He inherited a team that was just as bad as the NYI, if not worse. That includes the prospects. The only think he had different is a proper budget. You might say he was WORSE OFF because of the horrid contracts they had on that team - like Jason Blake's and a few others.
Burke's moves in getting good NHL players (definitely risky, as you point out) was just that, a calculated, risky move in an EFFORT TO IMPROVE the team. Maybe it was a desperate move, sure, but it was something. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't (like Versteeg) but either way, changes are made.
Tim Connolly has been excellent since he came back from injury. He's really become a good all-around hockey player in recent years, injuries notwithstanding.
But you take their top three prospects from the Marlies: Kadri, Colborne, Frattin and you put them in the NHL and the team is far worse, the players will be overmatched. Guys like Connolly, Lombardi, Lupul are FAR BETTER than those prospects and they are the ones that make it possible for younger players like Bozak, Kulemin to be effective in supporting roles.
Say Bailey is traded for Franson.
On that team, Bailey would play with Kessel/Lupul or MacArthur/Kulemin or Armstrong/Bozak/Lombardi/Connolly -- these are all established NHL players that are BETTER THAN BAILEY.
How sad is it that Bailey's always been the best player on his line? Maybe Comeau was the better player on the line, at times, but even Comeau is a guy who should be around better players.
We have no "better players".
We lack anyone between 23 and 33 that's any good. Moulson/Parenteau have good stats - but that's because of Tavares and ice-time. Nielsen/Okposo haven't proven much, especially offensively. How can anyone blame Comeau/Bailey for not being better than they are? I don't see it as their fault....these aren't 30 goal scorers that are having off years, they are players that haven't taken the next step that MANAGEMENT PRAYED FOR, not that they should have EXPECTED IT.
It's on SNOW.
very good point, and you're right. Your team is never going to improve by getting a better 4th line or better bottom pairing defensemen. These fringe players irritate me but they are largely meaningless. Reasoner, Pandolfo, Martin, Eaton, Mottau aren't difference makers and aren't expected to be. I can see if you're going to the FINALS then you really can't afford any weak links but these aren't roles that make a lottery team better.
The big minute players are the ones that need to be way better.
So the top TWO LINES aren't good enough and the top four defensemen aren't good enough.
I'd say that only Tavares is playing well in the top six and only Streit on the defense (Eaton has been pretty good too)
I agree that Bailey-Comeau-Rolston have ALSO been horrid, makes things even worse.
I know many of the fans liked Parenteau's 20 goals and 50 points....but what if that's not good enough? Not statistically, but what if you need your forwards to be better? You have to upgrade somewhere?
Frankly, I feel better keeping Nielsen-Okposo-Martin as a 3rd line checking line and upgrading Bailey-Comeau-Parenteau with proper NHL players. But that's impossible to do in-season...so for me, this season's another write-off. And Yakupov has 34 pts in 16 games - yay.
Niederreiter - Tavares - Yakupov
Grabner - Strome - Petrov
Lee - Nielsen - Okposo
Ullstrom - Cizikas - Martin
Streit Hamonic deHaan Donovan Mayfield Gervais (the comeback)
I don't think overpaying for free agents is necessarily a smart move either. It's the BALANCE between NHL players in their prime, who can produce/lead, ALONG WITH younger players who are ready to emerge in the NHL, in a POSITIVE environment where they can make mistakes that don't cripple the team.
Burke brought in Lupul, MacArthur, signed Grabovski, Connolly, Lombardi - took on some bad contracts for players who could actually PLAY.
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Yup, exactly what many of us have been saying for 2 years now. We are not looking for tier 1 players, although they'd be nice, just a sprinkle of tier 2 (instead of tier 3/4, which we currently have).
Edmonton is another current example of how to nurture and germinate your young players. Horcoff, Smyth, Whitney all playing SIGNIFICANT roles, aka top-6/4) on that team. None of our vets play significant roles, and haven't for a few years now. Look at the start Edmonton has gotten off to (although I have my doubts they'll be able to sustain). Even teams like Chicago, Pitts, Wash. surrounded their young talent with veterans in SIGNIFICANT roles. Florida is starting to do this now, protecting Gudbranson, Huberdeau, Howden, Markstrom etc.
Why does this organization always have to do things the untraditional way!?!?!
Last edited by BelovedIsles: 11-04-2011 at 08:49 PM.
Yup, exactly what many of us have been saying for 2 years now. We are not looking for tier 1 players, although they'd be nice, just a sprinkle of tier 2 (instead of tier 3/4, which we currently have).
Edmonton is another current example of how to nurture and germinate your young players. Horcoff, Smyth, Whitney all playing SIGNIFICANT roles, aka top-6/4) on that team. None of our vets play significant roles, and haven't for a few years now. Look at the start Edmonton has gotten off to (although I have my doubts they'll be able to sustain). Even teams like Chicago, Pitts, Wash. surrounded their young talent with veterans in SIGNIFICANT roles. Florida is starting to do this now, protecting Gudbranson, Huberdeau, Howden, Markstrom etc.
Why does this organization always have to do things the nontraditional way!?!?!
You would be absolutely correct. Instead the Islanders, and I think this is actually Wang's doing, are hiring guys way past their effective date and calling them veteran depth. They suck, and you can put Brian "I play like a cadaver" Rolston at the head of that list. I am surprised the guy can look at himself in the mirror while collecting his pay check. He floats better than some lobster buoys I have met.
