A couple things...your assuming Hemsky provides something close to full value in the next 2 years and its NOT a stretch to say he will have a hard time doing so. He's only truly been worth the type of $$$ he is now signed for twice in the past. Right now, he is playing gun shy, getting older every day and getting less ice time no matter how well he plays.
It's a gamble, these deals often are. but it's a low risk one.
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Secondly...I wanted to see a managerial commitment to making huge changes to the existing defence group. Of the current crew...I would keep Potter (on his current deal), Petry and Schultz (on his exisitng contract). The rest of them need to go AFAIC and their replacements would come at a higher cost no doubt.
So your "huge changes" entail bringing in two defensemen including one top 4 (assuming Smid, Petry and Schultz round the rest out). Hardly the kind of thing to worry about especially if you're getting rid of Whitney and his cap hit. Also, Smuth's big cap hit comes off the books this summer.
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None of that matters because its not going to happen and thats the core of the mistake I feel we've made with the Hemsky contract.
Seems clear to me...Whitney is staying put and any changes/imporvements made to the overall group will be subtle & slow because the balance of spending continues to be towards our forwards.
Not really. The salary structure here isn't really that out of whack when you look at other teams. They could add another $5M guy and a $2M next year easily.
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Thats the mistake IMO. Our best players & probably our biggest contracts need to be defencemen...not 4 or 5 years from now (who knows by then?) but by next year...and the year after that.
So you're hoping they bring in a Suter or a Weber on a $7, $8 million deal, is that it?
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They're not going to go that route & you & I both know it. Whitney will be our biggest ticket defenceman the next 2 years. They won't sign a better player/bigger contract than his or Hemsky's for that matter.
If they don't it won't be because they can't. And it won't be because they feel some obligation to keep Hemsky and Whitney among the highest paid players. Fact is, the big deal dow the line will be for the kids: that's only issue they'll have to juggle and Hesmky's deal is done by then anyway so it's not an obstacle.
Look...I was surprised Hemsky ended up signing. I know he was hurt last year...but...like a lot of people I expected it would be well behind him starting the new season.
And so when he mailed in game after game after game...I kinda' got the feeling he didn't want to be here anymore. Or maybe I was being hard on him to describe his effort so harsh.
Either way...it looked like a parade out of town and now Hemsky is button hooked right back into the middle of it all.
Its hard not to think of it as a missed chance to move forward. Or delaying the inevitable.
But whatever.
Its not like I was actually expecting something brilliant to happen.
Look...I was surprised Hemsky ended up signing. I know he was hurt last year...but...like a lot of people I expected it would be well behind him starting the new season.
And so when he mailed in game after game after game...I kinda' got the feeling he didn't want to be here anymore. Or maybe I was being hard on him to describe his effort so harsh.
I don't think Hemsky was mailing it in. I know that it looked that way - but a lot of people is forgetting how difficult it is to get back into the speed of NHL game after injury. Look at Whitney - he still isn't up to speed after his injury and it has really impacted his game.
I don't think Hemsky was mailing it in. I know that it looked that way - but a lot of people is forgetting how difficult it is to get back into the speed of NHL game after injury. Look at Whitney - he still isn't up to speed after his injury and it has really impacted his game.
Todays NHLer has to be able to come back quick from injuries. I know many descriptions on injuries & subsequent rehabiliation process' make it sound like these guys are trying to rebuild Atlantis...but...there ARE examples of players who get hurt & come back strong without being in exile to an invisible wasteland of broken bone & confidentless plugs for months on end.
Todays NHLer has to be able to come back quick from injuries. I know many descriptions on injuries & subsequent rehabiliation process' make it sound like these guys are trying to rebuild Atlantis...but...there ARE examples of players who get hurt & come back strong without being in exile to an invisible wasteland of broken bone & confidentless plugs for months on end.
Look at our boy Hallsy.
Um, you know there's different degrees of injury, right?
And Taylor Halls' high ankle sprain was a season ender which would fall under the "serious" heading, right?
When Hall has both shoulders operated on, has played less then 100 games over 2 seasons, and comes back and lights it up you can use him as an example. Everyone knows these guys take a hit, hell even Crosby the best player in the league has admitted hes not going to come in and be playing as well as he was.
When Hall has both shoulders operated on, has played less then 100 games over 2 seasons, and comes back and lights it up you can use him as an example. Everyone knows these guys take a hit, hell even Crosby the best player in the league has admitted hes not going to come in and be playing as well as he was.
Hall didn't come back and light it up. He struggled to score for awhile. But...then...he stopped struggling. I'm no DR but I think it was because he wanted to improve.
Hall didn't come back and light it up. He struggled to score for awhile. But...then...he stopped struggling. I'm no DR but I think it was because he wanted to improve.
And you don't see the difference between an injury that takes 6 weeks to heal on its own, compared to Hemsky's where not one but both of his shoulders required surgery to fix the problem that kept him out of the lineup for the majority of 2 seasons? Most of the people I've talked to say that it took them over a year to get comfortable with their shoulder after surgery, and that they're still scared of it popping back out years afterwards. If Hemsky is still playing half assed next season I'll jump on the move Hemsky bandwagon but let's give him a year to get comfortable with his bionic shoulders before we run him out of town. Also just curious were you one of the posters who jumped on Gagner after he had a slow start?
Hemsky continues to play like he doesn't want to be hit...not a great way to start a 10 million dollar contract.
Hemsky has been very cavalier on the ice up until this point, and it has gotten him into trouble with injuries. I have no trouble with him taking better care of his body, so that he can remain healthy. He's more effective on the ice than on IR. This is an adjustment process for him, learning to pick his spots a little better than he has in the past. Hemsky has shown that he has no fear, but a price comes with that attitude in terms of injuries. I'm glad he's adjusting his game somewhat to avoid unnecessary injury. Hemsky is not a little man, but he put himself in harm's way too often before. Taking more precautions is a good thing for Hemmer. It's finding a balance that is important, deciding when to commit and when to hold back.
And you don't see the difference between an injury that takes 6 weeks to heal on its own, compared to Hemsky's where not one but both of his shoulders required surgery to fix the problem that kept him out of the lineup for the majority of 2 seasons? Most of the people I've talked to say that it took them over a year to get comfortable with their shoulder after surgery, and that they're still scared of it popping back out years afterwards. If Hemsky is still playing half assed next season I'll jump on the move Hemsky bandwagon but let's give him a year to get comfortable with his bionic shoulders before we run him out of town. Also just curious were you one of the posters who jumped on Gagner after he had a slow start?
I'm THE poster who has NEVER liked Gagner or Hemsky. Or Schremp. Or Mike York. Or Sheldon Souray.....
And thats not to say I am comparing Sam or Ales to any of those examples. Just letting you know who the poster is whom your conversing with.
I simply do not feel either one of them is a good long term fit here. Or short term, at this point.
As for the legitimacy of Hemsky's current injury. No question it can be a struggle. But not every single example of these types of surgeries automatically amounts to an entire season of cheeri-0's. Just some.
Hemsky continues to play like he doesn't want to be hit...not a great way to start a 10 million dollar contract.
He got hit pretty hard towards the end of the game and kept playing. The way he used to play was stupid quite honestly, it's probably better for him to back off from that.
He's getting chances to rack up points, it just seems like he's a little off or ends up getting screwed over by circumstance (ie: today's goal, lol).
Hemsky has been very cavalier on the ice up until this point, and it has gotten him into trouble with injuries. I have no trouble with him taking better care of his body, so that he can remain healthy. He's more effective on the ice than on IR. This is an adjustment process for him, learning to pick his spots a little better than he has in the past. Hemsky has shown that he has no fear, but a price comes with that attitude in terms of injuries. I'm glad he's adjusting his game somewhat to avoid unnecessary injury. Hemsky is not a little man, but he put himself in harm's way too often before. Taking more precautions is a good thing for Hemmer. It's finding a balance that is important, deciding when to commit and when to hold back.
And with his attempts to avoid injury he is playing a game that will never result in him reaching the point totals from the past. Different player, different results.
And with his attempts to avoid injury he is playing a game that will never result in him reaching the point totals from the past. Different player, different results.
I don't really think his game has changed that much. Maybe the 20 games after coming from injury ... yeah he was playing off there.
But the last 15-20 games he's basically doing the same stuff he usually does, just a bit more careful in the corners.
He got hit pretty hard towards the end of the game and kept playing. The way he used to play was stupid quite honestly, it's probably better for him to back off from that.
He's getting chances to rack up points, it just seems like he's a little off or ends up getting screwed over by circumstance (ie: today's goal, lol).
Hemsky is in a bad place - can't compete like he did in the past that allowed him to earn points...
He got hit pretty hard towards the end of the game and kept playing. The way he used to play was stupid quite honestly, it's probably better for him to back off from that.
He's getting chances to rack up points, it just seems like he's a little off or ends up getting screwed over by circumstance (ie: today's goal, lol).
He also delivered one of his vintage flashes on a x-crease break where he couldn't get the backhand bent around. Thats a popular result both pre & post injury.
Hemsky is in a bad place - can't compete like he did in the past that allowed him to earn points...
The thing is battling in the corners and the stuff he used to do with Regeher was stupid anyway. It wasn't really his game (cycling the puck), it's not where he generated any significant portion of his offense from.
He made the same move today (the cut across the middle and deke out the goalie) that almost won the game that he's famous for so he can still do all that stuff just as well. I haven't really noticed any drop off in his skating either.
The thing is battling in the corners and the stuff he used to do with Regeher was stupid anyway. It wasn't really his game (cycling the puck), it's not where he generated any significant portion of his offense from.
He made the same move today (the cut across the middle and deke out the goalie) that almost won the game that he's famous for so he can still do all that stuff just as well. I haven't really noticed any drop off in his skating either.
Hemsky is not the same player that was putting up a point a game...
Hemsky is not the same player that was putting up a point a game...
Not quite, but he's not too far off from that either. At least in the last 20 games or so.
If you want to see a drop off compare Ryan Smyth now to his last season as an Oiler or Horcoff in his All-Star season to today, lol. That's a drop off.
Even though I don't view this as some steal of a signing, it is one less thing to worry about going into the summer, as Hemsky on the 2nd line assures some reasonable level of skill for whoever is on that line to play with.
Not quite, but he's not too far off from that either. At least in the last 20 games or so.
If you want to see a drop off compare Ryan Smyth now to his last season as an Oiler or Horcoff in his All-Star season to today, lol. That's a drop off.
Even though I don't view this as some steal of a signing, it is one less thing to worry about going into the summer, as Hemsky on the 2nd line assures some reasonable level of skill for whoever is on that line to play with.
Smyth is on the verge of his 12 season of 20 goals...that appears fairly consistent to his career output.
Smyth is on the verge of his 12 season of 20 goals...that appears fairly consistent to his career output.
I don't really expect 70-80 points from Hemsky next year, but the fact is he's likely better than anyone realistically that we were going to get off the UFA market.
Hemsky is in a bad place - can't compete like he did in the past that allowed him to earn points...
Outside of a few bad games before tonight, Hemsky has showed a lot of flashes of the old Hemsky. He's skating extremely hard, he's shooting the puck fairly well and he's starting to crash the net a bit more. I think that his linemates are letting him down to be quite honest especially Gagner.
I don't see Hemsky in a bad place at all, i see a lot of encouraging signs from his play in the last 20 games or so.
