Trade Rumors and Free Agent TalkTrade rumors, transactions, and free agent talk. Rumors must contain the word RUMOR in post title. Proposals must contain the word PROPOSAL in post title.
I may have misremembered on the Polak-Jackman pairing. I thought they played together a decent amount. Now that I think about it, maybe not.
I do remember Polak and Russell played together a good amount in the regular season when Russell played(only 43 games for STL). I don't think being with Polak was the reason that Russell's game stepped up a notch. If so, where was it in the regular season?
This is how I'd do it:
Pietrangelo-Russell
Shattenirk-Jackman
Polak-Redden
I'm going to say first that Redden's intentions were always good and he seems like a decent enough guy. So I hope he can salvage anything with the Blues. That being said, I think some people don't understand that, even ignoring the contract, Wade Redden had no business being in the NHL the last two years. He was a healthy scratch for the CONNECTICUT WHALE at times last season. The first few years he was a 2 million dollar defenseman being paid $6.5M. But he could have been making the league minimum and the Rangers probably would not have put him on the ice at any point last season.
He has lost a step and a half and wasn't good in the A. Maybe he can find new motivation playing back in the NHL but then what does that say about his overall attitude.
__________________
"Trust me I'm an expert, I watched 13 rangers games on NHL center Ice this year through streaming." -Starburst
"I don't even understand what the point of all this arguing is. Are you guys hoping that the other side is going to have an epiphany and go 'Oh, OH! You're right, we ARE going to lose this series!'" -Crease
He's decent against skilled teams, but he gets murdered in the corners.
Correct. Keeping pace is another of his problems. Size, strength, skating--he's lagging in all those categories. $800K isn't a lot though between him and Woywitka I'd go with Jeff--if only because Woywitka is bigger and stronger. Otherwise they're about even.
Correct. Keeping pace is another of his problems. Size, strength, skating--he's lagging in all those categories. $800K isn't a lot though between him and Woywitka I'd go with Jeff--if only because Woywitka is bigger and stronger. Otherwise they're about even.
Exactly. Blues fans are happy that Woywitka is being sent down... I'd rather have him on the ice. At least he can skate decently and is willing to throw his body around. At this point in his career, watching Wade Redden attempting to seal the boards with a winger skating by is like watching a tank try to do a K turn. The number of hooking and tripping penalties he is forced into because of his lack of foot speed is absolutely maddening.
You can go ahead and bet that Wade has a decent year if he gets playing time with the Blues. Just how things work.
__________________
I feel like this is such an appropriate quote for these boards...
"Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level, and then beat you with experience"-Mark Twain
Would you play at your best if you knew there was no way for you to play yourself onto an NHL squad? I'm going to think that Redden's problems are/were partly mental. Hopefully I don't have to eat crow for saying that. If he comes in with a chip on his shoulder he could end up being a very good pick up.
Probably the smartest thing Redden has ever done. A defenceman deciding to go to the most defensively sound team in the league. Unless he is BRUUUTAL, he will get a multiyear contract after this year.
Would you play at your best if you knew there was no way for you to play yourself onto an NHL squad? I'm going to think that Redden's problems are/were partly mental. Hopefully I don't have to eat crow for saying that. If he comes in with a chip on his shoulder he could end up being a very good pick up.
This was prior to him even being sent down. In his last year on the NHL squad he was brutal. All reports from Connecticut were that he was a very good presence in the locker room, a good leader, helped mentor the young kids, etc. Intentions were completely in the right place. He just isn't a very good hockey player anymore.
