at the time of the trade i said krajicek was the reason i was most upset about the deal. trading luongo had to happen, but the inclusion of krajicek was idiotic - and i suspect (purely speculation on my part, but it makes sense) that he moreso than luongo was what ended up splitting martin/keenan for good. martin liked krajicek, you could tell he did. he rode him hard early on and when krajicek started to wear down in the second half, he stayed with him. he has always been high on the euro-skill type and krajicek was the only one we had from the backline.
anyway, i wouldn't get overly excited yet. he is playing well, but he started off well last year too. (12 points in his first 27 games, 4 in his last 40...and florida was a far better team in the second half) i think he will eventually become a tomas kaberle-caliber defensman, but he still looks too frail and hesitant offensively to talk him up as much as canuck fans have been lately.
I too didn't understand why the hell we gave up Krajicek in the deal. Although i didn't understand the trade altogether lol.
I don't think he'll ever put up big numbers though. He has a weak shot, and i just don't see him ever putting up huge numbers.
In a Q&A in the Vancouver Sun with hockey beat reporter Elliot Pap yesterday Krajicek seemed happy to be in a hockey obsessed market:
Quote:
Q: You played 90 NHL games for the Panthers before the big June trade to vacouver. How would you describe living in south Florida?
A: It's like paradise and I think it would be great if you're and older player so you could retire there. It's beautiful weather all the time, just a great place. But hockey-wise, you don't feel any atmosphere. People don't talk about the game. In Vancouver, the atmosphere is great. I mean I want to play hockey, I don't want to be on vacation for seven months.
In a Q&A in the Vancouver Sun with hockey beat reporter Elliot Pap yesterday Krajicek seemed happy to be in a hockey obsessed market:
Glad he likes playing out there. He's really turned on his game this season and has done more than expected of him, thus he's been awarded with more trust and playing time. Good to see, the change has really done him well.
I really like Allen so far. He's got good points totals so far, has helped Bouw focus more on his game and not making up for other guys' mistakes, and he's been pretty solid on defense. Was a good trade, so far.
Just need to get Bert back on the ice. Hopefully Auld will continue to do well.
__________________ Gudbranson fanboy and defender for liiiiiife!
Glad he likes playing out there. He's really turned on his game this season and has done more than expected of him, thus he's been awarded with more trust and playing time. Good to see, the change has really done him well.
I really like Allen so far. He's got good points totals so far, has helped Bouw focus more on his game and not making up for other guys' mistakes, and he's been pretty solid on defense. Was a good trade, so far.
Just need to get Bert back on the ice. Hopefully Auld will continue to do well.
Best thing that happened to Krajicek was pairing him up with Willie Mitchell who is very solid defensively and seems to be teaching him the finer points of the defensive game while freeing him up to freelance a little bit more. He is also very good at pinching down and stopping breakouts. His skating is excellent which suits him for the up tempo forechecking system that Alain Vigneault has instituted.
Krajicek scored his first goal of the season a week ago in Nashville with a quick snap shot from the top of the left faceoff circle to win the game 4-3 in OT against a very good Thomas Vokoun. In that game only Ohlund and Salo played more minutes than he as he clocked in with about 21:30. He also blocked 3 shots in the game.
He has 3 points thus far and is +2. He has been on the second power play unit as well as killing penalties with Mitchell. His only weakness thus far has been trying to force pucks up the middle on breakouts.
I absolutely hated to see Krajicek go. I would have rather given up Stewart (who has a fair share of potential in his own right--even if he is not a defenseman). Krajicek impressed me even last year: he was drafted as an offensive defenseman, who mostly saw time--the little that he was first given--on the powerplay, and worked his way to becoming a penalty killer, powerplay quarterback and decent five-on-five defenseman.
Needless to say, I'm not thrilled about losing him. Nor am I thrilled about losing Novak (does anyone know what's happened to him?), now that I think of it. This defense could be a lot better if the organization were more patient with players.
Needless to say, I'm not thrilled about losing him. Nor am I thrilled about losing Novak (does anyone know what's happened to him?), now that I think of it. This defense could be a lot better if the organization were more patient with players.
Interesting. Wasn't he at some point last year the Senators' number one defensive prospect?
He was their best AHL dman last year, but not their best defensive prospect. He played decent when he was up with the big club for a while but didn't get a new contract for it.
There no longer our players I could give a r**s *** how there doing on the ice.
what it's worth, some of us follow hockey players up through the minor ranks, junior, and college; and keep track of their careers regardless of which NHL team they happen to end up on (the same way people do with high school, college, and NFL players). There are like-minded hockey fans (not just Panther fans) who are regulars on this board, and who are interested in how other players (including ex-Panthers like Krajicek) are doing. Hockey is a great sport.
Last edited by Happy Girl: 11-07-2006 at 06:34 AM.
Reason: Flame
Just thought I'd give you guys an update on his play with Vancouver. He's logging over 20 minutes per game for the Canucks, as well as a monsterous 28:14 tonight.
He's a +2 with 2 points in 11 games this season.
I've been so impressed by his skating, absolutely amazing how quick he gets up in the play.
How's Allen doing?
He only played so much because Mitchell/salo/Fitzpatrick were out. Otherwise he would not have played nowhere near those numbers. He has been surprisingly comfortable on the ice, but I think he needs to work heavily on his point shot (or lack there of) to make him a weapon, as of now opposing teams know he has no shot, and he needs to really pick and choose his times to pinch up in the rush, as I've seen him create 2 on 1's for the other team more than once. Other than that he is good and will continue to improve
