As long as BriseBois is saying "Isaac, we're working hard to open up cap space, just wait a week for space to accrue, then we'll send someone down, and sign you, give you 2-3 games before the season ends."
Good point, but I would think an agent (assuming he has contracted one) would have seen this and been prompting JBB accordingly..?
I came here to say this. You could have asked me 2 weeks ago and I'd have been fully expecting Howard to be at Michigan State even as the morning of April 2nd
www.eliteprospects.com
Hard pass, NCAA route players are developing better than ever for the NHL. BriseBois had months to plan for this & he hasn't figured it out yet. Not a good look so far for him.
Difference is Howard is good enough to get games with us right now to end the season. It's not like he's just an ok NCAA player like Klavs Veinbergs or Cooper Flinton.
I agree. While I don't think thks situation should preclude Tampa from drafting NCAA players in the future, they just have to be prepared for these possibilities. Tampa rarely bends to players trying to leverage them or "skip the line" so to speak. Howard likely gets limited ice time in one game and then goes to Syracuse, where he can have the chance to gain experience and then earn his spot next season if warranted.
Kreider, Gaudreau, Boeser, Makar, Hughes, Pinto, Power, Beniers, Johnson, Hughes, Knies, Hutson, Blake, Brindley, Nazar, Gauthier, Leonard, Perreault weren't skipping the line, they were good enough to play in the NHL right out of the NCAA. While Howard is not on all of those guys' level, he's certainly good enough to play to end the season, certainly deserves a shot ahead of middling to underwhelming guys on the Lightning like Girgensons, Chaffee, Atkinson.
Yeah Howard is good and all, but he hasn't played with men yet. Give him like 10 minutes for one meaningless game here. The issue is we are in a tight race for first place. The team wants 1st in the division. They are clicking. Bringing in Howard as a variable is not a good idea. Once the team has a good idea what spot they are landing on, bring him in for a game. Its the only way to properly do it. I don't understand how everyone is just like "SIGN HIM NOW! LET HIM PLAY!" when the team is finally clicking and firing on all cylinders. No need to fiddle with it now, he can wait until the second to last game of the season to sign and play one game if need be.
Chaffee is barely playing, neither is Atkinson. Girgensons for all the shit he gets, its all just the fact he can't score. Girgensons has been pretty effective everywhere else aside from the scoreboard. People just needed a new whipping boy and the guy who is not scoring is an easy target. You remove Girgensons from the line up for Howard? Then you take a complete hit defensively.
The idea of signing him now is primarily to burn a year of his ELC. If he wanted ice time, or a smooth transition to pro, he'd be on an ATO with Syracuse and looking to earn a spot in the NHL next season.
Sure, thats what he wants. But thats not what I am talking about. I am talking from the teams perspective and even from a fans perspective. Why would the team care what he wants when they are in a battle right now? As a fan, when the team is wining like they are, and battling for that first spot, I would much rather not throw some variable in the mix.
Because you have to guarantee Howard a few NHL games to end the season in order to get him signed
If we don't let him burn a year, he might end up signing with the Rangers.
Oh screw you man. Not for any reason but because you're probably right and I hate it
Yes, again, but from the teams perspective. They choice is
I seriously don't think the team cares about 1st in the Atlantic. They seem to care more about home ice in the 1st Round
