The thing about Stafford is you would have liked to have seen some of this spark when it mattered and not just when you know it's the end of the season and you're playing for a contract.
I think we’re just getting a little too sentimental here.
As much as I’ve talked about the goaltending this year and believe it was more horrific goaltending that derailed us and destroyed our season so early, this team still didn’t get results. And when a team doesn’t get results and finishes with a poor record, changes need to be made. Fat needs to be trimmed, so to speak. And players like current Stafford are not good. Noesen had a poor year (injured or not) and while I was all for giving him another chance next year, he’s done nothing since that beast mode game in Vancouver.
He’s not good enough to bring back, Stafford isn’t good enough to bring back.
He’s here playing so much because we stink.
He got his last chance contract from us in late August of 2017 when he went almost two months into free agency unsigned. He got another chance with the PTO this past year. He’s gotten worse since he came here and his point production since November of 2017 is a joke. Even with this recent surge. This is a player that isn’t good anymore having a hot streak. Remember Bobby Farnham’s streak a few years back?