Checkers III: The Age of Ulf

[SaskCanesFan]

That is the key to the habs success. All the francophones.

So the answer is Gauthier for Galchenyuk. Gets the Habs a francophone while ridding them of a Russian at the same time. Win win

 

[Vagrant]

there's an immense amount of frustration that a lot of players develop when things don't immediately come to them as first year professional players. we do a better job (barely) with the long view as it comes to player development than the guy in the actual situation. when you go from skating in the WJC among the best players in your age group in the world and acquit yourself really well and are a first line player on every team you've ever played on, not having a clearly defined role can be really frustrating and can cause you to question the decision to not play you more despite the objectivity in knowing there are more seasoned and better options on the roster, it can be tough to admit that to yourself if you're a competitor.

he's a year behind guys like Roy and Foegele and it's an important year for a player of his size and stature. Kuokkanen has a more clear path due to being the type of player that typically has immediate professional success with a pedigree of professional hockey and puck skills that keep him in offensive situations. he's behind those guys by merit but he's objectively not able to see that. then you mix in the guys like Zykov, Wallmark, Tolchinsky, Saarela, Miller, etc. and you quickly realize how little room there is for a player that has stumbled out of the blocks a bit. the reason he can't get any straight answers from the team is because that answer would be "you're blocked. sorry. we can't do anything about that until the big club elevates a few of these guys." not exactly the heart warming message you want to give to your first round pick, whose development should be an immediate priority. it's a unique situation and one we haven't encountered where we have some much actual prospect depth that it's tough for even a first round pick to get the icetime he needs to make some strides.

the good thing is that he's not content about his playing time situation. the better thing would be if he uses that as motivation to improve his game instead of an excuse for why it's not clicking for him.

 

[A Star is Burns]

He may be frustrated, but he's coming on production wise. I think he has 6+2 in his last 9 games. It's unfortunate he feels he isn't being communicated with, but if he keeps producing, his time will come. It is a pretty stacked team offensively, so he may just have to wait his turn.

 

[Unsustainable]

Checker did win with the special jersey night, 6-0. Saarela with a trick and Ned with the shut out

 

[JCLA]

glad to see he's coming on, hope it continues.

When the team seems to be scoring 6 times and not and you aren't getting on the score column one way or another, ice time is going to be hard to come by

 

[Hulkacaniac]

Canes and checkers with great wins

 

[Jerkob Slavin]

Checker did win with the special jersey night, 6-0. Saarela with a trick and Ned with the shut out

Was a fun game to see. Cam Newton was there and tossed his hat when Saarela potted #3. A great evening indeed.

 

[geehaad]

I have to wonder about someone's mindset when they have these gripes and they don't address them with the coaching staff. If you have no idea why you're not playing, you should probably attempt to find out, because there's a reason in there somewhere and it's 94% likely to be something you're lacking.

 

[A Star is Burns]

It's funny. You get a few of these interviews a year in another language, and it's like guys don't think about how easily stuff is translated and then spread to the masses, and they say stuff they likely wouldn't in an English interview. I'm sure there's some possibility of stuff being lost in translation too, but it just keeps happening over and over.

 

[MinJaBen]

I have to wonder about someone's mindset when they have these gripes and they don't address them with the coaching staff. If you have no idea why you're not playing, you should probably attempt to find out, because there's a reason in there somewhere and it's 94% likely to be something you're lacking.

Yeah, I wonder about that too, then I remember he is a 20 year old kid. Talking about something that is bothering him with his boss may not be very easy for him.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Yeah, I wonder about that too, then I remember he is a 20 year old kid. Talking about something that is bothering him with his boss may not be very easy for him.

And talking to reporters about it is, right?

Gtfo with that bullshit. Kid needs to man up. This is your f***ing job now.

 

[Anton Babchuk]

I understand the frustration. I mean, if this were the Checkers of 2 or 3 years ago where Chad LaRose, Brody Sutter and Brendan Woods were getting top six ice time he'd probably be playing 20 minutes a game by default. This is easily the most stacked our AHL team has ever been at the forward position; even better than '04-'05 or '10-'11. At the same time it's ridiculous to be publicly complaining 30 games into your 20 year old rookie season. It's not like he was totally dominant in junior hockey; he had just over a PPG as a physically mature 19 year old in the QMJHL. He's not going to be just handed ice time over a bunch of guys who are producing just because he was a 1st round pick.

 

[MinJaBen]

And talking to reporters about it is, right?

Gtfo with that bull****. Kid needs to man up. This is your ****ing job now.

Yeah, because every 20 year old is mature about their interpersonal relationships...

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Yeah, because every 20 year old is mature about their interpersonal relationships...

Not the point. He's certainly entitled to f*** up and learn from it -- but make no mistake, he's f***ing up.

 

[StiffSquid]

Come on Saarela , please stay healthy... And keep on scoring those goals. Maybe eventually you will earn a few games up in the NHL.

Any insight on how his play has looked from someone who has seen him play more than once this year? Would appreciate that

 

[MinJaBen]

Not the point. He's certainly entitled to **** up and learn from it -- but make no mistake, he's ****ing up.

Of course it's not the best way to handle this. And if he were a checkout clerk at the Dollar store, then he'd be fired and go get a job at Food Lion or something. But he's a 20 year old who is making way more than that and is a valuable asset to the organization. Thus, they should probably do a better job of addressing this than to let him wallow in his own mistakes.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

Would it be a waste to have Foegele in a 4LW+PK role next season or would he be better off with another year in Charlotte to develop offensively? Nordstrom is in the last year of his contract and is overpaid for what brings when he isn't playing with Staal.

 

[HisIceness]

 

[Breakdowns]

Would it be a waste to have Foegele in a 4LW+PK role next season or would he be better off with another year in Charlotte to develop offensively? Nordstrom is in the last year of his contract and is overpaid for what brings when he isn't playing with Staal.

I would give him a chance for sure

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Of course it's not the best way to handle this. And if he were a checkout clerk at the Dollar store, then he'd be fired and go get a job at Food Lion or something. But he's a 20 year old who is making way more than that and is a valuable asset to the organization. Thus, they should probably do a better job of addressing this than to let him wallow in his own mistakes.

Sorry. I think he needs to take a little ownership. Clearly you disagree.

 

[MinJaBen]

Sorry. I think he needs to take a little ownership. Clearly you disagree.

I think both sides need to do a better job communicating.

 

[Stickpucker]

Damn Charlotte can score.

 

[Canes]

Crazy that Cam went to a Checkers game. You'd figure he would save his nights out on the town for a Hornets game or something other than minor league hockey. And he even stayed til the end. I like him even more now.

Oh, just saw it was football night. I still like him.

 

[Lempo]

there's an immense amount of frustration that a lot of players develop when things don't immediately come to them as first year professional players. we do a better job (barely) with the long view as it comes to player development than the guy in the actual situation. when you go from skating in the WJC among the best players in your age group in the world and acquit yourself really well and are a first line player on every team you've ever played on, not having a clearly defined role can be really frustrating and can cause you to question the decision to not play you more despite the objectivity in knowing there are more seasoned and better options on the roster, it can be tough to admit that to yourself if you're a competitor.

he's a year behind guys like Roy and Foegele and it's an important year for a player of his size and stature. Kuokkanen has a more clear path due to being the type of player that typically has immediate professional success with a pedigree of professional hockey and puck skills that keep him in offensive situations. he's behind those guys by merit but he's objectively not able to see that. then you mix in the guys like Zykov, Wallmark, Tolchinsky, Saarela, Miller, etc. and you quickly realize how little room there is for a player that has stumbled out of the blocks a bit. the reason he can't get any straight answers from the team is because that answer would be "you're blocked. sorry. we can't do anything about that until the big club elevates a few of these guys." not exactly the heart warming message you want to give to your first round pick, whose development should be an immediate priority. it's a unique situation and one we haven't encountered where we have some much actual prospect depth that it's tough for even a first round pick to get the icetime he needs to make some strides.

the good thing is that he's not content about his playing time situation. the better thing would be if he uses that as motivation to improve his game instead of an excuse for why it's not clicking for him.

Moreover there's the "marketing" angle, as in marketing of yourself: as you said, they are and are supposed to be competitors. If you go around too freely saying that there are plenty of guys better than you, you're giving the optics of giving in there already.

I follow Formula Ones, and with two drivers on each team it's kind of not-many-moving-pieces study on how the guys, who hitheretoforth have been the top in their class, deal with the competition at the top level when the competition has similar background, especially towards the public.

Even if you think or know the other guys are better, you ******* don't go publicly admitting it. Even playing dum is lesser evil, to an extent. There is obviously the possibility that messaging towards the public has a different spin than that towards the team management, who you can subtly let understand that you're vaguely aware that they are in misconception that the 1C is better player than you and that it's a challenge for you and you are up for it.

Who knows, you may even manage to yank for yourself a place to show. Not so if mellow and accepting.

 

[Stickpucker]

I wanted to share this gem