Confirmed with Link: Ducks sign Tim Washe to ELC (1 year, $975k)

[TheStuntman]

Good ol' Cronin. Get him a faceoff specialist and only use him once all game. 4D chess.

 

[FiveTacos]

The Ducks were just pioneers back then. None of Andy or Kunitz would be available. And if I remember correctly it was mainly David McNab doing it.

Too bad we missed out on the biggest UDFA ... Marty St. Louis. I totally wanted us to sign him. But hey, everyone else missed too, he didn't even get a full offer out of college. Size bias I guess. Glad we didn't make that mistake with Andy Mac.

Times were very different back then when we talk about college hockey.

The USNTDP and USHL have made it where a lot of guys who in the past would have slipped through the cracks are now getting enough notice to get drafted. I can't even remember the last time a really legit scoring prospect was available as a UDFA from college, whereas they seemed fairly common back then.

It was definitely one of those relatively untapped talent pools back then. Don't think anything like that exists now though, unless there's some league in Asia or Australia or something. Or some pro roller hockey dude (didn't we get Alex Hicks from a roller hockey team?).

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

Good ol' Cronin. Get him a faceoff specialist and only use him once all game. 4D chess.

sounds like when we had good ol' Ben Meyers!

 

[Koffein]

Good ol' Cronin. Get him a faceoff specialist and only use him once all game. 4D chess.

Once Cronin notices the faceoff specialist is currently sporting a 0% career FOW%, I'm sure he will give Washe top-6 minutes and a stint on the top PP unit.

 

[Trojans86]

I missed the game. Any chance he has 3rd line upside?

 

[Big Fat Rebound]

I missed the game. Any chance he has 3rd line upside?

I don't think he'll ever have the offensive profile for it (who knows, maybe he's a late bloomer), but he gives this team an element they've sorely lacked with his willingness to grind in the corners and win puck battles because he's so strong.

Put it this way since they have almost the same build: if Leason played as physically as this man does, he'd be a mainstay in this lineup and/or a NHL regular instead of spending regular stretches in the press box and likely looking for another job that may or may not come.

 

[GreatBear]

I don't think he'll ever have the offensive profile for it (who knows, maybe he's a late bloomer), but he gives this team an element they've sorely lacked with his willingness to grind in the corners and win puck battles because he's so strong.

Put it this way since they have almost the same build: if Leason played as physically as this man does, he'd be a mainstay in this lineup and/or a NHL regular instead of spending regular stretches in the press box and likely looking for another job that may or may not come.

I will be 100% surprised and shocked if the Ducks resign Leason. He has a tantalizing potential due to his size, but he only plays to that potential about one game out of ten. Whether Washe is the replacement or someone else, it is time for the Ducks to move on. Two games is not really enough time to evaluate Washe, but I fully expect that the Ducks already have a deal in place to resign him, so he will certainly have a chance to make next year's team. He certainly fits the profile that Verbeek wants of large players.

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

I don't think he'll ever have the offensive profile for it (who knows, maybe he's a late bloomer), but he gives this team an element they've sorely lacked with his willingness to grind in the corners and win puck battles because he's so strong.

Put it this way since they have almost the same build: if Leason played as physically as this man does, he'd be a mainstay in this lineup and/or a NHL regular instead of spending regular stretches in the press box and likely looking for another job that may or may not come.

I'll never understand how Leason doesn't have someone in his life or even the own foresight to see how valuable he could be if he just used his size and threw a hit a few times a game.

Even if you don't particularly have a passion for the game, you'd think making more money would be somewhat of a motivator but alas not the ducks problem anymore (I hope)

 

[All Mighty]

I'll never understand how Leason doesn't have someone in his life or even the own foresight to see how valuable he could be if he just used his size and threw a hit a few times a game.

Even if you don't particularly have a passion for the game, you'd think making more money would be somewhat of a motivator but alas not the ducks problem anymore (I hope)

He had a really sick move around Pionk earlier in the game. Every now and then you see his talent, but he just doesn’t play with any urgency.

EDIT: This message is about Leason.

 

[Hey234]

He had a really sick move around Pionk earlier in the game. Every now and then you see his talent, but he just doesn’t play with any urgency.

I disagree. I thought he had a strong game and earned more time. He regularly stood in front of the net, is physically strong enough to push people around, skates well, and won multiple faceoffs. He doesn't look like a top 6 player but he definitely looked much better than their current 4th line center. He should have that locked down to start next season IMO.

 

[tomd]

The hope is for a future 4th line combination of Washe-Gaucher-Procyszyn

 

[SmokeyDuck]

I thought he had a strong game. That being said its hard to discern much in two games, when he was barely playing. Had a few nice plays. Would probably be an upgrade over Leason, and possibly Lundestrom.

 

[All Mighty]

I disagree. I thought he had a strong game and earned more time. He regularly stood in front of the net, is physically strong enough to push people around, skates well, and won multiple faceoffs. He doesn't look like a top 6 player but he definitely looked much better than their current 4th line center. He should have that locked down to start next season IMO.

Did you see the message I quoted? I was talking about Leason.

 

[JAHV]

I'll never understand how Leason doesn't have someone in his life or even the own foresight to see how valuable he could be if he just used his size and threw a hit a few times a game.

Even if you don't particularly have a passion for the game, you'd think making more money would be somewhat of a motivator but alas not the ducks problem anymore (I hope)

You don't get to this level without at least some passion and certainly not without hard work. And I guarantee Leason has people telling him exactly what you're saying. I think Cronin has said he's told Leason as much. But at some point, it's just not the way he plays and no amount of coaching or begging or threatening or cajoling will get him there consistently. Players are different. It's not laziness or lack of motivation. It's just Leason's nature.

As for Washe, I wasn't blown away, but he was solid. At the absolute minimum, he can't be worse than Lundestrom. I'm looking forward to seeing what he can bring next year.

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

You don't get to this level without at least some passion and certainly not without hard work. And I guarantee Leason has people telling him exactly what you're saying. I think Cronin has said he's told Leason as much. But at some point, it's just not the way he plays and no amount of coaching or begging or threatening or cajoling will get him there consistently. Players are different. It's not laziness or lack of motivation. It's just Leason's nature.

As for Washe, I wasn't blown away, but he was solid. At the absolute minimum, he can't be worse than Lundestrom. I'm looking forward to seeing what he can bring next year.

I feel like you can change though. I don't expect him to start behaving like Matt Rempe but a little more body contact to go with that size and skill of his and you have a 4th liner (which isn't a bad way to make a living at all)



Darcy Tucker talks a bit about this here. Leason kinda has a similar backstory. Pretty good numbers in the WHL but nothing really happening in the NHL.

 

[mightyquack]

The annoying thing with Leason is, he has stretches where you think he's figured out how to be that 4th line role player where he engages physically, is forechecking hard, goes to the net, plays good defensive hockey and chips in with some offense. Then he'll have a run of games where he tries to play as a skilled perimeter player and just does sweet f*** all and ends up scratched, and the cycle just keeps repeating.

I suspect if Leason ends up in a half way decent organisation, he'll end up being a valuable 4th liner for a handful of years as they'll shake that skilled perimeter player mentality out of him.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

The hope is for a future 4th line combination of Washe-Gaucher-Procyszyn

This makes sense, less players like Leason and more big guys who will actually hit people

 

[JAHV]

I feel like you can change though. I don't expect him to start behaving like Matt Rempe but a little more body contact to go with that size and skill of his and you have a 4th liner (which isn't a bad way to make a living at all)



Darcy Tucker talks a bit about this here. Leason kinda has a similar backstory. Pretty good numbers in the WHL but nothing really happening in the NHL.

I think you have to have it in you somewhere. I think we've seen Leason do it for a game or two, probably because Cronin has told him that's the way to stay in the lineup. And then it fades, because it's not natural or innate for him. Maybe some guys have it buried deep and can find a way to bring it out, but I don't think it's in everyone to play that way.