Kyrou is a lot better than Lodnia. Kyrou is undisciplined and turnover-prone but he is pretty clearly the best player on the team. Lodnia was never the best player on any team he played on. Kyrou will play in the NHL.
That said, I agree - trade him. The absolute maximum value must be extracted in any deal involving him. 2nds, 3rds and the best 16 year old the team has.
I don't think Adams is the problem, the players seem to play harder for him than they did Hartsburg, certainly, and he's definitely not underachieving. Not really overachieving, either. Even so, if Dave Brown is out at seasons end then I'm sure Adams goes too. Brown helped bring a title to Erie - I'm grateful for that, but I do think it's time to move on. I wonder if they might "kick him upstairs" into a business
-end role. He shored up the teams ticketing practices after the mess Bassin left and he's done a good job getting every penny possible out of sponsors. If he can tolerate the pay cut he might be worth keeping around as a CFO. I don't know what Waters wants to shell out for front office staff, but I think the GM needs to be able to be 80/20 focused on hockey. It might be 50/50 or worse with Brown.
Agree with all of this.
Sometimes part of the problem, in all of sports and in the real world, is that things just run it’s course or get stale over time. Brown has been here for over a decade and the main guy for nearly a decade. Sometimes it’s just time for a new voice, new ideas, new perspectives. That’s the same for coaching. BJ only a head coach for less than a year so for those clamoring for him to be fired now or mid season - you are off your rockers a bit. He at least deserves a full season and then you reevaluate and make changes at the end. You cannot fire Hartsburg last year and then a year later fire the next guy and/or the GM mid season. It’s a bad look and speaks to total dysfunction. I told everyone on here that they shouldn’t just make the interim guy the head coach, it’s a tale as old as time that sometimes works but more often than not just fails. But a lot of you posters wanted to give BJ a chance and now less than half a year later you want him fired. Pick a side. Full scale changes might be needed by April but nothing this year is going to change unless you are bringing in a head coach like Knoblauch with a top level track record. Otherwise, it’s a bit too late for this year to fix it if you think BJ and/or Dave are the issues.
Again, I think BJ is much better than Hartsburg and at least has a better personality with the fans and media. Hartsburg would not be getting the same out of this team as BJ. Yes, they hit a snag but BJ deserves a few weeks to dig out of it. But long term I’ve questioned the move to BJ since day 1. It’s the same voice. He’s been here now for 7 years, most of which have been down years with a culture of losing. The biggest problem on the ice is a lack of elite talent. The second is the lack of belief and/or knowing how to win. Sometimes a new voice can change culture.
Looking ahead - I’m so interested to see how Molnar looks and if he can add in instant top 6 type of talent. If so, and if this team gets healthy, they will have a good blend of forwards and there is no reason for them not to get into the low to mid 30s for wins. But if they are a sub 30 win team this year, that’s wildly unacceptable and warrants major changes from GM to the coach and to the scouts. Will JW do such an aggressive, expensive approach? I have my doubts but it’s going to be a delicate situation if they can’t improve by year end. With Molnar here, the lack of talent excuse is dwindling. No reason this team can’t be better and winning more than below .500…
Regarding Kyrou - I have so many doubts he will traded with Molnar here now and quite honestly that pisses me off just thinking about it. He’s the best asset we have had the chance to move since Raddysh. We lost out on Drysdale and imo that was the most underrated damaging thing that has happened to us during these bleak years. Kyrou has his issues but part of that is Erie allowing him to play a bit unstructured because they need the skill/offense from him. If he goes somewhere with better coaching and more structure, he might be more balanced in his game. Either way, he’s the best point producing defender in the league so Erie should be able to get a top 2005 or 2006 and 4 high end picks. If DB can get an offer for a 2006 that they liked prior to the 2022 draft and they can get 4/5 top level picks, then I think he will pull the trigger. Almost any other GM would in this situation. I just worry how aggressive he will be with trying to sell versus trying to save his job and make the playoffs. But here is the thing Dave, you at best are heading for a first round playoff exit. Kyrou doesn’t change that. Cash in those chips now. It might be a situation where it’s them only pulling the trigger on an offer they just couldn’t refuse. But DB should be dangling him out there now and starting a bidding war, driving up the price, and going for gold.
With Molnar here as an 05, Terrance a promising 05, Spence a special 06, Gibbons a high goalie pick 06, and a few younger defensive prospects - that’s a decent start to a core. You add in a 2006 first rounder and 4/5 picks, that might be something. Brown simply has to trade Kyrou but I fear he won’t…
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