I have zero issues getting into it with certain posters. Dirty and I have had many differing opinions and discussions but they have always been courteous for the most part. We disagree on Peterborough. We agree on lots of things. We go at it often when we disagree but we still have a mutual respect for each other and our discussions can be interesting, if not sometimes over the top.
Just remember, this whole discussion started with me saying the Petes should wait out the market before they make any moves involving Lardis and/or JVV. The reason why I stated that is the same reason as what Analyser is saying. BARRIE. Barrie has the ability to upset the apple cart. They are a reasonably decent team right now. They could add Clarke and Sale without moving one single asset to do it. They have ten 2nd round picks through 2026, many of them in the 2024 draft which would be very valuable to teams looking for picks to trade next deadline (Kingston, Saginaw, SSM).
If Barrie goes nuts, I am not sure many teams, Peterborough included, could truly match up. I would hate to see a team like Peterboough with limited traditional trade assets feel the need right now to move Lardis and JVV because they are short on picks only to watch Barrie on Monday leave them in the dust going, “WTF just happened?”
Then the discussion turned to what the term ELITE should mean. I hold a much higher bar it seems than many. I never discredited one single player. In fact, I gave each player credit for what they have done. I just hold them up to a higher stranded for the term elite. IMO, there should only be 2-3 elite lines in the league. Apparently others think there should be 12-20 of them based on the standard criteria required. I believe players should demonstrate their ability presently before we anoint them in a certain way. Elevating them for what they have done in the past on a different team, for example, and then automatically applying that level to their new team is not productive. That can work both ways. A player that underperformed with one franchise can turn it around with a new franchise jsut the same as one player in a run and gun system with one franchise can see a drop in numbers with another franchise. It happens. Go out, prove it, and then make the statement. The Petes as a team and their newly formed “top line” have not had an opportunity to prove anything to date.
I will be the first person in line to support the term Elite Line related to any line provided they are truly elite and they have proven it. Go do it first. Until then, the term should be, ”I think this line could be elite by the end of the season if they keep playing this way.” I can support that. But to suggest the line is elite just because you think it is based on no statistics to date other than a few games is just plain silly. That like suggesting a kid with 8 goals in his first four games of the season is going to score 136…. Do it for a half season. That is a solid sample size.
