Just read the Blackwell thread, so many great reads by fans who knew him before we got him. I didn't even know who he was. But I do not for a second think that this is really coming as a big surprise for whomever in our organization who discovered him and pushed for us to get him inked. I think its the opposite.
This is what a good pro scouting organization should be able to do once in a while. I've been calling our pro scouting out for a while, but this is one they really got right. Not to overhype Blackwell -- but he does bring us exactly what we need. What works in the game today. He makes a difference when he is on the ice, maybe not because that he is a better "player" than other guys that have been played before him, but he really provides a lot in areas we have been really weak in.
This move really provides hopes for the future. And I really hope that the organization as a whole can gain some confidence from it. I mean, Blackwell is valuable to us right now, its perfectly possible that there are 20 organizations out there to which he wouldn't be as valuable because they already have other players that fits his mold and lacks in other areas than we do. As a consequence -- these guys become available from time to time. You can't find depth for free that has everything, but you can certainly find players that are able to perform in a role cut out for them, that haven't performed elsewhere because they never got that opportunity.
What I really want to see more of is management acknowledging issues we have on the roster and fixing what needs to be fixed, even if it won't work out everytime, the alternative -- pretending that it doesn't rain -- won't either.
Definitely provides hope for the future.