Roster Building (& Training Camp) XXIII: Re-signings, Re-considerations, Recriminations

[Joe McGrath]

He's not bad, his role is simply obsolete. Many teams have already figured out that, while having someone who drops the gloves is useful, having someone who can actually contribute offensively/defensively is better. If you can someone who can do that AND drop the gloves (or agitate to similar effect), that's who you make an effort to keep.

The game has simply passed Lemieux by. Not through any fault of his own, mind you, but the end result is the same.

I think it has more to do with the speed increasing in the league annually than his role. If he were faster he’d be a regular 4th liner anywhere. He’s not though, so to your point he is expendable unfortunately.

 

[AD Skinner]

Roland of mckeown

 

[Lempo]

Should be Sir Roland or somesuch. You can't go around just being some guy of some place

 

[bleedgreen]

Lemieux has been enough of a dirtbag in his career for me to not be upset about him being jettisoned if he was. He’s been a good solider here which I appreciate but we’ve got better choices. He’s good to have against someone who’s pushing us around of course, but that’s a team mentality issue more than anything else imo. We have guys who could shove back if they were so inclined, they just tend to not be. Carrier will likely be a bigger presence day to day that way as he’s got an every day job.

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

Thompson Gunner?

Well aren't you an Excitable Boy?

 

[chaz4hockey]

Lemieux has been enough of a dirtbag in his career for me to not be upset about him being jettisoned if he was. He’s been a good solider here which I appreciate but we’ve got better choices. He’s good to have against someone who’s pushing us around of course, but that’s a team mentality issue more than anything else imo. We have guys who could shove back if they were so inclined, they just tend to not be. Carrier will likely be a bigger presence day to day that way as he’s got an every day job.

Carrier replaces Noesen.

But, Peppy may be needed as a 4th line guy in certain playoff series where Blake would be size vulnerable and/or guys like Necas, Aho are targeted & we don't have big D to utilize either (outside of Burns, and he is not a fighter at this stage of his career).

Metro is "normal" sized but Atlantic has some real big teams (I presume we will make playoffs and first opponent is a Metro team)

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I don't know if the "game passed Lemieux by" as much as he's never been good enough to hold down a full time spot in the first place.

He's only played 50 games in a season twice in his career and never more than 59. He's pretty much always been a bottom line/13th forward type player. On a good team like Carolina, it's going to be even harder to grab a spot.

There's nothing wrong with and he has gone on record that he accepts that role, which is fine.

 

[Stickpucker]

Well aren't you an Excitable Boy?

Only for

 

[chaz4hockey]

Smith recalled form Chicago for the road trip.

 

[hblueridgegal]

For those in need of a Nightcap

 

[A Star is Burns]

For those in need of a Nightcap

Kuzy and an Orlov to be named later for Boom Nikishin

 

[Chan790]

For those in need of a Nightcap

Okay. I mean, I don't think anybody thought we were re-signing Orlov. He was our mercenary signed to be a stop-gap until our young D specs arrived. I mean I wouldn't be mad if he came back next year, I'm just expecting someone has a better offer for him.

I also expect we won't re-sign Burns unless he takes a sweetheart deal.

 

[chaz4hockey]

For those in need of a Nightcap

Saw that about a month ago on twitter. There is a RU blogger that mentioned same.

Makes sense. He’s made his money and loves Russia.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

Okay. I mean, I don't think anybody thought we were re-signing Orlov. He was our mercenary signed to be a stop-gap until our young D specs arrived. I mean I wouldn't be mad if he came back next year, I'm just expecting someone has a better offer for him.

I also expect we won't re-sign Burns unless he takes a sweetheart deal.

Burns makes sense as a 1 year deal. It might be asking a lot for our team to absorb two rookie blueliners in the same year. Burns would also be a fantastic mentor to Nikishin, as well.

 

[Remparts666]

Burns will be gone , morrow and nikishin in .

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

Burns will be gone , morrow and nikishin in .

My dark-horse prediction is that Nikishin will take over for Orlov next season, and then Morrow will take over for Burns the season afterwards.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

I think the Burns decision will depend on if he wants to keep playing. If he retires, obviously, that opens space for us. But if he wants to keep playing, I can see this organization signing him to a 1-2 year deal.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

I think the Burns decision will depend on if he wants to keep playing. If he retires, obviously, that opens space for us. But if he wants to keep playing, I can see this organization signing him to a 1-2 year deal.

2 years is normally very risky for a 40 year old, but admittedly, Burns is the Jagr of right now. I could see Tulsky amenable to that if it kept the cap hit down and gave him more space to add a top forward. If he turns into a potato in the second year, they can just promote Morrow and demote Burns to a 6-7 guy.