Quote:
Originally Posted by New Era
I've said this at the start of the season, resign Stempniak and send the rest of the UFAs out on the best deal you can find, and that includes a 4th rounder for junk like Jackman, Mr. Feaster!
I'd be very happy too see Giordano as the leader on the blueline and Stempniak as the leader up front. Both are character guys and play hard. Just the example you want the young guys coming in to see.
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How does Stempniak play hard and lead? The first sign of leadership is compalining about team effort after he is a -3.
That was his first fight in a couple of years. He averages 1 hit per game and doesn't block shots. He is not the guy that you put out at the end of a close game either to score a goal or prevent one.
Stajan and Backlund are ahead of him on the PK. He gets over 2 minutes a game on the PP and has delivered exactly one assist.
He is a very streaky scorer whose good streaks are not as good as Glencross or Bourque and bad streaks are legendary.
He is at the very best one of worst 2nd line RW in the league and does not make the top-6 on anything but a very weak team.
Next year with Monahan Baertschi and Hudler becoming a clear #1 line.
Glencross and David Jones with a yet as unnamed centre (Colbourne/Backlund/Jankowski/Knight) being the 2nd line where does Stempniak fit in?
There are the 4 guys on the current roster with less than 100 NHL games... and 2 with Brodie at 123 and Backlund at 188. After this season Monahan will be the only guy with less than 100 games.
I expect 3-4 more guys with less than 80 games will be on next years team..... a #5 D man Sieloff-Ramage-Wotherspoon or Breen and 2 or maybe 3 forwards - Rienhart or Knight or and a scorer Gaudreau , Granlund or jankowski. One of the new forwards gets treated like Monahan/Colbourne the others like Baertschi.... sitting a few
If somebody is signed as a UFA I would much rather have Cammalleri for 3 more years at 4M rather than Stempniak at 2.