Quote:
Originally Posted by GioforPM
It's not nonsense. I don't think the team values leadership over skill. None of the three guys you mentioned where brought in because of only skill and intangibles. Boruwer and Stajan were considered legit top 6 guys at the time and Hamonic was (and is) a terrific defender.
The point is that the skilled guys need some work on their compete level, including Johnny and Hamilton IMO. Tkachuk not so much - but he was born into it. IMO you want skilled guys with buy-in and leadership, otherwise you have Edmonton. Or Buffalo, arguably.
This is not to say that Johnny, Monahan, Hamilton, Jankowski, Bennett can't all improve their level - they can. Look at Hall. Look at Brett Hull. Look at Mackinnon. Look at Kessel. They all, IMO, improved their level of competitiveness. Johnny has it in him, we've all seen it. I think the others do too. I think it's been hard on Monahan in the last few weeks and we're going to hear about his injury soon.
But don't tell me the skilled guys brought it the last few important games - they didn't.
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If Hamonic is a terrific defender, I'm certainly not seeing on the ice and it's definitely not showing up in the underlying numbers. Brouwer had been on the decline for several seasons. Stajan keeps getting any ice time at all.
This team has more wasted cap space than any other team in the league.
I'll say it again, these guys are supposed to be providing leadership, because they aren't providing any other positive for this team. Our 4th line gets ice team when the team is trailing late in the 3rd period. Brouwer gets more powerplay time than Tkachuk or Hamilton.
If you think somebody like Gaudreau is a problem at all for this team, your evaluation is simply wrong. How many players contributed more to their team's offence this season? How many teams have as wide a gap between their 1st leading scorer and their 2nd?
This team is going to absolutely blow it. We make fun of the Oilers trading Hall and Eberle for nothing and it looks like the Flames are going to do something they'll regret this summer.