Quote:
Originally Posted by Flash Walken
But what if Lazar wasn't on the team taking up a roster spot?
What if the Flames had used that 2nd round pick the exact same way the Senators did and drafted Alex Formenton?
Bennett didn't score a single point this season until he assisted on Jankowski's first goal. It was Bennett's 16th game of the season, and Jankowski's 8th. What if they had started the season together as a line?
The what if could be that horrible things would've happened, but are the flames really better off having moved a 2nd for Lazar so that he was an obstacle keeping Jankowski off the roster? Can we say with the benefit of hindsight that all things considered, that was a series of bad roster decisions by Treliving? Was anyone saying it was bad at the time, without the benefit of hindsight?
What if instead of starting Jankowski in the minors in favour of Lazar and Freddie Freakin' Hamilton the Flames had Janko start the season on the roster and had an extra forward prospect like Formenton to help make up for Janko's absence on the minor league club?
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The very simple point attempting to be made: we don't know those ten days Janko spent in the NHL would have helped him anymore than the very brief AHL start did, and at the end of the day it really makes no difference as he was back up with the big team almost immediately.
Regardless of your thoughts on Lazar, the idea of potentially losing him for nothing when we now know with hindsight Jankowski was back within ten days wouldn't have been productive. I used him as an example as to why some moves are made after training camp that are dependant on certain players waiver statuses. The rant about your distaste with the Lazar trade can be saved for one of the dozen other times someone brings it up organically.