I dont know if you can really blame Sutter, as I recall he was projected to be a top 3 Dman, and some teams obviously thought he had the tools, he just never put it together.
Pelech
Chucko
Nemiesz
Erixon
Either Sutter picked the wrong players or the Flames developing system was bad.
In hindsight you can even add Ohaneuf to that list.
Part of me wants to see a 'what if...he didn't demand a trade and stick with the Flames' thing. We don't really any young D other than Wotherspoon who can play in the NHL right now so it might be a good gamble and hope Bob Hartley's magic with the young guys rub on him and he turn out to be a decent borderline #4 and #5 D with potential becoming a Brodie or Giordano type when he developed. I've seen him play in World Junior and they use him as a point on PP. Maybe he might be suited to Flames D system...who knows. Maybe Giordano can rub off his work ethic on him. If he doesn't cut it next season, then they can trade him again and hope we get some decent draft pick(s) on the trade.
Should we pick him up? Not sure. Depends if his attitude change already. Also, what is his contract situation is right now?
Flames don't need this guy. Like one poster said if anything a 3-4 defencemen is what we need. I would even settle for a decent 5-6 guy. Erixon is neither.
I wouldn't even waste the labor costs of claiming his just to sit him & punish him. It would be bad karma for us to do that to a guy. Let him pursue his dream - the Flames shouldn't claim him just to punish him.
Live and let live.
There is no way the flames would claim him just to punish him. That is just an odd fantasy some people have for some reason. If the flames claim him, it will be because they believe he has some value to their team.
Even if Erixon is only slightly better than garbage, it would be worth picking him up to push actual garbage out of the lineup (ie Engelland)
No way we claim him. Management wants character guys and Erixon sure displayed his character in spades.
Overall Erixon did us a favor by refusing to sign here. He couldn't even stick around with any of the teams he's bounced around with. Who's to say he'd have done any better here just because Gio and Brodie have turned out pretty good? He's a tool but he got us Granlund, Sieloff and Horak. If he'd have stayed we'd be proclaiming him as the next Pelech and yet another 1st round bust. Him refusing to sign was a blessing in disguise.
The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Huntingwhale For This Useful Post:
Either Sutter picked the wrong players or the Flames developing system was bad.
In hindsight you can even add Ohaneuf to that list.
Phaneuf? He will likely play 1300+ games in the NHL when it's all said and done. He was a fine pick given what was known at the time. If Sutter traded him for appropriate return, Phaneuf would not be so hated by everyone.
Flames don't need this guy. Like one poster said if anything a 3-4 defencemen is what we need. I would even settle for a decent 5-6 guy. Erixon is neither.
I wouldn't even waste the labor costs of claiming his just to sit him & punish him. It would be bad karma for us to do that to a guy. Let him pursue his dream - the Flames shouldn't claim him just to punish him.
Live and let live.
Are you ready to trade our 1st and Wotherspoon to get one? Because thats what top 4 dmen are going for right now.
The Following User Says Thank You to RyZ For This Useful Post:
No way we claim him. Management wants character guys and Erixon sure displayed his character in spades.
Overall Erixon did us a favor by refusing to sign here. He couldn't even stick around with any of the teams he's bounced around with. Who's to say he'd have done any better here just because Gio and Brodie have turned out pretty good? He's a tool but he got us Granlund, Sieloff and Horak. If he'd have stayed we'd be proclaiming him as the next Pelech and yet another 1st round bust. Him refusing to sign was a blessing in disguise.
People can change and personally I believe in second chances. The question is, has he changed? He has value as a depth player on a team with no depth (ie Calgary)
My first impulse is to claim him but than I remember that time he was playing for the Rangers and there was a big blowup between the two teams and Tom just headed for the bench. He didn't have to fight, just grab on to one of the other players. From that I'd guess he's just one of those players who doesn't want to stand up for his teammates. He'll fit in well back in Sweden.
I forgot about this. Thank you for Granlund and Wotherspoon, Tom.
__________________ ”All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you.”
I remember being excited at the time, he was highly regarded. Looked like a great pick, honestly I think his own ego has likely ruined his career more than anything. Hard to predict something like that. I wonder how the interview went with Erixon prior to drafting him, would've loved to be a fly on the wall for that in hindsight. Assuming they interviewed him that is...
Remember the hype he had after the World Juniors?
Shame everything happened the way it did, he could have been a great compliment with Brodie.
Anyways, I'd pick him up. Still only 23, might be able to turn him into something half decent.
The Following User Says Thank You to MrMastodonFarm For This Useful Post:
