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Post by sensspiritfan on Jul 13, 2008 16:05:38 GMT -5
With the Spirit having so many Dmen what are the chances of one or more being moved for a scoring forward.
The Spirit have Comrie, Crawford, Breen, Brodie, Oglive, Sol, Underwood right now before training camp starts.
4 of these are 1990's that attended or are going to attend NHL rookie camps. This age of Dmen that have the minutes played like these four are wanted by most teams.
I thought I read where the Spirit had signed a second 91 Dman from Guelph - I think his name is Nick Trecapelli who was the 8th round pick from 2007.
They selected 5 Dmen in the 2008 draft 2 being big boys.
Who do you think will go and what/who would you like to get in exchange?
I would guess that either Crawford or Brodie will be moved maybe with Ryan Daniels ( if he comes back ) as a package.
I think Comrie and Underwood are going to stay because they are US boys.
London is a team that needs a goaltender but what would they give up in return.
Matt Martin of Sarnia would be a very good pick-up. He can score and will not back down from anyone, a real team player.
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Post by donjohnson on Jul 13, 2008 18:04:00 GMT -5
brodie will be moved before crawford...he's got more value on the open market. I don't see Comrie moving, i think he's going to be the anchor for us for the next couple of years (similar to McNeil).
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Post by igive2 on Jul 13, 2008 19:02:01 GMT -5
So if you are an american you won't be traded?
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Post by hockeyfollower on Jul 13, 2008 20:11:08 GMT -5
If you read Goslins comment when Sanderson was acquired he stated along the line that it was good to get another American for Todd Watson.
I thought it was an odd comment but maybe others read it that he preferred to have USA born players.
So maybe American players will be kept. Like I said odd comment hopefully it wasnt meant that way.I would prefer we kept the best players regardless of nationality
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Post by newguy on Jul 14, 2008 6:38:15 GMT -5
Is there a link to where he said that? Just curious. I guess I read most Saginaw Spirit news on Mlive, but if anything, maybe he meant he prefers a healthy balance of Americans and Canadians.
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Post by hockeyfollower on Jul 14, 2008 7:01:02 GMT -5
It was on Spirit website June 14 2008,it will be under archives. Exact quote was Putting another American player in the mix of our roster is a nice element for coach Todd Watson.
Why not just say something along the lines of another quality player for the coach.
I do think Sanderson will add some definite grit to the line up and Spirit fans will be happy with his effort.
Like I said before I found the comment odd.
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Post by IGive1 on Jul 14, 2008 7:16:37 GMT -5
I remember seeing Goslin's quote about 'another American". I thought it was odd as well. I don't really like when Goslin talks about the team's play or it's personnel, since I don't think he really knows what he is talkig about.
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Post by eaglei12 on Jul 14, 2008 7:37:16 GMT -5
Weren't both 1st and 2nd round draft picks this draft both American as well?
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Post by donjohnson on Jul 14, 2008 7:43:42 GMT -5
fellas/ladies...it's been no secret that it's been a goal of management to lure some of the top american players to Saginaw. Just like the top Canadian teams like London, Kitchener and Ottawa attract the top players north of the border, G&G want Saginaw to be the place American players want to go and having top players like Comrie and Murovich is only the beginning.
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Post by newguy on Jul 14, 2008 13:52:51 GMT -5
"Only the beginning?"
Perhaps but they've got a long uphill climb to be as respected as Plymouth is. The Whalers offer:
a) a winning tradition
b) stability in management
c) a LOT more scouts to view your home games because of location
d) closer to Metro Detroit, which let's face it, does have a few more attractions like concerts, major sporting events, etc.
e) a lot more drafted players over the years
Not saying that Saginaw can't improve their prospects, and if anything, they can change A, B, and E a lot easier than they can C and D.
Cities in Ontario like Barrie, the Soo, and Sudbury fight the same uphill battles, but because they've established winning programs, it's easier to make it happen. Just an observation, but the Spirit are probably nowhere near as established as they'd have like to have been after six years in the business.
But I won't argue that Murovich and Comrie are good building blocks. But given the circus-like revolving door of the first few seasons, it's hard to blame players like Phil Kessel or Kevin Porter or even Bobby Ryan for having no interest in Saginaw. They all made the right decisions.
If I'm not mistaken, Comrie is the second American Spirit player drafted while playing in Saginaw, yes? Mike Brown being the first. Combs wasn't and hasn't been and Nigel Williams was already drafted before arriving.
My point being, an agent of an American player is going to look and say..."hmmm - TWO American-born players drafted from their organization in six years?" Not a very good percentage, let's go play CCHA Hockey instead...
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Post by teamspirit08 on Jul 14, 2008 14:34:02 GMT -5
So "newguy" you seem to make the assumption that Americans are automatically drafted if they don't play in Saginaw?
By my count the Spirit have drafted 32 Americans since the franchise started - but only 2 who went the NCAA were drafted (Kessel and Porter).
Cheque books get American players nowadays - not stability of an organization.
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Post by newguy on Jul 14, 2008 14:41:33 GMT -5
Drafted by an NHL team. N H L. I listed two guys drafted (Kessel and Porter who were obviously Spirit draft picks. But now I know it's 32. I thought that was obvious what I was referring to. I'll be more precise from now on  And it's an educated guess that a player might see Plymouth as a more attractive OHL destination, especially if he played for Honeybaked, Little Caesars or Belle Tire. As for Erie, they'd have a tough time competing with either Michigan team with their recent track record, which echoes Saginaw's awful first few seasons, maybe WORSE! |
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Post by IGive1 on Jul 14, 2008 15:20:42 GMT -5
Plymouth has a HUGE advantage in getting American kids over the Spirit due to the great minor hockey programs in Metro Detroit. Detroit area kids can play in the league and live at home or almost at home. Leaving home is a tough decision for 16 or even 17 year olds. They also have played minor hockey games at Compuware arena during the youth so they are very familiar with it. Its not an even close comparison.
Just a note on Kessel.... I think he would have been drafted high regards if he played in Saginaw or at Minnesota. I think one could argue his develop in the OHL might be a little better than the relatively few games they play in college. I personally think he has been a disappointment as a pro. He really avoids contact and not much of a play maker.
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Post by newguy on Jul 14, 2008 21:07:17 GMT -5
Just a note on Kessel.... I think he would have been drafted high regards if he played in Saginaw or at Minnesota. I think one could argue his develop in the OHL might be a little better than the relatively few games they play in college. I personally think he has been a disappointment as a pro. He really avoids contact and not much of a play maker. Wow. I disagree. Only one player from that draft has played more games and that's Jordan Staal. Kessel was 19-18-37 and stayed healthy enough to play in all 82 games. He averaged a point a game in the playoff series after being scratched at the start of the postseason. There's nobody drafted below him in that 2006 draft who I'd rather have than him except maybe his teammate, Milan Lucic, and even then I'm not sure. It's a great draft ahead of him with Erik Johnson, Staal, Toews, and Backstrom so he is kinda the "ugly duckling" of the Top 5. Next year is the year where he can't use the cancer he doggedly beat as an excuse, not that he did, but he would have been allowed to. As for Saginaw, I'd be shocked if he'd have gone that high in the draft playing for the Spirit. 1. He would have had to come right away in 03-04. 2. He was playing with better talent (at a different age) in Ann Arbor with the likes of Pat Kane, Peter Mueller, Kevin Porter, Jack Johnson, Erik Johnson, Kevin Montgomery, and Jack Skille, among others. Talent level NOT even close to either the 03-04 or 04-05 Saginaw Spirit. 3. He would never have made World Juniors that first season - his coming out party as it were. OHL kids have a tough enough time making it. 4. His draft status would never go that high. 5. Playing in the WCHA Finals compared to NO playoffs in the OHL (you might be able to convince me Saginaw is a playoff team in 2005 if he's there) -- zero comparison exposure-wise. 6. That line of Suggs-Courtney-Kessel would have been something else. I'm kidding about #6. Again no knock on the Spirit, but Kessel did the absolute right thing for his career by staying the heck away. |
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Post by IGive1 on Jul 15, 2008 6:51:33 GMT -5
That's fine. Mike Milbury former NHL GM, former Bruin player and I'm guessing he has seen Kessel play a lot in Boston, has the same opinion of his play.
On your points:
#2 He played on a very talented team in that very tough NAHL league
#3 your assumption
#4 your assumption
Welcome to the board Newguy. Please keep us informed on things in the Eastern Conference.
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