Toughness Question

[donjohnson]

Yes, everyone here knows how I feel about the role toughness (not just fighting) plays on a strong hockey team. My question for the board is:

"Who is going to provide the toughness for the Spirit this season?"

My Opinion:

Without having been to any scrimmages to see the toughness of prospects, I see realistically only two players that are willing to rough people up in the corners and that is Tom Craig and Ryan Berard. Both of these guys will not hesitate to go into the corners, bang some bodies, and fight if they have to.

Some of you will say that Nigel Williams is as tough or tougher when he lays people out with his big hits...I will give you that point but what I don't like out of him as a dman is that he consistently backs down after those hits when challenged for a fight. For having so many big (sometimes cheap) hits, to have 0 fights on the season leaves me to believe that Nigel is pseudo-tough and unwilling to stand up for his teammates.

I am interested to read what the rest of you think about this. We have to have a way to protect scorers like Mursak because if he gets beat up all season, the L Column will start adding up.

[sailordog]

While I think that fighting just to fight is not beneficial in today's game, I would very much agree with DJ that we do need toughness. Perhaps we could get some from Chris Breen and maybe even Clouthier, both of whom are big. Then there are Crawford and Brodie?

I do thing that eventually Williams will have to back at least 1 or 2 of his hits up with his fists.

[sagspiritsfan]

Sailordog -

Now I do realize that we have this new whole no name calling or put downs rule on this message board...

But please tell me you were 100% being sarcastic when you mentioned Nick Crawford and TJ Brodie being the tough guys for the Spirit next season ...

I think Chris Chappell is an able bodied player with size, strength and tougness. He will be seeing more ice next year and I can see him fighting when called upon. Tom Craig and Andrew Cloutchier could fight a few times but the Spirit dont have a heavyweight.

I personally can see the Spirit trading for some OA toughness or an 88 tough guy.

What are the odds that OA Tough Guy Defenceman Bobby Davey of the Sarnia Sting ends up in a Saginaw Spirit uniform this season??? The spirit do need toughness, they do need an OA defenceman and Bobby Davey is willing to drop the gloves but hes also a capable defenceman to make the simple plays and get the job done. Not to mention the Davey looks to be the odd man out in Sarnia as they have a crop of OA's and Defenceman as well.

That was just one player that came to my mind does anybody have any others???

[sailordog]

SSF

That is what the was for (SOME SARCASM), although it would be good if either Brodie or Crawford could get a little tougher. Not an enforcer fighter type mind you just a little tougher to play against.

I have looked through the rosters in the OHL and don't see anyboby else to trade for.