RandyHolt
Keep truckin'
- Nov 3, 2006
- 34,817
- 7,150
Ovi's been Brian Propping up everyone, especially his power play pals.
I haven't liked any part of Bowey's game in the 51 games he played. He didn't look ready for the NHL at all. He should have done more development time with Hershey. Frankly I think re-signing Jerabek would have been better than re-signing Bowey. Right now Bowey looks like somewhat of a bust.
Here's the thing with Bowey. They committed to him cutting his teeth last year. And then he got to watch and learn proper what he was doing wrong, and bonus points for how to win a cup. So I think its safe to think this past year was a great learning experience for him.
It just looked like the speed of the NHL forwards was a bit much for him. He may need work on his positioning, but his pivots and skating look fine. He had that deer in the headlights thing. It's ok, Orlov still does too at times.
What I want to see? Aggressiveness. When he is failing to match the speed of NHL forwards blowing by him, eventually he could try to hit them. At least make the forward think for next shift. Being aggressive will bump up his compete level. Play angry and I think you will see he has no problems with that little punk forward trying to wide on him.
Since Orpik is gone we can say he was dragging Bowey down
I disagree. He showed promise. Remember he is still young. His biggest problem was he needed to make quicker decisions. He should improve with the experience. He has the tools to be an NHL dman. Hopefully he can continue to developed.51 games of not looking like an NHL player.
Anyway, it's 200k. I don't really care that much.
He played 51 games in nhl last year. He wasant gonna agree to a 100k raise
Maybe, but another way to look at it is that he just got the same money that we gave a young wing who played 75 games in the NHL last year and was a playoff stud that scored some clutch goals that contributed to a Cup win while Bowey was eating nachos in the stands. So his 51-game pedigree that led to a demotion and the necessity to trade assets for 2 replacements doesn't smell like a reason for a 33% raise.
I'm fine with it, but I agree with Hive -- there's no other justification for this much of a raise aside from unrealized potential more associated with his draft position than what he's actually done on NHL ice. There's little indication that he's any further along between the ears than he was last season when he went total moron and posted a video of himself smoking weed on Instagram.
And still another way to look at it is that this is the exact reason people shouldn't be ready to punt on Andre Burakovsky. If you're willing to plunk down a 33% raise for 2 more years of Bowey because he's still young and can still turn into something special, just keep in mind that Burakovsky is the same exact age, they're only 30 picks apart in the same draft, and Burakovsky has actually delivered on a sizable portion of his potential. He's just as likely to keep developing, arguably more so.
This is Burka's make or break year, he absolutely has to stay healthy and start producing.
Unless Connelly blows up this is his last season in D.C. and I think Gersich and Barber will get time this season and if either shows they can produce then Andre is gone. I also think there is an outside chance if Axel shows what he showed in Sweden he will get a shot by mid-season, but the following season for sure.
I disagree. You are comparing Bowey to a couple of forwards. There is no comparison. Especially comparing his developement to Burakovsky. Making the transition to the pros is a lot more difficult for a defencman.Maybe, but another way to look at it is that he just got the same money that we gave a young wing who played 75 games in the NHL last year and was a playoff stud that scored some clutch goals that contributed to a Cup win while Bowey was eating nachos in the stands. So his 51-game pedigree that led to a demotion and the necessity to trade assets for 2 replacements doesn't smell like a reason for a 33% raise.
I'm fine with it, but I agree with Hive -- there's no other justification for this much of a raise aside from unrealized potential more associated with his draft position than what he's actually done on NHL ice. There's little indication that he's any further along between the ears than he was last season when he went total moron and posted a video of himself smoking weed on Instagram.
And still another way to look at it is that this is the exact reason people shouldn't be ready to punt on Andre Burakovsky. If you're willing to plunk down a 33% raise for 2 more years of Bowey because he's still young and can still turn into something special, just keep in mind that Burakovsky is the same exact age, they're only 30 picks apart in the same draft, and Burakovsky has actually delivered on a sizable portion of his potential. He's just as likely to keep developing, arguably more so.
I disagree. You are comparing Bowey to a couple of forwards.
There is no comparison. Especially comparing his developement to Burakovsky. Making the transition to the pros is a lot more difficult for a defencman.
The guy either doesnt get it or he us unwilling to learn. Its time to let him go.
So What. There are worse things than weed.
Alcohol is even worse.
That video was two years ago, it shouldn't have any bearing on his character moving forward. 21 year olds are universally stupid.
As in you think the Caps will move on from Connolly or he will move on?
Because I'm not sure the Caps can find a better player than Connolly for the same price. Always nice to have cheap scoring on the third line.
The reason Bowey has more value than you think is because good dmen are a lot harder to find. He has the tools to become a top 4 dman. Not sure he will ever become one.No, I compared his deal to the deal of a forward, and pointed out that he's at the same point in his development as another forward. I'm not comparing wings and defensemen, I'm comparing the money they make relative to value and their development trajectories.
One has little to do with the other and you're simplifying it too much. Burakovsky isn't trying to make it in the NHL as a wing. He's trying to live up to a 1W ceiling and a phenomenal junior career. He's absolutely an NHL-level wing, but he's expected to be quite a bit more than that.
The expectations for Madison Bowey are much lower. If he develops into a reliable 6D, that's a win and not a super-challenging bar to clear for a guy with his pedigree.
Your simplifications aside, the bottom line is that it's absolutely more challenging to live up to 1W expectations than 6D expectations. Burakovsky's bar was eased a bit by being a LW prospect for a team that has the best LW in the game. But he'll still be considered a bust if he doesn't become a solid 2W.
Bowey is a RD prospect on a team that has Niskanen and Carlson. We'd be overjoyed if he locked up 3RD even if he has to be carried a bit by a partner, and it probably wouldn't bug us too much if he spent some time as 7D while he figures it out. These are not lofty goals.
So a 23-year-old NHL wing with a point in half of his 250 games that's been developed poorly by the organization is a guy you have to get rid of because he's dumb or unwilling despite no evidence of him being either dumb or unwilling.
But a 23-year-old defenseman having difficulty making the jump is worth a 2-year commitment and a 33% raise because he's young and still has time to grow despite showing little growth and glaring evidence of being dumb?
Sorry, but those two ideas don't jibe well together.
I don't have a problem with weed at all. It's the colossal stupidity I take issue with. It takes a staggering amount of idiocy to post a video of yourself doing something criminal on social media when you have a multi-million dollar career hanging in the balance. Judgement that poor is a red flag, especially connected to the only NHL-caliber RD prospect we have. This club has a lot riding on this kid and it sucked to see him thumbing his nose at it.
I agree philosophically, but this isn't a philosophy class or Utopia. Weed is illegal. Alcohol isn't. And again, it's far less about the substance than it is about him thinking "I should post a video of me being a criminal!" was a good idea.
Again, I'm all for legalization. I'm similarly indifferent to legalized prostitution. But I don't think Bowey should post a video of himself doing that on Instagram, either...