Colliton or Hudler?

Ohio Jones

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Feb 28, 2002
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Okay, I've been tossing this one over and over in my mind, and I can't come to a decision. I drafted C/RW Jeremy Colliton (NYI) in a keeper league, and he's getting to the point where he'll be contributing at the NHL level. However, I've been offered a one-for-one swap of Colliton for C Jiri Hudler (DET), who dominated this season in the AHL with Grand Rapids.

Very different players, of course. Colliton is a banging two-way player with good hands, a big frame and leadership potential, and he is all but guaranteed a long and productive career as a third-liner (with possible upside). Hudler by contrast is all offence with top-line talent and skills, but he has a slight frame and, more critically, questionable speed, which might prevent him from ever making the jump.

It's the classic risk/reward scenario: do I go for the safe bet in Colliton, or do I gamble that Hudler's shortcomings won't keep him from becoming a top scorer at the NHL level?

(Assume team need is not a factor).

Thanks in advance for your comments!
 

Lalander977

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May 18, 2006
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Hudler because I think Colliton is not much more guaranteed to have a productive career than Jiri... And Hudler has a much higher ceiling in terms of points
 

WADEugottaBELAKthat

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Are you kidding me? How the hell is Colliton a "safe bet"? Take this deal, and then give him something extra because he'll never deal with you again after that raping.
 

champcos

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Dec 13, 2005
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camallarie made a good transition this year, kinda of similar players

id take the deal for sure, im holding on to hudler in my keeper league.
 

Ohio Jones

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Fan.At said:
someone is regretting making that offer... :badidea:

And who could that be, I wonder... :sarcasm:

Shame, too - Colliton is just the kind of player I love (this guy really will have a 15+ year career, and will probably end up wearing a "C" somewhere before he's done), but I don't think I can walk away from the potential upside Hudler offers. Hmm... hope some of my other center prospects end up playing wing in the show!

Of course, the Director of Player Personnel could overturn it as uneven, so you still have an out, my friend! :D

Thanks for the (unanimous) feedback, folks!
 

mazmin

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Hudler because his stature isn't a big issue anymore and because Detroit has a few aging vets like Yzerman, Lang and Shanny that will need to be replaced on the top lines in the next few years.
 

boredmale

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Colliton will probably be a good 3rd line player who gets a few points, but not a good pick up for a draft pool. Hudler on the other hand will be a boom or bust guy.

In terms of hockey pools, i would go with Hudler and hope for the best. Worst case scenerio he is a bust and you can just pick up another player who will get similar points to Collition elsewhere.
 

turnbuckle*

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Funny how we're talking about two second rounders. In his draft year, there were folks around here, in addition to Woodlief, that insisted Hudsy was a top ten pick. Not too many think that now I suspect.
 

Birko19

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turnbuckle said:
Funny how we're talking about two second rounders. In his draft year, there were folks around here, in addition to Woodlief, that insisted Hudsy was a top ten pick. Not too many think that now I suspect.

As of now not yet, but with his potential and few years of NHL experience you never know.
 

LWD

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Apr 2, 2006
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In this case one would have to take the points over character if I was trying to build a winning team I take Colliton nine times out of ten.
 

Ohio Jones

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LWD said:
In this case one would have to take the points over character if I was trying to build a winning team I take Colliton nine times out of ten.

An interesting comment. The league in question is not a points league, but a sim league where things like defensive play, intensity and so forth have an actual result on the outcome. I shoudl have been more clear with that in my original post.

I certainly agree that in a pure production comparison it's a no-brainer (I wouldn't have bothered to ask), but in terms of the value to a team, Colliton is not so easy to quickly dismiss. This was my point in considering him a safe bet: he's got a higher probability of being a valuable contributor on a competitive team (especially with today's Nolan announcement...). Hudler's (admittedly signfiicantly greater) upside is offset by his bust potential. Hence the discussion. :)
 

KH1

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A lot of you are grossly underrating Jeremy Colliton. In 66 games in Bridgeport last season he had 21 goals and 32 assists for 53 points with a rotating cast of characters around him due to the Isles injuries and then firesale. Plus he chipped in 44 penalty minutes.

Hudler's definately got huge offensive potential but Colliton is ready to be an NHL player now and from what I've seen there's no doubt in my mind that he can score 20 goals in the NHL while providing stellar defensive play.
 

Seph

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Mallard said:
Are you kidding me? How the hell is Colliton a "safe bet"? Take this deal, and then give him something extra because he'll never deal with you again after that raping.
How is he not? If nothing else, between his size and defensive ability combined with decent skating and a good physical game, he is an extremely safe bet to have a career in the NHL, and his 53pts in 66games in his rookie AHL season (at the same age, Hudler had 34pts in 53games, and was in his second AHL season), suggest he will also be able to put up some points during that career. He's no guarantee, but he's a lot safer to put up points than Hudler.

Though I agree with the consensus that Hudler's upside for FHL makes him the better choice. Colliton's safer to one day put up points in the NHL, Hudler's safer to one day put up a ton of points.
 
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Debrincat93

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hudler has the skill, does he fit in with detroit, probably not easily because we got skilled guys like williams datsyuk and zetterberg, could he work elsewhere, definitely.. will he not work in detroit, no he might work well in detroit, im just stating
 

boredmale

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There is no guarentee Colliton will make the Islanders next year. If you look at the Islanders roster for next year we will have alot of rookies, not all can make it:

Nilssson, Bergenheim, Tambellini, Colliton have the best shot(in that order). Beyond that though very good chance Nokelainen makes it although i might rather see him get some time in bridgeport then playing 4th line. Long shot that O'Marra and Comeau(who will probably get 1 year in Bridgeport) make it as well.

I can't see the Islanders dressing 6 young players at forward personally(the probably won't go over 4), if Isle's management decides they don't want more then 4 young guys up Colliton might be the guy who they decide goes down if Nokie or Comeau show they deserve to come up.
 

nuckfan insk

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as someone who watched jeremy grow and develop as a playr over 4 seasons in prince albert i may be a little biased. he should be a top pk man and play a lot of special teams in the future. i see him after a year or 2 in the nhl as being a 2nd liner. he will be used frequently on the pk and pp. he goes to the net and is also physical. he should be able to produce on average 20-25g and 30-35a. he could be a ppg player in his prime. leadership is another strong suit. i am finding in this thread that collitons offensive potential is underrated. remember that until he was hurt in the 2005 wjc, that he played on the top line with bergeron and crosby. brent sutter knew what he was doing when he put him there. i personally would chose colliton for all his intangibles when imo hudlers offense wont be vastly greater than young collitons.
 

boredmale

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dannoabram said:
as someone who watched jeremy grow and develop as a playr over 4 seasons in prince albert i may be a little biased. he should be a top pk man and play a lot of special teams in the future. i see him after a year or 2 in the nhl as being a 2nd liner. he will be used frequently on the pk and pp. he goes to the net and is also physical. he should be able to produce on average 20-25g and 30-35a. he could be a ppg player in his prime. leadership is another strong suit. i am finding in this thread that collitons offensive potential is underrated. remember that until he was hurt in the 2005 wjc, that he played on the top line with bergeron and crosby. brent sutter knew what he was doing when he put him there. i personally would chose colliton for all his intangibles when imo hudlers offense wont be vastly greater than young collitons.

i picture Colltion as a 3rd liner with 40 point potential or the guy you put on the top 2 lines to be the "3rd player" to do all the small things to help the other 2 guys who are more offensive players, with potential of 50-60 points.

Amazing how i wasn't that happy with the pick at the time but Colliton has proven to be better then the other 2 duds we picked in the 2nd round in 2003. That being said in terms of a hokcey pool solely based on numbers i would rather go with the boom or bust Hudler over the safer Colliton.
 

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