Flint Firebirds 2018 Offseason Thread

[Firebrd828]

Let's say that Flint drafts Byfield and he reports...

The team, as I see it, would have 5 legit "Top-6" forwards:
Dellandrea-C
Holmes-C
Byfield-C
Keppen-LW
Roberts-C/RW

That's an awful lot of "C" and not much "W". Where would you put everyone, assuming you have your "Top-6" guys in the top 6??? Who do you pull from the remaining forwards to round out the Top-6??? (Personally, I'd like to see them add an OA who is a legit Top-6 to the mix).

 

[Savard18]

Let's say that Flint drafts Byfield and he reports...

The team, as I see it, would have 5 legit "Top-6" forwards:
Dellandrea-C
Holmes-C
Byfield-C
Keppen-LW
Roberts-C/RW

That's an awful lot of "C" and not much "W". Where would you put everyone, assuming you have your "Top-6" guys in the top 6??? Who do you pull from the remaining forwards to round out the Top-6??? (Personally, I'd like to see them add an OA who is a legit Top-6 to the mix).

There's certainly gonna be a numbers crunch at F and D. You didn't even figure in a top Import pick if they land one. Which they should. I also think CJ Clarke and possibly Jack Wismer are going to be on the edge of being top 6 guys next year. Yes, I know that's optimistic but I think it's looking more likely than it was earlier this year. I'm ok with adding an OA, but I'd prefer they keep it cheap. As far as who plays C, I think Dellandrea and probably Holmes are locks there. I think Roberts time as a C in Flint over the next couple years will be very limited. Especially if Byfield shows up.

 

[Savard18]

Th

They'll probably do something like beat the Soo and then lose to Windsor in OT.

Told ya. One down. Hey Jack Phibbs, you wanna have Quinton Byfield as a teammate next year? "I'm not sure I'm gonna be here next year, I think I'm gonna triple my goal totals for the season tonight instead" Jack was bustin' it on Wednesday night too. Good for him, now I can cheer for them 100% against Windsor. Let's hope the rumors Byfield has issues with Sudbury are true.

 

[WaW]

Told ya. One down. Hey Jack Phibbs, you wanna have Quinton Byfield as a teammate next year? "I'm not sure I'm gonna be here next year, I think I'm gonna triple my goal totals for the season tonight instead" Jack was bustin' it on Wednesday night too. Good for him, now I can cheer for them 100% against Windsor. Let's hope the rumors Byfield has issues with Sudbury are true.

If Byfield has issues with Sudbury we draft him anyways and trade him to a SW Ontario team for a king's ransom like you guys did with McLeod.

 

[bear6]

If Byfield has issues with Sudbury we draft him anyways and trade him to a SW Ontario team for a king's ransom like you guys did with McLeod.

Yup that's what you do or let him sit at home for awhile he might change his mind then

 

[TcNorth]

If Byfield has issues with Sudbury we draft him anyways and trade him to a SW Ontario team for a king's ransom like you guys did with McLeod.

Therefore, Kicking the can down the road again for a couple more years. Don’t know about Sudbury, but Flint needs good players now.

 

[billoink]

Have heard from a very reliable source that Byfield would have no trouble reporting to the Wolves.

 

[Toldyaso]

If Byfield has issues with Sudbury we draft him anyways and trade him to a SW Ontario team for a king's ransom like you guys did with McLeod.

That is a losing tactic in the long run and was a stupid move by Terry Christiansen when he did it here. My general impression is that Sudbury's current management isn't stupid and considering this draft is pretty deep in talent I would be a little surprised if they went that route. That's assuming Byfield has told them he would refuse to report and so far that is just a rumor and everyone seems to have a reliable source that will tell them what they want to hear so guess we will see in a few weeks.

 

[Savard18]

Have heard from a very reliable source that Byfield would have no trouble reporting to the Wolves.

That's funny because he was just in Flint, wearing a Firebirds jersey and I heard pretty much the opposite, also from a pretty reliable source. Not like a concessions worker who talked to him or something. A good one. It wasn't a "I REFUSE" to go to Sudbury type thing, just a "Sudbury has been told he doesn't want to go there" type thing. I question him being the type of kid to refuse to report. Wouldn't be surprised he's just playing both sides, that could be smart. I think if Sudbury drafted him and really held to it, he'd probably show up but I'm not certain. I don't really have an issue with Flint doing what they did with McLeod but there's some differences. One, it looks like Byfield is a superior talent. Two, Sudbury needs D right now. Three, Flint WAS in a position they could delay the rebuild a bit. IF Sudbury was to draft him and IF he were to refuse to report, they can only move him for draft picks. They're not going to be able to move those picks for high end 16-17yo talent. That just does not happen in this league. So now they're drafting kids in 2019, 2020. Those kids should be ready to make a go of it in 2022 or 2023. Is the ownership/management/fans of Sudbury willing to accept that? I highly doubt it. Or they just draft a super high talent at position of need and get Drysdale or Moore? Look. I'm down with Sudbury. An OHL without them would seem ridiculous to me. Screw the London's, Oshawa's, Barrie's and Windsor's. They've had their fair share of success over the years. When all the smoke has cleared, I hope BOTH teams get a super talent they fall in love with and can settle this in an OHL Final in a couple years. Don't forget, Connor McDavid went to zero Memorial Cups but Alex Debrincat and Dylan Strome got to one.

 

[cub]

Are you implying the Flint organization is tampering, prior to the draft? Interesting wearing a Flint jersey, can we actual see the photo of this, I would like to send that to league office.

Trust me, Sudbury will take Quinton Byfield, I spoke to owner Dario Zulich myself. My understanding Byfield will have no problem going to any team that drafts him.

 

[billoink]

Are you implying the Flint organization is tampering, prior to the draft? Interesting wearing a Flint jersey, can we actual see the photo of this, I would like to send that to league office.

Trust me, Sudbury will take Quinton Byfield, I spoke to owner Dario Zulich myself. My understanding Byfield will have no problem going to any team that drafts him.

Byfield went to Flint as a curiosity move, if Flint was to draft him and he did not want to report then he had something to base it on. His agent is the Bobby Orr group and I don;t think it is in their best interests to represent a player who would not report. They on the other hand would not encourage that move you would think.

 

[TcNorth]

Are you implying the Flint organization is tampering, prior to the draft? Interesting wearing a Flint jersey, can we actual see the photo of this, I would like to send that to league office.

Trust me, Sudbury will take Quinton Byfield, I spoke to owner Dario Zulich myself. My understanding Byfield will have no problem going to any team that drafts him.

Like the league office would do anything about him wearing a Firebird jersey as a private citizen and no one’s property.

 

[bobber]

That's funny because he was just in Flint, wearing a Firebirds jersey and I heard pretty much the opposite, also from a pretty reliable source. Not like a concessions worker who talked to him or something. A good one. It wasn't a "I REFUSE" to go to Sudbury type thing, just a "Sudbury has been told he doesn't want to go there" type thing. I question him being the type of kid to refuse to report. Wouldn't be surprised he's just playing both sides, that could be smart. I think if Sudbury drafted him and really held to it, he'd probably show up but I'm not certain. I don't really have an issue with Flint doing what they did with McLeod but there's some differences. One, it looks like Byfield is a superior talent. Two, Sudbury needs D right now. Three, Flint WAS in a position they could delay the rebuild a bit. IF Sudbury was to draft him and IF he were to refuse to report, they can only move him for draft picks. They're not going to be able to move those picks for high end 16-17yo talent. That just does not happen in this league. So now they're drafting kids in 2019, 2020. Those kids should be ready to make a go of it in 2022 or 2023. Is the ownership/management/fans of Sudbury willing to accept that? I highly doubt it. Or they just draft a super high talent at position of need and get Drysdale or Moore? Look. I'm down with Sudbury. An OHL without them would seem ridiculous to me. Screw the London's, Oshawa's, Barrie's and Windsor's. They've had their fair share of success over the years. When all the smoke has cleared, I hope BOTH teams get a super talent they fall in love with and can settle this in an OHL Final in a couple years. Don't forget, Connor McDavid went to zero Memorial Cups but Alex Debrincat and Dylan Strome got to one.

Personally I would take with a grain of salt that Byfield said anything about where he report if drafted. These kids would have been told by their respective agents and parents not to talk about the draft. They are usually more mature than most give them credit for in these situation. To say this young man actually would go to a game in a city where he could possibly be drafted and to say maybe he was possibly playing both sides just doesn't happen. I think if he has sent a letter to teams telling them not to draft him it more than likely means he will be staying closer to home if anything.

 

[cub]

Like the league office would do anything about him wearing a Firebird jersey as a private citizen and no one’s property.

if team gave him a Firebird jersey, that is part of OHL tampering rules.

 

[TcNorth]

Probably came from his best friends brother, Ryan Littlejohn. Still do not think the OHL would do anything. Like I have been saying, he will be Sudbury’s property soon.

 

[EvenSteven]

if team gave him a Firebird jersey, that is part of OHL tampering rules.

I doubt it. Byfield is the property of nobody right now. I would imagine Flint, Sudbury, or any other team for that matter can try and pull out all the stops in an effort to entice him to report to their team should they have an option to either draft him or deal for his rights after the draft.

 

[cub]

I really think they're are some excellent forwards after Byfield, such as Halliday, Cuylle, Toinai, Perfetti. to me it will work out for Flint.

 

[Savard18]

I really think they're are some excellent forwards after Byfield, such as Halliday, Cuylle, Toinai, Perfetti. to me it will work out for Flint.

Yeah. They don’t really need D and there’s no reason to take a risk on Drysdale. If it’s not Byfield, then one of those guys or Vierling.

 

[FireBird71]

Yeah. They don’t really need D and there’s no reason to take a risk on Drysdale. If it’s not Byfield, then one of those guys or Vierling.[/QUOTEwith Smer

Yeah. They don’t really need D and there’s no reason to take a risk on Drysdale. If it’s not Byfield, then one of those guys or Vierling.

With Smereck gone and the possibility of Alexandrov not being back they could use Drysdale...but the not if he agrees to sign. Would love for them to add a top forward with both top picks

 

[Savard18]

Gordeev, BUSBY, McCourt, Nilsen, Gretz, Pilon have all proven themselves to be top 6 D this year or last. If they’re gonna add a D I’d rather it be a cheap OA as opposed to a 16yo offensive minded D and not at all if Alexandrov returns.

 

[Toldyaso]

I really think they're are some excellent forwards after Byfield, such as Halliday, Cuylle, Toinai, Perfetti. to me it will work out for Flint.

This^^^

It is a pretty deep draft this year plenty of top shelf talent for the first several picks. whoever picks in the 1st and second slots is going to have a lot off quality players to choose from. I don't see any losers in either circumstance.

 

[FireBird71]

 

[foghorn]

wouldnt flint at 2 just take drysdale and call his bluff....you guys have a ton of young talent to me in your situation id take that chance either get him to report or trade him within the league get 2 1st picks next year.....teams have to call these bluffs personally im getting tired of it there seems to be more and more each year

 

[TcNorth]

I really think they're are some excellent forwards after Byfield, such as Halliday, Cuylle, Toinai, Perfetti. to me it will work out for Flint.

You are correct, including Vierling. However, I think Perfetti would be a roll of the dice with reporting.

 

[Savard18]

wouldnt flint at 2 just take drysdale and call his bluff....you guys have a ton of young talent to me in your situation id take that chance either get him to report or trade him within the league get 2 1st picks next year.....teams have to call these bluffs personally im getting tired of it there seems to be more and more each year

They don't have a strong need for a D. If they can't trade him, they'll only get the 5th pick in 2019 which severely hurts their chance at a big run in 2019-2020. If they do trade him, they can only get picks which they'd then have to flip for players because they can't wait for those picks to develop in their current window. They'd be better off going after one of those forwards that are for sure coming to the OHL.