I think Nosek would be a fine 4C. Liked what I saw in his few games last season. Your point about Helm is fine but it shows the disconnect. We believe there are better options for 4C but we resign ourselves to the fact those better options won't be taken. But that means there are better options, and ones that don't depend on signing some UFA or trading for someone.
Right, but again, that's why I think this particular signing is really, really low on the list of problems right now. If the top of the roster was being competently managed, I'd be a lot more upset about how the 4th line is being managed. If Helm had been signed like a 4th line C, I'd be a lot more upset about Glendening getting re-upped for 4 more years. I'm not saying it's a great deal for the team, but I am saying it's *far* from our worst deal.
Nobody saw Glendening as a regular NHL center until Babcock jammed him into the position permanently. He was an undrafted college player with zero fanfare around him. One of Babcock's pet projects, like stuffing Abby with Datsyuk for years until it stuck.
If not for the Wing's and Babcock, I don't think Glendening ever comes close to NHL ice. A Michigan boy playing at U of M. Now, the point of that is, maybe some of the kids you don't think can cut it might actually thrive if given the chance. Our boy Luke is walking proof.
Sure, and if we had a guy who really looked like he ought to be playing, permanently, in a low-minute, grindy role, I'd be all for playing that guy. If you think that's Nosek, that's fine, I'd just say we disagree about him as a player. But if you're advocating someone like Holmstrom takes that spot, I'd say you're (badly) mis-using him (and he's still a few years out, from my understanding).
Look, I get the 'more of the same' mentality. It's annoying that this is yet another long term resigning by Holland for a guy who, on a good team, is totally replaceable. The fact remains that this
isn't a good team, and that the problems with the team start far, far higher than it's 4th line.
It's the same thing I kept saying about Miller: this contract, on this team, with all of the other garbage on the roster, should barely elicit a shrug. Unlike Vanek, it's buryable. Unlike Abbie, he's not signed for the rest of his career. Unlike Helm, he's not blocking an NHL-ready prospect. If you want to use it as just another example of how poorly the team is run, that's fine, but this contract isn't even close to exhibit A.
