Prospect Info: NCAA free agents

[The Wahligator]

We'll get a couple second or third tier guys as always. Career AHLer types

 

[PWJunior]

We'll get a couple second or third tier guys as always. Career AHLer types

Yeah, too bad we can't get one of the premiere guys... so many difference makers over the years. Still pissed we missed out on Vesey! Wah wah.

BFD.

 

[Seph]

Okay, I looked it up. Here are some college UFAs who turned out okay (assuming the sources were correct about their status):

Adam Oates
Ed Belfour
Joe Mullen
Dan Boyle
Martin St. Louis
Blake Wheeler
Kevin Hayes
Justin Schultz
Danny DeKeyser
Tyler Bozak
Torey Krug
Chris Kunitz
Andy Greene!
Teddy Purcell

A few more:
John Madden
Brian Rafalski
Andy McDonald (not to be confused with AMac)
Jason Blake
Alex Iafallo
Rich Peverley
Neal Pionk

Not exactly superstars, but some very useful players that would be nice to get without giving up an asset. Between Rafalski, Greene and Madden this is an area Lou's had some success at, but it's been quite some time since he has.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

A few more:
John Madden
Brian Rafalski
Andy McDonald (not to be confused with AMac)
Jason Blake
Alex Iafallo
Rich Peverley
Neal Pionk

Not exactly superstars, but some very useful players that would be nice to get without giving up an asset. Between Rafalski, Greene and Madden this is an area Lou's had some success at, but it's been quite some time since he has.

Granted, Rafalski went to Europe for a few years first.

SIDENOTE:
Rafalski's son is eligible for this summer's draft. Like his dad, he's a real little tyke.

 

[MikeT98213]

A few more:
John Madden
Brian Rafalski
Andy McDonald (not to be confused with AMac)
Jason Blake
Alex Iafallo
Rich Peverley
Neal Pionk

Not exactly superstars, but some very useful players that would be nice to get without giving up an asset. Between Rafalski, Greene and Madden this is an area Lou's had some success at, but it's been quite some time since he has.

Here are three of the most famous…

Tim Kerr
Dino Ciccarelli
Curtis Joseph

Its rare that players of that caliber are overlooked in the draft but I will still never understand why the Isles are not far more aggressive in their pursuit of the top college and international free agents especially given the weakness of their prospect base and the fact that they’ve traded some significant draft capital over the past few years.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Here are three of the most famous…

Tim Kerr
Dino Ciccarelli
Curtis Joseph

Its rare that players of that caliber are overlooked in the draft but

True. But it really wasn't rare back in the day and age where the messrs you mentioned were picked up. Scouting wasn't what it is now.

I will still never understand why the Isles are not far more aggressive in their pursuit of the top college and international free agents especially given the weakness of their prospect base and the fact that they’ve traded some significant draft capital over the past few years.

When Lou brought in Hutton, Jobst, and Carpenter, I was thinking "Yes, finally outside the box moves just for depth and possibilities".

It's been crickets since then.

Sure, Chris has - surely in conjunction with the Isles's staff - bringing in ATO players and whatnot in recent years. Yes, they added MacLean, who has been better in BPort than many of our own draft picks, granted that was, well, a move of nepotism, Devils style.

But be it the draft with few picks or the kind of free agents you mention, this team just hasn't been adding pieces. On the other hand, Lou has had to do some major cap-related juggling, something he's been very good at. And we still currently have 46 of 50 contracts being made use of with several of our own kids we need to sign soon.

I'm just not holding my breath.

But there are teams out there like Detroit and Toronto who add in this manner every single spring. Every year. And they already have immense prospect bins. And then they also add guys like Ho-Sang and Michaelis to their AHL clubs, so they're establishing depth at all times. To varying degrees of success, although Yzerman has basically just started (and just landed a big UFA fish in Pontus Andreasseon out of Lulea).

Who knows, we may yet be surprised.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Oh, common'!

Get outtahere...

 

[Skip To My Lou]

View attachment 530433

Oh, common'!

Get outtahere...

The rich get richer...

 

[MikeT98213]

True. But it really wasn't rare back in the day and age where the messrs you mentioned were picked up. Scouting wasn't what it is now.



When Lou brought in Hutton, Jobst, and Carpenter, I was thinking "Yes, finally outside the box moves just for depth and possibilities".

It's been crickets since then.

Sure, Chris has - surely in conjunction with the Isles's staff - bringing in ATO players and whatnot in recent years. Yes, they added MacLean, who has been better in BPort than many of our own draft picks, granted that was, well, a move of nepotism, Devils style.

But be it the draft with few picks or the kind of free agents you mention, this team just hasn't been adding pieces. On the other hand, Lou has had to do some major cap-related juggling, something he's been very good at. And we still currently have 46 of 50 contracts being made use of with several of our own kids we need to sign soon.

I'm just not holding my breath.

But there are teams out there like Detroit and Toronto who add in this manner every single spring. Every year. And they already have immense prospect bins. And then they also add guys like Ho-Sang and Michaelis to their AHL clubs, so they're establishing depth at all times. To varying degrees of success, although Yzerman has basically just started (and just landed a big UFA fish in Pontus Andreasseon out of Lulea).

Who knows, we may yet be surprised.

It’s also possible that, in spite of the new arena and a strong and committed ownership group, the Isles are still not viewed as a destination franchise. Perhaps it’s a by product of a style of hockey that is not favored by many players who would be more inclined to play in a wide open offense. It Is simply illogical to think that a long time and highly successful pro like Lou would not recognize the potential opportunity to upgrade talent without having to trade assets.