Damn athletic and its subscription
Quotes from Ingram
“That’s what I have to be clear on. There was no big situation that caused all of this to happen.”
“This wasn’t my decision,” he said.
“Everywhere I’ve been, nobody’s really given me a shot,” Ingram said.
“We have bosses for a reason. It doesn’t matter what my point of view is, it’s what their point of view is,” Ingram said. “They have our career in their hands, and they decide things like that. It’s not up to us. We just do what we can control.
Joe Smith writes
Agent Blake Evans suggested that this was more of a situation where the Lightning wanted Ingram to be a better pro on and off the ice
Quote from Grouix about prospects in general, not Ingram specifically.
“It’s tough to change a player when he’s 21, 23 years old,” Groulx said. “If a guy doesn’t want to change, I’m not changing him. If he wants to not change, but make adjustments, if the guy has good character and really wants to work at his game and take care of his career, it’s way easier. If the guy doesn’t want to hear about doing certain things differently, you’re always in that gray area where you want more, and he thinks he’s giving you everything he’s got. It’s tough to be on the same page when guys don’t buy into what you want to.”
Quote from Orlando coach
“Any young kid, your first couple years, you think you’re working hard in junior hockey and probably are. But working in the American League is that much harder, then the NHL is even more,” Evans said. “You just have to learn how to work hard every day. Obviously, Connor is a huge prospect and his numbers are among the best in the AHL. That’s great, but (the Lightning) want him to become one of the best goalies in the NHL. You’ve got to learn how to work extra hard every day.”
Joe Smith asks
If that’s the case, that Ingram needs to become a better pro, adjust his work ethic and attitude, why don’t the Lightning just come out and say that? Why be so cryptic?
My answer to Joe Smith’s question… because it would be dumb for an NHL club to announce to the rest of the league that you have a prospect who you think doesn’t have the work ethic to make it to the next level. You just devalue your asset and it doesn’t help to correct the problem or help the prospect. Sounds to me like Grouix has communicated the message but the kid doesn’t want to hear it.