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ricky0034

ricky0034

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Jun 8, 2010
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any of you guys have any opinions on Jesse Wallin? just curious since the Wings hired him
 
Meatball

Meatball

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Had high hopes for him. Thought he'd be a great power forward type for us.

Best of luck to him. :nod:
 
Bobby Orrtuzzo

Bobby Orrtuzzo

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Jul 8, 2015
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Not sure if it was posted anywhere else online, but the Spittin Chiclets social media accounts just said Upshall going to Dallas on a PTO. Biz and Whitney are both close to him so I’d believe it.
 

Bluesguru

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Aug 10, 2014
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Bobby Orrtuzzo said:
Not sure if it was posted anywhere else online, but the Spittin Chiclets social media accounts just said Upshall going to Dallas on a PTO. Biz and Whitney are both close to him so I’d believe it.
Click to expand...

Really like Upshall. That was one guy I hated to see go. Dallas would be so lucky if Scotty still has his game.
 
Bluesnatic27

Bluesnatic27

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Aug 5, 2011
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Has anyone else been keeping up with the Ryan Merkley drama?

I’m not one for hot gossip regarding attitude issues, but this is fascinating.
 
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simon IC

simon IC

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I do remember that he was someone I actively wanted to avoid at the 2018 draft. IIRC, there were concerns even then.
 
Bluesnatic27

Bluesnatic27

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tfriede2 said:
Soo, what’s going on with him?
Click to expand...
He's an incredibly talented defensive prospect that was knocked down due to perceived attitude issues. Some thought that getting drafted and being associated with a professional team would straighten him out. Long story, short, it hasn't.

Since his draft year, he's been shipped from Guelph to Peterborough because the coaches and management had enough of him in Guelph. Not even a year later and the GM of Peterborough wants him out because his problems have seemingly gotten worse. Apparently he would disregard coaching at any level and would pick fights with his own teammates. Not physical altercations (I don't think) but more would not take responsibility for his actions and blame all those around him. There was just a tweet today or yesterday saying how his own team told him to not bother coming back to Peterborough after he texted his teammates good luck for the upcoming season. I have no clue about the validity of the source there, but it does conform to all other evidence surrounding Merkley.

But what makes the story fascinating to me is what will happen to him this upcoming season. It sounds like no OHL team wants him regardless of positional needs. It sounds like Peterborough would rather have him sit out as opposed to play for them. So now Merkley is stuck looking at other CHL options or leaving NA until next year to play because he can't play professionally. This is a kid that is grinding down so many teams he plays for that his professional career could well be in jeopardy for his attitude alone. It's kind of like another Pavel Brendl story except replace laziness with arrogant rudeness and shallow contempt.

Like I said, I'm not usually one for these kinds of stories because kids are kids. Look at Tony DeAngelo for example. The guy was said to be an intolerant a**hole his draft year, but he's become quite the solid player. I just find Merkley's story unique because it seems like no OHL GM wants to take any risk on the guy whatsoever at just 19-years-old. Merkley isn't good defensively at all, but his offensive talent could be borderline elite. He could easily make any team he's on better. But he might be the literal definition of "addition by subtraction" with how his junior career has gone thus far.
 
MissouriMook

MissouriMook

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That Merkley situation is weird. If his OHL team would rather have him sit out than play if they can't trade him, I wonder if there is a loophole in the CHL/NHL agreement that would allow the Sharks to send him to the Barracuda even though technically he isn't old enough yet. The whole point of the agreement is to allow the CHL teams to keep their marketable stars if they're not in the NHL, but if the team that owns a player's rights doesn't want him he should be able to play rather than sit. Even if he is an entitled asshole.
 

Davimir Tarablad

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Sep 16, 2015
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MissouriMook said:
That Merkley situation is weird. If his OHL team would rather have him sit out than play if they can't trade him, I wonder if there is a loophole in the CHL/NHL agreement that would allow the Sharks to send him to the Barracuda even though technically he isn't old enough yet. The whole point of the agreement is to allow the CHL teams to keep their marketable stars if they're not in the NHL, but if the team that owns a player's rights doesn't want him he should be able to play rather than sit. Even if he is an entitled *******.
Click to expand...
The problem I see with that would be future players(or their agent or possibly their NHL team) forcing their way into playing in the AHL rather than juniors in their D+2 season. Plenty of players, like Kyrou for example, could probably benefit more from playing in the AHL a year earlier than they currently are allowed to.

I think they'd have to renegotiate the NHL/CHL deal to allow for NHL teams to select one player they own rights to be able to skip their CHL eligibility.
 

tfriede2

Registered User
Aug 8, 2010
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Bluesnatic27 said:
He's an incredibly talented defensive prospect that was knocked down due to perceived attitude issues. Some thought that getting drafted and being associated with a professional team would straighten him out. Long story, short, it hasn't.

Since his draft year, he's been shipped from Guelph to Peterborough because the coaches and management had enough of him in Guelph. Not even a year later and the GM of Peterborough wants him out because his problems have seemingly gotten worse. Apparently he would disregard coaching at any level and would pick fights with his own teammates. Not physical altercations (I don't think) but more would not take responsibility for his actions and blame all those around him. There was just a tweet today or yesterday saying how his own team told him to not bother coming back to Peterborough after he texted his teammates good luck for the upcoming season. I have no clue about the validity of the source there, but it does conform to all other evidence surrounding Merkley.

But what makes the story fascinating to me is what will happen to him this upcoming season. It sounds like no OHL team wants him regardless of positional needs. It sounds like Peterborough would rather have him sit out as opposed to play for them. So now Merkley is stuck looking at other CHL options or leaving NA until next year to play because he can't play professionally. This is a kid that is grinding down so many teams he plays for that his professional career could well be in jeopardy for his attitude alone. It's kind of like another Pavel Brendl story except replace laziness with arrogant rudeness and shallow contempt.

Like I said, I'm not usually one for these kinds of stories because kids are kids. Look at Tony DeAngelo for example. The guy was said to be an intolerant a**hole his draft year, but he's become quite the solid player. I just find Merkley's story unique because it seems like no OHL GM wants to take any risk on the guy whatsoever at just 19-years-old. Merkley isn't good defensively at all, but his offensive talent could be borderline elite. He could easily make any team he's on better. But he might be the literal definition of "addition by subtraction" with how his junior career has gone thus far.
Click to expand...
Thanks - I was aware of his reputation at the draft, but haven’t heard of any updates since then.
 
Blueston

Blueston

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MissouriMook said:
That Merkley situation is weird. If his OHL team would rather have him sit out than play if they can't trade him, I wonder if there is a loophole in the CHL/NHL agreement that would allow the Sharks to send him to the Barracuda even though technically he isn't old enough yet. The whole point of the agreement is to allow the CHL teams to keep their marketable stars if they're not in the NHL, but if the team that owns a player's rights doesn't want him he should be able to play rather than sit. Even if he is an entitled *******.
Click to expand...
He wouldn't have to sit. He could play in Europe this year if can't find home in CHL.
 
ChicagoBlues

ChicagoBlues

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Oct 24, 2006
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Lately, I have been loving the post Stanley Cup Finals Game 7 thread on the Bruins board.

They are a total shit fanbase. Not as bad as Suckhawk fans, but......
 
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