CamPopplestone
Registered User
- Sep 27, 2017
- 2,515
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His UFA stuff still needs work, but I will defend it in some regards.
Neal was bad, and I think we all expected the last couple years to be rough, but in fairness to Brad, Neal had been a consistent 20-25 goal scorer for a decade plus. He didn't fit with our centres, and he regressed hard, but when the deal was signed, even other teams canvases weren't absolutely giving us hell for that contract. Also, he kept it 5 years, not 6 or 7, which is nice.
Brouwer, while bad, I see what he was going for. Middle six RW with sandpaper who has a decent defensive game and had been deep in playoffs, and could be a decent secondary scorer. I never liked the deal, but I do think Brouwer would have gotten something similar on other teams at that time. And again, props to Brad for not going long term, and going mid term with 4 years. He didn't pull a Ladd and give 7 years.
And his first year, we were expecting To be in a rebuild for several years, and didn't need the cap, and needed a few decent roster players. And given our situation, we'd have to overpay for any UFA to be honest. I still think Raymond looked good at the start of his first season, but that injury he suffered killed him. He was literally never the same. But those first few games I was actually liking him. As for Engelland, I know he gets a lot of hate, and he had a lot of flaws, but what bottom pair D doesn't? I still think he was good for our team for his role, and his leadership and locker room effect was a bigger deal than people realize. Overpaid? Yeah, but again, the 2014/2015 Flames would have to overpay anyone.
As for goalies, I honestly don't blame him. By all accounts, Bishop never wanted to be here, the cost for Fleury was too high, and there just haven't been a lot of good options, and giving a top pick for a goalie wouldnt be a great idea anyway. So giving lesser assets for a mid tier goalie isn't a horrendous stain on his resume as far as I'm concerned. Elliott didn't work out but was a solid gamble at the price. Smith was great until injury, and nobody was complaining about him until the end of that first year when he was clearly rushed back. Yeah he started last season horrendous, but he finished well post all star break, and was basically our playoff mvp. I think what we got from Smith for what we gave up for him was fine. The goal with Smith was ashort term solution while hopefully an internal option stepped up. Which Rittich has to a point.
So yeah he's had UFA blunders, but I think you can at least see what he was going for, and it's far from the worst things we've ever seen.
Neal was bad, and I think we all expected the last couple years to be rough, but in fairness to Brad, Neal had been a consistent 20-25 goal scorer for a decade plus. He didn't fit with our centres, and he regressed hard, but when the deal was signed, even other teams canvases weren't absolutely giving us hell for that contract. Also, he kept it 5 years, not 6 or 7, which is nice.
Brouwer, while bad, I see what he was going for. Middle six RW with sandpaper who has a decent defensive game and had been deep in playoffs, and could be a decent secondary scorer. I never liked the deal, but I do think Brouwer would have gotten something similar on other teams at that time. And again, props to Brad for not going long term, and going mid term with 4 years. He didn't pull a Ladd and give 7 years.
And his first year, we were expecting To be in a rebuild for several years, and didn't need the cap, and needed a few decent roster players. And given our situation, we'd have to overpay for any UFA to be honest. I still think Raymond looked good at the start of his first season, but that injury he suffered killed him. He was literally never the same. But those first few games I was actually liking him. As for Engelland, I know he gets a lot of hate, and he had a lot of flaws, but what bottom pair D doesn't? I still think he was good for our team for his role, and his leadership and locker room effect was a bigger deal than people realize. Overpaid? Yeah, but again, the 2014/2015 Flames would have to overpay anyone.
As for goalies, I honestly don't blame him. By all accounts, Bishop never wanted to be here, the cost for Fleury was too high, and there just haven't been a lot of good options, and giving a top pick for a goalie wouldnt be a great idea anyway. So giving lesser assets for a mid tier goalie isn't a horrendous stain on his resume as far as I'm concerned. Elliott didn't work out but was a solid gamble at the price. Smith was great until injury, and nobody was complaining about him until the end of that first year when he was clearly rushed back. Yeah he started last season horrendous, but he finished well post all star break, and was basically our playoff mvp. I think what we got from Smith for what we gave up for him was fine. The goal with Smith was ashort term solution while hopefully an internal option stepped up. Which Rittich has to a point.
So yeah he's had UFA blunders, but I think you can at least see what he was going for, and it's far from the worst things we've ever seen.
