Speculation: Captaincies & the case for stripping Ference, Hall & Eberle

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

I'd just put A's on Gordon, Hendricks and Nuge until someone emerges as the clear captain of this team. I think one of Nuge and Nurse is our future captain. Actually Nurse would probably be a pretty great choice, but he's years away.

I see our future Captains as a combination of Nuge, Nurse and Draisaitl

 

[doggone]

Odd comment. Gordon is the best model of the most effective way to play the game that is on this team. What you will see in his play is incredible focus, attention to detail, intense play and tight coverage all over the ice as well as a player that forechecks tenaciously, and chips in goals and scoring chances in addition to pk duty and pinch hitting when we really need to win a faceoff.

Ferences play for a D is inadequate, thus why its a mixed message having him as our captain. Gordon is pretty good at his role and which nobody on the team would question or deny. If Gordon is captain nobody would second question it like we see with Ference.

Also, star players don't always make good captains. Particularly star players that have not yet fully matured and 100% dedicated to chosen profession. (not saying Hall hasn't but that it can be an issue)

this team needs another grinder as captain like we need another 5d like Ference et al. Give it to a skill guy if not for any other reason than for a different look and feel.Yes, Edmonton is as blue collar as it gets but for the love of god cant we see that grinders ...well...they just grind?

 

[Ergot]

I can't see how Gordon wouldn't be getting the Captaincy instead. Gordon plays a much bigger role and is critical to this team. Even Hendricks would likely anoint His Center, as captain.

I could see Hendricks being an AC.

But Gordon is doing yeoman unrecognized work for this team. Quietly and professionally.

First reply nailed it. Allow me to second it.

I'd consider giving the A's to two of: Hall, Nuge, Hendo.

 

[Replacement*]

this team needs another grinder as captain like we need another 5d like Ference et al. Give it to a skill guy if not for any other reason than for a different look and feel.Yes, Edmonton is as blue collar as it gets but for the love of god cant we see that grinders ...well...they just grind?

Gordon is tied for 4th on this team in goal scoring (not that it matters in the argument of him being captain) on a team where he has been the best player on the club in relation to the role that he has. Gordon is doing everything short of carrying this club on his back out there. You may notice as well that this man manages to be EVEN while being on a checking line and facing many top opponents on regular enough occasion. Its astounding that he could even be even given his roles on a team this bad and with this bad a goal differential.

 

[BasedGOD*]

Gordon is tied for 4th on this team in goal scoring (not that it matters in the argument of him being captain) on a team where he has been the best player on the club in relation to the role that he has. Gordon is doing everything short of carrying this club on his back out there. You may notice as well that this man manages to be EVEN while being on a checking line and facing many top opponents on regular enough occasion. Its astounding that he could even be even given his roles on a team this bad and with this bad a goal differential.

Gordon is a great candidate for the C, but snubbing Hall as was done with Ference could create an even bigger rift in the room. It seems as this teams lives and dies with Hall and he deserves some merit for this.

 

[Klimando Kostani]

Gordon is the same as ferrence... No matter how hard they play nobody on this team is rallying behind them. They don't have any control on the tempo of a game.

Taylor hall is the guy who controls the teams tempo. When he plays hard, everyone plays hard, when he is down everyone seems down or there might be a few flashes but nothing that's lasts longer than a shift or two.

Hendricks and Gordon can throw hits all night but when Taylor smashes a guy, the bench gets into it.

He's also our most capable scorer. He's also a beast. He's also really down in the dumps lately.

Make him the captain.

 

[Pressure]

Gordon is a great candidate for the C, but snubbing Hall as was done with Ference could create an even bigger rift in the room. It seems as this teams lives and dies with Hall and he deserves some merit for this.

If Hall felt he was "snubbed, pouted" or whined like a ***** because he wasn't named captain for Ference then I don't him to even wear an "A". He does not deserve it based on "merit".
Captaincy is based on leadership. Who is the best player that leads by example every night on and off the ice? who is the guy that other players look up to and lean on? Who is the player that commands respect and can drive the ship?

Is that Hall?

I absolutely disagree this team "lives and dies" by Hall. If it does, then why the hell has been perennial bottom dwellers meanwhile he's posting big point totals?

 

[Replacement*]

Gordon is a great candidate for the C, but snubbing Hall as was done with Ference could create an even bigger rift in the room. It seems as this teams lives and dies with Hall and he deserves some merit for this.

Snubbing hall? Think about it. If Hall is adversely impacted by being, or not being the captain of a team that's a strange and odd focus in itself. Gretz wasn't impacted by it ever. Why should Hall be?

One dimensional player with an incomplete game, useless on pk, next to useless in D zone, Still hasn't learned basic coverage, team play, getting puck deep etc.

Lets make this player who only produces (but not very well, not even top 100 in scoring this season) and doesn't do anything else particularly according to script the captain of this hockey team.

Sends the entirely wrong message about team concept and team play. This is a hard to coach player. Not sure how that hasn't been clear for years.

ps ths team hasn't been living much so odd choice of words. Its certainly not a supporting argument.

 

[Oilfan2]

If Hall felt he was "snubbed, pouted" or whined like a ***** because he wasn't named captain for Ference then I don't him to even wear an "A". He does not deserve it based on "merit".
Captaincy is based on leadership. Who is the best player that leads by example every night on and off the ice? who is the guy that other players look up to and lean on? Who is the player that commands respect and can drive the ship?

Is that Hall?

I absolutely disagree this team "lives and dies" by Hall. If it does, then why the hell has been perennial bottom dwellers meanwhile he's posting big point totals?

I love Hall the player but this is my view as well when it comes to leadership....Hall is not a leader, on or off the ice.

 

[Tyrolean]

Hall is a kind of dumb player. I would not want him to be captain.

 

[BasedGOD*]

Snubbing hall? Think about it. If Hall is adversely impacted by being, or not being the captain of a team that's a strange and odd focus in itself. Gretz wasn't impacted by it ever. Why should Hall be?

One dimensional player with an incomplete game, useless on pk, next to useless in D zone, Still hasn't learned basic coverage, team play, getting puck deep etc.

Lets make this player who only produces (but not very well, not even top 100 in scoring this season) and doesn't do anything else particularly according to script the captain of this hockey team.

Sends the entirely wrong message about team concept and team play. This is a hard to coach player. Not sure how that hasn't been clear for years.

ps ths team hasn't been living much so odd choice of words. Its certainly not a supporting argument.

I wasn't even expecting him to play in 2014 after than injury vs Vancouver, nor should anybody expect him to be in the top 100 when he is clearly playing injured. His speed & acceleration is what makes him the player he is, you can't fault him on that.

 

[SweatpantsNiceShoes]

Hall doesn't deserve the C. Give it to RNH, or don't give one to anybody and instead dish out only a few A's

 

[Klimando Kostani]

I wasn't even expecting him to play in 2014 after than injury vs Vancouver, nor should anybody expect him to be in the top 100 when he is clearly playing injured. His speed & acceleration is what makes him the player he is, you can't fault him on that.

Not to mention everyone on here likes the boys/men on our team should be emotionless in spite of all the loss yet ever so dutiful in bringing a very game spirit night in and out.

Not to mention the fact that we are starting to see a push back lately and 1/3's ignore it and another 1/3 ***** about how it's going to make us lose our draft position.

At the end of last year we saw Hall play sound defensively, saw him back check like a beast he's more capable than some of you give credit for. That said we just got ravaged by one of the most absolutely worst coaches ever to play pro sports, the man has went from the top of every league he's ever been in to not even being considered for all-star games or team Canada despite being over qualified, working for one of the most poorly managed organizations ever that's currently riding one of the worst streaks in pro sports history, and as many concur playing despite a nagging injury (like he usually does).

Just look how jaded our boards are compared to other teams from all the losing. AND WE"RE JUST THE FANS. Imagine how the players feel.

So yeah Taylor isn't in a great mood lately and can't seem to find his game.

I'll agree it's not even the best time to give him the captaincy because it's the same Pejorative Slurs in charge and they will likely keep this team in the cellar and further destroy Taylor.

but if they can ever project to get out of the basement they should throw the C on Taylor because everyone else feeds off of his performances. They battle when he battles and the team seems to follow him.

 

[Replacement*]

I wasn't even expecting him to play in 2014 after than injury vs Vancouver, nor should anybody expect him to be in the top 100 when he is clearly playing injured. His speed & acceleration is what makes him the player he is, you can't fault him on that.

You weren't expecting him to play when the prognosis was for him to be expected ready to play? Hall came back 1-2 weeks early but was Certainly going to be playing in 2014, from his own mouth he's not effected by the injury, and is 100%. Indeed in some games at some times he's flying out there. We just don't see it a lot.

The thing that's missing is the consistent effort which would be easier to bring if he wasn't moping at times which has been getting referenced.

Halls a high paid professional, a guy that should be in top20 scoring. If he was bringing his A game.

Further Hall is already showing, and its quite obvious that he's going to be injured a lot in his career. So using that as an excuse for subpar performance has a limited shelf life. It started this way with Hemsky too. Oh he's injured, he's injured, he's injured. Except that his play fell off a cliff and was never seen again. Not saying that with Hall but theres been considerable regression. Plus I don't think its a knee injury that's causing Hall to do astoundingly stupid things like Center a pass right on a Red Wing stick in the slot.

People don't want to say it but Hall just hasn't progressed in his thinking of the game or in the decisions he makes out there.

 

[Replacement*]

Not to mention everyone on here likes the boys/men on our team should be emotionless in spite of all the loss yet ever so dutiful in bringing a very game spirit night in and out.

Not to mention the fact that we are starting to see a push back lately and 1/3's ignore it and another 1/3 ***** about how it's going to make us lose our draft position.

At the end of last year we saw Hall play sound defensively, saw him back check like a beast he's more capable than some of you give credit for. That said we just got ravaged by one of the most absolutely worst coaches ever to play pro sports, the man has went from the top of every league he's ever been in to not even being considered for all-star games or team Canada despite being over qualified, working for one of the most poorly managed organizations ever that's currently riding one of the worst streaks in pro sports history, and as many concur playing despite a nagging injury (like he usually does).

Just look how jaded our boards are compared to other teams from all the losing. AND WE"RE JUST THE FANS. Imagine how the players feel.

So yeah Taylor isn't in a great mood lately and can't seem to find his game.

I'll agree it's not even the best time to give him the captaincy because it's the same Pejorative Slurs in charge and they will likely keep this team in the cellar and further destroy Taylor.

but if they can ever project to get out of the basement they should throw the C on Taylor because everyone else feeds off of his performances. They battle when he battles and the team seems to follow him.

While I don' disagree with the bolded it is very unfortunate that Hall repeatedly went out of his way to give Eakins his FULL support and to state matter of factly that Eakins was never the problem and that he's a very good coach. Which imo only somewhat extended the shelf life of an extremely poor coach and also confuses me why Hall VOLUNTEERED his astute opinion.

 

[Klimando Kostani]

Would it be a reach to think that he's been trained to or is just the kind of guy that gives boring PC answers and keeps issues in the room.

Definitely agree when he gave eakins support this year I was pissed "You fool, a few choice words from you on behalf of the players would have this ass clown gone before the weekend"

 

[BasedGOD*]

You weren't expecting him to play when the prognosis was for him to be expected ready to play? Hall came back 1-2 weeks early but was Certainly going to be playing in 2014, from his own mouth he's not effected by the injury, and is 100%. Indeed in some games at some times he's flying out there. We just don't see it a lot.

The thing that's missing is the consistent effort which would be easier to bring if he wasn't moping at times which has been getting referenced.

Halls a high paid professional, a guy that should be in top20 scoring. If he was bringing his A game.

Further Hall is already showing, and its quite obvious that he's going to be injured a lot in his career. So using that as an excuse for subpar performance has a limited shelf life. It started this way with Hemsky too. Oh he's injured, he's injured, he's injured. Except that his play fell off a cliff and was never seen again. Not saying that with Hall but theres been considerable regression. Plus I don't think its a knee injury that's causing Hall to do astoundingly stupid things like Center a pass right on a Red Wing stick in the slot.

People don't want to say it but Hall just hasn't progressed in his thinking of the game or in the decisions he makes out there.

Do you really trust this organization to make good judgement calls when it comes to player well being? Look no further than Ryan Whitney and Sheldon Souray.

 

[Replacement*]

Would it be a reach to think that he's been trained to or is just the kind of guy that gives boring PC answers and keeps issues in the room.

Definitely agree when he gave eakins support this year I was pissed "You fool, a few choice words from you on behalf of the players would have this ass clown gone before the weekend"

heh, that's precisely my feeling.

 

[Replacement*]

Do you really trust this organization to make good judgement calls when it comes to player well being? Look no further than Ryan Whitney and Sheldon Souray.

haha. If you know me at all you know you got something there.

Preaching to the converted.

Myself I look more for signs. Hall can fully push on a lot of instances in a lot of games. He can fully accelerate, he can reach his top speeds. So the knee is holding up to those exertions. The only question is whether he's feeling a twinge each time, or getting swelling, soreness etc. Hall says he's fine. But I probably shouldn't pay much attention to what Hall says by now.

Really I don't know what to make of most of his statements this season.