Jason Bonsignore interview

[Everest]

He was a bust.

Of the classic & epic variety. He came into the league back before the days when every top pick got a parade upon selection. He was just one of the many guys who got the 'you gotta earn it speech' from his first NHL GM and he didn't respond the right way(s). Was he lazy? Idunno. Maybe not. But I do know his skill set wasn't ever close to worthy of top pick.

The guy was an average player in the 2nd TIER SWISS LEAGUE for petes' sake!

 

[flashy]

Man some people here are angry at him...I listened and actually felt bad for the guy. It was way better then the cliche, everything was great, great city, great people, best time of my life crap on the radio.

It was an honest and thought provoking interview. His best line was when he questioned why Edmonton has 20 some odd "first round busts", blame falls on the player and the organization but thinking about it, as he said it there's a lot that goes on behind closed doors and there's probably a lot we don't know.

He seemed actually disheartened that he couldn't live up to potential and expectation, so while all the keyboard warriors chime in with shots at the guy maybe you should just think. Could anything he said be right, almost all our draft picks in the early 90's busted. Except Ryan Smyth/Jason Arnott whom was run out of town shortly.

I was going to make this thread, I think it gives a lot of insight to what happens when a team develops the wrong way.

 

[flashy]

He was mad that the Oilers "derailed" his NHL career. He lost all confidence once he stepped into Edmonton.

Because Slats kept calling him out and giving other sub par players a free pass. He was really a victim of his draft rank, much like Cam Barker now that I think about it. Had he been drafted later in the first round he probably would of ended up being a decent 3rd liner.

 

[Tarus]

Sounds like it still bothers him, which isn't suprising considering the career and money he could have had. He probably would do better with today's softer NHL, but he also wouldn't be drafted in the first round either with all the psych evaluations and fitness testings prospects have to go through today(same with Daigle and quite a few others from the 90s)

Hope he comes to terms with it sometime in his life. He wasn't the only poorly treated prospect from those days, just the highest profile prospect who didn't have the mental toughness to get through the old school mentality the Oilers operated under then.

 

[joestevens29]

Man some people here are angry at him...I listened and actually felt bad for the guy. It was way better then the cliche, everything was great, great city, great people, best time of my life crap on the radio.

It was an honest and thought provoking interview. His best line was when he questioned why Edmonton has 20 some odd "first round busts", blame falls on the player and the organization but thinking about it, as he said it there's a lot that goes on behind closed doors and there's probably a lot we don't know.

He seemed actually disheartened that he couldn't live up to potential and expectation, so while all the keyboard warriors chime in with shots at the guy maybe you should just think. Could anything he said be right, almost all our draft picks in the early 90's busted. Except Ryan Smyth/Jason Arnott whom was run out of town shortly.

I was going to make this thread, I think it gives a lot of insight to what happens when a team develops the wrong way.

We had so many busts because Sather doesn't exactly employee the best scouts. He hasn't exactly done all that much in 11 years in NYR with his 1st and 2nd rounders.

 

[McRpro]

Well if anything that was certainly entertaining.

 

[flashy]

Sounds like it still bothers him, which isn't suprising considering the career and money he could have had. He probably would do better with today's softer NHL, but he also wouldn't be drafted in the first round either with all the psych evaluations and fitness testings prospects have to go through today(same with Daigle and quite a few others from the 90s)

Hope he comes to terms with it sometime in his life. He wasn't the only poorly treated prospect from those days, just the highest profile prospect who didn't have the mental toughness to get through the old school mentality the Oilers operated under then.

If you walked around and all you heard was "bust!", "you suck!", "first round flop" would it bug you? I really doubt that Jason is bitter because he didn't make enough money, however I'm sure he's pissed that his career never took off.

I think him talking about it, is that he has come to terms with it. First part of the interview he said "Its been a sensitive issue but i'm ok(comfortable) to talk about it now".

 

[joestevens29]

If you walked around and all you heard was "bust!", "you suck!", "first round flop" would it bug you? I really doubt that Jason is bitter because he didn't make enough money, however I'm sure he's pissed that his career never took off.

I think him talking about it, is that he has come to terms with it. First part of the interview he said "Its been a sensitive issue but i'm ok(comfortable) to talk about it now".

I think you are giving him too much credit. How many people actually would know him if they seen him?

 

[flashy]

We had so many busts because Sather doesn't exactly employee the best scouts. He hasn't exactly done all that much in 11 years in NYR with his 1st and 2nd rounders.

I disagree, its not like nobody was going to draft Steve Kelly or Jason in the first round, these two would of gone to some other team most likely shortly after had we not drafted them.

Why is it that so many players from left the oilers and became better players elsewhere?

Boyd Devereux
Dan Cleary
Jochen Hecht

off the top of my head.

and why is it, that almost 90% of the players bring here suck? What player has come here and actually met or exceeded expectations after being brought here.

Edmonton has had the worst development for players i've ever seen.

 

[Beer League King]

The Oilers, Lightning and Leafs all gave him a chance. He wasn't mentally tough and lacked the heart to be an NHL'er. You can't blame one person for your failures. It's his own fault that he didn't motivate himself to prove his doubters wrong.

 

[Beer League King]

I disagree, its not like nobody was going to draft Steve Kelly or Jason in the first round, these two would of gone to some other team most likely shortly after had we not drafted them.

Why is it that so many players from left the oilers and became better players elsewhere?

Boyd Devereux
Dan Cleary
Jochen Hecht

off the top of my head.

and why is it, that almost 90% of the players bring here suck? What player has come here and actually met or exceeded expectations after being brought here.

Edmonton has had the worst development for players i've ever seen.

This guy's angry because he's one of the few guys who bought a Bonsignore jersey.

 

[PuckNut]

I disagree, its not like nobody was going to draft Steve Kelly or Jason in the first round, these two would of gone to some other team most likely shortly after had we not drafted them.

Why is it that so many players from left the oilers and became better players elsewhere?

Boyd Devereux
Dan Cleary
Jochen Hecht

off the top of my head.

and why is it, that almost 90% of the players bring here suck? What player has come here and actually met or exceeded expectations after being brought here.

Edmonton has had the worst development for players i've ever seen.

You can go through a list like that for most teams. And 90% suck? Wow. You're right. I guess we should just fold the franchise because nobody is ever going to play good in Edmonton unless we get rid of everybody who has ever made a decision in the organization.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

this had better be podcasted...i wanna his explanation how he wasn't a bust

 

[Everest]

Man some people here are angry at him...I listened and actually felt bad for the guy. It was way better then the cliche, everything was great, great city, great people, best time of my life crap on the radio.

It was an honest and thought provoking interview. His best line was when he questioned why Edmonton has 20 some odd "first round busts", blame falls on the player and the organization but thinking about it, as he said it there's a lot that goes on behind closed doors and there's probably a lot we don't know.

He seemed actually disheartened that he couldn't live up to potential and expectation, so while all the keyboard warriors chime in with shots at the guy maybe you should just think. Could anything he said be right, almost all our draft picks in the early 90's busted. Except Ryan Smyth/Jason Arnott whom was run out of town shortly.

I was going to make this thread, I think it gives a lot of insight to what happens when a team develops the wrong way.

There is alot of merit in this post. But Bonsignore never panned out, anywhere. It wasn't something just Sather/Oiler specific.

 

[caley]

Bonsignore's problems started well before he was with the Oilers

from Gare Joyce's 'Future Greats and Heartbreaks' (The quotes in quotation marks are from Bonsignore's junior coach Don Boyd)

No, the most magnificent bust has to be Jason Bonsignore

"He could step over the boards in a close game and score at will, just like Mario."

The key words are "At will." Bonsignore was anything but driven. In fact, he seemed less interested in hockey than in go-kart driving. "That's all he talked about," Boyd says. "His father had been a car racer. He told everyone he was going to take his NHL bonus and open a racetrack."

Grant Sonier, an assistant coach for Boyd in Newmarket...came up with a brain teaser about player evaluation. If you had three categories - talent, hockey sense and character - and only six chips to place in those slots, how would you distribute them?

[Sonier On Bonsignore] "Six on talent, none for hockey sense, none for character."

Jason Bonsignore had a talent for hockey but almost no interest in it, beyond what it could do for him/

The old line stands true: players make the best scouts, and Boyd's players were way ahead of Central Scouting, the NHL scouts, and even their coach. "He was a nice kid, good-looking, had everything going for him," Boyd says, "but they just hated him." Grant Sonier reckons "hated" doesn't overstate the case. "He came back from the world juniors and hung his U.S. sweater and sweats in his stall," Sonier says, "The players took them to the middle of the dressing room and burned them."

Bonsignore is back in Rochester, but I have no luck getting in touch with him. I leave messages with the racetrack and go-kart operation he runs there, but no one calls back.

 

[flashy]

You can go through a list like that for most teams. And 90% suck? Wow. You're right. I guess we should just fold the franchise because nobody is ever going to play good in Edmonton unless we get rid of everybody who has ever made a decision in the organization.

Yea thats totally what I was saying in my post...

Player's Edmonton brought in recently who sucked/didnt come close to expectations.

O'sullivan
Lupul
Penner(Last season notwithstanding)
Foster
Comrie
Cogs and gags and Nilson nose diving since their rookie season.
Smid's inability to get any better.

I could go on here, face it our development program sucks. Had it not been for the last couple of draft picks this organization would be going nowhere.

 

[joestevens29]

I disagree, its not like nobody was going to draft Steve Kelly or Jason in the first round, these two would of gone to some other team most likely shortly after had we not drafted them.

Why is it that so many players from left the oilers and became better players elsewhere?

Boyd Devereux
Dan Cleary
Jochen Hecht

off the top of my head.

and why is it, that almost 90% of the players bring here suck? What player has come here and actually met or exceeded expectations after being brought here.

Edmonton has had the worst development for players i've ever seen.

Not like Weight, Guerin, Mironov, Ninimaa, Torres, Hamrlik etc.. sucked.

Also if you knew much about Cleary he admits that he changed his life when he went to Detroit.

Hecht was a 40 point player here. Wasn't like he sucked here and we never drafted him either. He was also dealt for two picks that turned out to be JDD and Stoll.

And Boyd Deveraux had his best offensive season as an Oiler so yet another fail.

 

[Tarus]

If you walked around and all you heard was "bust!", "you suck!", "first round flop" would it bug you?

He's been off the NHL grid for years, I doubt anyone would regonize him. Only other place he might get referenced where he would notice it is in the media, which would be a factual reference since he is in fact an NHL bust, one of the worst of the 90s in fact.

I really doubt that Jason is bitter because he didn't make enough money, however I'm sure he's pissed that his career never took off.

Hence I said "career and money he could have had"

I think him talking about it, is that he has come to terms with it. First part of the interview he said "Its been a sensitive issue but i'm ok(comfortable) to talk about it now".

Doesn't sound like he has considering the whole interview was about how badly the Oilers and Sather treated him. Interestingly enough, Grant Fuhr was on 5 minutes later and said he faced similar treatment - One is a hall of fame goaltender, the other is ranting on the radio that he didn't have the career he wanted because of external influences, pretty easy to see where the real problem with Bonsignore's career was.

 

[flashy]

Not like Weight, Guerin, Mironov, Ninimaa, Torres, Hamrlik etc.. sucked.

Also if you knew much about Cleary he admits that he changed his life when he went to Detroit.

Hecht was a 40 point player here. Wasn't like he sucked here and we never drafted him either. He was also dealt for two picks that turned out to be JDD and Stoll.

And Boyd Deveraux had his best offensive season as an Oiler so yet another fail.

Well I was mostly talking about drafting, but since you brought in players that did good here. Feel free to read my post about players that sucked here.

lol, so your arugment is that Edmonton couldn't change him but Detriot could?

what does getting draft picks have to do with anything?

Sam Ganger had his best "offensive" season as a rookie, I would say hes a much more complete player now.

 

[joestevens29]

Yea thats totally what I was saying in my post...

Player's Edmonton brought in recently who sucked/didnt come close to expectations.

O'sullivan
Lupul
Penner(Last season notwithstanding)
Foster
Comrie
Cogs and gags and Nilson nose diving since their rookie season.
Smid's inability to get any better.

I could go on here, face it our development program sucks. Had it not been for the last couple of draft picks this organization would be going nowhere.

What's your point? Not like those guys went on to do anything elsewhere. The team is bringing in the wrong players it has nothing to do with developing draft picks. Cogs and Gags also haven't nose dived.

 

[flashy]

What's your point? Not like those guys went on to do anything elsewhere. The team is bringing in the wrong players it has nothing to do with developing draft picks. Cogs and Gags also haven't nose dived.

I'll clarify, I think nils and cogs did. Gags, Ill retract however, im sure you remember when everybody was hyping him as a perenial 90 point player.

I guess what I meant was from what he was going to be.

 

[OntOilFan]

I have a very hard time believing Bonsignore was told he was a bust right off the bat.

He may very well have some valid points about Oilers management, but how seriously can you take a guy who won't take responsibility for himself?

 

[joestevens29]

Well I was mostly talking about drafting, but since you brought in players that did good here. Feel free to read my post about players that sucked here.

lol, so your arugment is that Edmonton couldn't change him but Detriot could?

what does getting draft picks have to do with anything?

Sam Ganger had his best "offensive" season as a rookie, I would say hes a much more complete player now.

First off Gagner had his best offensive season last year.

Dan Cleary also played two years elsewhere between Edmonton and Detroit and before he went there he made changes in his life. He realized he was done if he didn't change his ways.

What does drafting have to do? Well you were talking about 20 1st round busts.

 

[joestevens29]

I'll clarify, I think nils and cogs did. Gags, Ill retract however, im sure you remember when everybody was hyping him as a perenial 90 point player.

I guess what I meant was from what he was going to be.

If you read the internet forums a lot of people hype a lot of guys. There are still people that think Schremp is a good NHL player.

Just because fans have unrealistic hopes doesn't mean the team does.

 

[PuckNut]

Well I was mostly talking about drafting, but since you brought in players that did good here. Feel free to read my post about players that sucked here.

lol, so your arugment is that Edmonton couldn't change him but Detriot could?

what does getting draft picks have to do with anything?

Sam Ganger had his best "offensive" season as a rookie, I would say hes a much more complete player now.

Sometimes it takes a trade or being placed on waivers to motivate a player. Look at Briere and Savard.