No slight intended towards Harris. He was a decent pick early in the second, one of few decent picks by Blaine Smith and company. It hasn't worked out for him here. You probably know better than anyone why things soured with Cull but especially with Fixter this year. I feel your pain man... the kid showed lots of potential when he came here and things haven't worked out.
I'm sure that Smith and Fixter will be persuasive in the year meeting with the kid and make assurances that he will be an important cog for the team next. The reality is that their top 6 is in shambles and Harris could (should) be the #2 center. I imagine that's what they will promise. It's up to him to believe them or not. Or, they may simply believe that the relationship is beyond repair and ship him away. He still has some value. I could see a team like London picking him up for their 3rd line and basically steal him away from Sudbury.
It's the nature of Junior Hockey however. Unless you're a superstar, you're but a number that's interchangeable. For every player that exits the OHL content of his experience, there are 5 who regret foregoing their teenage years and their education to get shat on. There are too many grave examples of this lately.
Agree. I believe promises were made and will be made to keep him here (unless there was already plans in the works to move him anyway). I, also, believe that promises are made to others as well. I think it just comes down to who cries the most about promises not being kept.
However, even if promises made to the kid...why would he even want to stay. Three years in a row he has been shaat on by coaching/management. Year one, didn't get played at all because he was not a first rounder...sat in the stands. Then injuries came and he played with Kuchin and they formed a good productive line.
Last year with Leivo and either Silk or Kubalik, they were the best line we had. Kahun was out. Then shunned to 3/4th line as soon as Kahun came back. Same things this year.
Now, if you look at the teams who actually get plenty of kids drafted (London, Guelph to name two of many), they let kids (all kids) get a shot at playing in all situations - PP/PK, 1st line, 2nd line, etc. The coaches and management see if they can play there. If they can, they stick. Sudbury, unless you are a 1st rounder, rarely let kids who are drafted 2nd round forward or higher play PP. Harris has been given a handful of shifts on PP over 3 years and when he has, he produced...strange.
I think for his sake he is moved either by his choice or Wolves choice. I sit at the games and everyone around me wonders same thing - why is he not playing or playing so little, why is not given the opportunity that others get.
Geez - Silk gets 9 points in over 60 games his first year and for some reason immexiately moves to top 2 lines his 2nd year onward, playing PP all the time and for the amunt of ice he gets does not get a lot in points.
I go back to my earlier statement. If the kid or agent screams at Blaine to play their player they will get what they need.
