Cyborg Yzerberg
Registered User
I bring them into the discussion because I'm thinking about all the tools available to Holland. He doesn't need to handcuff himself to players he no longer needs if he has better options. Given the bottom three--- Kindl, Quincey and Lashoff, I think Q is the best one of the group. Moreover, he has played a decent amount of time, and none of these guys can fill that.
I've always been a proponent of bringing up very promising prospects sooner than later. I HOPE that the Wings will do so, but I also feel that the more conservative approach is to keep as many of your better D and then create the room, not to keep the weakest and throw the rookies in there with them.
It's nice seeing you posting around here again Fugu, it's been a while. But I suppose there haven't been any Bowman vs. Babcock debates lately, though I'm surprised you didn't stick your neck out for Smith when he was the subject of debate a while ago.
Anyway, I've skimmed the last couple of pages and am completely with you on this. The net gain of letting either Marchenko or Ouelett take the year to develop over either Kindl or Quincey outweighs letting the same 7 defensemen patrol the blue line this year. Granted they are young and make mistakes, but that won't be sheltered at all. When Kindl and Smith broke into the league as mid-twenty year olds, they were still prone to the same mistakes all rookie defensemen make. I'd rather bring them up sooner than later, give them an opportunity to develop into the defensemen that they have the potential to become, rather than overpay defensemen who have likely reached their developmental peak and are not only detrimental on the ice, as per possession numbers, corsi numbers, and basic statistics, but also against our cap. Bring one up now, the other the following season, and then we'll see where Sproul is in a year or two, who probably actually needs more time to develop his game.
In summary, while icing Ouelett, Marchenko, Kindl, and Quincey all have a high probability of hurting our team in the short run, it's evident what will be best for the organization in the long run.
I hate Lashoff as a 7th defenseman, I'd rather nor run with a 7th defenseman at all and call up Marchenko/Ouelett, Sproul, Backman, Jensen, whomever, as needed.
Also, like Bench, I needed a recess from the insanity.