TSN: Rowe suggests core Panthers could be moved

[Jean Luc Discard]

This is so ridiculous.

Even more ridiculous than the $7.5mil for eight years?

 

[JP Mick]

Even more ridiculous than the $7.5mil for eight years?

The sad thing is I can't even argue with this comment after what I've seen this past year even though I want to.

 

[PBPantherfan]

The thing I don't get is this Rowe not making any sense or Harvey's excellent reporting skills.


Just because guys don’t have contracts, doesn’t mean they can’t get traded either,†Rowe told the Florida Sun Sentinel.

Well yes Tom when somebody doesn't have a contract it does mean they can't get traded. Or it's just Harvey being Harvey.

 

[I am not exposed]

Even more ridiculous than the $7.5mil for eight years?

Going to one of the worst contracts in the league.

Laughably bad.

 

[floridada]

http://www.tsn.ca/rowe-suggests-core-panthers-could-be-moved-1.709242

Doesn't sound like a guy who feels he is coming to the end of the line.

That is very disturbing.

Maybe he thinks he's part of the core, and he's just referring to himself here.

 

[vendetta]

They didn't even need to have good season, just average ones and we'd be in.

I'm pretty sure Rowe is still going after Smith. That's who he blasted publicly before, that's who he is blasting now imo. Some coaches have whipping boys.

Bjugstad. Completely ha Peres him most of the year playing him in roles and positions he's never had before.. taking him off pp.. giving him 10 mins a night.. talk about ruining a young player with injury problems and not helping him get confidence back at all..

 

[barkovcanfinnish]

Count me out of the "Let's give up on our 21-year-old star defenseman because he's gonna make 7.5 mil after one bad year" group.

If he plays this bad/worse next year, then I think it's fair game to discuss. My opinion, though.

 

[Chaos2k7]

Lots of pro scouts in here, Ekblad needs a full summer to get right and focus on his skating weaknesses, even with all his struggles this year he underlying stats were not that bad. He does not strike me as someone that likes to fail, he will be back better than ever.

 

[vendetta]

Count me out of the "Let's give up on our 21-year-old star defenseman because he's gonna make 7.5 mil after one bad year" group.

If he plays this bad/worse next year, then I think it's fair game to discuss. My opinion, though.

Agreed.. needs to reset and I think he can bounce back.. has a lot of work to do but I think he's capeable.. as long as ownership bows out and let's the hockey team be run like a professional sports franchise is supposed to I think the players can shake off this season and get back to form.. need to tweak the d tho

 

[Swede93]

People also forget how long it took Hedman to assert himself as a dominant player in the league. Ek's had a slump year, almost every star player goes through it. As long as it was growing pains related and not due to concussions, he'll be fine.

Contract is still too rich though...

 

[I am not exposed]

People also forget how long it took Hedman to assert himself as a dominant player in the league. Ek's had a slump year, almost every star player goes through it. As long as it was growing pains related and not due to concussions, he'll be fine.

Contract is still too rich though...

I didn't forget. Just know progression isn't linear.

I see him becoming more a Phaneuf/Myers than a Hedman.

 

[vendetta]

I didn't forget. Just know progression isn't linear.

I see him becoming more a Phaneuf/Myers than a Hedman.

No he thinks the game at a much higher level than those players.. he just. Reds to gain an extra step over the offseason and clear the cobwebs.. he was Dinamite in the World Cup... other than footspeed he has every tool he needs

 

[IceManCat]

I don't think he said anything we didn't already know. The thing that I find alarming is that he views himself as a decision maker or someone important. Hopefully he gets the axe along with some guys who are clearly underperforming (Bjugstad).

 

[batting1k]

A lot of our core isn't good. They aren't going to move Barkov, Huberdeau, Trocheck, Jam or Ekblad. We have no other irreplaceable players.

What's he supposed to do? Act like he's going to be gone next year? Until you hear you're fired, you always assume you're a part of things.

This

 

[FinlandPanther]

Lots of pro scouts in here, Ekblad needs a full summer to get right and focus on his skating weaknesses, even with all his struggles this year he underlying stats were not that bad. He does not strike me as someone that likes to fail, he will be back better than ever.

Seriously... yeah he sucked this year and his contract looks not good right now but you don't just trade a 21 year old first overall pick because you can. This board is truly a joke sometimes.

 

[letsgrowcactus]

It's tough with Ekblad. That contract is absolutely terrible if he doesn't improve his game next year. What really worries me is his concussions history. So you potentially have an 7.5x8 mill contract for a third pairing Dman, a player whose career could end with a few more hits to the head. I mean, the smart thing is to get rid of him ASAP and get as much as you can back out of some naive GM.
...OTOH there's the possibility that Ekblad returns to form and further improves, stays concussions-free and becomes that elite n.1 D we projected him to be. In which case, you'd be a complete idiot to get rid of him after the first slump of his career, especially since injuries might have affected his play.
The problem is we don't know which scenario is closer to the truth.

FWIW I'd stick with him, but the concerns about him are absolutely valid and real.

 

[Brokin]

Seriously... yeah he sucked this year and his contract looks not good right now but you don't just trade a 21 year old first overall pick because you can. This board is truly a joke sometimes.

I don't think they will find any takers for Eks contract in the off season if he is made available. GM's aren't stupid when it comes to concussion issues unless you work for the Cats and very few will look to jump into a situation that they can end up looking like Tallon did with Bolland. It's a long shot gamble where you either look like a genius or a fool.

It would be a coup if someone jumped on it and gave him the chance to heal properly like Crosby's 11 months off. That will never happen here as Ekblad will be right back at it when camp arrives as that's the ownership and FO modus operandi. That's 6 months to heal coupled with a strenuous off season workout program that he desperately needs as likely prescribed by the training staff. When you get your heart rate up when there is still damage to the brain, those vessels never really have time to heal properly. Hence the situation he is in now as he could have had quite a bit of damage that he played through all season from the Komarov hit that only worsened with the recent concussion and relapse from playing too soon.

 

[DJN21]

It's tough with Ekblad. That contract is absolutely terrible if he doesn't improve his game next year. What really worries me is his concussions history. So you potentially have an 7.5x8 mill contract for a third pairing Dman, a player whose career could end with a few more hits to the head. I mean, the smart thing is to get rid of him ASAP and get as much as you can back out of some naive GM.
...OTOH there's the possibility that Ekblad returns to form and further improves, stays concussions-free and becomes that elite n.1 D we projected him to be. In which case, you'd be a complete idiot to get rid of him after the first slump of his career, especially since injuries might have affected his play.
The problem is we don't know which scenario is closer to the truth.

FWIW I'd stick with him, but the concerns about him are absolutely valid and real.

This might be the realest post of the night. Hats off to you sir

 

[RogerRoger]

I didn't forget. Just know progression isn't linear.
I see him becoming more a Phaneuf/Myers than a Hedman.

What has been you evaluation of Bjugstad through the years?
What are you basing yourself on to say that? Did you actually subjected yourself to watching a lot of Sabres games?

Brokin is such a solid doc, we are truly lucky to have him on here. Buddy, there are plenty of other player that didn't take 11 months to come back from a concussion. Ever heard of Bergeron?

 

[Brokin]

Brokin is such a solid doc, we are truly lucky to have him on here. Buddy, there are plenty of other player that didn't take 11 months to come back from a concussion. Ever heard of Bergeron?

Bless your heart and I'm so glad we are Buddy's.

Incidentally, I have heard of Bergeron and you should write on the blackboard "Patrice Bergeron was knocked unconscious from an illegal check on 10/26/07 and never returned to play a game again until the start of the next season" 350 times to remind you of the number of days he didn't play a game. That would actually be longer than Sid didn't play a game. Yes, he has had concussions since that required less time to heal but even he said every concussion is different and a player gets a sense after sustaining multiple concussions when the healing is complete. I don't know if I agree with that because many players are not honest enough with themselves about getting off the ice. The permanent damage is done with one big hit or multiple minor hits without proper down time to heal. See Marc Savard and his 6 concussions that ended his career.

 

[FrolikFan67]

unless we can get tarasenko, kane, or kucherov for ekblad, which we wouldnt right now, then i keep him (obviously).

idk how he goes from exceptional status, 1st overall, plays immediately at 18 and looks great and breaking records and such for that age, rookie of the year, scores even more goals the next year, touted as one of the best young d in the entire game, every team would kill to have him, not to mention he's not all about offense, he's capable of playing a decent 2-way game, has size/strength, mature beyond his years, a man child, a leader and probable future captain.

then he has one subpar season after losing his mentor mitchell, no campbell so a new line mate, not as sheltered as much and taking on a larger role, the pressures of a new contract, not to mention an offseason concussion, and even breaking double digits for goals again but his game overall was lackluster and can definitely improve. so now everyone is panicking. i know he's young so the chance of oh this may be how he is from now on, or does he get another concussion and if he does what happens, which are valid concerns but i would like to think given how everything has gone previous to this season, and still only 21, a lot of d prospects still aren't in the league yet and he's already got 3yrs experience, hell even in another half decade he'll still just be 26, I'm 25 so thats insane to think 8yrs in the league and someone being 26. and thats a tough position.

i think he'll be fine, the concussions worry me, his skills and attributes and potential and ability to bounce back don't.

 

[letsgrowcactus]

unless we can get tarasenko, kane, or kucherov for ekblad, which we wouldnt right now, then i keep him (obviously).

idk how he goes from exceptional status, 1st overall, plays immediately at 18 and looks great and breaking records and such for that age, rookie of the year, scores even more goals the next year, touted as one of the best young d in the entire game, every team would kill to have him, not to mention he's not all about offense, he's capable of playing a decent 2-way game, has size/strength, mature beyond his years, a man child, a leader and probable future captain.

then he has one subpar season after losing his mentor mitchell, no campbell so a new line mate, not as sheltered as much and taking on a larger role, the pressures of a new contract, not to mention an offseason concussion, and even breaking double digits for goals again but his game overall was lackluster and can definitely improve. so now everyone is panicking. i know he's young so the chance of oh this may be how he is from now on, or does he get another concussion and if he does what happens, which are valid concerns but i would like to think given how everything has gone previous to this season, and still only 21, a lot of d prospects still aren't in the league yet and he's already got 3yrs experience, hell even in another half decade he'll still just be 26, I'm 25 so thats insane to think 8yrs in the league and someone being 26. and thats a tough position.

i think he'll be fine, the concussions worry me, his skills and attributes and potential and ability to bounce back don't.

Like I said, I'd keep him, but the concussions are a real concern.

I'm no expert but if extended time off helps Ekblad heal, they should give it to him. Even if it means something like eight months off - in context of that big eight year contract, it's much better to lose him now for some time and have him come back 100% than to permanently damage his brain and have him turn into a shade of his potential. If I was the team manager, I'd consult with experts both within and outside the organisation and then play it on the safe side. Of course if they all agree he's good to go then awesome, but this definitely seems like the situation where you have to think long-tem.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

This is the easiest thing to predict in sports. Front office that doesn't know what to do, everything starts crumbling underneath them. The players get bashed, (example: scapegoat = Bjugstad), because despite clueless management they're supposed to just go and dominate the league, when they're not fully even fully developed as players yet. Not every player will play great at a young age when the people in charge of them don't know what they are doing. Some players do, but some players don't, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Bjugstad is fine, Ekblad is fine, I don't think they're are playing nearly as bad as people say. You don't need to go trading for players that you will end up bashing just like the ones you traded away for them when you expect them to come in and function at a high level despite having the people guiding them not know what they are doing.
Get somebody in here that knows how to coach, and then see how these players respond. Heck, I actually want Tallon back at the GM duties too, and the rest can go to hell, but I know that's a little too much to expect (including better ownership).

 

[RogerRoger]

Bless your heart and I'm so glad we are Buddy's.

Incidentally, I have heard of Bergeron and you should write on the blackboard "Patrice Bergeron was knocked unconscious from an illegal check on 10/26/07 and never returned to play a game again until the start of the next season" 350 times to remind you of the number of days he didn't play a game. That would actually be longer than Sid didn't play a game. Yes, he has had concussions since that required less time to heal but even he said every concussion is different and a player gets a sense after sustaining multiple concussions when the healing is complete. I don't know if I agree with that because many players are not honest enough with themselves about getting off the ice. The permanent damage is done with one big hit or multiple minor hits without proper down time to heal. See Marc Savard and his 6 concussions that ended his career.

Exactly my point, some concussions take a long time, some not so much. The players and doctors know better than anyone on here.

 

[ShootIt]

Exactly my point, some concussions take a long time, some not so much. The players and doctors know better than anyone on here.

Just need to hope the players take the injury very seriously and don't try to play too early either to contract pressure, pressure from coaches/teammates/pride.

Glad more has come to light about concussions, but players are still very competitive and want to play ASAP.