Confirmed Buy-Out [SJS] Sharks buy-out F Rudolfs Balcers

[MMC]

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[Tasteless Beaver]

The undoing of the Karlsson trade has been undone!

 

[SoundAndFury]

But why?

 

[Qward]

MDZ I understand, but why buy out Balcers?

 

[Stewie Griffin]

Grier said he wants players on the team who are hard to play against. Hence why Balcers was bought out and Dahlen not qualified.

 

[themelkman]

Absolutely stupid. Grier wiping out all the depth skill on this team that was already lacking.

 

[MMC]

 

[SoundAndFury]

Grier said he wants players on the team who are hard to play against. Hence why Balcers was bought out and Dahlen not qualified.

So does he have those players? Is he sending a message here?

 

[Empoleon8771]

I would claim Balcers at $1.55 million, let alone sign him in UFA. Really odd move when I feel like you could have found a trade for Balcers very easily.

 

[Hale The Villain]

Huge congrats to the Sharks for getting out of Balcers' 1.55M albatross contract

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Sens fans obsession with this player was Intense.

 

[fasterthanlight]

lmao what. I mean, I want a different culture, but is rudy really the problem here

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

Grier said he wants players on the team who are hard to play against. Hence why Balcers was bought out and Dahlen not qualified.

I thought Balcers was a fairly physical bottom 6 player with some skill, or am I mistaken? Seems like the kind of guy most GM's consider hard to play against.

 

[BlueDream]

Imagine having cap issues and being a terrible team to boot. The Sharks don't know what they are doing.

 

[SoundAndFury]

This has to be some kind of "sending the message to the rest of the room" garbage. I'm kinda glad for Balcers though, gives his a chance to sign with something like Edmonton if he wishes to.

 

[Hale The Villain]

Sens fans obsession with this player was Intense.

Lol we gave Balcers away so we could trade a 2nd for Stepan and he provided solid bottom 6 play for the Sharks for a couple years.

Not obsession so much as pointing out how stupid it was to make those moves. Nothing has changed on that front.

 

[Gecklund]

Balcers is a good complimentary winger but the Sharks have no one for him to compliment. With Gregor taking a big step last year, Labanc coming back, Eklund coming up, Reedy/Chmelevski both needing full time spots, Barabanov resigning, and Kunin coming in there’s just no room for him.

 

[SoundAndFury]

I thought Balcers was a fairly physical bottom 6 player with some skill, or am I mistaken? Seems like the kind of guy most GM's consider hard to play against.

He is a skill player first so I guess you are mistaken.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Lol we gave Balcers away so we could trade a 2nd for Stepan and he provided solid bottom 6 play for the Sharks for a couple years.

Not obsession so much as pointing out how stupid it was to make those moves. Nothing has changed on that front.

Every fanbase is guilty of this exact thing - latching onto replacement-level players like they're superstars. Never change.

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

I thought Balcers was a fairly physical bottom 6 player with some skill, or am I mistaken? Seems like the kind of guy most GM's consider hard to play against.

He would be good for skilled team.

 

[Groo]

Imagine having cap issues and being a terrible team to boot. The Sharks don't know what they are doing.

Too funny

 

[Foppberg]

Lol quite a start Grier...

 

[Americanadian]

Can a Sharks fan please explain to me why this player wasn't worth 1.55M?

 

[seroes]

This is stupid. Balcers may not be the greatest, but he is still better than the rest of our depth. He provides some scoring, which we desperately need.

 

[Mattb124]

I thought Balcers was a fairly physical bottom 6 player with some skill, or am I mistaken? Seems like the kind of guy most GM's consider hard to play against.

You are mistaken. He is fast and a decent forechecker, but "fairly physical" is not a description that fits him.

I think the issue is that the Sharks had a quite a few forwards that were legitimately 3rd liners but were playing throughout the top 9 because of a lack of depth. My sense is Grier has identified the players he wants for the actual 3rd line and is jettisoning those who he sees as not having the right skillset for that role.

Now, how does Grier plan on filling those holes?