I think Dean's already done that ? people might not agree or like who Dean got for that position but I think ELLERBY is exactly the low risk/high reward type of move Lombardi has traditionally tried to build with. Picks up a former 1st round Draftee for a 5th, a kid who has struggled because maybe he was rushed and on a poor team that never really properly developed him, but still has that potential, still has the size, still has skating ability, still a potential diamond in the rough maybe ? In an ideal situation Ellerby develops into a slightly more physical version of Rob Scuderi. At 24, Ellerby's way ahead of where Scuderi was at that age ... Scuderi didn't break into the NHL until he was 26 I think ?, and at 24 Ellerby already has 4 years of NHL experience under him, so let's give the kid some more time, hell he's barely had the chance to get used to playing the Western Conf style or Kings style of play just yet, and people are already writing him off it seems, give him some time. Now whether or not he pans out is anyone's guess, but I think at a minimum he's Lombardi's Plan B in case he can't sign Scuderi to a cheap deal to come back, or to maybe replace Mitchell if he can't return from these injuries.
Great points puck.
I wrote my response while on the road (I had a few minutes in between one place to another) so I may not have worded it perfectly. My point was meant as an example of why you would move a great young prospect or a solid proven young player and that was only as part of a deal for a long term upgrade and even then only when you had exceptional depth that would allow you to do so.
My overall point is that I would stand pat unless a perfect situation came along, especially so on D.
If we hadn't won the cup last season then we wouldn't already know what we do and that is that we have enough talent and depth to win the cup on our roster today. If a perfect fit came along to any team at any time and you can afford to make the deal then any GM should always remain open to the idea.
Making a deal where we give up any of our top prospects or young players would only make sense to me if a perfect situation that provided a better long term solution than we already have could be found.
I don't see any of the rentals that do that at all and that is why I would be more inclined to stand pat then make any deals.
I agree with you Puck that we have already filled a hole by picking up Ellerby and that deal is a perfect example of smart asset mgmt and the kind of deal that I am talking about. We Loki sitting around and moved him for a 5th and then moved a 5th for Ellerby. Perfect and he could become the player that we are looking for in a season or two.
76, I was only writing a situational example and didn't have a player in mind at all when I wrote what I did. I meant it as more of an example of what I would do in that situation. I wouldn't move any of our kids today unless we were in a situation where a team that was overloaded with talented SAH types who were young cheap and signed were looking for the same things in a young PMD.
If we could move A Mart as an example for an equally talented young SAH with grit I would do it because we have Des ready to come up next season and Roach right behind him. We are really deep with young PMD and have Gravel as our only really solid potential SAH hybrid in that area on the horizon.
Don't think we would be shipping him off even IF those two were healthy all year ... Dean was reportedly trying to work out an extension with Scuderi as well.
