Hartnell and Simmonds
I started a thread many moons ago [ one of my few insights and threads!] , if you care to look it up concerning Hartnell and Simmonds. As I recollect, my reasoning was that in today's NHL, team speed, crisp passing, and 200 foot awareness were the key to success and I still believe that is true. Hartnell had virtually all those problems and we eventually traded him [ for a lot less than I thought we would!]. Simmonds like Hartnell has the same problems: 200 foot awareness and all though he has good top speed his acceleration is not that great and if he is flat footed, so long opposing player! His passing and accepting passes is somewhat less than optimal [ to be generous] Now whether Ron would trade him, it would have to be a great trade. For me, Simmonds, straight up for Drouin would be a fair deal in my eyes since Tampa gets what it needs and the Flyers a true snipe-ing LW. Of course we are trading negatives of both too. We all complain about team speed, here is the one major issue the Flyers would be addressing. Some one will have to take up the slack of the leadership that Wayne truly does have, but how many of the current and future roster were/are wore/ are wearing the C in major juniors or even WJC? For me it would be a tough decision to trade Wayne.....but then again I am not a general manager of a professional hockey team.....;-))).