waltdetroit
Registered User
- Jul 20, 2010
- 2,649
- 526
This is hilarious. I saw your post on the Cossa thread about changing your avatar. I came to this thread to grab the "Fonzi" pic for you...Amidst all the Cossa hype, I took some time away from being excited about our new guy.
But now I'm swinging right back because honestly this is the most talented goalie we've had in the system since Mrazek.
Nedeljkovic plays like a gamer. He's coming to his home state. He plays fast and aggressive. A goalie handling the puck back there will help our transition game so damn much.
I don't know how he'll hold up to playing 50 games, but there's tons to be excited about with this guy. Can't wait to have him anchoring our boys.
I know nothing about the guy, anyone have opinions on him they would like to share?
I thought Flanders sounded vaguely familiar...must've been buried in my subconscious. good find.Peter Budaj's nickname was Ned Flanders. This was his mask
I'm not a big metal fan, but most people I work with are, so at some point I came across this group. Okilly Dokilly, a Ned Flanders-inspired metal band. Somehow this applies to Nedeljkovic.
But this does have me question the Cossa pick. Unless they really don't feel like Ned is good enough long term. In which case, I would wonder why they traded for him.
He can't play in the AHL next season. It's WHL or NHL, same crap as Raz went through.Here is kind of what I think:
Cossa is too good for the WHL, and you don't draft a guy at 15 that you don't see playing at least a game in the NHL within two years. Cossa will likely play full-time in the AHL next year and get a few games up with the Wings when injuries happen. If he adjusts to the pro-game well, then the next year he backs up and/or platoons with Nedejkovic. If Cossa looks to be the real deal at the NHL level, you trade Ned at the deadline. If Cossa looks like a bust, or like he needs more time, you resign Ned.
Between Ned and Cossa they probably feel pretty secure in their chances of having an NHL starter for 10 years.
If he turns out though, having 2 starters is nice to haveSo, I think getting Ned was a great move. To me he looks like a well above average future starting goalie. I was pretty shocked the Canes moved him honestly.
But this does have me question the Cossa pick. Unless they really don't feel like Ned is good enough long term. In which case, I would wonder why they traded for him.
He can't play in the AHL next season. It's WHL or NHL, same crap as Raz went through.
Not every 18YO feels comfortable heading over to a foreign country and playing in an adult league. Let's keep things in perspective, he's a kid. I know a bunch of them played in Europe last season but that's a COVID anomaly.Oh, yeah, I forgot about the AHL age rules. Could they convince Cossa to go play in the SHL for a year? He's too good for the WHL at this point.
Not every 18YO feels comfortable heading over to a foreign country and playing in an adult league. Let's keep things in perspective, he's a kid. I know a bunch of them played in Europe last season but that's a COVID anomaly.
Let him stay with a setting he's already comfortable with so he can focus on hockey. Entry level slide then a season in GR. We've got Ned to entertain us for a couple of years. No need to rush.
Keep in mind goalies are all headcases, the last thing you want to do is toy with an unstable mind.
I don't know him well enough to judge. The last line was just a dig at Bench.Cossa seems like he likes a challenge. If Wallstedt does come to the WHL (as another poster mentioned) he might want to stay there and face him directly.
I don't know him well enough to judge. The last line was just a dig at Bench.
I know when I was 18, driving 6 hours to college was a big enough deal. These draft picks are all kids, it's not like the NFL.
Junior hockey has billet families, so it's not the same as living by yourself and playing pro.I figure these guys are used to moving around, living with sponsor families and whatnot. I think the flameout rate of NHLers vs other sports is how NHL prospects are groomed from a young age for that lifestyle. Going to another country is a huge change, but Cossa has been spending his seasons away from home for years at this point.
edit: The agreement that stipulates that CHL drafted players must be returned to their CHL teams instead of the AHL might also restrict access to European leagues, so the point might be moot anyway.
So, I think getting Ned was a great move. To me he looks like a well above average future starting goalie. I was pretty shocked the Canes moved him honestly.
But this does have me question the Cossa pick. Unless they really don't feel like Ned is good enough long term. In which case, I would wonder why they traded for him.
Junior hockey has billet families, so it's not the same as living by yourself and playing pro.
A lot of kids who make the NHL jump right away wind up living with a teammate or in Sid's case, Mario's basement. NHL teams know they're dealing with kids. Not to sidetrack the topic, but I'm impressed with Seider in this regard, he's already very worldly.
After seeing this and them being in on Virtanen
I'm Glad Ned is no long a part of the crappy organization... All of that fun "bunch of jerks" is gone IMO
So, I think getting Ned was a great move. To me he looks like a well above average future starting goalie. I was pretty shocked the Canes moved him honestly.
But this does have me question the Cossa pick. Unless they really don't feel like Ned is good enough long term. In which case, I would wonder why they traded for him.