Rookie Camp

[R K]

As for Beach he has the tools, size, shot and all around game to make it. Unfortunately he can't seem to pull his head out of his ass. Similar to Alui, but Beach is far more talented. He can have it all if he wants. The decision is up to him.



Talent wise he's a good pick. Brain wise he's so far been a dumb ****. The bar issue with him and Alui in Milwaukee two years ago didn't help much either. Got them both kicked off the team or the rest of the season AND playoffs. Maybe it was just the playoffs I can't remember.

 

[LordKOTL]

Hate to nitpick, but Beach was WHL (Everett/Lethbridge/Spokane), not OHL. If I remember right, it was the OHL vs the WHL that cause the Beach/Aliu incident.



If we are keeping him and not giving him the Kontiloa Treatment, i really hope he does get the rectal craiectomy. Swagger-wise, he could be what Burish was with more raw talent, but right now he seems like a carbon copy of the bad Avery.

 

[R K]

OHL/WHL same thing. He was ahead of the curb big time because of where his birthday fell and the minimum age to get into the AHL.

 

[PatrickShart]

Welcome back, Kerfuffle, welcome back.

 

[MassHavoc]

That reminds me. We are still all waiting on makarov...with the open spots is this finally it?

 

[Kerfuffle]

Welcome back, Kerfuffle, welcome back.

Yeah - I've decided to take a 'zero tolerance' approach with him. Enough of the Mr. Nice guy - don't care if I get banned. I won't start the personal attacks but I'm going to respond to them now. Enough is enough.



btw - love your signature line of my quote. Turned out to be true didn't it? Backed into playoffs, consistently played inconsistent all year, cup hangover, etc. I was right.

 

[Shantz My Pants]

Beach never really has impressed me. I like the style of play he brings, but I think his speed and acceleration are below average (haven't seen him in a bit). I know he has a shit attitude that has haunted him from back in his days in the WHL (Once called Lucic a "hunchback"). Again he's only 22, and not every player can come right out of juniors and make the first line and Powerplay.



My only fear is he's the next Ty Jones.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

dammit hit the wrong button

 

[R K]

That reminds me. We are still all waiting on makarov...with the open spots is this finally it?

Good question. It was said he and Beach would spend a full year in Rockford. Training Camp should be interesting. I still think at least 1-2 forward positions will be up for grab.



Morin, Smith, Beach, Makarov, Kruger... Rockford should also have a pretty good year. They were the hottest team in the AHL the last 25 games or so.

 

[R K]

dammit hit the wrong button

I fixed it for you. LOL!

 

[PatrickShart]

Yeah - I've decided to take a 'zero tolerance' approach with him. Enough of the Mr. Nice guy - don't care if I get banned. I won't start the personal attacks but I'm going to respond to them now. Enough is enough.



btw - love your signature line of my quote. Turned out to be true didn't it? Backed into playoffs, consistently played inconsistent all year, cup hangover, etc. I was right.

No. They finished 2pts out of 4th place while bringing in how many new players and playing several rookies all season- including 4 in the playoffs. Had injuries to key players during the season - Hossa, Campbell and Bolland. Took VAN (president trophy winners) to game 7 while battling injuries the whole series to key players, and Sharp shoots 5in higher, who knows how far they go.



But...some people like pointing out the negative after one month into the season (never mind them playing 20gms the first 39 days, after playing until June in a compacted schedule with 30% of their roster playing OLY hockey as well).

 

[Kerfuffle]

No. They finished 2pts out of 4th place while bringing in how many new players and playing several rookies all season- including 4 in the playoffs. Had injuries to key players during the season - Hossa, Campbell and Bolland. Took VAN (president trophy winners) to game 7 while battling injuries the whole series to key players, and Sharp shoots 5in higher, who knows how far they go.



But...some people like pointing out the negative after one month into the season (never mind them playing 20gms the first 39 days, after playing until June in a compacted schedule with 30% of their roster playing OLY hockey as well).

Nice way to spin it and say they were only 2pts out of 4th. Yes that's true - but you overlook that they controlled their own destiny and ONLY got in the playoffs because somehow Dallas couldn't beat a team of callups for the Wild on the last game of the season. That is a fact and most would call that backing into the playoffs. As for injuries, every team has them. Hossa is like Havlat - always injured - he'll be injured next season too at some point. We won a cup even during a season in which he was injured. So injuries aren't an excuse. Neither is the schedule - that sounds like a Vancouver excuse - blame everyone for falling short. Overall I felt it was a disappointing season with an inconsistent team. I called it right.

 

[PatrickShart]

I dont know why I bother.



Do all the new players matter, or do you expect a 50% roster turnover to click right away?

Giving key minutes to rookies - Crawford, Bickell, Skille, Dowell, Leddy - 20% of your roster? How many rookies played the year before? Let me know...please. Open your eyes and spin me how many rookies were on the team the year before

How about career years for - Kopecky ,Sharp, Toews, Seabrook, Campbell (+/-)..or Kane being one of about a dozen players in the whole NHL that averaged a PPG..guess they're hearts weren't into it?

This team scored 10 less goals (not counting EN goals)than the previous Stanley Cup winning team - without any heart or not caring.



There were 5 players that ended the 08-09 (Havlat, Barker, Walker, Pahlsson, Khabibulin) that didn't start the season the next year. Only Havlat the top 6 forward - who was replaced and upgraded by Hossa.



From the end of 09-10 team to the start of 10-11 team - 9 key players - Byfuglien, Versteeg, Ladd, Sopel, Eager, Madden, Burish, Fraser, Niemi.



As far as "backing in"....the season is 82 games long. You get points in every game. Same amount whether its game 15 (right about when you gave up on the team) or game 82. Any way you spin it. Show me or prove to me that some other game means more than others or you get more points in another game.



Now...show me some facts - some absolutes - that the team's heart wasn't into it. Show me how they didn't care.

 

[JOVE23]

Now...show me some facts - some absolutes - that the team's heart wasn't into it. Show me how they didn't care.

http://thethirdmanin.com/2011/04/23/duncan-keith-opens-up-admits-to-lacking-interest-this-season/

“I felt like it had really good stretches and then there (were) times I would just … I don’t want to say … lose focus, but just was not really … interested for whatever reason.” Duncan Keith, 4/22/2011

Just playing Devil's Advocate.

 

[PatrickShart]

As far as all they had to do was win the last game. Take a look at who it was against. Take a look at how easy it is in any sport - let alone hockey to win back to back in a home and home series - against one of the best teams in the league, nonetheless. After the Hawks thoroughly embarassed them the nite before.



And please tell me, how the fact being they were 2 points out of 4th place - is "spinning". Its not true? It didn't happen? So being the 8th place team...they didn't earn the playoffs by having more points in an 82 game season than the 9th place team? 2 more wins...was that real or fake?

 

[PatrickShart]

Ok...thats Duncan Keith.



SO.....one player can say he wasn't into it - therefore, no one was. Got it. All those players with career seasons, did that without being into it.



I didn't realize what he says, means everyone felt that way.

 

[JOVE23]

Ok...thats Duncan Keith.



SO.....one player can say he wasn't into it - therefore, no one was. Got it. All those players with career seasons, did that without being into it.



I didn't realize what he says, means everyone felt that way.

I wasn't saying that, just showing someone who was at times disinterested. I personally think last year's team had more heart and guts than the Cup winning team in spades.

 

[R K]

I think burnt out is better than playing without heart. They all had heart. They were all not satisfied with how they played and how the season ended.

 

[PatrickShart]

It's not disinterest. He couldn't put his finger on it and no player would admit during the season he's tired.



But look at the minutes Keith logs.



Add in the condensed schedule, the olympics, the playoff run, then winning the cup...then the dental surgeries he went through. Now...after the 2 months "off" - where he probably did not have a normal work out off season...they start the season with a brand new team, all the games the Hawks schedule had early...and he played even more minutes with Campbell out.



Yes...he had a bad year. Probably the worse out of the core. But...the "vibe" Kerfluffle claims...is their "hearts aren't into the season" last year, a month into the season

 

[R K]

no doubt and he was not the only one. I also don't consider that a Hangover. I consider it consequence of many attributions. No Heart is not one of them.



I also don't agree about backing into shit. They were already in. Dallas had to WIN to get in. Not only did Dallas have to win they had to win their last FIVE games straight!