Ryan Whitney for Gonchar

[ldbc]

When I first started many years ago, I dropped Hossa after a slow start, and he went on for 40 plus...ahhh youth.

[mbr311]

When I first started many years ago, I dropped Hossa after a slow start, and he went on for 40 plus...ahhh youth.

We all inevitably make mistakes that much is for sure..I gave up St. Louis 2 years ago for Kane I think...and St. Louis had over 100 points IIRC. stupid trade

My point has more to do with what's the point of drafting a guy that early when you know he's already injured and then dropping him after one game. I mean that's a wasted pick...but yea, we all make silly mistake that much is for sure. Live and learn as they say!

[SirJesto]

Agreed. You should know what you're getting into when drafting. At least in the first 5 rounds or so...

[cgjoe]

Like I said earlier, it makes ZERO SENSE to draft a guy that high (I assume he drafted Whitney pretty high) knowing that he's injured and might not play opening day...only to drop him one game into the season. I mean if you have ANY reservations then don't waste a high pick..because that's exactly what he did, he totally wasted a pick and literally handed you a top pick as a result. You should be thanking him profusely for giving you another high pick lol

Oh, and I forgot to mention that he dropped Whitney and kept Victor Hedman. Interesting.

[mbr311]

Oh, and I forgot to mention that he dropped Whitney and kept Victor Hedman. Interesting.

Well Hedman is a pretty good defender...I think he'll have a good season. But if Whitney is totally healthy, I like him as a top 10 defender across the board. He came out of the gates last year on fire, putting up 2G/25A in just 35 games, a +13 rating, 33 PIMs, 7 PPPs, 2 SHPs, over 25 minutes of ice time and had 29 hits and 69 blocks. Extract that over a full season...those potentially are some SICK numbers. I especially like the fact that he was +13 on a piss poor EDM team that has way more talent this year. He'll be QB'ing a pretty good PP unit..he will be setting up the likes of Hall, Eberle, Hemsky and if Nugent-Hopkins pans out like they think he could, wow..I like that a lot. Plus man look at those other categories where he really starts to separate himself. In my league where SHPs, hits and blocks count well those numbers he put up in just 35 games look really good to me.

Of course all of this is contingent on him being healthy. I mean he missed a lot of time with that injury and hasn't been on the ice a whole lot so one has to expect some rust when he does come back, along with the fact that's he's gonna have to work his way back up to his normal high ice time numbers (I think they are expecting to start him around 16-18 minutes a game and work his way up). So rust is to be expected..but I think you struck gold on that one. I mean you didn't draft him and you got him off waivers..so in my mind you basically got a free top 10 (round) draft pick from the guy who dropped him.