Quote:
Originally Posted by bhlloy
I'm happy that the Getzlaf-Kunitz-Perry line is firing, and that most (not all) of the stupid penalties have been eliminated. Defensive play is worrying, but Giguere and Hiller are doing their best to make up for it. Hiller is the real deal and will replace Giggy pretty soon IMO - if not this year then in time for the start of next season.
As for the Hedican signing, I'd have rather done without it, but MacIver and Montodor are trash. It might be a necessary evil. I don't know what to make of Ryan - he's tearing it up in the AHL again, but Carlisle just doesn't seem willing to give him a chance with the Ducks. Even when he's been up with the big club, he hasn't gotten the consistent minutes to show what he can do. From what I've seen of Morrison, I'd much rather have Ryan on that line with Selanne. Another knee-jerk signing of a player on the downside of his career because "we have a need", didn't learn anything from Bertuzzi and Schneider last season. Ironic because the cup run was built on the young guns (Getz, Perry, Kunitz and Penner)
|
While I tend to agree with some of what you say here, I am not sure you have the Ryan situation right. Both Carlisle and Burke very much want him to be on this team and playing with the second line. Problem is, he has a two-way contract that pays him some $1.5 M if he's here in Anaheim. We can't put him on the team because of the cap. That's why they sent him down (sadly) at the end of preseason--they didn't have a choice.
Also, while I agree that Hiller is fantastic, I doubt greatly we'll make a move to him for at least two years, probably at the point where we either pay him as a #1 or lose him. Jiggy just signed that contract a year ago, is coming off his best season and is a proven performer in the playoffs. He is also probably the most respected player on the team, too, from what I have gathered, and if goalies besides Luongo were to wear the 'C', and we didn't have such a natural captain in Neirdermayer, he would be the wearing it. So I think it would take a drastic fall in play for Jiggy to lose his spot here.
As for Morrison, we didn't really have an answer in house for that spot. I'm not thrilled with the sign-a-vet-to-fill-a-hole either, but we have a small window right now with Teemu and Niedermayer and Pronger getting on, so it's either sign these types of players or just accept being at best a fifth-to-eighth seed, which isn't really the path to success in the NHL.
Remember, the plan was to have Morrison centering Selanne and Ryan, so Morrison isn't a replacement for Ryan, IMO. They don't even play the same position. The signing of Morrison says a lot more about the hard spot we're in for having dealt away McDonald (necessary as it was at the time), and not having developed a true second line center.