Early Departures 2011

[runamuck]

[i believe Dell is being persuded by whl.His stock will never be higher than it is now and he risks loosing everything if he has a sub par year. Also in favor of him leaving is he has proven over the past 2 years is academics isn't his cup of tea.

[Csonked Out]

You make some great points. He does however need more time in the weightroom and some more work on all of those things. He is effective against college teams, but how will he do against bigger and faster players in the NHL with his size? I have seen bursts of speed and really good play but can he do it consistently enough to make a spot on an NHL roster and maintain that spot. Personally I say no not yet, he still needs to learn. But when he does leave I will support him and not hold it against him. Why not just stay in school another year and develop more as a player with the help of coaches who do a pretty good job of developing players.

The only reason he should stay is if he has a spot in the top 6 for next year already otherwise he doesn't have a whole lot left to prove as a 3rd liner in college hockey. He also needs to get used to the longer schedules of pro-hockey and playing the first half of the year in the AHL could do that for him, then he would be called up after the all-star break and given his shot much the way Vande-Velde was brought up this year. That is how I am guessing phoenix is looking at this.

[Csonked Out]

[i believe Dell is being persuded by whl.His stock will never be higher than it is now and he risks loosing everything if he has a sub par year. Also in favor of him leaving is he has proven over the past 2 years is academics isn't his cup of tea.

Um....huh? This is the first I have heard of this......

[siouxhog12]

The only reason he should stay is if he has a spot in the top 6 for next year already otherwise he doesn't have a whole lot left to prove as a 3rd liner in college hockey. He also needs to get used to the longer schedules of pro-hockey and playing the first half of the year in the AHL could do that for him, then he would be called up after the all-star break and given his shot much the way Vande-Velde was brought up this year. That is how I am guessing phoenix is looking at this.

Yea that is good. As long as this is how Phoenix is thinking it would be great. I just hate seeing players getting lost in the system who leave early. The longer schedule and strictly just hockey could really help him and I am excited to see how good he could become.

[siouxforce19]

I would disagree with that statement. He is good in the corners, can effectively clog the neutral zone, can chip in some offense, is an effective two-way player, and can get under opposing teams skin. I think we forget how on multiple occasions he completely changed the play of DU and Minnesota just by his yapping and aggressive play. He will be up with phoenix on a 4th line role at some point next year as he is not that far off. He will never be a top 6 player but he will be an effective grinder in today's NHL. I think we should be a bit classier about players who decide to leave after their Junior year and not knock them down for all the reasons it won't work. We were so good this year because of our incredible depth. Blood, Kristo, Gregoire, and Hexy are all developed enough to be playing in the NHL at some point next year.

I'm sorry but that's crazy. None of the potential early departures are going to jump straight into the NHL and I would be very surprised to see them in the show next year. It's difficult to jump over incumbents on all these teams. Gregoire would probably the only one with even a slight chance and that's only because he would play for the Islanders. If all of those four guys leave, they'll be biding their time in the AHL next year, probably behind guys in the AHL on the depth chart. And there is no guarantee they will get called up, so I'd stop with that assumption right now. My only problem with guys that leave early are those that leave to play in the AHL. I don't see a point to leave school to play in a minor league that's always going to be there. But that's just my opinion.

If all four of those guys leave, I think where we will take the biggest hit is in the area of leadership. We'll be down to 2 seniors and it makes me nervous. When Denver lost all their guys last year, they at least had a decent number of upperclassmen. Gregoire and Hexy have been team leaders ever since they got here and if both are gone, that's a big blow in more than one area besides on the ice.

[siouxforce19]

[i believe Dell is being persuded by whl.His stock will never be higher than it is now and he risks loosing everything if he has a sub par year. Also in favor of him leaving is he has proven over the past 2 years is academics isn't his cup of tea.

Um... Dell is too old for the WHL. He is 21. So I''d quit while you're ahead.

[MattC]

Also in favor of him leaving is he has proven over the past 2 years is academics isn't his cup of tea.

He had atleast a 3.0 last semester as he was on the honor roll. Where are you getting your information?

http://www.fightingsioux.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=13500&ATCLID=205082571&SPID=6409&SPSID=58715

[siouxhog12]

He had atleast a 3.0 last semester as he was on the honor roll. Where are you getting your information?

http://www.fightingsioux.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=13500&ATCLID=205082571&SPID=6409&SPSID=58715

He is making it up.

[Csonked Out]

I'm sorry but that's crazy. None of the potential early departures are going to jump straight into the NHL and I would be very surprised to see them in the show next year. It's difficult to jump over incumbents on all these teams. Gregoire would probably the only one with even a slight chance and that's only because he would play for the Islanders. If all of those four guys leave, they'll be biding their time in the AHL next year, probably behind guys in the AHL on the depth chart. And there is no guarantee they will get called up, so I'd stop with that assumption right now. My only problem with guys that leave early are those that leave to play in the AHL. I don't see a point to leave school to play in a minor league that's always going to be there. But that's just my opinion.

If all four of those guys leave, I think where we will take the biggest hit is in the area of leadership. We'll be down to 2 seniors and it makes me nervous. When Denver lost all their guys last year, they at least had a decent number of upperclassmen. Gregoire and Hexy have been team leaders ever since they got here and if both are gone, that's a big blow in more than one area besides on the ice.

Kristo is Montreal's top prospect and will be in the show next year if he signs, even if it's just for a 9 game tryout to show what he's got.

Gregoire will have a shot as the Islanders have been struggling

Blood would get a quick call up as Ottawa has been struggling and there defense has been horrible this year

Hexy is the one that may not be a lock, but I wouldn't be surprised if he got called up next year even for an injury.

It's not an assumption, it's looking at each player and then looking at the team that owns their rights.

[Goon]

I think we forget how on multiple occasions he completely changed the play of DU and Minnesota just by his yapping and aggressive play.

While I have loved Hextall's antics over the last three season, you can't get away with that in the NHL, someone will pound him, he isn't big enough to played that style of hockey. Scoring and his play along the wall will be his bread and butter. Sean Avery can get away with it because he is a decent fighter.

[siouxforce19]

Kristo is Montreal's top prospect and will be in the show next year if he signs, even if it's just for a 9 game tryout to show what he's got.

Gregoire will have a shot as the Islanders have been struggling

Blood would get a quick call up as Ottawa has been struggling and there defense has been horrible this year

Hexy is the one that may not be a lock, but I wouldn't be surprised if he got called up next year even for an injury.

It's not an assumption, it's looking at each player and then looking at the team that owns their rights.

Maybe you should be looking at the other players they have. Kristo may be Montreal's top prospect, but they are a playoff team, and not lacking talented players.

There are a lot of factors you have to think about besides the player in question. And that's the reality.

[Goon]

[i believe Dell is being persuded by whl.His stock will never be higher than it is now and he risks loosing everything if he has a sub par year. Also in favor of him leaving is he has proven over the past 2 years is academics isn't his cup of tea.

Wow! Dell is so bad at school that he managed to make the honor roll. Try again skippy...

[yzerman19]

Um... Dell is too old for the WHL. He is 21. So I''d quit while you're ahead.

beat me to it.

[Goon]

beat me to it.

A lot of us were thinking the same thing.

[tho0505]

[i believe Dell is being persuded by whl.His stock will never be higher than it is now and he risks loosing everything if he has a sub par year. Also in favor of him leaving is he has proven over the past 2 years is academics isn't his cup of tea.

Clearly you know little about the WHL and their age maximums. Try another player in the rumor starting, it might be more believable.

[sioux rube]

Agreed. KFAN - AM radio is a frickin' joke, especially when it comes to college hockey coverage. The only redeeming quality are the Beyond the Pond boys on Saturday mornings.

We are talking rubechat and I frequent there more than here. My source is right 9 out of 10 times. Just sayin.