The Jumbo Rulz Posted April 3, 2003 Posted April 3, 2003 David Hale is signing with the Devils. Wish we could have had him for next year. Quote
teamsioux Posted April 3, 2003 Posted April 3, 2003 Not everyone just makes stuff up like you do rock! Quote
~SiouxHockeyLover~ Posted April 3, 2003 Posted April 3, 2003 So he's for sure not gunna be hear next year? Quote
Goon Posted April 3, 2003 Posted April 3, 2003 David Hale is signing with the Devils. Wish we could have had him for next year. Who is the source on this one? Quote
mksioux Posted April 3, 2003 Posted April 3, 2003 Whether this post is true or not...I think the announcement is inevitable. I figured David would leave ever since I read PCM's interview with him a while back. Quote
flatspin7 Posted April 3, 2003 Posted April 3, 2003 Damn... Sad to see him go If its true.... best of luck Dave..Glad your going to the Devils, lets hope they don't treat you like they the did Mike Commodore. They played him a little and then traded him. Quote
Goon Posted April 3, 2003 Posted April 3, 2003 If he is going it is not yet being announced on the New Jersey Devils home page... Quote
The Jumbo Rulz Posted April 4, 2003 Author Posted April 4, 2003 Yeah, they are still negotiating, he hasn't actually signed the contract yet. The source on this one is myself, and The Jumbo Rulz. Quote
TheFlop Posted April 4, 2003 Posted April 4, 2003 He would be crazy not to sign a deal now before his mysterious illness has a chance to come back. Quote
dagies Posted April 4, 2003 Posted April 4, 2003 This is not terribly surprising. Didn't we hear a rumor many many months ago he could have signed last season but didn't? If my memory is correct then it would be no surprise that he would take almost ANY chance right now for the $$ considering what he has been through the last 2 years. It's good for him and I wish him well. Consider what 3 years of a healthy David Hale would have been like? Quote
jnv Posted April 4, 2003 Posted April 4, 2003 I'm still wondering what whim people are going on with this? I agree he has every chance to sign, but until I see it, I am waiting on this one! Where is a report saying he signed? Quote
jk Posted April 4, 2003 Posted April 4, 2003 No disrespect to the original poster, but I'll believe it when I hear it from someone that is credible to me. That said, I won't be at all surprised if it turns out to be true. If so, good luck, Mr. Hale. Quote
The Sicatoka Posted April 4, 2003 Posted April 4, 2003 Call me skeptical, but are the Devils really going to sign a guy with a permanent medical condition that has prevented him from playing at full strength in the last two college seasons? Especially so when you consider that they own his rights and could leave him in college to make sure the treatment works (over a full season) at no cost to them. (The NJDs are notoriously frugal.) But hey, if they offered the money, at this point I couldn't blame David for taking the sure thing. Quote
DAR Posted April 4, 2003 Posted April 4, 2003 I think it is inevitable that Hale will sign. I have sensed in some of Blais comments about next year that he does not expect to have Hale back. The only hope I see that he stays is if the Devils are not sure he has the illness in order and do not want to give him guaranteed money if this continues to be a problem. If he does sign I think he will take some time to develop to an NHL level and will play in Albany (AHL) for some time. As a fan I hope he stays because it would be a big blow to next year's team. Defense would become quite thin. Who would be our extra d-man after Schneider, Fuher, Greene, Jones, Smaby, and Marvin. If someone gets hurt there is no depth. All I can think of is Chad Dahlen who is supposedly going to try and make the team next year or if R. Hale becomes a fill in on D. As a Sioux fan I sure hope Hale stays but I can see both sides of the issue. I do not see us finshing in the top 3 in the league next year w/out D. Hale. Quote
mksioux Posted April 4, 2003 Posted April 4, 2003 I have sensed in some of Blais comments about next year that he does not expect to have Hale back. I also could sense that Blais did not fully expect D. Hale to return next year. But if that's true, why hasn't he recruited another defenseman? I think most people would agree that the ideal number of defensemen to have on a college hockey roster is 8. I think Blais even said something to that effect this past season. With the departure of Leinweber and D. Hale and the additions of Smaby and Chad Dahlen, we're still at 7. We found out this year, that 7 is cutting it real thin. If one gets hurt and one isn't playing well (or 2 get hurt) then we're stuck playing a forward back on defense which is risky in the WCHA. One would think that if Blais knew D. Hale was not returning he would have recruited another defenseman to get the number up to 8, where it needs to be. Maybe he still plans on finding a late recruit to bring in next year. I know we found Prpich pretty late in the game last year...maybe we can do the same with a defenseman. Quote
DAR Posted April 4, 2003 Posted April 4, 2003 I find it a real stretch to consider Dahlen a 7th defenseman, from what I understand he is waliking on. I think he transferred from LSSU or somehere. I have not seen him play but doubt he can be contribute much this year besides an extra d-man in practice. If Hale leaves Blais will have to find another defenseman. Quote
mksioux Posted April 4, 2003 Posted April 4, 2003 Yea, Dahlen transferred from Lake Superior State. It's tough to tell how good he'll be. I've heard some reports that he was a pretty good defenseman on a rotten team. At least he has some D-I experience. I don't think it's too much of a stretch to see him filling Leinweber's role next year (perhaps I'm being too optimistic). But no matter how good Dahlen turns out to be, I think Blais has to go out and get another D-man for next year (assuming this report is true). Quote
jnv Posted April 4, 2003 Posted April 4, 2003 Wouldn't surprise me either way on Hale........does he accept the money if it is there now? Or, does he try "prove" that he can be healthy and play the full season?? I agree.....it would be nice to have 8 defensemen........I've seen Dahlen practice, but haven't paid that much attention to him......seems to have decent size......nothing huge, but might be ok as a fill in #6, or 7 defenseman? It's nice to know we "could" use R Hale on defense as well......so maybe Blais is hoping David stays, if not....he will adjust and look for someone late!? Quote
ScottM Posted April 4, 2003 Posted April 4, 2003 I believe we also have an LOI for Luke Beaverson, out of WBL, and now with Green Bay for the '04 season. It's possible that he might be brought in early. He's 6'4" and 205, and is alot like Smaby as far as wheels and puckhandling. Quote
DAR Posted April 4, 2003 Posted April 4, 2003 If Hale leaves, Smaby will play a much bigger role on the team as a fresman. We will lose a lot of experience in that situation. However, Smaby was rated an "A" prospect among high school prospects and is projected to be a late 1st or 2nd round pick. He has good size and skating ability and should have an impact in his carrer at UND. Quote
mksioux Posted April 4, 2003 Posted April 4, 2003 I believe we also have an LOI for Luke Beaverson, out of WBL, and now with Green Bay for the '04 season. Quote
flatspin7 Posted April 4, 2003 Posted April 4, 2003 If I were Blais I would be really reluctanct to pull a kid out of Juniors early. I have a feeling that had Siembida had more time to develop in the Juniors I think he would have done better in the last year and a half in a Sioux jersey. I would be fine taking Ryan Hale and moving him back to D in a bind. Give him some time to practice at the position and I think he would end up OK. Unless there is someone else that has been over looked in the USHL or BCHL to bring in. Maybe the Sioux should do something unheard of and start looking around in Quebec. The QJMHL has produced many players that have gome straight to the pros. Martin Brodeur comes to mind. I am sure there is some unfounded talent out there that we could pick up on. Maybe Blais should take a trip to Slovakia or something. Quote
skateshattrick Posted April 4, 2003 Posted April 4, 2003 I like the way you think Flatspin! I have often wondered why Denver, Maine, Michigan and a few others recruit not only from around their area, but go as far as the BCHL, the USHL and Europe. Quote
MinnesotaNorthStar Posted April 5, 2003 Posted April 5, 2003 I would really think that the Devils would want Hale to play another year because of his health problems, but hey they know what their doing. I would like to see him back for another year, but frankly I'm not counting on it. If he's not, I believe that Scheider will have to step up a play a huge role on D, along with Jones and Greene. Jumbo Rulz...have I played pick-up hockey with you and Tex, Ike, Woody, Cy, etc. over at Lake Agassiz...If I'm right...your 'canes avatar gave you away. Quote
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