17to85

He really should try winning the provincials sometime.

got tickets for a couple draws this weekend, always good times.

Immediately after they expanded however long ago that was your argument made sense, there were a lot more crappy players around, but that's been offset by development around the world. These days every one in the NHL can at very least skate at a high level. The days for the big slow defenseman are over. If a D can't skate he won't play in the NHL because he's not good enough. A forward who can't skate doesn't have much of a career. The skill level is just so high compared to what it was in the past. There will always be a gap between the best players and the worst players, but it's not as wide as it used to be. That's one of the reasons scoring is down. There are less mismatches to be found on the ice.

Good player but his back is screwed up and his career is likely done because of it. Drafted by Florida a while back top 3 in the draft, spent time in Boston, I think he was part of their cup team and then went to Columbus where his injury issues really came to the forefront. Basically works out like this, because the contract isn't insured the Blue Jackets have to pay him, but they're a small market team that cares more about actual dollars than cap hit so they approached the leafs. Took that Clarkson albatross deal off their hands because at least Clarkson will play for them and the Leafs pay Horton to be injured but save the cap space.

This is what happens when you are so tight to the salary cap all the time.

Yeah he improved his blocking and was always good at catching and running in space, but he had a tremendous ability to find a tackler to run into and to go down at the slightest hint of contact and to play like he was afraid of getting hit. No use for a runningback who is a giant *****.

The talent pool is deeper than it's ever been. There are a lot less absolute plugs in the NHL than their used to be. Teams don't even bother dressing a pure face puncher anymore because those guys can't play hockey. The continued development of the game around the world and especially in the United States has greatly expanded the pool of players coming to the NHL. This idea that teams were more talented when there were only 24 is just ludicrous thinking.

But he's been replaced on the roster and he's already bailed on the Jets once, how do the Jets feel about him? Chevy is stubborn as a mule when it comes to trading but this is not one where the player has much chance returning. Like Kane he's just gotta make the move and get the value he can.

As many times as the mind bottling joke comes up it still amazes me that it needs explained every time.

You think they keep all of them around? Unless Grigsby got some balls surgically added in the offseason he's not as good as the other two guys. Call me over sensitive but really beginning to think you don't like Grigsby. And you might be surprised to learn that it has nothing to do with the circumstances of him no longer being a Bomber. The guy is just a giant ***** as a running back. He actually hampered the offense in Winnipeg and made them worse and easier to defend. God knows how many hits he subjected Willy too because he couldn't establish any kind of run threat and allowed teams to pin their ears back. I just have absolutely no use for a runningback who shies away from contact and refuses to hit the line of scrimmage hard and fast and who goes down if you even touch him with one hand.

This thread had very little relevance to it to begin with, it's turned into a more spirited discussion. Spirited discussion? This discussion has been beaten to death over the last two years and you're usually the first to call posters out on that. If Lapo and Mack's names were never mentioned again. It would be too soon. Let's discuss the present not the past. The past shapes the present. Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it etc etc.

He's a former first round pick that will never play for the Jets again... He doesn't have that kind of value. I mean christ if being a first round pick is enough then someone should grab Hugh Jessiman just so they can cash in on that value.

This thread had very little relevance to it to begin with, it's turned into a more spirited discussion.

I think LAPO was a good coach with a horrible cast of players to play with.. Even with that, he managed to take the team to the greycup with a broken down Qb, a weak oline, and a good defence. The team cratered after lapo was removed, and Burke didn't do anything with the same cast of players... We finally looked like perhaps we are on an uptrend, AFTER changing the GM, The whole Coaching staff and a bunch of players including the QB. So.. I think Lapo is a good Coach and did well considering what and who he had to work with. Lapo only looked good in comparison to the absolute **** show that was Tim Burke. Lapo coached not to lose. He could have got some more wins out of that team if he showed some balls and took some risks.

I think it's more a case of two GMs trying to outsmart themselves trying to target the guy they think might be the deal and upping the price of him but when the dust settles the better guy doesn't cost a hell of a lot more.

You learn how to spin properly and it's no concern. All you have to do is explain that they're just removing any possible competition that their prized free agent signing Darvin Adams might have.

Such a huge bust for Hufnagel, how a guy keeps his job missing out on top draft picks this badly is very surprising.

Grigsby is a runningback who can't break tackles. That's like having a quarterback who's only weakness is passing the ball.

You think they keep all of them around? Unless Grigsby got some balls surgically added in the offseason he's not as good as the other two guys.

He believed in taking players with physical tools and then turning them over to the coaches to turn them into players. It's not the worst strategy... unless you can't hire a good coach. Enough with the ridiculous 'worst coach' thing... physical tools pfft. Pencer was an OT with bum shoulders, Etienne was a receiver coming off a broken back, Robertson was a 5'6 DB and Fitzgerald was the slowest guy in the draft Stephan and Swiston were recovering from a major injuries and seem like they never really did You saying that either Lapo or Burke were good coaches? Pencer was a big strong OL who could move pretty well, Etienne was a tall player with decent speed and had a decent year with little time spent as a WR, Robertson was short but I believe his testing numbers were quite good, Fitzgerald might have been slow but he was a big strong player. Lot of raw abilities there that were expected to be developed. It didn't happen for a variety of reasons. I just find that people are really too hard on Joe Mack for a lot of things. It's almost like it's personal and they will intentionally make things sound worse than they really were.

He believed in taking players with physical tools and then turning them over to the coaches to turn them into players. It's not the worst strategy... unless you can't hire a good coach.

I projected him to start at RG, but he'll have to battle Goossen for that spot. What I mean is that he's actually played RT in Sask and when he came in, it seemed like he was a 'ratio changer' we had been looking for... I would suspect that with him being a bit of an injury concern you don't want to play him at tackle without having another Canadian who can slide into that position if he gets hurt. He plays guard then in the event of injury you're only making one move on the OL and you don't have to change the ratio at all.

But...but...but according to the media, Etienne was Lapo's pick. Or least he was when he was contributing on the field otherwise he was a Mack pick. Mack made the pick. If LaPo was involved he's not as smart as he portrays himself on TSN. Whoever. Shitty pick. Total waste. No ****, Lapo was a failed head coach, you think it's the brilliant coaches who get to be on TSN?

be fair, he also took Muamba over MItchell and I am sure we can find some other instances. Drafting, especially in the CFL is a crap shoot and everyone loves Kyle Walters but how would we feel about him if he took MItchell over Muamba? Which is something he likely would have done.

The Bombers don't even have 1 guy I'd consider a stud Canadian starter and that is a problem. Yeah there's lots of bodies that you hope can start, but the quality really isn't there. We've got three legit starters -- Kohlert, Greaves, maybe Bucknor. Kohlert's the best of the three, if I had to draft a Canadian off the Bombers for my expansion team he'd definitely be the one I'd take. I love the guy, but if he's the ceiling for Canadian talent on the Bombers there is still much work to be done. Every one of our other prospective starters is a huge question mark. Is Picard past his best-before date? Is Neufeld going to be durable enough? Is Goosen ready? Can the firm of Hurl, Newman, and Sherman hold down an LB spot? Do we have even a single legit DL starter? Yeah I love me some Kohlert but the fact that he is our best Canadian player is a problem. He's a good solid player to be sure but he's not a guy that is dynamic enough to be your best Canadian.