Controversial post....Fly style!

[firefly118]

I have been very adimate about my feelings on Jake!  I think this kid has phenominal talent, but he is one of those guys that goes under the radar most of the game.  I really watch him on the ice, and from start to finish, he really has improved his overall game.  I don't think he gets the t.o.i that he needs or deserves, and is really wasted on a 3rd or 4th line.  I think Hitch is a good coach, he has won a cup, and a lot of games, so I wouldn't even think that all of our knowledge put together would add up to him.  I just question a few things, and the biggest is his treatment of Jake.  I think it is more than youth or inexperience, and believe there is something about Jake, that Hitch doesn't really like.  SOOOO, that brings me to my thought!

I believe there is about an 80% chance, that Jake gets dealt in the offseason.  I am not saying I like it, or even want it (although for Jake, it may be a good move), but I think it is going to happen.  First off, we have several guys who will make this team next year.  Filatov for sure, and a good chance that one of the other guys like Mayorov or Legein step it up.  We have guys on the roster who will come back and others who have a better chance of sticking too (Brassard, Dorsett, etc).  Couple that with the fact that Howson/Hitch are always looking for Hitch type players, and could very well make a move for a forward.  I think Hitch would have no hesitation moving Jake to put us in the market for a defenseman that we desperately need.  Jake will improve, but do you see Hitch moving him up ahead of Nash, Juice, Umberger, Williams?  For that matter, do you think he will take playing time away from Filatov?  NO way, not with Hitch, and his value is way to high to be playing (or paying) 10 minutes a game on the thug line.  There are teams out there that would love to have Jake on their 2nd line, and with the needs we have at DEFENSE, back up goalie, and center (not so much now), I think Jake is a packaged deal waiting to happen.

[CHUNKBOX]

i dissagree

i understand most of your thoughts but i think he will be given more time to grow as a jacket... also i think he will be a large part of the teams future... especially whenever we can cast off guys like modin and if williams leaves... that would give him  TON more toi... PP time and possibly PK too... i think hes a very valueable asset to have ( a bullet if you will as per howson speak ) ...

also why would you want to trade away a guy who is pushing ( slowly ) to break nashers rookie scoring mark ...? look what nasher has become in a very short few years ...

[CBJfan14]

i'm not gonna say you are wrong on this one. I'm not SURE that it will happen or anything, but i dont feel like with the wingers we now have on the team, that jake is an untouchable when it comes to trade.

BUT, i think that this is how hitch treats younger guys. Its how he has always done it. I do think that if he stays with the team that he would continue to progress and i think Hitch WOULD move him up.

There are obviously still things that jake has to work on. He is still a rookie and although he has amazing talent and things happen when he's on the ice (proven by his +/-), he does still get pushed off the puck more often than he should. I think he still needs to learn a little more aggressiveness.

I know that Hitch sees the potential in jake and this is how he deals with potential. Brass was getting more ice time because i think he was playing to his potetial (or very CLOSE to it, he was 25 pts in 31 games) Jake is not quite playing to his potential yet. more ice time would help, but i just dont think thats how Hitch operates. He doesnt send a guy out on the ice to let him play to his potential, he gets a guy playing at that level and THEN sends him out there with significant ice time.   

a lot of words, but do you see what i mean???

So the idea of trade, i think its a possibility, but i dont think that its his ice time is what should lead us to think that way.



P.S. by the way... you guys know we have a playoff series starting next week?? 

[CBJfan14]

fly isnt doubting what Jake is able to do or how much he means to the team, just that Hitch doesnt like everything about him and that he is trade bait... which i'm sure he is cuz he could help a lot of teams.

[puckhogg]

can we just get thru the playoffs before we dive into a topic like this.....again.....geeeez fly ,can we focus on this year's team before we tackle next years?

[CBJfan14]

its good discussion... never a bad time for good discussion.

[firefly118]

hogg, you are hilarious!  You always say these things, and yet you pay them attention and post.  If you don't think it is comment worthy, don't post, geez hogg!

[puckhogg]

hogg, you are hilarious!  You always say these things, and yet you pay them attention and post.  If you don't think it is comment worthy, don't post, geez hogg!

so you post and when someone disagrees you bang their rep and tell them not to reply......thanks fly for clearing that up for me......

[firefly118]

no, I didn't tell you not to reply, you told yourself not to reply.  I always like your post, most of the time they make me giggle.  As far as rep goes, I always give it back, its just my way to show how silly you are being!

[CBJfan14]

the rep bang was probably not for disagreement, you didnt disagree with what he said... you disagreed with bringing it up for discussion at all.

[puckhogg]

the rep bang was probably not for disagreement, you didnt disagree with what he said... you disagreed with bringing it up for discussion at all.

show me the part where i disagreed with his post...

[firefly118]

t.o.i through 2 periods, only dorsett has less time and that is only by a few seconds.  The kid has skated hard, fought for the puck, and started the play of our only goal. 

Hitch doesn't like him........I hate to say it, because I am a big Jake fan, but he is gone. 

[CBJfan14]

thats what i mean...  you didnt disagree with what he posted, you disagreed with talking offseason before playoffs are over.  you disagree with the topic... not the content. at least thats how i understood it.

can we just get thru the playoffs before we dive into a topic like this.....again.....geeeez fly ,can we focus on this year's team before we tackle next years?

[CBJfan14]

you seem pretty sure on this one... just like how if we didnt trade nash we had no chance at making the postseason. 

[firefly118]

well, to qualify the post, yes I am pretty sure.  We need defense, that is obvious to all of us, a defensive overhaul.  We are going to have to trade someone with skill, and that should be obvious who Hitch plays the least.

As far as the Nash thing, yeah I said it, but also stated Leclaire would have to be dealt to get someone.  I never dreamed that Leclaire alone would get Vermette, and there is no denying that his arrival has been a major reason we made the final push to get in.