Alumni in the Pros -- October 2006

[calgARI '07]

Morrison gets lit up by the Flames and is pulled in the second period.  This was well adverstised as his last chance so expect LeNeveu to get the call soon.

[nyc94]

[quote calgARI '07]Morrison gets lit up by the Flames and is pulled in the second period.  This was well adverstised as his last chance so expect LeNeveu to get the call soon.[/quote]

Speaking as someone that never watches Phoenix, how much of this is their goalie situation, their defense, and their coach?  Rough estimates accepted.

[calgARI '07]

[quote nyc94][quote calgARI '07]Morrison gets lit up by the Flames and is pulled in the second period.  This was well adverstised as his last chance so expect LeNeveu to get the call soon.[/quote]

Speaking as someone that never watches Phoenix, how much of this is their goalie situation, their defense, and their coach?  Rough estimates accepted.[/quote]

Phoenix in my mind is the worst team in the NHL.  Mike Barnett is far and away the worst GM in the league and that team has lacked direction for five years now.  They actually have a decent blueline, but a bunch of over the hill forwards and never will be's.  They actually have a decent core in Doan, Nagy, Comrie, Ballard, Morris, Jovanovski, Boynton, and Michalek but they have nothing past there.  They were counting on guys like Roenick and Nolan to have big rolls and these guys are well past it and not at all suited to the "New NHL."  I don't think much of Gretzky as a coach either.  He is clearly very intense but Phoenix is much worse defensively than they should be.  It all comes back to Barnett though, who has made awful trade after awful trade.  The franchise has no direction on or off the ice.  They do have a nice stable of young blueliners to build around though.

[calgARI '07]

[quote calgARI '07][quote nyc94][quote calgARI '07]Morrison gets lit up by the Flames and is pulled in the second period.  This was well adverstised as his last chance so expect LeNeveu to get the call soon.[/quote]

Speaking as someone that never watches Phoenix, how much of this is their goalie situation, their defense, and their coach?  Rough estimates accepted.[/quote]

Phoenix in my mind is the worst team in the NHL.  Mike Barnett is far and away the worst GM in the league (not counting Garth Snow of course) and that team has lacked direction for five years now.  They actually have a decent blueline, but a bunch of over the hill forwards and never will be's.  They actually have a decent core in Doan, Nagy, Comrie, Ballard, Morris, Jovanovski, Boynton, and Michalek but they have nothing past there.  They were counting on guys like Roenick and Nolan to have big rolls and these guys are well past it and not at all suited to the "New NHL."  I don't think much of Gretzky as a coach either.  He is clearly very intense but Phoenix is much worse defensively than they should be.  It all comes back to Barnett though, who has made awful trade after awful trade.  The franchise has no direction on or off the ice.  They do have a nice stable of young blueliners to build around though.[/quote]

[Jacob '06]

[quote calgARI '07][quote nyc94][quote calgARI '07]Morrison gets lit up by the Flames and is pulled in the second period.  This was well adverstised as his last chance so expect LeNeveu to get the call soon.[/quote]

Speaking as someone that never watches Phoenix, how much of this is their goalie situation, their defense, and their coach?  Rough estimates accepted.[/quote]

Phoenix in my mind is the worst team in the NHL.  Mike Barnett is far and away the worst GM in the league and that team has lacked direction for five years now.  They actually have a decent blueline, but a bunch of over the hill forwards and never will be's.  They actually have a decent core in Doan, Nagy, Comrie, Ballard, Morris, Jovanovski, Boynton, and Michalek but they have nothing past there.  They were counting on guys like Roenick and Nolan to have big rolls and these guys are well past it and not at all suited to the "New NHL."  I don't think much of Gretzky as a coach either.  He is clearly very intense but Phoenix is much worse defensively than they should be.  It all comes back to Barnett though, who has made awful trade after awful trade.  The franchise has no direction on or off the ice.  They do have a nice stable of young blueliners to build around though.[/quote]

At that rookie tournament I went to I was amazed to see Phoenix seem to be the best team defensively, and it seems that their younger players are well rounded. I know at the NHL level their defense is not all that great.

[Josh '99]

calgARI '07 Wrote:
> Phoenix in my mind is the worst team in the NHL.
> Mike Barnett is far and away the worst GM in the
> league (not counting Garth Snow of course) and
> that team has lacked direction for five years now.
>  They actually have a decent blueline, but a bunch
> of over the hill forwards and never will be's.
> They actually have a decent core in Doan, Nagy,
> Comrie, Ballard, Morris, Jovanovski, Boynton, and
> Michalek but they have nothing past there.  They
> were counting on guys like Roenick and Nolan to
> have big rolls and these guys are well past it and
> not at all suited to the "New NHL."  I don't think
> much of Gretzky as a coach either.  He is clearly
> very intense but Phoenix is much worse defensively
> than they should be.  It all comes back to Barnett
> though, who has made awful trade after awful
> trade.  The franchise has no direction on or off
> the ice.  They do have a nice stable of young
> blueliners to build around though.

Four of the eight guys you list as part of that "decent core" (Comrie, Michalek, Ballard, Morris) were acquired by trade under Barnett's watch (and were acquired for not a whole lot); Jovanovski and Boynton were free agent signings by him.  (Roenick and Nolan don't have a whole lot left but they've only got one-year contracts at a little over $1 mil, not all that much of a gamble in the scheme of things.)  I don't think Barnett is doing all THAT badly - I think you're more on the right track as far as Gretzky not being all that hot of a coach.

(By the way, I found a pretty good site for NHL salary info, if anyone is curious.)

[redhair34]

[quote calgARI '07]Morrison gets lit up by the Flames and is pulled in the second period.  This was well adverstised as his last chance so expect LeNeveu to get the call soon.[/quote]

Morrison gets waived
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=181859&hubname=nhl

[calgARI '07]

[quote Josh '99]calgARI '07 Wrote:
> Phoenix in my mind is the worst team in the NHL.
> Mike Barnett is far and away the worst GM in the
> league (not counting Garth Snow of course) and
> that team has lacked direction for five years now.
>  They actually have a decent blueline, but a bunch
> of over the hill forwards and never will be's.
> They actually have a decent core in Doan, Nagy,
> Comrie, Ballard, Morris, Jovanovski, Boynton, and
> Michalek but they have nothing past there.  They
> were counting on guys like Roenick and Nolan to
> have big rolls and these guys are well past it and
> not at all suited to the "New NHL."  I don't think
> much of Gretzky as a coach either.  He is clearly
> very intense but Phoenix is much worse defensively
> than they should be.  It all comes back to Barnett
> though, who has made awful trade after awful
> trade.  The franchise has no direction on or off
> the ice.  They do have a nice stable of young
> blueliners to build around though.

Four of the eight guys you list as part of that "decent core" (Comrie, Michalek, Ballard, Morris) were acquired by trade under Barnett's watch (and were acquired for not a whole lot); Jovanovski and Boynton were free agent signings by him.  (Roenick and Nolan don't have a whole lot left but they've only got one-year contracts at a little over $1 mil, not all that much of a gamble in the scheme of things.)  I don't think Barnett is doing all THAT badly - I think you're more on the right track as far as Gretzky not being all that hot of a coach.

(By the way, I found a pretty good site for NHL salary info, if anyone is curious.)[/quote]

Barnett has signed the following free agents, all well past their primes: Nolan, Roenick, Ricci, Hull, Laraque, Joseph.  Pretty clear that isn't how you win in the New NHL yet he still went after these types this past summer.  Basically moved Langkow and Handzus out for nothing as well.  

Best trade he ever made was fleecing the most overrated GM ever (Pierre Lacroix) by bringing in Morris and Ballard for Vaananen and pending FA Gratton.  

Also, Boynton was acquired in a trade this summer for Paul Mara.

[calgARI '07]

[quote redhair34][quote calgARI '07]Morrison gets lit up by the Flames and is pulled in the second period.  This was well adverstised as his last chance so expect LeNeveu to get the call soon.[/quote]

Morrison gets waived
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=181859&hubname=nhl[/quote]

There is a chance that Phillipe Sauve will get the call over LeNeveu.

[redhair34]

According to USA Today Lenny got the call up


http://www.usatoday.com/sports/st.htm

[calgARI '07]

And in a matter of 48 hours, Cornell goes from having one NHLer to three surpassing Yale, Princeton, and Harvard in the process.

[crodger1]

Each week Mark Morriss (add an S for extra savings?) writes an "Inside Source" column for the Union Leader.  This is from this week's write up

Matt Moulson collected his first professional goal on Saturday and it was business as usual. He's an opportunist. Being in the right place at the right time is Matt's forte. He's a natural goal scorer and he will put a lot more pucks into net before the season is complete.

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=f2efd2ca-b3b8-4739-baba-f608aa8d2ec5&headline=Inside+Source%3a+Effort+has+Monarchs+on+the+upswing

LGR!

[billhoward]

[quote crodger1]Each week Mark Morriss (add an S for extra savings?) writes an "Inside Source" column for the Union Leader.  This is from this week's write up

Matt Moulson collected his first professional goal on Saturday and it was business as usual. He's an opportunist. Being in the right place at the right time is Matt's forte. He's a natural goal scorer and he will put a lot more pucks into net before the season is complete.

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=f2efd2ca-b3b8-4739-baba-f608aa8d2ec5&headline=Inside+Source%3a+Effort+has+Monarchs+on+the+upswing

LGR![/quote]

Man is a born natural to do color commentary. Next week he can note that Matt is some kind of player. And that he shows up for every game ready to play.

[BCrespi]

[quote calgARI '07]And in a matter of 48 hours, Cornell goes from having one NHLer to three surpassing Yale, Princeton, and Harvard in the process.[/quote]

Unfortunately, and while this won't affect the Cornell tally most likely, Nieuwendyk left the Panthers win over the FLAT Rangers tonight early on.  Ranger announcers weren't sure of the severity of the injury.

[Steve M]

Adam Morrison is on waivers.  The Coyotes are likely to call up LeNeveu from San Antonio.