Well, we can say that every year can't we? Eventually we are going to have to roll with them. Let them get some hours in, gain that valuable experience in which in the end we are the benefactors. The Arnott route is just the same old safe route that really doesn't make your team better. There is something to be said about having a presence of youthful enthusiasm in the line-up, like when Bieksa, Kesler and Burrows were buzzsawing around the ice when Naslund and Bertuzzi were running the show here.CaptainTrev wrote: And it's not like we've got a bunch of prospects kicking in the door. Whose path, exactly, would Arnott/Doan be blocking at this point?
But according to you guys, ya don't mind Gillis continuing on after 5 drafts and having zero representation from kids he has drafted in the starting roster come next season. Worst in the league in this category, btw.
But hey lets play it safe....what I don't get, with Vancouver having the worst travel schedule in the league and a team who notoriously battles the injury bug which is most likely due to hours spent cramped up on planes and in airports and hotels...why are we filling the team with old guys who take away valuable time away from the kids? Ya know there will be a lot of times where you will be saying "where is Doan, where is Arnott". It's because they are coasting/resting due to body maintenance from the Canuck grind. Why did Boston beat us? we were beaten down, and they were young and healthy not to mention having a nice geographical location when it comes to travel. The Canucks don't have that luxury so why are we filling the team with old guys, ass backwards if you ask me.
Anyhow, we can say that every year regarding the kids, "they are not ready"? When are they ever ready? Never. We have to throw them to the wolves otherwise why bother drafting? Teams have to evolve every year, signing weathered journeyman every year has been the Calgary Flames model since forever, another not so friendly rookie environment, in the end it gets ya nowhere.