Zack Kassian tip of the hat…

[SDS]

I’m not sure he ever developed into the player fans wanted him to be when he was drafted in 2009, but the dude has put in 560 NHL games. 

That’s a respectable career.

[SwampD]

Who?

[Norcal]

I like Kassians game.

[I-90 W]

20 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Who?

The guy we traded for Hodgnson. Always like him, very scrappy.

[SwampD]

1 minute ago, I-90 W said:

The guy we traded for Hodgnson. Always like him, very scrappy.

Who's Hodgnson?

[Eleven]

34 minutes ago, SDS said:

I’m not sure he ever developed into the player fans wanted him to be when he was drafted in 2009, but the dude has put in 560 NHL games. 

That’s a respectable career.

It is.  He certainly outlasted Hodgson and then some.

[SDS]

1 minute ago, Eleven said:

It is.  He certainly outlasted Hodgson and then some.

I’m not gonna dog Cody because of his illness, but I did not have him still playing in the league in 2021 on my bingo card.

[Eleven]

1 minute ago, SDS said:

I’m not gonna dog Cody because of his illness, but I did not have him still playing in the league in 2021 on my bingo card.

At the time of the trade?  I did.  I certainly see-sawed about the trade, but I did not foresee Hodgson stopping early.  

Edited November 6, 2021 by Eleven

[inkman]

46 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Who's Hodgnson?

Jack 1.0

[PerreaultForever]

never liked that trade. We have a habit of trading grit for "skill" and having it backfire on us. 

[tom webster]

4 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

never liked that trade. We have a habit of trading grit for "skill" and having it backfire on us. 

Like who else, exactly? I’m sure I’m forgetting a couple but other then the Jacques Richard trade in the 70’s which didn’t work out and the Barnaby/ Barnes trade which did, I can’t think of any off the top of my head.

[Buffalonill]

6 minutes ago, seer775 said:

Armia & Lemieux

Never wanted to be drafted by buffalo 

[SwampD]

13 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

Never wanted to be drafted by buffalo 

What does that have to do with anything? Does anyone want to be drafted be Buffalo?

[Sabres Fan in NS]

11 hours ago, inkman said:

Jack 1.0

Who's Jack?

[Weave]

I'm surprised this isn't getting more conversation.

I'm glad for the guy.  Imagine what could have been if he didn't have an alcohol problem.  He was projected to be a Tom Wilson.  Boy that would have been something in a Sabres uni.

[SDS]

26 minutes ago, Weave said:

I'm surprised this isn't getting more conversation.

I'm glad for the guy.  Imagine what could have been if he didn't have an alcohol problem.  He was projected to be a Tom Wilson.  Boy that would have been something in a Sabres uni.

But I think the problem was he hated that part of his perception, and he just wanted to be known as a skilled hockey player. Thus we traded a guy that didn’t want to be the guy we thought we were getting. I’m just amazed he has stuck around for 560 games. 

[Weave]

Just now, SDS said:

But I think the problem was he hated that part of his perception, and he just wanted to be known as a skilled hockey player. Thus we traded a guy that didn’t want to be the guy we thought we were getting. I’m just amazed he has stuck around for 560 games. 

I think without the alcohol he would have been that skilled player.

[SDS]

Just now, Weave said:

I think without the alcohol he would have been that skilled player.

But I don’t think you were getting Tom Wilson regardless.

[Weave]

1 minute ago, SDS said:

But I don’t think you were getting Tom Wilson regardless.

That was his game in juniors.  Did you expect his game to change?

[SDS]

3 minutes ago, Weave said:

That was his game in juniors.  Did you expect his game to change?

I know why the perception was there, but from the moment he was drafted he openly criticized that perception and made his wishes known that he didn’t want to be that guy. I think this is probably a situation where you could blame the scouting department for not uncovering his attitude.

[Weave]

Just now, SDS said:

I know why the perception was there, but from the moment he was drafted he openly criticized that perception and made his wishes known that he didn’t want to be that guy. I think this is probably a situation where you could blame the scouting department for not uncovering his attitude.

I don’t remember that at all. Not doubting you, just don’t have any recollection of it.

So maybe what he wanted to be was what Tuchs is today?  I still think he had that in him and his alcoholism stole it from him.

Its a little interesting that Marcus Foligno turned out to be a better Kassian than Kassian.

[tom webster]

1 hour ago, seer775 said:

Armia & Lemieux

I’m not sure if that was an answer to my question but it does not fit. 

[KC Scouts]

1 hour ago, SwampD said:

What does that have to do with anything? Does anyone want to be drafted be Buffalo?

My sentiments exactly, Yes players do want to be drafted by the Buffalo, Ottawa and Arizona's of the league, more than one might think, I wouldn't turn my nose up at any team that wanted me (Unless I was a spoiled brat generational talent)

Players will play for ANYONE who will give them a chance to achieve. Not every player thinks they need to play for the best team in the league or is willing to wait 3,4 or 5 years to get into a line-up. They want to play and to play as much as they can.

Not many players win a championship but to play and play for a long time is high on the list because they are playing the game they love and the longer they play the more money they make. 

[K-9]

6 hours ago, tom webster said:

Like who else, exactly? I’m sure I’m forgetting a couple but other then the Jacques Richard trade in the 70’s which didn’t work out and the Barnaby/ Barnes trade which did, I can’t think of any off the top of my head.

Major points for the Richard mention. Talk about a player haunted by demons and never reaching his potential. 

[K-9]

1 hour ago, SDS said:

But I think the problem was he hated that part of his perception, and he just wanted to be known as a skilled hockey player. Thus we traded a guy that didn’t want to be the guy we thought we were getting. I’m just amazed he has stuck around for 560 games. 

I think that speaks to the skill he wanted to be recognized for in the first place. Grit players are a dime a dozen and readily replaced by cheaper grit players if they don’t exhibit skill as well.