they have tristian jarry developing currently. seems somewhat promising. but still. i think if he has one more catastrophic postseason, it would have been best to part ways.

for a goalie with as much mental problems as he has put out there, maybe a change of scenery would have done him good.

i dont think its a sure thing that theyll never win with him again. but i also dont know if it is a sure thing that he is capable of winning again when it matters. i just wish they would have waited to see how the post season unfurled before going all in on him again.

if he can gather himself and turn the mental page, then his salary wont really be prohibitive. however, if he cant, it creates a very difficult predicament.
- stayinthefnnet

We love eating his lunch. So I am A-OK with this signing.

There never seems to be any culpability on the player. If Akeson isn't playing, well the team just isn't giving him a chance, or they aren't using him right. Same with Gustafsson.
- MJL

I think the issue many people have is that he only got a handful of games while Grossmann struggled for stretches last year and didn't even see a decrease in ice time and Rinaldo was a liability for much of last season but wasn't scratched nearly that much.

jesus christ some dope just dropped marty st. louis in fantasy hockey
- 2Real

So you're saying Jesus is a dope? Eternity of hell for you, my friend!

I think the issue many people have is that he only got a handful of games while Grossmann struggled for stretches last year and didn't even see a decrease in ice time and Rinaldo was a liability for much of last season but wasn't scratched nearly that much.
- NickTheKid87

Rinaldo was never a healthy scratch last season

Rinaldo was never a healthy scratch last season
- PhillySportsGuy

Well there ya go.

Rinaldo was never a healthy scratch last season
- PhillySportsGuy

yeah but he works hard!

Rinaldo was never a healthy scratch last season
- PhillySportsGuy

Not even when he took all those stupid penalties against Dallas.

sometimes a guy needs more than a 2 game stretch to really show it though. a lot of it could be nerves. players that know they are on such a short leash and looking to impress often overcompensate and end up either looking lost or shoot themselves in the foot.

despres is finally starting to show some of his talents, now that he can relax and let the game come to him and not have to worry about one blown assignment or hooking penalty shipping him right back to the AHL.

im not anointing either akeson or gus as anything. i just think we have different definitions of what constitutes a proper chance.
- stayinthefnnet

The thing is, we have all seen Akeson perform well. He was one of the fliers most effective players during the playoffs last spring. That shows that he has promise. For whatever reason the coaches decided that he isn't earning his spot. What I fail to see is what Vandevelde has done to earn the spot

He hasn't played that well in the fourth line role, he's had 75 NHL games in his career and they have been mostly nondescript. Based on playing style, size and the coach's comments, it's hard to not imagine that there some kind of bias against the kind of player Akeson is.

To me the issue isn't either Gustafsson or Akeson specifically, it's the mindset that bigger and grittier trumps speed and skill

The thing is, we have all seen Akeson perform well. He was one of the fliers most effective players during the playoffs last spring. That shows that he has promise. For whatever reason the coaches decided that he isn't earning his spot. What I fail to see is what Vandevelde has done to earn the spot

He hasn't played that well in the fourth line role, he's had 75 NHL games in his career and they have been mostly nondescript. Based on playing style, size and the coach's comments, it's hard to not imagine that there some kind of bias against the kind of player Akeson is.

To me the issue isn't either Gustafsson or Akeson specifically, it's the mindset that bigger and grittier trumps speed and skill
- Jsaquella

youll get no arguments from me. it is a frustrating mentality.

gibbons/craig adams
beau bennett/ taylor pyatt
simone despres/ deryk engellend

boy, that second column can really "get to their game".

berube and bylsma sure looked like they liked to swap notes.

So you're saying Jesus is a dope? Eternity of hell for you, my friend!
- PhillySportsGuy

i grew up in New Jersey that's nothing new

sometimes a guy needs more than a 2 game stretch to really show it though. a lot of it could be nerves. players that know they are on such a short leash and looking to impress often overcompensate and end up either looking lost or shoot themselves in the foot.

despres is finally starting to show some of his talents, now that he can relax and let the game come to him and not have to worry about one blown assignment or hooking penalty shipping him right back to the AHL.

im not anointing either akeson or gus as anything. i just think we have different definitions of what constitutes a proper chance.
- stayinthefnnet

Akeson has played 8 games. That's enough time to show you belong in the lineup. A player can also show that he deserves playing time in practice. Teams run a lot of drills in practice to simulate game action. If Akeson isn't in the lineup, there's a reason why obviously. And my money is on the player as the reason, and not the coach just not giving him a proper chance. That a scoring line player is injured and out 6 weeks, and Vandevelde is given the spot, is telling to me concerning Akeson. That's certainly speculation on my part. But based on what I saw in his play, that's what my gut tells me.

Akeson has played 8 games. That's enough time to show you belong in the lineup. A player can also show that he deserves playing time in practice. Teams run a lot of drills in practice to simulate game action. If Akeson isn't in the lineup, there's a reason why obviously. And my money is on the player as the reason, and not the coach just not giving him a proper chance. That a scoring line player is injured and out 6 weeks, and Vandevelde is given the spot, is telling to me concerning Akeson. That's certainly speculation on my part. But based on what I saw in his play, that's what my gut tells me.
- MJL

i buy that argument more easily than I do being sold the merits of rinaldo haha

youll get no arguments from me. it is a frustrating mentality.

gibbons/craig adams
beau bennett/ taylor pyatt
simone despres/ deryk engellend

boy, that second column can really "get to their game".

berube and bylsma sure looked like they liked to swap notes.
- stayinthefnnet

And that's really all it is. They're human. They have biases towards either certain players or certain types of players. It is what it is. To say we shouldn't be allowed to be critical of that, or can't disagree with it, is moronic

With Patrick Sharp out a month with an injury, does anyone know what career minor leaguer the Hawks are adding to the Toews line?

The thing is, we have all seen Akeson perform well. He was one of the fliers most effective players during the playoffs last spring. That shows that he has promise. For whatever reason the coaches decided that he isn't earning his spot. What I fail to see is what Vandevelde has done to earn the spot

He hasn't played that well in the fourth line role, he's had 75 NHL games in his career and they have been mostly nondescript. Based on playing style, size and the coach's comments, it's hard to not imagine that there some kind of bias against the kind of player Akeson is.

To me the issue isn't either Gustafsson or Akeson specifically, it's the mindset that bigger and grittier trumps speed and skill
- Jsaquella

Vandevelde has simply played a lot better then Akeson has. I don't think the mindset that bigger and grittier trumps speed and skill is what it's about. It'e really about competitiveness. And Akeson's skill level is not that great that he doesn't have to compete out there.
Akeson has shown in the past, that he can play to the level needed. The coach put him in the lineup for 7 playoff games. Now all of a sudden he's decided that the player isn't big enough or gritty enough? When did Berube decided this, over the Summer? Or was it decided based on Akeson's play THIS season?
Out of all the Akeson supporters, I haven't read one put any blame on Akeson, and place any culpability on him for why he's not in the lineup. It's just excuses. Not being given a chance, and not being used right. I think that's BS. Akeson is just not getting it done to get in the lineup. Even on a team where there should be some room for competition for playing time.

With Patrick Sharp out a month with an injury, does anyone know what career minor leaguer the Hawks are adding to the Toews line?
- PLindbergh31

hm. technically couldnt they add someone like teemu teuruvinen or whatever his name is and have that qualify?

i buy that argument more easily than I do being sold the merits of rinaldo haha
- stayinthefnnet

That's the thing, Akeson not playing isn't really an issue if it isn't for Rinaldo and the like getting opportunity after opportunity.

I think the issue many people have is that he only got a handful of games while Grossmann struggled for stretches last year and didn't even see a decrease in ice time and Rinaldo was a liability for much of last season but wasn't scratched nearly that much.
- NickTheKid87

Grossmann is a proven veteran NHL defenseman, that the Coach trusts for good reason. He knows Grossmann will play his way out of it. Gustafsson was an unproven player at the time.

Rinaldo should've seen some press box time last season.

no
- tommy2st

With Patrick Sharp out a month with an injury, does anyone know what career minor leaguer the Hawks are adding to the Toews line?
- PLindbergh31

maybe marion hossa?

Vandevelde.

(frank) you Roob.

Grossmann is a proven veteran NHL defenseman, that the Coach trusts for good reason. He knows Grossmann will play his way out of it. Gustafsson was an unproven player at the time.

Rinaldo should've seen some press box time last season.
- MJL

Grossmann is a proven veteran NHL defenseman, that the Coach trusts for good reason. He knows Grossmann will play his way out of it. Gustafsson was an unproven player at the time.

Rinaldo should've seen some press box time last season.
- MJL

That's the issue really. I don't have as much of a problem with Grossmann although a reduction of ice time may have been doable.

Vandevelde.

(frank) you Roob.
- Giroux_Is_God

That's the thing, Akeson not playing isn't really an issue if it isn't for Rinaldo and the like getting opportunity after opportunity.
- NickTheKid87

My issue is more using a guy in a role that he's ill-suited for and expecting him to play well in it. People are critical of Akeson's play this season when he's being used in a role that he's not well suited for.

All this season has told me about Jason Akeson is that he's not going to be an effective energy line player. It says absolutely nothing about his ability to be an effective third line player who can bring offense.