Post by Clubber Lang on Aug 7, 2007 21:15:38 GMT -4
Some interesting stats to look at:
Goals
03/04 (273)
04/05 (206)
06/07 (308)
07/08 (TBD)
We had 3, goal scores and 4, 20 goal scorers (if you add Corbeil and Fournier). In our rebuilding year we had 1, 30 goal scorer with a possibility of Dixon who got hurt! Demers would have been in the high 20's and 2 at 19. Huge drop off but we still finished over .500 (.514) for 75 points.
From an offensive standpoint if we have Sheppard you could probably count on 35-40 goals if he played 80% of the year an not traded (we need to entertain trade). Ouellet will be a 25-30 along with Culligan and Nick MacNeil and Laberge should be in the 20's as well. Laberge could be high 20's stretching low 30's.
We are similar in 04/05 in D with toughness but we are lacking a puck carrying D men like we had in Pardy and even Sawyer (who at that point was in a learning stage), is Piskacek the guy?? Who knows but heading into that campaign we new Houle was solid unlike this year. The league also seems much more watered down so to see people automatically selecting the eagles to finish eighth is crazy unless Sheppard is gone. Will be a top 3?? I don't think so.
Our issue for this year is simple! We have a solid first line and a strong 3rd line which is really our second line. What I am saying is we don't have a second line. I could live with Mickey MacDonald, Ceccanesse and Quesnel as our fourth which means Laberge, Haddad, Slaney, Gauthier and Macneil head up line 2 and 3 with another insert.
Our whole issue as to why we lost and what we had to give up is simple. Being inactive in selling assets in 04/05 and 05/06. The 04/05 class could have been a tougher sell knowing 05/06 was not a run year but still Demers, Pardy, Beland and Bertrand could have been plucked and should have Houle been the Tjordman that year? Man we could have gotten some decent stock for an Houle and either Demers or Pardy that year. We wouldn't have done any worse losing in 4 to 1 that year to GAT.
To add salt to the wound we had a better opportunity to run our litmus test in 05/06 trading assets. Many teams would have added a 20 year old in Asselin and a 19 year old stay at home D man in Zaore along with a very good PK'er in Bertrand. As stated before could have been a Brett Morrison and another player for these guys since GAT was tough in 05/06 losing to Moncton and other teams could have used players like that as well.
Making earlier trades would have given more expendable players last year to trade thus would have a Barbeiro and Brannon been the price for Bourdon which at the time was a must for us?
Sad thing is we need to start rebuilding and three of our most important assets are probably the three players of all the years I watched the eagles would not want to trade! Sheppard, Culligan and Ouellet. Making earlier trades in previous years probably would have prepared us for a softer blow. Trading hurts but this one is going to sting for a long, long time.
By not making those moves mentioned above is why we are at such a cross roads and a year of crap! Halifax learned by not dumping Brine and Carnegie but they jumped on the opportunity a year earlier and shipped out a fair bit this year. And yes they can add a Marchand or Sheppard without selling the farm
Goals
03/04 (273)
04/05 (206)
06/07 (308)
07/08 (TBD)
We had 3, goal scores and 4, 20 goal scorers (if you add Corbeil and Fournier). In our rebuilding year we had 1, 30 goal scorer with a possibility of Dixon who got hurt! Demers would have been in the high 20's and 2 at 19. Huge drop off but we still finished over .500 (.514) for 75 points.
From an offensive standpoint if we have Sheppard you could probably count on 35-40 goals if he played 80% of the year an not traded (we need to entertain trade). Ouellet will be a 25-30 along with Culligan and Nick MacNeil and Laberge should be in the 20's as well. Laberge could be high 20's stretching low 30's.
We are similar in 04/05 in D with toughness but we are lacking a puck carrying D men like we had in Pardy and even Sawyer (who at that point was in a learning stage), is Piskacek the guy?? Who knows but heading into that campaign we new Houle was solid unlike this year. The league also seems much more watered down so to see people automatically selecting the eagles to finish eighth is crazy unless Sheppard is gone. Will be a top 3?? I don't think so.
Our issue for this year is simple! We have a solid first line and a strong 3rd line which is really our second line. What I am saying is we don't have a second line. I could live with Mickey MacDonald, Ceccanesse and Quesnel as our fourth which means Laberge, Haddad, Slaney, Gauthier and Macneil head up line 2 and 3 with another insert.
Our whole issue as to why we lost and what we had to give up is simple. Being inactive in selling assets in 04/05 and 05/06. The 04/05 class could have been a tougher sell knowing 05/06 was not a run year but still Demers, Pardy, Beland and Bertrand could have been plucked and should have Houle been the Tjordman that year? Man we could have gotten some decent stock for an Houle and either Demers or Pardy that year. We wouldn't have done any worse losing in 4 to 1 that year to GAT.
To add salt to the wound we had a better opportunity to run our litmus test in 05/06 trading assets. Many teams would have added a 20 year old in Asselin and a 19 year old stay at home D man in Zaore along with a very good PK'er in Bertrand. As stated before could have been a Brett Morrison and another player for these guys since GAT was tough in 05/06 losing to Moncton and other teams could have used players like that as well.
Making earlier trades would have given more expendable players last year to trade thus would have a Barbeiro and Brannon been the price for Bourdon which at the time was a must for us?
Sad thing is we need to start rebuilding and three of our most important assets are probably the three players of all the years I watched the eagles would not want to trade! Sheppard, Culligan and Ouellet. Making earlier trades in previous years probably would have prepared us for a softer blow. Trading hurts but this one is going to sting for a long, long time.
By not making those moves mentioned above is why we are at such a cross roads and a year of crap! Halifax learned by not dumping Brine and Carnegie but they jumped on the opportunity a year earlier and shipped out a fair bit this year. And yes they can add a Marchand or Sheppard without selling the farm
