Lets keep our cool

[wallee]

ok, a lot of us are feeling frustrated and wondering where this team is going. myself included...

however, it is only late october and we have a lot of hockey yet to go. lets give the "newest" coach a chance to work with these guys. if we dont see a difference in two weeks then we can start to "whine" as we do....lol

its only early yet , lets keep our chin up

[rocketlauncher]

Well, me for one has been pretty frustrated thus far this season, but there are 18 teams in the league and only one can win the Championship. With a couple of key additions, and as the young kids develop during the season, all we have to do is bring it during the playoffs. I still think that can happen. Over optimistic? Perhaps, but championships are won by talent, but even more important is team play. I think that Guy can teach these players what it takes to win. The only thing that really bugs me are those who post on here and criticize by age....our D are too young, we should be getting more from out 20's. Age does not matter, performance does so lets try not to use those issues as a crutch. If they believe, they can achieve!

[SteveUL]

rocketlauncher said:

Well, me for one has been pretty frustrated thus far this season, but there are 18 teams in the league and only one can win the Championship. With a couple of key additions, and as the young kids develop during the season, all we have to do is bring it during the playoffs. I still think that can happen. Over optimistic? Perhaps, but championships are won by talent, but even more important is team play. I think that Guy can teach these players what it takes to win. The only thing that really bugs me are those who post on here and criticize by age....our D are too young, we should be getting more from out 20's. Age does not matter, performance does so lets try not to use those issues as a crutch. If they believe, they can achieve!

I'll take a team of hard working and talented 19 YO ahead of a team of hard working and talented 17 YO anyday .... age matters.

[reggiedunlop7]

Age matters...tell that to the Screaming Eagles.
19 year olds - 5
18 year olds - 7
17 year olds - 6
16 year olds - 3
+ three 20 year olds.

The CB's are playing excellent with that many young players and by the looks of it will not lose too many next season. Even with five 19-year-olds it depends when their birthday is and wehre they fall in the league cutoff for age.

However a look at the Rocket roster displays this....
19 year olds - 9
18 year olds - 3
17 year olds - 9
16 year olds - 1
+ four 20 year olds (I know Swit is gone home, but he's still liste don our roster).

With that many older, experienced players (i.e. the 19's) we should be up at the higher end of things, but we're not. And let's look further ahead. How many of those 19's are going to escape the 20-year-old cutoff because their birthday is late in the year.
Not a lot of 18's which should be a cause for concern next season. However the flip side is thos 17s become a huge crop of 18s next season and some of those 19's could be flipped in trades either this year or at the draft.

[bois]

that's why i said next year doesn't look good reggie.... never a good thing when most of your team is the same age..

and not many of our 19's have a great deal of trade value as most of them have been 3rd-4th line Q players their whole career

[reggiedunlop7]

bois....as someone once said..."there's a sucker born every minute". You can get something for a 3rd and 4th liner if you find that right GM who is egotistical enough to think he can get more out of him under the right system.

Not saying we'd get a Rolls Royce in return, but a draft pick is not exactly a bad thing down the road.

[Jack Bauer]

reggiedunlop7 said:

bois....as someone once said..."there's a sucker born every minute". You can get something for a 3rd and 4th liner if you find that right GM who is egotistical enough to think he can get more out of him under the right system.

Not saying we'd get a Rolls Royce in return, but a draft pick is not exactly a bad thing down the road.

That's true. We got a veteran forward for a 20yr old we had no use for. Always a sucker out there

[SteveUL]

reggiedunlop7 said:

Age matters...tell that to the Screaming Eagles.
19 year olds - 5
18 year olds - 7
17 year olds - 6
16 year olds - 3
+ three 20 year olds.

The CB's are playing excellent with that many young players and by the looks of it will not lose too many next season. Even with five 19-year-olds it depends when their birthday is and wehre they fall in the league cutoff for age.

However a look at the Rocket roster displays this....
19 year olds - 9
18 year olds - 3
17 year olds - 9
16 year olds - 1
+ four 20 year olds (I know Swit is gone home, but he's still liste don our roster).

With that many older, experienced players (i.e. the 19's) we should be up at the higher end of things, but we're not. And let's look further ahead. How many of those 19's are going to escape the 20-year-old cutoff because their birthday is late in the year.
Not a lot of 18's which should be a cause for concern next season. However the flip side is thos 17s become a huge crop of 18s next season and some of those 19's could be flipped in trades either this year or at the draft.

There is no cutoff date for age in the Q ... this year you are a 19 if you were born in 1988 ... even if you aren't 19 yet you are still considered a 19 YO for the season ... all 20 YO this year were born in 1987 ... you can't be a 20 YO this year if you were born December 31, 1986.

CB has 5 1988 born players and so they can only keep 3 of them for next year.

PEI has 9 1988 born players and they also can only keep 3 of them for next year ... meaning you are losing at least 9 players (6 + 3 current 20 YO) from this year's roster for next year.

And again ... age does matter ... CB is getting great contributions from their 19 and 20 YO players ... great leadership ... great team work ethic. If you remove those players the rookies will be lost and drop staright to the bottom of the Q.

Rimouski of the last two years was loaded with young and very talented players ... with very little veteran presence inserted among them. Their record speeks for itself even though they were a very talented team.

PEI has loads of older experienced players ... but they lack that other ingredient I mentioned ... hard working (not including Morrison). I think a simple change in work ethic by the team as a whole will be all you need to turn your season around.

This league has always been called a 19 YO's league ... thats when most players make their biggest impact ... there are always exceptions to that but for most players it holds true.

[joust]

Anyone else have a feeling that the Rocket may sell this trade period? See what the return for a Morrison, Malouin, Cliche, Lachaine and picks could bring them for next season. My theory is, if the team is not going to contend again this season, why not trade some assests to hopefully allow us to be better next year. If we don't sell, and as was mentioned by someone already in this discussion, we will be not too strong next season. Bring in a couple 18 year olds, a 19 year old defenseman. The Rocket are strong in the youth department. Doyle-17, Southorn-17, Clow-17, Deighan-17, Mosher-17, MacLean-16 Street-16, Kana-17.
I didn't mention Malouin, as I believe he will be traded at the deadline.
Let Chouinard run this team from the begining next season, and allow him to build this team. We may become a top team quicker then some feel.

[SteveUL]

joust said:

Anyone else have a feeling that the Rocket may sell this trade period? See what the return for a Morrison, Malouin, Cliche, Lachaine and picks could bring them for next season. My theory is, if the team is not going to contend again this season, why not trade some assests to hopefully allow us to be better next year. If we don't sell, and as was mentioned by someone already in this discussion, we will be not too strong next season. Bring in a couple 18 year olds, a 19 year old defenseman. The Rocket are strong in the youth department. Doyle-17, Southorn-17, Clow-17, Deighan-17, Mosher-17, MacLean-16 Street-16, Kana-17.
I didn't mention Malouin, as I believe he will be traded at the deadline.
Let Chouinard run this team from the begining next season, and allow him to build this team. We may become a top team quicker then some feel.

It would be wise to build around your solid core of talented 17 yr olds ... looking to contend when they are 19. This year looks like a write-off and should only be used to get these young guys some great experience.

[North Shore]

wallee said:

... we have a lot of hockey yet to go. lets give the "newest" coach a chance to work with these guys. if we dont see a difference in two weeks then we can start to "whine"

As I said in another thread a month may be more realistic to see real changes. I believe there are conditioning, work ethic and system issues that need to be addressed and it will not happen in two weeks.

It's going to be hard to watch the team for the next while because it will likely get worse before it gets better as new systems are implement.

[hockeydog]

big papi! you have obviously not seen many rocket games this year. for you to state morrison is working hard, is tottaly off base. he has been floating from day one. i dont think he wants to be here. if he would give a full effort, it would be a big boost to this team. walker has been their best 20 year old this year, bar none.

[bois]

is Morrison floating or conserving energy? I find it hard to believe a guy can be floating or sulking to the tune of 1.5 ppg... while i agree Walker has been our best 20 y/o and Latal has probably been our most consistant threat in the games i've seen.. i think it's wrong to accuse Morrison of dogging his play

I think with reduced icetime we could see the morrison we saw last playoffs against Bathurst again

[hockeydog]

i wish i could agree with you bois, but i think he is playing half speed. imagine what he could do if he put a real effort into it. he just looks to me like he does not want to be here,,,

[bois]

i agree he is playing half speed.. but i think it's more a case of him being completely overplayed

and no fear... if the ship don't get turned around you can bet he wont be here after xmas.. he'll be prime trade bait