Good Meszaros laugh

Take a look at the dejection:

I see ALOT of overpaid players in that picture.

Just you wait.

asq2 wrote:Just you wait.

4 what?

jamvan wrote:

asq2 wrote:Just you wait.

4 what?

I still think he's going to be an excellent player in this league. Criticizing a young kid like him trying to anchor a young, inexperienced blue-line and bear the A who left only because he wanted a market-price contract to me is almost like booing Chara for leaving town.

I would agree for sure, but the way this thing seemed to go down, we're in a better position with Picard and the 1st (looking at Kuba strictly as a rental).

I think the possibility of Mez being really good for the Lightning exists, but at the same time, being 22 with a coach who doesn't really know what's going on and no vets on D to help you learn the craft is a recipe for disaster IMO.

I don't care for the guy, that's no secret now, but at the same time a few years under the tutelage of Jason Smith would've made a world of difference.

asq2 wrote:

I still think he's going to be an excellent player in this league. Criticizing a young kid like him trying to anchor a young, inexperienced blue-line and bear the A who left only because he wanted a market-price contract to me is almost like booing Chara for leaving town.

First he was offered a "market-price" contract and didn't want it. He actually wanted above market price.

Second once a number close to the 4 million was offered he either didn't like the term or the fact that he couldn't dictate who his playing partner was.

Meszaros will never be an elite d-man. At best he'll end up being a d-man who travels from team to team where the coaches figure they can turn him into that stud. He's not phycisal enough to be elite in his own end, and after 3 years of watching his play, he doesn't have the presence on the blue line while running the PP or even in an offensive situation to know when not to try to blow the puck by a goal and simply just put the puck on the net. If he averages 40% of his shots hitting the net for his career I'd be surprised.

At best he's a career number 3

504Heater wrote:I would agree for sure, but the way this thing seemed to go down, we're in a better position with Picard and the 1st (looking at Kuba strictly as a rental).

I think the possibility of Mez being really good for the Lightning exists, but at the same time, being 22 with a coach who doesn't really know what's going on and no vets on D to help you learn the craft is a recipe for disaster IMO.

I don't care for the guy, that's no secret now, but at the same time a few years under the tutelage of Jason Smith would've made a world of difference.

Depending on how this team and Kuba does this season Kuba could become a commodity at the trade deadline. I suspect if any of our youngsters can step it up we could probably get a pick and prospect for Kuba. If that were the case we would become the winners in the Mez trade.

Phoenix30 wrote:
Depending on how this team and Kuba does this season Kuba could become a commodity at the trade deadline. I suspect if any of our youngsters can step it up we could probably get a pick and prospect for Kuba. If that were the case we would become the winners in the Mez trade.

The rub there is, we probably will be in the hunt at the deadline and Kuba might be a might attractive rental, but Murray might not want to pull the trigger. Tough situation with Kuba, but at least we have him this year - and by all accounts Picard's gonna be a player for sure and the 1st round never hurts.

504Heater wrote:

Phoenix30 wrote:
Depending on how this team and Kuba does this season Kuba could become a commodity at the trade deadline. I suspect if any of our youngsters can step it up we could probably get a pick and prospect for Kuba. If that were the case we would become the winners in the Mez trade.

The rub there is, we probably will be in the hunt at the deadline and Kuba might be a might attractive rental, but Murray might not want to pull the trigger. Tough situation with Kuba, but at least we have him this year - and by all accounts Picard's gonna be a player for sure and the 1st round never hurts.

According to who? From reports I've read, I'm not even sure if he'll get to the level Meszaros is now.

Dawg's Wife wrote:First he was offered a "market-price" contract and didn't want it. He actually wanted above market price.

Second once a number close to the 4 million was offered he either didn't like the term or the fact that he couldn't dictate who his playing partner was.

Meszaros will never be an elite d-man. At best he'll end up being a d-man who travels from team to team where the coaches figure they can turn him into that stud. He's not phycisal enough to be elite in his own end, and after 3 years of watching his play, he doesn't have the presence on the blue line while running the PP or even in an offensive situation to know when not to try to blow the puck by a goal and simply just put the puck on the net. If he averages 40% of his shots hitting the net for his career I'd be surprised.

At best he's a career number 3

Meszaros was a 35+ point d-man (without first-unit PP time) who could PP and PK who regularly put up 100+ hits and blocked shots a season. He's been playing on his wrong side with a poor partner and every time he's played with a solid partner, he's shone.

How can you say his market price is not $4 million when Mike Commodore makes what he makes, especially considering teams now pay for potential?

His offensive ability and size (6-2, 220lbs) are a great combination. He's definitely not lacking in the physical department.

Sure he's struggled for the past two years (understandably playing with Redden) but he's only 22 years old. What he did as a 19 year old on this team proves that to write him off as a career #3 at this point is ludicrous.

504Heater wrote:I would agree for sure, but the way this thing seemed to go down, we're in a better position with Picard and the 1st (looking at Kuba strictly as a rental).

I think the possibility of Mez being really good for the Lightning exists, but at the same time, being 22 with a coach who doesn't really know what's going on and no vets on D to help you learn the craft is a recipe for disaster IMO.

I don't care for the guy, that's no secret now, but at the same time a few years under the tutelage of Jason Smith would've made a world of difference.

He had a vet here who taught him all kinds of stuff -- the poke check, the flamingo, how to hold up and avoid being first to the puck. Maybe now he will learn some other stuff.

asq2 wrote:

According to who? From reports I've read, I'm not even sure if he'll get to the level Meszaros is now.

Depends on where you go to. TB fans were really, really sorry to see him go (they wanted the package to be Kuba/O'Brien and a 1st), you have Hartsburg who is gushing, you have Dobber's projecting unreal numbers for him. His rookie year he gets 22 points in 60ish games, his second year he bounced from Philly, to the Phantoms to the Lightning and never really recovered. I think a full year where he starts getting 15-18 minutes - including PP 2 time will start to pay dividends for this franchise.

I was of the same opinion as you on this guy, but I'm really slowly starting to see that maybe we got something here.

Wanna hear a good Meszaros (related) laugh? Read Melrose's quote in here:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/preview2008/columns/story?columnist=buccigross_john&id=3629979&campaign=rss&source=NHLHeadlines

...you get quotes like this on the topic of the Ottawa Senators, and possibly Meszaros, being party animals last season:

"Mez is a competitor and plays hard on the ice," Melrose told reporters last week in Prague. "I'd much rather have a guy like that who has a couple of beers than a guy who doesn't compete, who's home at 5 o'clock every night watching the 'Brady Bunch.' Same thing with guys who live in the weight room; give me a fat guy who hits anything that moves."