Here's your Future Boys

shabbs wrote:Beautiful.

And Burke thought we wanted Kadri...

*shakes head*

Maybe Burke thought we wanted Wilson and that's why he hired him?? Or maybe we wanted Kessel which is why he traded away the future to get him?? I wonder what he'll think we want next. Let's tell him we want Wayne Primeau, but since he already has him, he'll be so confused about how he can reacquire him from himself that his head will blow up!?!?!?

wprager wrote:Can we have him come up this year? No, seriously, what stands in his way?

P.S. Apologies in advance to any Chiefs fans.

He is 100% in our line-up next year, that's for sure.

Actually, does anyone know when the WHL season generally ends -- before or after the NHL's? Is it possible, for instance, for us to sign him to his ELC sometime in the next few months and give him the proverbial 'cup of coffee' -- i.e., a few games in the NHL -- before the season's end?

Spokane's last regular season game appears to be March 14, so it all comes down to if they make the playoffs and how far they go.

Ottawa's last regular season game is April 10.

Cowen could play a minimum of 13 games with Ottawa if his season ends March 14.

I read some interesting comments on HFBoards in regards to Cowen's development from poster Heatley in Here, though.

He pointed out that Phaneuf and Weber, two guys whose offensive games I think we all dream Cowen one day replicates, both took two seasons in the WHL after being drafted before moving on. In Phaneuf's case, one could argue that the lock-out may have simply necessitated that, granted.

The crux of his argument was that there's no question that Cowen is (probably more than) ready for the NHL both physically and defensively, but in order for his offensive game to emerge he needs prime offensive minutes, something he's much more likely to get in Spokane than on Ottawa. If you bring him in too early, you may slow his offensive development since he'll be stuck behind a few defencemen offensively (it's the same reason I'm opposed to pairing him with Karlsson any time in the near future, since he'll be forced to defer to EK, as Hedman found he was doing at the WJC).

There's a reason there were whispers a while back about Cowen as a candidate for first over-all, and it's not just his defence. He's got tremendous speed and a strong shot, two foundational things to build an offensive game around. If he fully develops, a sort of (maybe slightly poor man's) hybrid between Chara and Weber isn't fully out of the question - that's why he was talked about as a first-overall kind of guy. What he needs to do is improve his passing game, and potentially even working on being a threat on the rush, since he's absolutely got the speed to do it.

I'm worried his injury set him back on his offensive development. I guess we'll have to see how he progresses this season, and I definitely see him in Ottawa next season for better or for worse.

Anyway, food for thought.

We have a number 1 D man, stud. The fact Karlsson isnt going to be the only star coming up and will 100% be able to do his own thing is fantastic.

I can see Wiercoich getting dealt at some point in time if they can really add a serious forward prospect. If not they still have another potential number 1, 2 guy.

Long story short, they have 3, 1, 2 guys in the system... what to do what to do? Nice situation to be in.

I wouldn't move Wiercioch at all. It's so important to have more than one good defence pairing. And this season and past season should teach us that you need more than forwards to win the game. Not to mention last game - Pittsburgh had Fleury, Malkin and Crosby in the line-up and got shellacked because of their defence (granted, and a poor showing from MAF).

Anyway, we'll have plenty of opportunity to grab forwards at this draft.

Also, yes Marakh, I did post this earlier.

EDIT: I'm interested, though. What do you guys think about another year in junior for JC?

Didnt say I would but I can see it. Either way, Ottawa has a lot of options because of good drafting and good trades made by Murray

asq2 wrote:I wouldn't move Wiercioch at all. It's so important to have more than one good defence pairing. And this season and past season should teach us that you need more than forwards to win the game. Not to mention last game - Pittsburgh had Fleury, Malkin and Crosby in the line-up and got shellacked because of their defence (granted, and a poor showing from MAF).

Anyway, we'll have plenty of opportunity to grab forwards at this draft.

Also, yes Marakh, I did post this earlier.

EDIT: I'm interested, though. What do you guys think about another year in junior for JC?

Depending on how he does, I'd like to see him at least in Bingo next year; 2-way contract.

If Ottawa has the stop gaps to tide us over until he is ready, then sure. But is it possible to have him play the last 9 games of the regular season in Ottawa, so he can be sent back down to the W and still be on his full 3 years of ELC?

How far away is Wiercioch until he is playing in the AHL?

Actually, on the wiercioch topic; anyone has an update on his injury?

Seems to be DTD from news articles I came across in Google.

Devo wrote:My buddy sent me this link to a short clip of Cowen, first he's carrying the puck and then the plays the body and lastly he fights..

Watch the speed with which he skates out of his zone.

My dear god he's a stud....I gotta send the blow hard a X-mas card thanking him for "tricking" Murray and taking Khadri.

This was a little less than a week ago.

Some bad luck have set him back a bit but this was a nice glimpse into the player Cowen can become when he matures