This is how good teams - contend every year

The Hunters have done it again - Trade just announced - now London is down to 3 O A'S

From London - to Erie - O A - Varone for a 2nd rd pick + a 3rd pick

This is the model that I want the GENS to look at TO ALWAYS BUILD AND REBUILD AT THE SAME TIME

Do we have a fourth OA that would fetch such a return?

the gens have brown and berger and dehart as the oa's

Tony DeHart is the 3rd OA

Gens Camper wrote:The Hunters have done it again - Trade just announced - now London is down to 3 O A'S

From London - to Erie - O A - Varone for a 2nd rd pick + a 3rd pick

This is the model that I want the GENS to look at TO ALWAYS BUILD AND REBUILD AT THE SAME TIME

Agree, London has been either 1st or 2nd in their division 8 years in a row and counting, not to mention the Cup win and record setting season mixed in there. Very smart hockey minds running that team.

So you wouldn't mind trading one of our best OA's? London's deep enough that they could trade their fourth and still retain three very valuable players. I don't think we're that deep. I would never trade DeHart or Berger. That's essentially giving up on winning this year - I could see the point about building for next year but I think this team is too good to throw in the towel this early in the season. If we're in 8th in January, then maybe. Those are the only two that would fetch a comparable return. I know some here really like Brown and he isn't a bad player but he probably wouldn't get more than a mid-round pick.

Where did you get the idea that it was suggested we trade the likes of Berger or Dehart? I read this topic as being a compliment to how London manages their future and we have not managed our future well . In the last 8 years compare what the gens have accomplished vs what the knights have accomplished. Even though we made the mem cup in 97, we really havent had success since the lindros days 20 years ago

I thought you were suggesting that we should trade an OA like London has done. If you mean reaching a point where you have four quality OA's so one is expendable, obviously every team would like to be in that position but you need some luck - players need to be very good but not too good - otherwise they'd be playing pro hockey somewhere. It isn't only about creating depth in a particular birth year.

For example, if Thomas plays an OA year, when the 92's become OA's, we would have Thomas, Labardo, Sabourin, Clark, Graves, Quinn, Bailie as potential OA's. I think a fourth player staying with the team could fetch a decent return. If Thomas isn't back for his OA year (plays AHL or NHL), I don't think we have enough depth for an OA to be expendable and get a good return. The reason we haven't been stockpiling potential future OA's is that we have (wisely!) traded our veteran players for draft picks before they can become OA's - John Tavares would be in his OA season this year! Those trades are why we have so few potential OA's and we're just starting to reap the rewards of those trades.

I find this thread very interesting. Good talent is also scouted. London has to be applauded for the picks/scouting choices they make, and they develop their kids in a differnt system.

I remember a coversation I overheard....so yes...hearsay, but the sources (one was a parent of a player) were reliable , that once the player left Oshawa, the difference was immediate. The team he was traded to, had so many plays and systems compared to the Oshawa system , the player was overwhelmed. That tells me it will take more than buliding the barn with studs...

I think our team is heading to building a future of solid players. This year is the first year I see this kind of depth. We have many young kids still in the wings. Perhaps we are positioning ourselves to be a contending team for more years than we have in the past. And if we have better development, and systems that can compete with these teams...then we have a shot. Unfortunately, it is not one component that makes a winning organization.

My point is simple - London is able to keep turning players into future picks

They traded away how many 2nd rd picks plus - 3 players off of their roster (Thomas-Valentine -Zador) for 2 rental players in Tavares & Del Zotto.

Now how much better would London be with Thomas -Valentine -Zador

Now - beats looking at your list of 92 O A - How many on your list will last until they reach OA status after all look at our cuts this year - Clark is on thin ice and Baille needs to play and can't get ice time

Labardo will be just like brown this year a fringe overeager , you can't give that quality overeager away, brown is still with the gens because thats all they,ve got , and the phone isn't exactly ringing off the hook for him , and the only overeager outbofnthe bunch that would bring a good draft choice ,when the 92,s come up , will be Thomas. Regarding standing pat and waiting for next year , well good luck with that , ya never know what could happen next year , I say getna better goalie , without giving up a key guy that will be here next year, and take a run for it this year as well , a deep playoff experience would be really beneficial to these young guns

My prediction ? There will be no deep playoff run this year ,with this goaltending tandem we have at this point. London thru zador in the deal for a reason , hunter is no idiot .

what better goalie will you get without giving up a "key guy" or draft picks? You can't get something for nothing.

runner wrote:what better goalie will you get without giving up a "key guy" or draft picks? You can't get something for nothing.

Exactly. Do you remember what it took to get Neuvirth? That's how much it would cost.

I don't agree that Larbardo will be a fringe OA player next year. He is the ideal small OA forward who has the potential to be successful. Whether he meets that potential is another story.

An upgrade in goal is going to come at a price. This team is not good enough to take a risk on the price for a top notch goaltender. The price for Neuvirth and Mason in recent years has been very high.

Zador is playing better than he did. He still has a ways to go. Hopefully with the goalie coach this year he continues to improve.

If the right deal comes along great but I will be surprise. Maybe the best hope is a goaltender like Lacasse coming from the Quebec league or elsewhere.

To get where good teams get they have strong scouting staff and stockpile resources over the years. The Gens have had many years of poor management so it will take some time to build those resources. Patience is really an important ingredient in success.

I think it is important to note that teams like London have been able to select 1st round draft picks at the lower end of the first round that are actually ranked very high in the draft. I believe Harrington was the latest example. This is because the player said they would not go the OHL route and teams took a pass on them. Then London magically selected them and got them to "change their mind".

I'm not suggesting the Hunters do not know what they are doing, but they do have an advantage that others teams do not have.

To me, our goal is to win the memorial cup and if we think we have a better chance next year, then trading dehaan, dehart, etc is not a bad thing assuming you get some talent back for next year. Look at the mitchell / neuvirth trade that help make Windsor a powerhouse. If I recall, Windsor was actually a good team that year but they knew their window of opportunity was the next year. I think te Gens are in a very similiar position this year. We are very well positioned for next year.