Friday, September 12, 2008

Losing the Waiting Game

You miss decent signings to hold on for a certain player (or players) then buckle and bring in a player who could be had at any juncture from here?

This is called losing the waiting game.

Robert Lang was reportedly acquired today. But in a trade. So unless other teams were banging down Dale Tallon's door for Lang, this move was not necessary yet. Gainey threw in the cards early and hastily, I feel. Sundin, Shanahan and Selanne are all available and better options.

It hurts to be out when so convinced of the intelligence and strategic nous of taking this patient route. Then, for some reason - done. This is why we didn't sign Brian Rolston (who now looks like the player we needed and could maybe have had)? Heck, "this is why we let Streit go" is just as valid a squawk.

Some team will sign Sundin when he returns and we'll be enjoying the final stages of a once half-decent offensive centre's career.


Still, if we lost the waiting game, we didn't altogether lose the improving game.
In the real world, where Sundin won't sign till midseason, Selanne won't leave California and Shanahan can't see himself in bleu, blanc, rouge, Lang does actually make us a better proposition up front. Lang and Kovalev reunited - also a good thing.


The player who shall remain nameless

That's more than I can say about the other news. It brings up troubling questions when people start arguing Cup:

Is our development system this bereft of talent?
Is our GM fumbling for ideas?

To say our latest signing is hugely disappointing is kind. The only way this works out worse is if old "last Cup winner" gets his free playoff ticket (exit in early round included). I'm too angry to write more on this now. Be sure it will be revisited soon.

In a year where we are taking our hopes to new levels, this news day brings me back down to the ground. Still, could be worse - at least Marc Denis wasn't announced as the starter today.

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