No Rest For the Weary
January 25th, 2008, 2:33 pm
The big Sharks news of the day is that they sent down Vlasic, Setoguchi, Greiss, and Plihal. Interesting move. I guess those guys won’t get the All-Star break to heal whatever bumps and bruises are nagging them.
The last three aren’t that suprising, but Marc-Edouard Vlasic is a bit of a shock. But as my partner in crime pointed out over a ChompBoard, Vlasic is -7 with zero points in the last 14 games. Not good numbers.
I think the general idea is that these guys aren’t playing all that well (or in Greiss’ case, not playing much at all), and could use the time to tune up their game. But, assuming Vlasic will be called back once games resume, is shipping him back and forth across the country in a week really the best thing for him?
It’s also essential that none of them have to clear waivers. I wrote about this a while back with respect to Carle, but Vlasic is also near the cutoff. Since he played as an 18-year-old in the NHL, he’s exempt from having to clear waivers for 5 years or 180 NHL games, whichever comes first. As of now, he has 130 games to his credit, so he’s exempt. Someone would certainly snap him up if he had to clear. For those of you asking why Carle didn’t get sent too, this is the reason. He started in the NHL as a 22-year-old, so he only had 70 exempt games, which have already been played (131, to be exact). He too, would be quickly snatched off of waivers. Now Carle is in the large group NHL players that are practically immune from being sent down to the minors. For those guys, the press box is really the only punishment available.
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Good post Mikey. It’s hard to imagine that this is a temporary thing for any of these guys. It just doesn’t make sense – why put them on a plane for Worcester and have them ride the bus to Hartford and then Springfield, MA only to get on a plane on Monday to join the Sharks in Edmonton. That doesn’t sound like a break to me. If McLaren is ready to come back, then isn’t Pickles the odd man out right now with his lousy play?
I think it is also important to note, as I did on ChompBoard, that Carle has really turned his season around and responded with a +5 and seven points in the last fourteen games. Unlike Vlasic, he wouldn’t have deserved to be sent down for a tune up…or whatever this is.
Pickles sent down to make room for a big trade coming in while allow him some time to regroup and get his head back on?
Apparently Dougie wants Vlasic to be on the ice rather than getting the rest.
It should be noted that Vlasic has family in the Worcester area, so that may also play into it.
Taking the second part of my comment into account, Doug may also have given him the choice rather than forcing it upon him.
I believe you that Vlasic being local to the area may be a factor in DW’s decision, but I can’t believe a guy would actually choose to go to the minors. AHL treatment is a lot worse than NHL treatment, and I’m sure Vlasic could use the time off just as much as anyone else.
Not buying it. Why would he want to go from matching up with Paul Kariya one night to riding a bus to Springfield, MA with Patrick Traverse?