tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677867857097423502.post4801081549513656127..comments2023-10-20T04:45:00.350-06:00Comments on Coming Down the Pipe!: Plante's PlightGuy Flaminghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03178739486819659419noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677867857097423502.post-65650233643308276562008-09-02T14:51:00.000-06:002008-09-02T14:51:00.000-06:00Anonymous, how are the Hitmen "talking out both si...Anonymous, how are the Hitmen "talking out both sides of their mouth" here?<BR/><BR/>Plante came back to the Hitmen from Oilers camp injured last year and no sooner than he got back into the lineup, he got hurt again. Neither of these things are the Hitmen's fault.<BR/><BR/>Then when he did get back into the lineup, he took forever to get back into form and in fact he never did regain his 06-07 form. When the playoffs came around, he was not playing at a level which put him in the Hitmen's top four defencemen at the time. So in tight games when the bench got shortened, he got to sit. If that hurt his little feelings, that's too damn bad. This isn't house league where everyone gets to play; the best players play and if you're not one of them then you won't play and everyone at this level AND the NHL level understands that. Nobody cares what you did last year or where you got drafted, it's how you're doing tonight that counts.<BR/><BR/>I like Plante, I really do, and I want to see him succeed. I also have no animosity towards him for wanting a trade; if he doesn't want to play for the Hitmen then it's better that he doesn't. But it really gets my back up to suggest that the Hitmen have in some way mistreated this kid or didn't give him something (respect, ice time, whatever) that he had earned. He got everything that he earned, which last year wasn't much.<BR/><BR/>He is a valuable asset to the Hitmen and they should trade him when they can get what they feel to be a fair value in return. This is no different from any other player on any team in the league. It's a business and if that means Plante gets to sit out a while, well, he made his bed and now he can lie in it for a while.Alanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05668218392221086476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677867857097423502.post-23421452461489930482008-09-01T11:59:00.000-06:002008-09-01T11:59:00.000-06:00The Hitmen are talking out of both sides of their ...The Hitmen are talking out of both sides of their mouth here. Either Plante is a valuable commodity and worthy of ice-time, or he is damaged goods and sits. Which one is the Hitmen's position?<BR/><BR/>Its unrealistic to demand too much in return for a player the Hitmen did not value enough to play, 15th pick overall or not.<BR/><BR/>Hopefully, there is a deal that can be made so he can play CHL hockey as Plante seems to be motivated to shut up all of the armchair GMs that are dumping on this pick. (Saying that an off-the-board pick will not make it to the pros is a VERY easy prediction to make and should not be mistaken for intelligence.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6677867857097423502.post-28026044745181912652008-09-01T04:57:00.000-06:002008-09-01T04:57:00.000-06:00"I'm wondering if the Edmonton Oilers could sign h..."I'm wondering if the Edmonton Oilers could sign him and put him in the minors. He's not 20 years old yet and that usually precludes the thought but Plante has played parts of 4 seasons in the WHL and, unless I'm mistaken, would make him AHL/ECHL eligible. I'll have to double check on that part though."<BR/><BR/>I couldn't find anything on the "four seasons rule" in the new CBA, but I'm quite sure there was a rule like that in the old one. The only thing related to Plante's situation that I could find is paragraph 8.7 (a): <BR/><BR/>"During the first two seasons next succeeding the draft of an age 18 Player, the Club he signs an SPC with must first offer him to the club from which he was claimed before it may Loan him."Eetu Huismanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07186953858232068643noreply@blogger.com