|
Karel Rachunek |
Games
|
Goals
|
Assists
|
Points
|
+/-
|
|
Regular Season
|
66
|
6
|
20
|
26
|
-9
|
|
Playoffs
|
6
|
0
|
4
|
4
|
-1
|
Karel Rachunek is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. When we brought him here I was really excited. Here was a guy I thought had legitimate 1st pairing upside. A guy who should have been our version of Mathieu Schneider (not the version we had 7 years ago, but his alter ego we now see in Detroit). Someone who should be netting 15 goals a year and popping in 35 assists with regularity, and still playing a decent defensive game. The powerplay quaterback of the future, the guy who would initiate the rush with perfect tape to tape first passes.
What we really got was a slightly lower version of Thomas Pock for the bulk of the season. In 66 games he put up 26 points, not exactly terrible, but not the kind of production I want with a guy getting his kind of minutes. More alarming was his lack of judgment from time to time. He would commit some of the most outrageous gaffes after playing smart hockey for long stretches. Equally annoying is that several times he would show some real good strength along the boards as you would expect of a guy who is 6′2, 212lbs, then suddenly turn as soft as pudding letting guys push him around to get space in the quality traffic zones.
Without bludgeoning this dead horse even more, I’ll just say this. Rachunek has no place on this team even if Marc Staal wasn’t on his way. His salary can go towards upgrading our center position, and his roster spot can go to a younger Thomas Pock who I feel can provide just as much offense, with a slightly smarter decision making skillset.
You are the weakest link, GOODBYE.
By the way, I have put up a new page, full of my videos, and I will be putting a link to it over on the right side in a few. Here it is.
Also, on a more Off Topic subject, those of you who know me, know im a big time Yankee fan, and a very large supporter of A-Rod. With that said, I found this to be hilarious. The New York Post will be giving us these headlines over the next few days…
-Inferno