Where's the beef? Not with Durdin.

OK, I did my best Clara Peller and asked "Where's the Beef?" Rather, I asked Komets general manager David Franke, "Where's the toughness."

So get off my back.

Franke admitted, it is an area on which they're still working.

"We're still looking for more toughness," Franke said. "We're close to putting something together with a 6-foot-5 rookie forward, which will help. ... But the one thing we've always felt is that if you're going to be tough, you have to be able to play, too. We're not interested in our 19th man being somebody who will see the ice only a couple times per game. You have to be able to contribute. I'm not that worried about that end of it; that part usually takes care of itself (in the offseason).

"We do have (defensemen) Kevin Bertram and Kevin Hansen -- they're both big kids -- and I'm not worried. We'll be fine. But it is an area we're still working on and we will continue to right through training camp. There will be guys who are tough and won't catch on in other leagues."

Meanwhile, the Komets continue to be in touch with tough guy Brent Henley, who tore a knee ligament in the playoffs last season, Franke said. But Henley won't be able to play until December, Franke said, so he's in no rush to sign with anyone.

But the news of the day was this: Even though it had seemed to be an impossibility because he was going to Europe, defenseman Sergei Durdin rethought things and signed with the Komets. The team's No. 1 pick in the dispersal draft this summer -- he had eight goals and 43 points in 69 games with Quad City last season -- Durdin is a top-pairing type of defenseman.

"We always liked the way he played against us," Franke said.

Look for Durdin to run the point on the power play along with Guy Dupuis.

-- By Justin A. Cohn, The Journal Gazette

Comments

[David]

Thank you Justin, but one problem all the guys Franke is talking about have signed on with other IHL teams.

[Junior]

Good signing for the K's d!! Good stuff Justin.

[lovelost]

Ok. Sims said when he got signed was to focus on toughness and good vets... Am I right? I honestly don't think that Bertram and Hansen can cover our toughness issue? Hansen maybe some, and I mean some. Bertram in the other hand has been in retirement and who knows how tough he will be? We cant take Hansen and say Bertram and have them stand p to players like Bone or Mallette on the ice for "toughness" If we get a person like Henley I could unserstand but obviously we need more if things like Elmira last year is going to happen? We don't have Goody to help protect Hansen this year. but I am still glad we got Durdin on the blueline. I do like all the signings we have but with the spots available now we need to bring in some young tough guys like Upshall.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

Good signing in Durdin. Can we safely say he is Mario or Perrault? Hope so as far as scoring goes.

Ok, I give up on the toughness issue. If they aren't concerned then why should we care. Great idea on throwing Hansen out there to be the tough guy policeman. That worked out real well last season. He is a good hitter and plays defense the right way. But come on guys...you have to be joking in that response?

Everyone is missing the point on toughness. It is a team philosophy, not 2 or 3 guys who drop their gloves and act macho and get beat to death. What toughness is....as I keep saying....so listen up loud and clear....

Checking, grinding in the corners for pucks, hitting, physical play in front of and behind the net, bodying up your man on defense, scrumming when needed, standing up for teammates that are cheapshotted, not afraid to take a hit, hip checks, etc.

Not Fighting!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Will this team have TOUGHNESS as the philosophy? Or will it be another year of lip-service and back to the normal dump and chase hockey that turns into Euro Style in which we take a beating from the rest of the league who has decided to field big strong teams that have the Toughness philosophy?

Only time will tell I guess.

Go ahead and spin this into Goonery and WWE all you want now.

Durdin is a great signing. Honest truth there.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

On the other-hand...if you don't have a couple of guys that "handle" things on the ice if need be, then loads of luck to our topline guys who will be gooned to death by some of these hacks that have been signed in Flint and Port Urine for instance.

Bruce Ramsay will put a team on the ice that will be expected to play tough from top to bottom. Their guys will play the body or will be finding new employment. And by the way, they are most likely the most talented team in the league thus far on paper.

I can't understand the idea of we can have only 2 or 3 guys willing to play physical and the rest can just play soft. That will not work in this league.

Sorry guys and gals, I just don't understand it. Preach new tough league with Old Time Hockey and then the quote from management on toughness. WOW!

[kometfan]

OH OK Mr. Franke...great toughness we have and yea Bertram..wow great....this is ridiculous....do we want to have any goal scorers left this year..we have no one to protect them at all....hansen is well ok...he cant do it all he's only like a 6'1 player...nothin too great....Jason Bone will own the komets opening night...expect a hurtin on our forwards if nothing is brought in!!!

[lovelost]

Yea its going to be great when Bone goes after one of our players.

[David]

This has been the company line for the past 3 to 4 years. They take a wait and see approach then when things get rough and tough the go looking for someone to fill the role. We were lucky we got Henely last year. This goes directly to recruiting. We want players who can do both, ok we are suppose to be the best minor league hockey organization with many wanting to play here and that was quoted by the Frankes on TV and newspapers. So where are they? Is it because the selection as Sims as coach? Perhaps, because Flint, Port Huron, Bloomington, and even Muskegon don't seem to have this issue like the K's have. If you are going to sell "old time hockey" as a theme to generate interest in your team or league then you better deliver otherwise imo it is false advertisement, just like radio advertisement last year made comments like "the gloves will be dropping when these two hated rivals battle on colisum ice". To make suggestions the Hansen and Bert are capable of toughness is a lame attempt to cover up the fact they don't have anyone nor do they plan to sign anyone. When the season starts and we don't have that element in lineup the comment will be "we are still looking" or "we tried, but just couldn't find someone we felt that could play a regular shift".

[Hit Somebody!!!]

I thought the whole idea behind adding the 19th spot in the line-up was to generate a position for a policeman/enforcer and still be able to skate an extra player out there? Now they say they don't want to fill that spot with a guy that can't play a regular shift? What exactly is a regular shift for an 18th or 19th skater anyway? Are they planning on 4 lines of d-men? The extra skater last season and the previous 5 seasons was lucky to get off the bench at all. Labarre was that guy at the end of the season and saw 1-3 shifts at best. Seney was that guy for a while and he too, 1-3 shifts. What exactly does the extra spot do for the club? If they don't play the 18th and 19th guys on a regular routine....then what is the point of not having a couple of bruisers with no teeth getting po'd on the bench and ready to take it out on the other team?

[Hit Somebody!!!]

And I am just raising the topic for conversation....so please....don't get your panties in a knot out there in Kometland.

I like the signing of Durdin. Deep breath out there guys and gals.

[kometfan]

I have to agree...with what david said....they plan on no one comin in..and yea labarre and seney would have been better if they ever let them play more along with our backup goalies...no one ever wants to come to fort wayne to be a backup because they know they see minimum time in net...get real frankes...get some toughness in this league..u wanted this and now u need to show it to us fans!!!!

[Disgruntled Fan]

Same old crap that has been going on nearly every year the Ks were in the UHL minus maybe the first couple.

This is supposed to be old time hockey. A lot of Komet fans have wanted a tough team for years and it never happened in the UHL. Hitting, checking, and FIGHTING... THat is what a large majority of Komet fans want. Again, it is not being delivered.

I would say if fans show up on opening night, and we get another UHL type snooze-fest, then I would expect a quick drop in attendance.

Bertram when he was a Komet the last full season he played refused to drop the gloves as he did in the 02-03 season. Hansen was not that tough last year.

They need a couple of lights out fighters who will hit and stir it up.

No offense, but this league is not only about winning. There has to be some toughness and a lot of it. The other teams in the league are addressing that...the Komets aren't.

Some Komet fans don't mind watching the team get pushed around as long as they win. I am not one of those. THose years where Kotyluk was the top bill collector were painful as he didn't want to do it and wasn't that good at it. Hansen and Bertram are of a similar stripe. They don't want to do a lot of fighting and policing.

A lot of Komet fans want a team that is feared on the ice. Sims usually likes to ice a tough team, but right now that is not the case.

There is still time of course, but this league has been touted as a physical league and physical players need to be signed.

I don't think many Komet fans who have been forced to swallow that this new IHL is going to go back to old time hockey and then see their team be the softest in the league are going to take it in this league as they did in the UHL.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

Good points DF.

I know it is so taboo to have these opinions. But for craps sake, if you say that you want Old Time Hockey and that you want to be physical entertaining hockey on the ice that excites the fans...I would think that is what you do.

You don't follow a legit question by the only beat reporter in town with a answer line that includes the names Bertram and Hansen as your 2 tough guys....That is just plan idiotic. Neither of those guys will want that role. Do they forget what happened to Kevin last year at Elvira? That took a huge toll on him and he never was the same physical player after that awful event. Now you expect him to take care of the physical duties with Bertram who didn't stake up as a toughguy the last go-around here?

By the way....It is a Team Philosophy of TOUGHNESS gentlemen. We aren't looking for one or two guys to be tough. We want a roster full of guys willing to go to battle.

IHL.....Elite Professional Old Time Hockey League with A Distinct Euro Hockey Flavor on at Least One Team!!!

We hope not!

[Hit Somebody!!!]

Chaulk and Hukalo will play tough. Those are two guys that will do it. We know they will. If the guys we have all play a team approach similar to Rockford or Muskegon of the past few years in which top to bottom of the lineup each guy does the little things that tough hockey team do...then I will be happy with that.

I just hate seeing quotes where it seems the approach is....

"We're still looking for more toughness, We're close to putting something together with a 6-foot-5 rookie forward, which will help. ... But the one thing we've always felt is that if you're going to be tough, you have to be able to play, too. We're not interested in our 19th man being somebody who will see the ice only a couple times per game. You have to be able to contribute. I'm not that worried about that end of it; that part usually takes care of itself (in the offseason).

"We do have (defensemen) Kevin Bertram and Kevin Hansen -- they're both big kids -- and I'm not worried. We'll be fine. But it is an area we're still working on and we will continue to right through training camp. There will be guys who are tough and won't catch on in other leagues."

This sounds like the 2 or 3 guy approach. Doesn't it?

[K.M.]

Ok I want toughness probably as much as anyone on this team as my previous posts show. I agree with a lot of what is said.

Here is what is stupid. No Hansen is not a heavyweight fighter. A good middleweight, absolutely. But what he really is...a very solid defensemen who has been an all star in previous season so to label him anything else is unfair

Bertram was banged up his last few years with us, but should be healthy now. No he isn't either a number 1 option for an enforcer, but when he does fight...answer me this, when have you seen him lose? If you say he can't fight you are lying.

Now I agree Franke hurts himself by saying we are going to bigger and tougher and then when those players don't get signed it looks bad.

Hopefully this 6'5' kid will provide us with some physical presence. Also the Frankes have irons in the fire and if they are able to get these guys toughness won't be a problem. I just hope they also keep in constant contact with Henley so we all have a nice Christmas present come December.

Being an enforcer is more then just fighting and high Pim's. Its a mentality. A player who ask questions later and takes care of his teammates first. A player who lets the skill guys do their thing without cheap shots occuring. When the team is in a lull, he wins a fight and sparks the team and home crowd. I just hope Franke gets the fact that you need more then size and penalty minutes...you need to be a difference maker.

Oh yea we just signed an all-star caliber offensive defensemen so things aren't that bad.

[Ron]

I'm glad some of you guys are not coaching this team. I think the Frankes and Sims are quite capable of putting a team together that will be a front runner. Just because they are not marching to your time schedule in terms of announcements doesn't mean that they don't have their ducks in order. Sessa was signed 2/3 weeks ago, but it was just announced this week. The Komets management most assuredly has their priorities in order. Toughness on the bench is not one of them. A team of Curtis Tidballs and John Marastys will get no where except a 6th place finish. Most of the ice time that these "tuff guys" get that are mentioned on this blog is in warm up. 50% of these guys won't be on their teams at the 30 game mark. Of the ones who make it past that a fair percentage of those won't be playing come playoff time. Maybe Sims will jump at the chance to pick some of these guys as they are released to please some of you whinners. Relax guys, dummys aren't putting this team together. By the looks of some of the other rosters, it looks like most of the dummys are outside of Ft Wayne.

[Jungle Monkey]

Spin it anyway you want. We got dropped into a crap league and the only way they could justify it was to tell us we'd get "old time hockey". Old time? Meaning 2002? C'mon just tell the truth. They make more money in this league, hire a coach thats years past his prime in recuiting, and bring in a fireman to be the enforcer? Not to offend Bert, as he is capable of taking care of himself, but he doesn't want to fight every night. Apparently when the Franke's made up this silly 6 team league they forgot to tell the other 5 owners that they were just BS-ing about toughness and that they don't have any intention of fulflling their promises. I'm glad I didn't renew my season tix. And from the sounds of it, I'm not alone. But as its been said before STH's don't really pay the bills....

[Greg]

JM sounds like someone I know of from Alaska.

Really, com on people. It's been said hear before and I'll say it again. This team hasn't even seen the ice as a cohesive group yet and it sounds like they've been consigned to the pansy division already. I can't judge a team until I've seen them. I'm certianly not going to judge them on toughness just becuse I don't know a lot about the new faces. What I see so far encourages me that this will be a competiative team. As far as being tough, I'll just wait and see.

[wingmnn]

Again everyone gripes but the team hasn't played one game, period! Nobody knows what these rookies are like. They still have almost a month yet to get more guys in here. Do you all think the Frankes and Sims are idiots? Do you think they don't see what other teams have? Do you think Shaf, Guy, Chaulker, Durdin would have signed in this league if they thought they were gonna get killed every night as most of you think will happen? Are they idiots as well? Some have said "I am glad I didn't renew our tickets", good for you and good bye! If this team goes out and bust some chops are you all going to say "we were wrong and we are sorry", I doubt it.
If after 5 or 10 games and we are just beat to death, I'll be right with you and will be yelling myself. AHHHHHHHH I need some duct tape my head is going to explode.

[chuckitt]

we didnt drop into this league. when are you people going to take off the dunce hats and wake up. the way the uhl was going, there wouldnt be a league in a year. the frankes and some other owners decided to try something new and make it sound for years to come. this is the first year and there will be some pains and some mistakes, but hopefully in the end we will have hockey better than before and all franchises will be solid and operate in the black. get it out of your heads now, the komets will not be going to the ahl. as much as many of you think you know how we belong there and we would do great there,none of you have a clue as to the expenses and the liabilities in that league. the frankes, repeat, are not going there. so get behind this effort and lets keep good hockey in the fort. its still early yet and i have my concerns about team toughness too, but its way too early to be calling the frankees and sims names. how stupid is that??? question the toughness part but none of you know the rookies that are comming and none of you know who has contract offers and are waiting to sign once some of the smoke clears from the higher leagues. get a clue people, this is a process that will take time. its not the major leagues where the team is the same every year and you add a couple here and there. this is a process where you start with no players and go from there.//so far i like the signing and the peices of the puzzle are starting to come togehte. none of us will know whos really right until 20 games into the season. i mean come on, we were all excited when we signed daniel goneau to this team and look how his stats had absolutely nothing in common as to how he played here. so stop bitchin and calling people and names and just give some constructive criticizim. we all want the same thing, a winner that is exciting to watch. so lets all get behind the team and lets build the ihl back into a premier aaa league! what a story that will make with the komets in the forefront of history!!!!

[Bob]

Chuckitt,

Very well said. I find it rather funny, yet sad that so many people that I talk to at work, etc. remark about this being "only a 6 team league" or "Gee Whiz, Bob we have a 10,000 seat rink...we should be in the AHL!"

And these are remarks from people who are hockey fans! One of them had season tickets last year.

It will take a good 20-30 games to get an idea of where everyone stands.....but I agree that this new league has the potential to be something very special as well as very successful.

[stoney85]

Put me on the bandwagon with Monkey, Hit and DF.

That was not a good answer Mr. Franke.

This seems to be like deja-vu all over again. The worst part is that I think we got our hopes up for something different.

Justin - Thank you for asking the question many of us wanted to. The answer was lame, but thanks none the less.

[IndyKomet]

Justin noticed in your article that you said Quad City left for the ECHL, actually it was the AHL.

[wingmnn]

Amen to chuckit and bob, the voices of reason.

[Jungle Monkey]

Stoney hits the nail on the head... Why get everyones hopes up then backtrack a month before the season?

This isn't one or two people raising cane over it either. I think it's a 50/50 split within the Komets core fanbase.

[Greg]

I might buy that arguement JM if it's made a month into the season, as of right now, this team is being judged on actions they haven't even taken yet.

[Andrew]

Who would be suprised if Kevin Bertram didn't get cut. I can't see him making the roster after taking two seasons off and skating once to twice a week with Snider's hockey team as a coach. Plus, was he even that great 2 years ago? So in my opinion we only have one tough guy in Hansen. Hopefully Henley will make a quick comeback and we will be set in December.

[Greg]

I think Bertra can make the team. Will he perform in the "tough guy" role? Have to wait and see on that one.

[wingmnn]

Hey Andrew did you ever think that maybe he has been skating everyday since he signed, working out and doing all kinds of dry land training. Don't make assumptions.

[wingmnn]

Also Johnson or Chwedoruk have yet to sign anywhere yet so they are technicaly still in the mix.

[scoops]

Just when you think the bar couldn't be set any lower....someone beats all the odds and limbo's right on under to keep the game going.

[Jungle Monkey]

Yeah, Chaz Johnson will be our enforcer!

[ILOVETHEGAME]

Once again some of you need to take of the rose color glasses that you look through. Fact is the K's lost last year because they ran into a tougher hockey club in Rockford that took it to them!!! And the same thing could be said about the previous season. You can only jude what you see on paper ins stats and pims.

[Disgruntled Fan]

You'll never sell me on the Komets not being able to make it in the AHL. You can sell me on the fact that the Frankes will never put them there. The Komets most certainly could be there and should be there and I beleive could thrive for years. I don't know all the ins and outs of course, but I think it could be done and perhaps QC and RFD will demonstrate that.

The Komets are not in the AHL, but the fans pay AHL prices.
They need to lower prices and start charging a fee that fits the type skill we will be seeing. If Komet fans see ANOTHER year of soft hockey, that may FINALLY cause the Frankes to have to do something drastic as empty seats should start becoming more common.

The fans on here are NOT overreacting. They have seen this exact same scenerio played out time and time again since the Komets were in the UHL and now.
We're tired of it.

And fans like Jungle Monkey who didn't renew their season tickets are hockey fans we WANT in the building. And he is not the only one.

The Frankes need to deliver. PERIOD. A winner isn't going to do it this time. A tough winner...will.

[Greg]

Actually DF, it's the casual fan hockey owners cater to because they tend to spend he most money at the game.

And for anyone to judge this team as a bunch of light-weight pansies without so much as a gmae being played yet is doing a diservice to the players, the coach and the team.

[JungleMonkey]

If only the Frankes got a cut of the beer money.. Then I'd have one hell of an arguement. This casual fan crap goes too far. Who brings in the most casual fans?.......... That's right STH's. I often buy the seats next to mine and invite friends who then return. Its about time someone thanks STH's instead of telling them how much of a burden they are.

[Bob]

It's not that the Franke family does not appreciate the over 3,000 STH.

But it is a fact of life that the casual fan and the groups that attend anywhere from 1-10 games are the ones who help fill the extra 4,000+ seats each night to give the Komets an average attendance of 7,500+ last season.

They are usually the ones who pay full price for a ticket....especially the premium seating. Same said for buying the kids a souvenir. And since these folks only go to a handful of games....they don't have a stroke when it's time to fork over a king's ransom for a beer and nachos! (I'll rant about that later! LOL!)

Of course, these are the same people that spend more time getting plastered then watching the game and leave their seats during the middle of the game....

Anyways, it comes down to simple economics. I personally feel that as a STH I am treated wonderfully by the team.....but I also have some understanding of the economics involved.

[nicko]

Sorry, Bob, you will have to delete that last post. You didn't attack anyone or second guess Komet ownership, and thats just not allowed here.

[chuckitt]

me too bob. ive been a seaon ticket holder for over 33 years and i get a good valu for my buck. its the colieum that gives me the shaft with its six dollar beers ect ect. as far a paying ahl prices for lower talent, give me a break. our ticket prices are right where they belong. after all, you can pay as liitle as six bucks to get a seat. not bad and not a bad seat in the house either. ive seen plenty of ahl and its not that much better than the ihl. sure, each team has three or four top players who could someday make the show, but the rest are just fill ins that could play in our league and still wouldnt make much of an impact. the costs of the ahl are tremendously higher than the ihl. start with travel, go to insurance, then throw in the union and above all that, add the factor of paying a coule hundred thousand dollars to your parent team for the priviledge of being their farm team. about the only way the komets could survive that is if they owned their own arena and got to keep all the monies. if all of you who cant understand this still insist on having a team in the ahl, then maybe you need to find someone foolish enough to spend their own money to erect their own arena and then pay a very high league entrance fee to begin. theen hope they hook up with a parent team that has players good enough to come here and play winning hockey. they can send a bunch of bums here and as long as one or two make it to the show every couple of years then they will be happy. if the farm team sucks, they dont care peopl;e. all they want is one or two guys to standout they rest they could care less aabout. they stock their teams with ist and second round draft picks, trades and free agents, not th scrubs ffom the ahl. at least when we get a lousy coach or team we can complain right to the frankees as the buckstops there. being an ahl farm team really doesnt do much for the local fan.

[Justin Cohn]

Wow, a positive comment or two. Amazing. Not to sound like Big Brother, but it's nice to read something that isn't all doom and gloom, and believe me, I've got nothing invested in it.

[David]

Greg:
All you have to do is look at the Stats of those players that have signed and you can get a good idea of their past track record in hockey. Remember perception is reality in this day and age.

[Steve65497]

As critical as i have been about Ft Wayne off season so far....this signing is one that changes the whole look of your guys team. Durdin is as solid as they come.

But lets be honest.....the toughness issue is totally overrated. Kalamazoo has went to the finals the last 2 seasons without a tough guy (well a tough guy that actually plays tough)

For all the people that call Flint a goon squad...let me bring up a 2 points....

1. Flint has signed 1 player that could be considered a goon (Shawn Futers), the rest of Flints toughness are guys that can skate regular shifts.

2. The way Kevin Kerr coached last year, he did not allow his players to disrespect the game but just attacking scorers and turning games into a 3 ringed circus.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

Darn us season ticket holders!!!

We buy the jerseys every year as they change every year. Some years there are 3-4 new jerseys. We frequent the chuck-a-puck booth. We buy numerous gifts and Christmas Presents from the souvenier stand. We listen to all the away games on WOWO which the sponsers pay hefty advertising for to get our money. We go on road trips to watch the K's play in other towns. We renew our ticket packages year after year, some season ticket holders 30+ years, others around 10-15 years of loyalty. We bring our friends and families to the games weekend after weekend and promote the Komets to them as well as to our co-workers.

We support this team thru thick and thin. No matter what type of team we have. No matter how much bitching we might do. We continue to spend our money and do so with the intentions of supporting the team. Bottom line.

Pardon us for having opinions about the direction of the team. We are sold on a concept of having Physical Exciting Hockey in a very crucial make or break year in this team's history, as a new league is starting, and we are told to expect a brand and style of hockey that will be what has been lacking in this town for years. And are told to wait and see and be patient over and over again. Then when Toughness is questioned by our only local beat-writer, the owner of the team gives us a lame answer that makes us all wonder what really will be different about this Great New League...

Euro Hockey will not cut it this year. Physical Hockey is a team concept...not an individual concept.

[Tony E]

UN FREAKING REAL!
Why don't some of you petition for the Frankes to sell the team to Robbie Nichols so that you can see 5 fights and only 25-30 wins a year.
What a bunch of spoiled ungreatful disprespectful crap .....GRRRRRRR

[Tony E]

The above was directed at nobody in particular and was a general comment towards the loud minority whome I agree with when Henley comes back to the team, scores 30 goals to go with his 400 penalty minutes and single handed leads the Komets to a title with no help from the rest of the talented players the Komets have already signed who will never make you happy. I feel sorry for Henley. Not since Gretzky has a single player been counted on to save a franchise from the doom that is winning season after winning season.

[Hit Somebody!!!]

If the Journal Gazette were to advertise that if you sign-up for a yearly subscription to the paper and they will deliver it to your door and they then 2 months later tell you that...well we might not deliver to your door, we will just drop it off at the edge of your neighborhood, then I would imagine people might question that.

IHL/Komets advertise a new league that puts emphasis on Physical Exciting Hockey with an extra spot in the line-up for a possible added demension of Monster Guy who beats other team senseless as needed....and then when questioned about Toughness by Cohn, gives the same old line we get this time of year about not intending on signing an enforcer type player and leaving physical play up to 2 or 3 guys, and not the whole team?

Any questions?

With that being said. I have several favorites on this team all ready. I will continue to support the team and be big fan as always as will my family and friends. It is not gloom and doom. It is just a question of philosophy here people! Not being negative at all really. There will always be 2 sides to the conversation and debate. Some like physical hockey...and some of you I just don't understand....LOL.....kidding of course.

Can we just drop the puck and play hockey all ready. That is really what we all want no matter what. That and the Cubbies to win the World Series!!!

[Hit Somebody!!!]

Where was anyone on here begging for FIGHTS?

It never fails. Physical Hockey confused with fighting. 2 totally different things.

I for one have been very clear about not having one guy be physical only. TEAM TOUGHNESS!!!

[Bob]

Tony E,

I agree that it's unfair to place Henley or anyone else to place those kind of expectations on just one player.

Maybe I have a few bolts coming loose....but I thought that hockey was a TEAM sport?.....

[Bob]

Before anyone decides to do a beat-down on me.....

Hit, I want to see team toughness also. I think what gets some folks confused, etc. is that everyone has different ways of defining what toughness is.

Some people want to see 2-3 fights each period and perhaps see several gallons of blood spilt on to the ice.....

Others want high energy, good solid CLEAN hits and checks and guys that hustle regardless of the score. Of course, sticking up for your teammates when honor and duty dictate to do so.

I learned a long time ago to not judge a package by it's physical size....toughness (or lack of it) come in many different forms. And trust me, some of those lessons were'nt much fun!

If we had people this passionate about other issues that need to be solved....just think of what could be done!

BTW, Nice postings!

[scoops]

We support the team through thick and thin? Are you kidding me Hit? We lose two games in a row and the blogs become a panic frenzy. Some guy doesn't stand up for himself or a teammate and he becomes a brunt of a 3 year long joke. I don't doubt your a fan and one of the biggest supporters out there but you support when it serves your purpose.
The problem with your analogy is that the Journal Gazette STARTED delivering to your door and quit. They failed to deliver as promised.
The Frankes/IHL brass sold the public on tough, physical hockey this season. This season that hasn't even opened training camps yet. This season that is still a month away.

"All you have to do is look at the Stats of those players that have signed and you can get a good idea of their past track record in hockey. Remember perception is reality in this day and age."

Really? So if you looked at the stats of David Hukalo....what does that tell you? Does his stats tell you how he plays? If you looked at the stats of Mario Larocque, mainly penalty minutes. You would think someone with 231PM's got into his fair share of fights last season. Give me a break with the perception is reality stuff.