Whatever, I'll always say it was a bad move. No matter the work ethic or the defensive woes. The guy can play, and RW would have turned his work ethic around, IMO.
Good for him. I doubt he would put up the same numbers here though RW would have his ass on the pine for a while with that work ethic. IMO he's not much better then a PP and shootout specialist.
I love almost all of the changes (players gone and players brought in) expect for a few. Wellwood was not one of them and I fully supported his release. Had Wellwood given even 50% of that effort here we wouldn't have let him go. Oh well.
I always thought it was a mistake letting him go, Cause I loved how he dangled. But then we traded for grabovsky and the void in my heart was overtaken. Some montreal fans are in the same boat about trading away Grabs like we got rid of wellwood.
I love almost all of the changes (players gone and players brought in) expect for a few. Wellwood was not one of them and I fully supported his release. Had Wellwood given even 50% of that effort here we wouldn't have let him go. Oh well.
For anyone who actually watched him try and skate last year it was pretty obvious he wasn't right, thus the season ending surgery.
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My current film recommendation for those over 40.
I love almost all of the changes (players gone and players brought in) expect for a few. Wellwood was not one of them and I fully supported his release. Had Wellwood given even 50% of that effort here we wouldn't have let him go. Oh well.
exactly.
if we didn't waive him (and the canucks didn't waive him) he would have likely never got the fire under his ass to do anything.
its a contract year, and we all know how the hangovers from those turn out from those with ****** work ethics. if wellwood actually finishes the year with good numbers, id be very interested to see him do it again without a sausage at the end of that stick.
That's the Wellwood we knew when he was healthy, I told Canucks fans a long time ago that they got a pretty good player for nothing and now they are believers.
The thing is, who knows if he would be having the same success if Toronto had kept him? IMO, being put on waivers by Toronto, and then passing through waivers after being sent down by Vancouver was a real eye-opener for him and he probably realizes now that he can't take his talents for granted and needs to assert himself if he wants to continue to have an NHL career. Some players just need to hit rock bottom.
The thing is, who knows if he would be having the same success if Toronto had kept him? IMO, being put on waivers by Toronto, and then passing through waivers after being sent down by Vancouver was a real eye-opener for him and he probably realizes now that he can't take his talents for granted and needs to assert himself if he wants to continue to have an NHL career. Some players just need to hit rock bottom.
Or get their injuries healed. He played the same way two seasons ago in Toronto, this isn't something out of nowhere. Wellwood worked hard for two years in the AHL, he didn't just waltz into the league with a drink in his hand.
You mean the great and all knowing Cliff Fletcher made a mistake? How could it be possible Mess? Leafs Nation turns it eyes toward you.
I have always been one of Welly's biggest supporters, even before he made it to the AHL never mind the NHL, so I am pleased he is doing well.
However the Leafs needed change and a new direction and new identity and Cliff delivered a fast, exciting, hard working team.
Welly had some injuries, and he lacks some self motivation, particularly conditioning wise, as few would question the fact he has talent. He got a wake up call when he was waived, and he only got waived because Fletcher couldn't extract anything from him as an asset in trade.
The NHL is still very much an old boys club and as we saw Vancouver waived him and Welly cleared unclaimed, and then they put him on recallable waivers willing to pick up 1/2 his $1 mil cap and cost and still no NHL GM's claimed him.. Now that he has a second chance thanks to injury he is making the best of his opportunity and I am happy for him.. Personally I wouldn't have waived him myself, however I also wouldn't know where he would fit on this new team we have now.
