Morning Links: Max Never had a Chance

by David Oleksy on Aug 20, 2009 6:00 AM EDT in Daily Links

I am one of the believers that Max Afinogenov was never given a chance to succeed the past couple of seasons. He had a knack for turning the puck over but when he was paired with good forwrads he put up numbers.

Top Shelf: Mad Max
Heather has a very good post about Maxim Afinogenov. She talks about how Max wasn't given a chance to succeed and it echoes what I was saying all season. Read the rest and see what I'm talking about.

CANOE -- SLAM! Sports - NHL - Chelios determined to play next season
Chelios thinks he can still play but NHL GM's might think otherwise.

CANOE -- SLAM! Sports - Hockey NHL - Boston - Trade talk bugs Kessel
I think trade talks would bother anybody but I don't feel sorry for Kessel. If he doesn't want to be traded he should sign a contract.

The NHL BOG's seat of power - From The Rink
An interesting look at Gary Bettman and the NHL Board of Governors. Gary Bettman is often looked at as a bad commissioner but reality is that he has done a pretty good job.

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I still don’t get the love for Max. How many more times could we watch him skate down the LW, stop along the half wall, turn inside, and cough up the puck? How many more lackadaisical back checks were we supposed to watch? Was he exciting at times? Yes. But exciting doesn’t mean you’re a good hockey player.

Max was the beneficiary of playing with two skilled forwards playing against most teams 3rd lines at a time in the league where obstruction was called. Once the NHL reverted back to it’s “old” rules, and Max was forced to play against better lines, his gimmick was exposed.

Again, I think the proof is that no one in the NHL wants him. I’m sure he’d be willing to play for much less then what he made the last few seasons (another terrible DR contract), and yet no one still wants him.

by krytime on Aug 20, 2009 7:43 AM EDT reply actions