Tuesday, October 02, 2007

An Unkind Cut



So…Ben Clymer was sent to Hershey. And…with Eric Fehr likely to go on injured reserve and Jakub Klepis likely to go, the Caps are down to 14 forwards. And eight defensemen. And two goalies. That’s 24. One person yet to be left standing in the game of musical roster spots.

Nine hours to go.

Why does The Peerless think, “trade?”

And why does The Peerless think Clymer really wasn’t 100 percent back from last year’s injuries? This is an unfortunate cut. Clymer came here as a Stanley Cup winner (with Tampa Bay in 2004) and did any job asked of him, including returning to the blue line where, despite being injured, sucked it up and applied himself to his job. He even found himself in the role of fashion model....


He’s the kind of pro you usually find on successful clubs, and if he can help Hershey, that will help the kids down there. If he is recalled, he seems likely to be lost to the club, the half-price provision on re-entry waivers making him something of a bargain.

Sometimes, there are men who come and go in the midst of what a team like the Caps are doing to rebuild. They end up being an “oh, yeah…I remember him” years down the road. But Clymer’s a real pro, and that kind of thing deserves respect. Whether it’s here, in Hershey, or another NHL stop, good luck to him.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amen! What a great post. As usual, nice guys finish last don't they? Ben Clymer is a class act.

It will be interesting to see just how well the "Swedish Experiment" plays out.

Eli said...

Indeed. I'm surprised nobody claimed Ben off waivers at full price. He's a real good hockey player, and always helped the team compete.