Is the deal with Anaheim a good one or not? I know it's tough to tell without knowing who the bodies coming this way will be, but what's your gut reaction?
Myself, I was shocked that the Frankes flipped on this one to get an affiliation. Then I saw the names of the team management involved and it made some sense. I think both sides are going to be feeling their way through this one this season.
So far, this entire offseason has gone backwards of what the Komets usually do. They usually go after the veterans first, and this year they signed their top kids first, then the vets and now an affiliation. It seems to have worked out so far, and I'm a little shocked they didn't lose more players to other ECHL teams since they couldn't protect anyone. Except for Bryant Molle, you'd think other ECHL teams would be willing to pay for proven winners and might have made a few more serious attempts.
I look at a guy like JM Rizk who I think is going to really be valuable for this affiliation because he can go up and play a role and hold his own in whatever the team needs. Same with Daniel Maggio. In any other year without an NHL lockout, I think he'd be a strong candidate to make Chicago. He still might.
If you think about the changes the Komets' management has made over the last year or so -- releasing veterans, only bringing back seven and possibly eight players from a title team and now getting an affiliation -- those are pretty drastic for them.
