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A short story about Czarnik, opportunity and how life NEVER works out the way you think it would/should (thread) https://twitter.com/habermetrics/status/1356032899657695235
In the summer of 2018, I was charged of finding a list of third Center candidates for TOR, since Bozak would be leaving town as an UFA. The new guy would be playing behind Matthews and Kadri.
My list ended up being about 10-players long. None of them were great matches:
Jason Spezza - too expensive, at the time
Derek Ryan - not enough offense
Riley Nash - production juiced by playing w Marchand/Pasta
etc.
Jason Spezza - too expensive, at the time
Derek Ryan - not enough offense
Riley Nash - production juiced by playing w Marchand/Pasta
etc.
The biggest wildcard on my list was Austin Czarnik, who was kind of a AAAA player and who played more RW than C in BOS.
I figured he could be a Marchessault-type eveb if he couldn't play C in the NHL, and I put him at the top of my list since he'd likely be cheap to sign.
I figured he could be a Marchessault-type eveb if he couldn't play C in the NHL, and I put him at the top of my list since he'd likely be cheap to sign.
Most people I talked to saw him more as a winger, but our group got in touch and started negotiating with him.
Meanwhile the Tavares discussions were heating up as well, which would potentially mitigal the needs at C. But I personally thought it was gonna be a long shot.
Meanwhile the Tavares discussions were heating up as well, which would potentially mitigal the needs at C. But I personally thought it was gonna be a long shot.
On July 1 Tavares signs. Then Czarnik's camp stops returning calls.
The thinking was that he didn't think he could crack TOR's NHL roster, either at C or RW.
He signs in CGY for like 2x$1M. Fair enough.
The thinking was that he didn't think he could crack TOR's NHL roster, either at C or RW.
He signs in CGY for like 2x$1M. Fair enough.
Training camp rolls around and Willy is holding out.
If Czarnik signed with us he would've started 2018-19 with Matthews.
Instead he spends two years getting healthy-scratched in CGY.
He's a good player. Hoping the timing is better this time around...
(end)
If Czarnik signed with us he would've started 2018-19 with Matthews.
Instead he spends two years getting healthy-scratched in CGY.
He's a good player. Hoping the timing is better this time around...
(end)
