According to TN.cz, former Wings prospect Matej Machovsky has issued something of a warning to new Wings signing Patrick Rybar. Machovsky said the following while holding a press conference regarding his signing with HC Sparta Prague (roughly translated):
“I’ll take it as a lost year,” said Machovsky, sadly. “Perhaps I would have stayed for another year, but in another organization. I really didn’t want to be in Detroit when you know that you can play the way you want, but you still won’t get a chance…Every goalie needs to feel confident, and if you don’t, it’s hard to work on it,” he said during Tuesday’s press conference with his new employer, HC Sparta Prague.
“It seemed to me that the door to Detroit had closed even before I got there, but I didn’t know and signed the contract. But before the season I found out that the only person who wanted me there was the farm team’s goaltending coach. It was difficult to get through it,” added Machovsky.
Machovsky played almost exclusively for the Toledo Walleye last season, but he probably would have played for the Grand Rapids Griffins this upcoming year. Machovsky’s patience wore thin, and the Czech Extraliga veteran chose to go home.
Patience wore thin after one season and you could see it coming. Bringing back Mccollum was the death bell for any young goalie
Hopefully the Wings learned a lesson from this experience.
They signed Macho under the assumption that he’d compete with Coreau in the AHL, and then if Howard or Mrazek got traded or injured, then the better of Coreau or Macho get called up.
Then a few weeks after signing Macho we re-acquire McCollum and Macho ends up in Toledo with no chance to even compete for an NHL look. So he has every right to be bitter.
We need to transform from an old boys club to a full meritocracy. Because there are so many more examples like this…
Another example of mismanagement of youth to veteran ratio. But most people will blame it on the kids being upety and immature. jarnkrok, mrazek and the list goes on.
Yeah good riddance. Macho had a bad attitude. Just like that Jarnkrok guy that threatened (unsubstantiated) to go to Europe after being told he needed years of ripening. Saarijarvi better not complain about being a healthy scratch during his prime development year or else we’ll send him packing too…
It’s only a lost year because he made it one. Had he stuck around, with Mrazek and Coreau gone, he’d jump way up the depth chart. He’s his only limitation, as I’m sure he’d be given a chance at the number one spot in G.R. If he steals the show there, well, Jimmy or the new backup will certainly miss games for injuries. He had no patience for us and I don’t have any patience for him.
This is too much part of a pattern with the Wings organization and it’s self-limiting.
Either you’re on the inside – and you can do no wrong and get offered endless contracts – and then job afterwards, performing important scouting or asst GM or development functions. Or, you’re on the outside and you get shut out of legit opportunities and old familiar names going nowhere are brought back to play ahead of you, and maybe you’re even slimed a little in the press if you don’t take 100% of it with a smile.
Broken trust. That’s what happened. That’s why he doesn’t want to come back. Who knows that someone else isn’t going to brought in a placed as filler ahead of him again, because…familiarity.
I can’t say if Machovsky would’ve been lights out in the AHL and given us a possible option later as an NHL backup. Nor can I predict how it will go with Rybar. As far as his play I mean. But the typical move will be for Holland and Martin to put a now late-twenties non-prospect (maybe McCollum, maybe someone else) in the #3 role. Then who’s to say some other vet with a team connection won’t be brought in.
These situations keep piling up. And they don’t look good for the organization. Players in the Czech league and hockey community will take notice. An old boys’ club is great for the members, but everyone else knows the criteria are arbitrary and the standards are stacked from the start.
I was excited to read about Machovsky and glad to hear he at least had a heck of a season in Toledo. And kept wondering, when will be hear more from him – when will Grand Rapids give him an opportunity. Pretty much never. This is not developing players. It’s not giving younger guys a chance to show what they can do. It is a waste.
It reminds me of one summer when Kenny was going on about how Smith will have every opportunity to make the Red Wings. Then he signs a couple of vets to one way deals and Smith comes to camp looking at 7 NHL contracts already in place. Can’t even remember who – Carlo Colaiacovo maybe? But it was totally demoralizing to Smith and any of the kids hoping to win a spot. Cleary was of course the worst example ever. Probably won’t change until a new GM takes over.