OT: Blackhawks waive Rusty

by Donny Rivette on Nov 16, 2011 2:48 PM EST in NHL & General Hockey

First reported by TSN's Bob McKenzie via Twitter, the Chicago Blackhawks have placed ex-Florida Panthers forward & current salary-anchor Rostislav Olesz on waivers.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2011 - Rostislav Olesz	6	0	0	0	-1	6	0	0	0		6

Not much to look at up there, moreso (or less-so?) considering the Western Conference-leading Hawks have participated in 18 games. Obviously the club's 4-2 record with him in the lineup had little effect in convincing management of another option for a guy making a ridiculous $3.4M bones this season. And $4M the next. Followed by another $4.25 in 2013-14. Jacques Martin - architect of that brilliant 6-year contract - should be forced by the Players Association to claim him. Career stats here, as if you aren't already painfully familiar.

Poll

End of the NHL line for Rusty?

Yes...first-round "bust" status has finally been sealed

101 votes

No...always another sucker out there with someone else's money

58 votes

159 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 13 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I always liked Rusty. I was optimistic that he would find his scoring touch and become the player we all thought he could (or should) be.

Sad to see him waived. It’s not his fault that Martin offered him so much money. I hope he can catch on somewhere else and be a serviceable player.

by Kellner21 on Nov 16, 2011 3:22 PM EST reply actions

Despite what the stats say, Olesz has been a decent player (mostly on defense). Not worthy of the contract, of course.

by Alexander Calloway on Nov 16, 2011 3:29 PM EST reply actions

Poor-man’s Dvorak, which can be a fine position with the right roster. Wish him nothing but success.

Litter Box Cats - Your tarp-free Florida Panthers Colossus

by Donny Rivette on Nov 16, 2011 4:00 PM EST up reply actions

Coach Q on Olesz, via the Chicago Trib:

His production … he hasn’t produced probably at the rate—and I’m not necessarily talking production—but his overall game maybe we were looking for more.

Well said. I think.

Litter Box Cats - Your tarp-free Florida Panthers Colossus

by Donny Rivette on Nov 16, 2011 4:48 PM EST reply actions

I think somebody will pick him up, maybe not right away but somewhere down the line. Sure he doesn’t play up to the value of his contract but if given the right oppertunity I could see him being a consistant 15g 30-40pt player on a 3rd or 4th line

by Rob PKane McMahon on Nov 16, 2011 4:53 PM EST reply actions

You do mean that line for the rest of his career right? Rusty doesn’t have the talent – if he ever did, he’s long since lost it and it’s not coming back. I might not like Campbell’s contract, but trading $7 million of him instead of $4+ of Rusty is a trade I’d still make everyday.

by badger737 on Nov 16, 2011 6:55 PM EST up reply actions

I called the kid a third liner on HFboards back in ‘04 when he was drafted and I have stuck by that ever since. I also said he was a bad pick, as his game was gonna change after gettin leveled by Phanuef and suffering a massive concussion in the World Juniors that year. And the real nail in the coffin was, he was being drafted by a Keenan managed team. If you look at the history of Keenan picks, most are third liners, at best. He’s probably a good guy, which makes me feel sorry his career isn’t working out, but he was drafted too high, never spent a significant amount of time in the minors, and was never coached properly. Hopefully, for his sake, he clears waivers and can find some semblance of game playing for Rockford. if not, he’ll have a long and illustrious career playing for Khabarovsk Amur in the KHL, who seem to like their Panther draft busts (Novoseltsev, Shvidki, and Denis Yachmenev all went there).

by MrOmnipotent on Nov 16, 2011 5:36 PM EST reply actions

Quick question for you Panthers fans

Do you think Evgeni Dadonov is worth picking up on my fantasy team? As in do you think he will stick with the big club and continue to produce. I’m not too familiar with him, I seem to recall him impressing late last year, but I was confused as to why he didn’t start the year in Sunshine.

"What is icing?"

"Well, uh... icing appen when uh the puck come down... bang, you know, before the other guys, nobody there, you know. My arm go comme ça then the game stop then start up."

by anActiveStick on Nov 16, 2011 6:10 PM EST reply actions

Only for the short term. Mikael Samuelsson should be ready in about two weeks and Dadonov will get sent back to San Antonio.

Dadonov didn’t start the year in Florida largely because he didn’t have a great camp and got beat out by some other camp bubble guys (most notably Shawn Matthias).

"We don't need the designated goon. Those fights aren't even fun to watch." -Mike Milbury

Litter Box Cats - Your Panthers Colossus.

by John Beatty on Nov 16, 2011 7:06 PM EST up reply actions

Doubt theyre sending him back if he keeps it up. Theres always someone to sit, and we dont know the extent to Bradleys injury

I’m putting here for reflection later on in the season…. #14 Tomas [Fleischmann] is getting a 40G season. FLASH COUNT: 7G/10A
by RPC on Sep 17, 2011 5:20 PM MDT
Find me on Twidduh And look at my Marmots

by Chris S Roberts on Nov 16, 2011 9:02 PM EST up reply actions