Elliotte Friedman 31 thoughts

[evolver115]

The Pens door has closed in this garage league...

Perhaps




If they bring in a guy like Tocchet to be an assistant, Toccs might just swing that garage door right back open

 

[pixburgher66]

This crap happens with every team at one point or another. The only reason they're being called a dumpster fire now is because Rutherford made the mistake of being honest with one comment to the media. Everything that's resulted since that moment has been media contrived. Ignorance is bliss. I simply don't buy half the crap that's being spewed. Yes, their first choice went another way...that tends to happen when looking for a new employee. Doesn't suddenly mean that playing on that team is insufferable, undesirable, and that the team should simply prepare for life in the cellar of the league. Dooms-dayers are just killing me with this search. PR nightmare, sure...but the demise of the team has been so incredibly overblown in every moment since their season ended. Gets really freaking old.

 

[dash]

Perhaps




If they bring in a guy like Tocchet to be an assistant, Toccs might just swing that garage door right back open

From what has been reported, the lack of a third year and not being able to have final say on his assistant coach seemed to be the sticking points for Willie not choosing the Pens. It shouldn't be too difficult finding somebody to coach this team with Crosby and Malkin.

 

[evolver115]

This crap happens with every team at one point or another. The only reason they're being called a dumpster fire now is because Rutherford made the mistake of being honest with one comment to the media. Everything that's resulted since that moment has been media contrived. Ignorance is bliss. I simply don't buy half the crap that's being spewed. Yes, their first choice went another way...that tends to happen when looking for a new employee. Doesn't suddenly mean that playing on that team is insufferable, undesirable, and that the team should simply prepare for life in the cellar of the league. Dooms-dayers are just killing me with this search. PR nightmare, sure...but the demise of the team has been so incredibly overblown in every moment since their season ended. Gets really freaking old.

Yeah, I tend to put the media circus on mute until the coach is hired. All the peripheral stuff is just BS. They have a very important decision to make, no doubt about that. I'm just not ready to jump off the cliff quite yet.

 

[evolver115]

From what has been reported, the lack of a third year and not being able to have final say on his assistant coach seemed to be the sticking points for Willie not choosing the Pens. It shouldn't be too difficult finding somebody to coach this team with Crosby and Malkin.

Yeah, and Elliotte made a good point in his most recent about Willie's ties to Western Canada. I'm really not all that bent about losing out on him. Pens just got done with five years of a former rookie NHL coach with zero prior coaching experience at the NHL level. I don't see losing out on Willie as some massive blow.

 

[pixburgher66]

From what has been reported, the lack of a third year and not being able to have final say on his assistant coach seemed to be the sticking points for Willie not choosing the Pens. It shouldn't be too difficult finding somebody to coach this team with Crosby and Malkin.

The assistant thing is a bit odd. Not sure why coaches would be too worried about an extra year on a contract though, considering how quickly they're fired.

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

The assistant thing is a bit odd. Not sure why coaches would be too worried about an extra year on a contract though, considering how quickly they're fired.

Might get them more in the severance package when they're canned.

 

[Cobiemonster]

The assistant thing is a bit odd. Not sure why coaches would be too worried about an extra year on a contract though, considering how quickly they're fired.

Because of the high turnover rate, that's why coaches want that extra year

 

[evolver115]

30 Thoughts: NHL defenceman cash in on free-agent frenzy | Hockey | CBC Sports

1. Here's another trend for you: Right now, there are eight teams in the NHL without a centre carrying a $5 million average salary. Only one made last season's playoffs -- the New York Rangers. The others are Arizona, Buffalo, Calgary, Nashville, Ottawa, Toronto and Winnipeg. I'm not sure this is a coincidence. Look at the arms race for centres since the Stanley Cup was awarded.

 

[Cobiemonster]

30 Thoughts: NHL defenceman cash in on free-agent frenzy | Hockey | CBC Sports

Just because the Rangers have a center making $5 million doesn't make him a number one center, if that article is what it is trying to insinuate

 

[evolver115]

Just because the Rangers have a center making $5 million doesn't make him a number one center, if that article is what it is trying to insinuate

I believe he's insinuating that if you don't have at least one legit center, recognized by the player being a highly paid asset, your team probably won't be in the postseason.

 

[Cobiemonster]

I believe he's insinuating that if you don't have at least one legit center, recognized by the player being a highly paid asset, your team probably won't be in the postseason.

Some idiot team could pay a guy 5 plus million but that doesn't make them a contender

Also, people have to realize, some teams might have centers who are on rookie deals too, and those teams can still make the playoffs

 

[evolver115]

Some idiot team could pay a guy 5 plus million but that doesn't make them a contender

Also, people have to realize, some teams might have centers who are on rookie deals too, and those teams can still make the playoffs

Some idiot team probably already has paid 5 plus million for a center, and it hasn't made them a contender. And that's no joke. Look at some of the recent contracts UFA's have earned since the two most recent CBA's were signed.

But I think the point he is trying to make when he includes the New York Rangers (minus Richards), Arizona, Buffalo, Calgary, Nashville, Ottawa (minus Spezza), Toronto and Winnipeg, is that none of them have a center making 5 million average annual salary today, and not coincidentally perhaps, none of them qualified for the postseason in 2014, except for the NYR.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Some idiot team probably already has paid 5 plus million for a center, and it hasn't made them a contender. And that's no joke. Look at some of the recent contracts UFA's have earned since the two most recent CBA's were signed.

But I think the point he is trying to make when he includes the New York Rangers (minus Richards), Arizona, Buffalo, Calgary, Nashville, Ottawa (minus Spezza), Toronto and Winnipeg, is that none of them have a center making 5 million average annual salary today, and not coincidentally perhaps, none of them qualified for the postseason in 2014, except for the NYR.

Yeah, it's misleading at best. St. Louis didn't have a single forward making over $5 million last season and they were on route 1 to the semi-finals before they Millered themselves.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

25. One of the more interesting rumours out there was Montreal, looking for size up front, asking Toronto about Joffrey Lupul. The Canadiens are not among the teams Lupul has blocked, so it could have been done. Ultimately, it sounds like the Maple Leafs will keep him. Can you replace a 25-goal scorer for $5.25 million, his current cap hit? That's a good number.

26. Another guy with the same cap hit? Evander Kane. A couple of weeks ago, other teams were pretty sure he was getting traded. Now they are changing opinions, thinking he starts the year in Winnipeg. The Vancouver radio interview makes it tougher for the Jets, because teams squeeze them even harder. Kane's best option might be to start the year on a tear and drive up his value.

Why anybody would trade for Joffrey Lupul over Evander Kane, and do so with a division rival nonetheless, is beyond me. Don't believe it.

Also, how annoying a team would the Habs be to play against with both Subban and Kane in the lineup? Why isn't this done yet? Because Montreal scored goals so consistently in the playoffs (not that Kane has, but…)?

 

[evolver115]

Yeah, it's misleading at best. St. Louis didn't have a single forward making over $5 million last season and they were on route 1 to the semi-finals before they Millered themselves.

I don't think it's that misleading, really. It's just a financial observation. Not meant to be an end all be all situation. Not to mention, but St. Louis has a very young team, and it's no surprise they didn't have a center making that much, yet. They do now, though.

Stastny is averaging over six million the next four seasons.

 

[puckhead]

30 Thoughts: NHL defenceman cash in on free-agent frenzy | Hockey | CBC Sports

Mark Fayne, Matt Niskanen and Anton Stralman more than doubled their salaries. Tom Gilbert and Clayton Stoner, triple. Deryk Engelland: five times.

nope, it's still not old.


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Both coach and GM say Orpik may be used as a sort of reverse-Sedin, doing the heavy-lifting defensively. His partner could rotate -- sometimes a Mike Green, sometimes a John Carlson -- but generally freeing up others to worry about offence or transition. MacLellan said Washington lost out on Willie Mitchell a few years ago because they were scared of term, so they took the chance with Orpik.

both of those things may not end well

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15. The Islanders were prepared to give Jarome Iginla four years.

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Armstrong would not comment on info from a source that the Blues went hard after Jason Garrison before he was traded to Tampa Bay.

couldn't have been THAT hard if Garrison went for a low 2nd round pick.

 

[DragonfromTO]

I don't think it's that misleading, really. It's just a financial observation. Not meant to be an end all be all situation. Not to mention, but St. Louis has a very young team, and it's no surprise they didn't have a center making that much, yet. They do now, though.

Stastny is averaging over six million the next four seasons.

Yep, the basic point I think was simply that winning teams these days are built down the middle. Which I definitely agree with. If you don't have a 1C, good luck to you.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

I don't think it's that misleading, really. It's just a financial observation. Not meant to be an end all be all situation. Not to mention, but St. Louis has a very young team, and it's no surprise they didn't have a center making that much, yet. They do now, though.

Stastny is averaging over six million the next four seasons.

Okay, but I can just as easily say "Every team in the final four last season had a goalie making $6 million, while Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Buffalo, the Islanders and Edmonton didn't pay their goalies more than $3.5 million and missed the playoffs. I'm not sure this is a coincidence - look at the race for goalies since the Cup was awarded."

Does it mean squat? No. Is it a new trend that teams are looking for elite centres and goaltenders? No.

 

[awaz]

I feel like we got in the weeds over a simple observation..

I think Friedman's point was you need centers with talent. Money typically reflects talent, that's the only reason that portion is in there.