GDT: 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs thread

[Navin R Slavin]

Good for JR. He brought us a cup, and now he's about to bring the Pens one.

 

[NotOpie]

Good for JR. He brought us a cup, and now he's about to bring the Pens one.

Yeah, I have no animosity for JR. He did what he knew how to do here. Nothing more, nothing less. Sure he left some bad contracts and a bare cupboard, but it's what he knew.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Yeah, I have no animosity for JR. He did what he knew how to do here. Nothing more, nothing less. Sure he left some bad contracts and a bare cupboard, but it's what he knew.

The non-trade of Gleason and Ruutu was what soured me on JR. They were hot commodities at that time, and rather than take advantage of that, he "did what he knew how to do" and re-signed them to contracts they couldn't have possibly lived up to.

 

[NotOpie]

The non-trade of Gleason and Ruutu was what soured me on JR. They were hot commodities at that time, and rather than take advantage of that, he "did what he knew how to do" and re-signed them to contracts they couldn't have possibly lived up to.

I didn't say he always made the best decision with what he had to work with, just that he did what he knew.

I suppose he is more "old school" in some senses, but in others, he stuck to his peccadillos (small, skilled guys, don't draft defenders early, etc.).

 

[garnetpalmetto]

I didn't say he always made the best decision with what he had to work with, just that he did what he knew.

I suppose he is more "old school" in some senses, but in others, he stuck to his peccadillos (small, skilled guys, don't draft defenders early, etc.).

I wonder how much of this comes off how badly he got burned with Tselios and Knyazev.

 

[Wolfpuck]

I wonder how much of this comes off how badly he got burned with Tselios and Knyazev.

 

[Brock Anton]

The non-trade of Gleason and Ruutu was what soured me on JR. They were hot commodities at that time, and rather than take advantage of that, he "did what he knew how to do" and re-signed them to contracts they couldn't have possibly lived up to.

Ugh. This still pisses me off. It was so ****ing senseless to keep both of them.

 

[A Star is Burns]

I was more than ready for JR to leave. And I'm bitter about silly things all the time. Don't even care for the Penguins. But I'm not particularly upset that JR is likely winning another Cup.

 

[RodTheBawd]

The non-trade of Gleason and Ruutu was what soured me on JR. They were hot commodities at that time, and rather than take advantage of that, he "did what he knew how to do" and re-signed them to contracts they couldn't have possibly lived up to.

Ugh. This still pisses me off. It was so ****ing senseless to keep both of them.

This sounds like some Monday morning quarterbacking to me. I wasn't lurking here yet at the time, but was everyone really up in arms about those contracts? Wasn't Gleason considered to be one of the 4 "untouchables"?

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

This sounds like some Monday morning quarterbacking to me. I wasn't lurking here yet at the time, but was everyone really up in arms about those contracts? Wasn't Gleason considered to be one of the 4 "untouchables"?

It was pretty split. A lot of people didn't like the contracts / lengths of the contracts when they were signed at the time. Some outright hated it.

 

[Brock Anton]

This sounds like some Monday morning quarterbacking to me. I wasn't lurking here yet at the time, but was everyone really up in arms about those contracts? Wasn't Gleason considered to be one of the 4 "untouchables"?

For me, it wasn't so much Gleason (though I still believe he should have been dealt), as at that time the wheels hadn't completely come off for him yet, they were starting to, but he wasn't totally useless at that point ... Ruutu's contract, however, was deplorable. It was inevitable that his body would fall apart due to his style of play. Giving a 29-year old grinder with a vast injury history a big contract with a NMC instead of flipping him for assets when there was reportedly a host of teams interested was a disaster waiting to happen.

We're just lucky we found a team willing to take Ruutu on a retention instead of having to buy him out.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Yeah, there was still a chance that Gleason may have turned into a middle-ground defender. Ruutu was coming off one of his only healthy seasons, and JR decided it was worth paying him 5 million to do what he was doing for 3.

Of course, he was never healthy after that, so it ended up paying him 5 million to do less than what he was doing for 3.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

This sounds like some Monday morning quarterbacking to me. I wasn't lurking here yet at the time, but was everyone really up in arms about those contracts? Wasn't Gleason considered to be one of the 4 "untouchables"?

Some people didn't like the deals because they wanted them to be traded as UFA's. Others didn't like the deals because they didn't want to overpay mediocre players for mediocre production. The first is "hindsight", the second is legit.

The other side of people were happy because JR broke his "no negotiation during the season rule", and got two guys that were considered valuable at the time under contract.

IMO, had Ruutu been dealt, and we go into 2010-11 with out best forwards as an elite Eric Staal, a declining Jussi Jokinen and a concussed Jeff Skinner (and no one else), JR would have been ripped apart in response to the inevitable "I wanted to play here!" confirmations from Ruutu/"sources".

OTOH, the picks/prospects we could have gotten would look nice right about now.

 

[DaveG]

I know I personally was mad that JR didn't cash in on what were two of the most highly sought-after deadline UFAs, mind you the 2012 draft didn't play out to be super strong either. Huge difference between ending up with say Vasilevsky and Maatta, or ending up with Jankowski and Schmaltz from the assets we would have gotten.

But I think that more then anything convinced me this team was directionless and that JR had to go.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

But I think that more then anything convinced me this team was directionless and that JR had to go.

This team lacked an identity for JR's last years with the team. I've been happy with the change -- and I backed him longer than most.

 

[NotOpie]

I know I personally was mad that JR didn't cash in on what were two of the most highly sought-after deadline UFAs, mind you the 2012 draft didn't play out to be super strong either. Huge difference between ending up with say Vasilevsky and Maatta, or ending up with Jankowski and Schmaltz from the assets we would have gotten.

But I think that more then anything convinced me this team was directionless and that JR had to go.

I'd take Jankowski right now. Doing pretty well in the NCAA.

 

[Roboturner913]

The best thing JR has done with the Penguins was hiring Mike Sullivan. That guy is one hell of a coach. Reminds me of Laviolette, but better, smarter and more flexible.

I admit I totally underestimated the Penguins, I thought the Sharks were going to plow right through them. But that team is also something more than the sum of its parts right now, they have that Cup magic thing going on that championship teams always seem to have.

 

[AD Skinner]

Wasn't the Ruutu contract almost the exact money and term that Rutherford wouldn't give Erik Cole around that same time? Cole had a few more solid years in him, Ruutu declined really sharply

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

The best thing JR has done with the Penguins was hiring Mike Sullivan. That guy is one hell of a coach. Reminds me of Laviolette, but better, smarter and more flexible.

I'd put that trade for Hagelin up there also. It totally changed the team as it made them even faster and you brought out the best of guys like Bonino and Kessel. He was a perfect fit for that team. Getting someone to take Scuderi and actually getting a serviceable player back in Daley is high on the list also.

JR also got panned for the Lovejoy trade (even said he regretted it himself), but with Daley going down to injury in the playoffs, Lovejoy has stepped in and played at a level that I'm not sure Despres could have. We'll never know for sure obviously, but the deal isn't looking as bad as it once did.

 

[RodTheBawd]

I'd put that trade for Hagelin up there also. It totally changed the team as it made them even faster and you brought out the best of guys like Bonino and Kessel. He was a perfect fit for that team. Getting someone to take Scuderi and actually getting a serviceable player back in Daley is high on the list also.

JR also got panned for the Lovejoy trade (even said he regretted it himself), but with Daley going down to injury in the playoffs, Lovejoy has stepped in and played at a level that I'm not sure Despres could have. We'll never know for sure obviously, but the deal isn't looking as bad as it once did.

Agreed BBA. While I've always liked watching Hagelin, I've never been very high on him, but that speed opens up so much for the other guys on the ice. I actually really like the team, but the fanbase will always keep me from ever wanting to see them win, in any sport.

 

[Unsustainable]

Who's an UFA at the end of the season from the Pens?

Have to wonder how they will restock for next year.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

Who's an UFA at the end of the season from the Pens?

Have to wonder how they will restock for next year.

Forwards
Matt Cullen
Kael Mouillierat
Kevin Porter
Tom Sestito

Defense
Ben Lovejoy

Goal
Jeff Zatkoff

It's '17-'18 that's sort of a cliff year for them. That's when Kunitz, Bonino, and Daley turn UFA and Sheary, Sundqvist, Dumoulin, Pouliot, and Murray go RFA. On the bright side, Dupuis comes off the books.

 

[Unsustainable]

Forwards
Matt Cullen
Kael Mouillierat
Kevin Porter
Tom Sestito

Defense
Ben Lovejoy

Goal
Jeff Zatkoff

It's '17-'18 that's sort of a cliff year for them. That's when Kunitz, Bonino, and Daley turn UFA and Sheary, Sundqvist, Dumoulin, Pouliot, and Murray go RFA. On the bright side, Dupuis comes off the books.

So they have a team for another run next season.

They probably try to keep Bones, Daley and Kunitz will probably retire.

RFAs is where is going to hurt them.

 

[bleedgreen]

Why would Daley retire? He's played awesome and is a great skater. He's 32 not 37.

 

[Dishface]

Why would Daley retire? He's played awesome and is a great skater. He's 32 not 37.

I think he meant bonino and Daley to resign and Kunitz to retire.