Jordan Staal's Homecoming

[ColePens]

Ogre brought it up in a different thread and I want your opinion. What happens when Staal comes back to Pittsburgh? And what do you think SHOULD happen?


My thoughts: Personally, I'm okay that he went on his way. He's playing with his brother and in a bigger role. He was always going to be over-shadowed in Pittsburgh. I give him credit for having balls and wanted to be "the guy". However, I think the smarter decision would have been staying here. We never blamed games on Jordan. He didn't even have much pressure.

I will give him a standing ovation as he deserves it. I have no hard feelings for him and hope he has a solid career going forward. I just hope he doesn't win a Cup.

Click to read more...

 

[Ogrezilla]

anyone who boos should be escorted out of the arena

I expect something like this

My thoughts: Personally, I'm okay that he went on his way. He's playing with his brother and in a bigger role. He was always going to be over-shadowed in Pittsburgh. I give him credit for having balls and wanted to be "the guy". However, I think the smarter decision would have been staying here. We never blamed games on Jordan. He didn't even have much pressure.

I think guys like him want the pressure to be on them

 

[Frederick Stanley]

50/50 Split

Shero offered him a contract, which he didn't accept because he wanted to play a bigger role. That's fine with me. But he shouldn't expect a "YAY".

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

He should be cheered. He wanted more opportunity and a chance to play with his brother, and he went about it the right way.

I think he will be mostly cheered with some scattered boos...because some people resent their team being spurned, even if it was totally understandable.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

I wouldn't boo him

 

[ColePens]

I also wonder if people still think Staal was a bust. He really is turning into a great player. I wonder what people think nowadays. I don't think we win the 2009 Stanley Cup without him. But even a couple years ago - people were *****ing he was a bust.

 

[Sutter16]

Staal should be cheered. Some people are probably still mad that he's not with us and boo, but he helped us win a cup.I'll give him a standing ovation.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I want them to hire Morgan Freeman to make a special voice over to play over some of his highlights.


Sometimes it makes me sad, though... Jordan being gone. I have to remind myself that some Pterodactyls aren't meant to be caged. Their wingspan is just too wide. And when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to play them on the third line DOES rejoice. But still, the place you live in is that much more drab and empty that they're gone. I guess I just miss my Gronk.

followed by this later on with clips of Geno destroying the Canes in 2009 since this is the last game before the playoffs

I hope we can make it back to the Stanley Cup final. I hope we can beat Jordan along the way, and shake his hand. I hope the Cup is still as shiny when we win as it is in my dreams.

I hope.

credit to Uncle Jorgi for the second part

 

[Sivek]

gonna throw a battery at him, or batteries in the case of the first one missing

All because he made the acquisition of Pouliot possible and I have no doubt Pouliot will dominate discussion around these parts for many a year. Already tired of it.

 

[BHD]

He should be cheered. He wanted more opportunity and a chance to play with his brother, and he went about it the right way.

I think he will be mostly cheered with some scattered boos...because some people resent their team being spurned, even if it was totally understandable.

Everybody involved - the Pens, the Canes, Jordan - seemed to handle it as professionally as possible.

Personally, I'll never hold a grudge against him.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I would really love to have been a fly on the wall at his wedding when the news broke.

 

[MrBurghundy]

I can never boo Staal. His reasons for wanting out were completely legit and I love him for all he did to help this team win a cup. I really hope he tears it up in a more offensive role in Carolina because he would have never got that chance here.

 

[Darth Vitale]

Anyone who boos Jordan Staal is a toolbag. Nothing about that guy deserves a boo. Except maybe his puck handling.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Also, I think Sutter is going to play so well in his 3rd line role that people will take Staal's loss much easier.

A big part of what made Hossa's departure so hard to swallow was that we didn't have a damn thing to replace him with - I mean nothing - and lost Malone while we courted him.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I also wonder if people still think Staal was a bust. He really is turning into a great player. I wonder what people think nowadays. I don't think we win the 2009 Stanley Cup without him. But even a couple years ago - people were *****ing he was a bust.

We all knew who he was stuck behind.

Hope he takes off.

Good luck to'em.

 

[Gallatin]

Also, I think Sutter is going to play so well in his 3rd line role that people will take Staal's loss much easier.

A big part of what made Hossa's departure so hard to swallow was that we didn't have a damn thing to replace him with - I mean nothing - and lost Malone while we courted him.

Well there is this guy who had an amazing season for us last year that came in the Hossa trade.... Care to guess who we got for our two late firsts and table scraps?

 

[Ogrezilla]

Well there is this guy who had an amazing season for us last year that came in the Hossa trade.... Care to guess who we got for our two late firsts and table scraps?

I think everyone knows. It has officially been dubbed The Dupuis Trade at this point.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Well there is this guy who had an amazing season for us last year that came in the Hossa trade.... Care to guess who we got for our two late firsts and table scraps?

Seeing as how none of us own crystal balls, I don't see how Dupuis' stellar '11-'12 season was supposed to assuage our concerns in the summer of '08.

 

[Wes C Addle]

I want them to hire Morgan Freeman to make a special voice over to play over some of his highlights.


Sometimes it makes me sad, though... Jordan being gone. I have to remind myself that some Pterodactyls aren't meant to be caged. Their wingspan is just too wide. And when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to play them on the third line DOES rejoice. But still, the place you live in is that much more drab and empty that they're gone. I guess I just miss my Gronk.

followed by this later on with clips of Geno destroying the Canes in 2009 since this is the last game before the playoffs

I hope we can make it back to the Stanley Cup final. I hope we can beat Jordan along the way, and shake his hand. I hope the Cup is still as shiny when we win as it is in my dreams.

I hope.

credit to Uncle Jorgi for the second part

Brilliant

Also if I'm reading the schedule right, it'll be the final game of the season that Staal returns to the Burgh

 

[Dangles78]

There should be no reason for anyone to boo Staalsy. Absolutely none.

He didn't handcuff the team in any way, didn't play with their heads or play any "games" for that matter.

There should be some loyalty to the team that drafted you, which he has shown. Situations like J. Schultz are just ridiculous. Staal showed nothing but respect for the Pens organization and its fans, but it was time.

How many of us wouldn't jump at the opportunity of playing with our brother, our best friend, in a great city with an expanded role? Personal reasons are part of this business.

You may absolutely love the company you work for, but if another company offer is on the table that gives you something you have worked for your entire life that the other couldn't offer...wouldn't you have a hard time saying no?

I'm happy for him. He's married and living in an excellent city for the remainder of his career. He's going to be starting a family and will have Eric there to experience/enjoy it with him.

 

[SEALBound]

Cheered for sure.

I'd rather have Staal than the return we got for him...but it is what it is.

Staal-Crosby-Dupuis
Kunitz-Malkin-Neal
Cooke-Jeffrey-Kennedy
Glass-Vitale-Adams

Yes please. I reeeeeally hope Pouliot makes me eat my words...but I still think he was a mistake given the gaps we have and our prospect pool.

 

[ColePens]

Cheered for sure.

I'd rather have Staal than the return we got for him...but it is what it is.

Staal-Crosby-Dupuis
Kunitz-Malkin-Neal
Cooke-Jeffrey-Kennedy
Glass-Vitale-Adams

Yes please. I reeeeeally hope Pouliot makes me eat my words...but I still think he was a mistake given the gaps we have and our prospect pool.

It's not just Pouliot. It's also Sutter. So we would have lost Staal for free after a 48 game season. Instead we have Sutter and Pouliot and we only lose him for a short season.

I... couldn't be more happier.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

It's not just Pouliot. It's also Sutter. So we would have lost Staal for free after a 48 game season. Instead we have Sutter and Pouliot and we only lose him for a short season.

I... couldn't be more happier.

Plus that Dumoulin guy.

All told, we did about as well in that trade as anyone could've expected. Sutter will become a fan favourite in short order.

 

[Jacob]

Dead silence.

But Pittsburgh fans are stupid and they'll probably boo.

 

[shureshot66]

I usually have very little faith in the average person in attendance. But in this case, I think it'll be be pretty supportive.

If he'd played through this season and then signed with the Canes in July, then he'd probably hear it the next time he came back. But it was a trade that got a reasonable return, and the amount of drama he caused was very minimal. It was what, 30 hours between turning down the extension offer and getting dealt?

If that had lingered through the offseason and over several months, I think it would be different.