Player Discussion: The Elvis Thread

[NotCommitted]

True story: while my father and I were still at Nationwide Children's, one of our colleagues (who I believe was from Germany, although I'm not entirely sure) got in the habit of practicing broadening his English skills by going to my father to share and develop plays on words and puns. Apparently it was very effective.

Seriously off-topic and not even related to this story really, but one of the things I like to sometimes do for fun is to use Finnish idioms translated literally to English and see if the meaning gets across Of course I also sometimes do that by accident. Oh and one of the "signs" my written English was getting to a fluent level was when I started making stupid spelling mistakes like typing "you're" instead of "your" and stuff like that - I see native speakers make those typos all the time, but people who have to "think" about what they write really don't, you have to kind of "think in English" to confuse the two in writing.

Anyway, back to Elvis (sort of) - combining both language stuff and cultural differences, I have no trouble believing Elvis could've somehow really offended or pissed off Larsen by accident. I think the outward similarity between NA / European culture can sometimes be a bit misleading, or make people assume they're on the same page when they really are not. In a way understanding cultural differences is easier when the cultures are further apart, then the misunderstandings are usually such that you realize instantly that's what they are.

That's not to say Elvis is always a victim of being misunderstood, but at the same time I'm pretty sure sometimes he is, but can't tell exactly when since I'm not Latvian In any case the cumulative effect of a hockey player speaking his mind (seems to be universally rare) and THEN being misunderstood can reach ridiculous heights. If you think about it, Latvia is geographically small country with less than 2 million people, who are the only ones who speak their language and they were under Soviet rule against their will for about 50 years from WWII until the fall of USSR. Imagine just how different that is to the collective experience of US citizens.

In any culture there are tons and tons of little things that make up society and how people function with other people, understanding all that doesn't happen in a year or two, some of it could take decades and even then you might still occasionally run into some quirks.

I think it's fair to expect foreign people to do their best to adjust to the local culture, but at the same time it's realistic to assume they will always fail to do so completely. I think for an NHL coach or management this creates some interesting challenges since you're not only dealing with different personalities, you are dealing with people coming from backgrounds you might not understand all that well. How you manage to deal with some of these things I think could potentially be the difference between a good coach and great coach or good GM and great GM.

 

[majormajor]

It occurs to me that we literally have a hilarious Finnish comedian who is dedicated to this topic:

Seriously off-topic and not even related to this story really, but one of the things I like to sometimes do for fun is to use Finnish idioms translated literally to English and see if the meaning gets across Of course I also sometimes do that by accident.

Idiom translation is one of the fun parts of having all these Finns here, as well as having @VT bring all the Slovak idioms and aphorisms.

Oh and one of the "signs" my written English was getting to a fluent level was when I started making stupid spelling mistakes like typing "you're" instead of "your" and stuff like that - I see native speakers make those typos all the time, but people who have to "think" about what they write really don't, you have to kind of "think in English" to confuse the two in writing.

That is fascinating. As a native English speaker I often mix up little near-homophones like "have" and "of" when I'm writing, it isn't until I make an editing pass that I catch them.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Rob McElhenney From It's Always Sunny and part owner of Wrexham just told a funny story this week on Jimmy Kimmel about how people in the UK and North Wales say the "c word" much more flippantly than we do in the USA.

I could see someone from there saying it and an American woman getting very upset about it.

Just Sayin'

 

[Cujorulesdtown9]

Im ready for an actual goalie battle between greaves/tarasov.
Its been fun(?) with elvis but I think via trade or buyout(more likely) its time to move on.

I joked Elvis was steve mason, turns out that comparison was unfair to mason.

 

[Jackets Bob]

Im ready for an actual goalie battle between greaves/tarasov.
Its been fun(?) with elvis but I think via trade or buyout(more likely) its time to move on.

I joked Elvis was steve mason, turns out that comparison was unfair to mason.

I would take Elvis over Mason any day. Mason was awful after his rookie year. The problem with Elvis is his contract. We can't trade hime and the buyout is very expensive.

 

[NotWendell]

I would take Elvis over Mason any day. Mason was awful after his rookie year. The problem with Elvis is his contract. We can't trade hime and the buyout is very expensive.

That's right. Jarmo is what's wrong with Elvis.

 

[thebus88]

That's right. Jarmo is what's wrong with Elvis.

Just add him to the list.

Jarmo “misunderstood” how good he was at stopping the puck.

 

[Doggy]

That is fascinating. As a native English speaker I often mix up little near-homophones like "have" and "of" when I'm writing, it isn't until I make an editing pass that I catch them.

The "have" vs "of" mistake people make is one of my biggest pet peeves.

Just add him to the list.

Jarmo “misunderstood” how good he was at stopping the puck.

Not excusing Jarmo but either choice between Elvis and Korpi would have been a "fail". Hindsight being what it is, the only way he could have won that goalie situation would have been to trade both when their value was high and bring someone else in.

 

[thebus88]

The "have" vs "of" mistake people make is one of my biggest pet peeves.

Not excusing Jarmo but either choice between Elvis and Korpi would have been a "fail". Hindsight being what it is, the only way he could have won that goalie situation would have been to trade both when their value was high and bring someone else in.

Now why you gotta tempt me and go this route??

OTT is probably up there with CHI and SJ as being the only teams worse than the CBJ defensively. Korpisalo is the better goalie. Current, past, and future.

 

[Doggy]

Now why you gotta tempt me and go this route??

OTT is probably up there with CHI and SJ as being the only teams worse than the CBJ defensively. Korpisalo is the better goalie. Current, past, and future.

LOL, could not resist poking the bear. That said I stand by may comment, I think neither is a franchise goalie regardless of the team around them.

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

That's right. Jarmo is what's wrong with Elvis.

That's heart breaking to hear. It's a horrible condition, and the adverse effects from a bad case of Jarmo can last for up to 8 years. Thoughts and prayers to Elvis, I hope he recovers.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Now why you gotta tempt me and go this route??

OTT is probably up there with CHI and SJ as being the only teams worse than the CBJ defensively. Korpisalo is the better goalie. Current, past, and future.

I mean you could just not take it and let it go man.

LOL, could not resist poking the bear. That said I stand by may comment, I think neither is a franchise goalie regardless of the team around them.

 

[thebus88]

LOL, could not resist poking the bear. That said I stand by may comment, I think neither is a franchise goalie regardless of the team around them.

Much of my “hate” or disdain of Bobrovsky was because of his cap hit, and yes his performance against the best teams in the league (in the playoffs). At the same time, Korpisalo’s contract (in relation to Bob and how the team was built) was why I hyped the idea to go with him for so long. I still think in relation to the league wide goalie “market” and skill across the league, Korpisalo is a #1 and his current and past contracts have been fair. Elvis is 1 of the worst goalie contracts (and goalie) in the league.

I think it’s as clear to this day, as it’s always been, who the better goalie is. Others would disagree. It is what it is, very interesting how I’m not an “idiot” and “blind hater” anymore regarding Elvis though, eh?

I mean you could just not take it and let it go

Pot and kettle or glass houses?? Viqsi?!?

Relax

That's heart breaking to hear. It's a horrible condition, and the adverse effects from a bad case of Jarmo can last for up to 8 years. Thoughts and prayers to Elvis, I hope he recovers.

Ryan Johansen hospitalized in the off-season, now listed as DTD due to "energy loss"

CBJ beat writers, Portzline and Shawn Mitchell, reporting that Ryan Johansen was hospitalized in the off-season due to heart issues... but his recent illness isn't related to heart-issues according to Jarmo... worrying if you ask me. Thoughts...

forums.hfboards.com

Finally have the answer???

 

[NotWendell]

The "have" vs "of" mistake people make is one of my biggest pet peeves.

Not excusing Jarmo but either choice between Elvis and Korpi would have been a "fail". Hindsight being what it is, the only way he could have won that goalie situation would have been to trade both when their value was high and bring someone else in.

Not only can you not excuse him, but he is the one that made it a choice between the two.

My bigger point is if Elvis were signed to a $3 million contract for only another year, many of us would be thinking a bit differently about him. You certainly can't blame Elvis for taking the money that was offered to him.

If Jarmo didn't sign him to that big contract and somebody else did, he'd be THEIR problem. Sometimes the best deal is the one you don't make.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Pot and kettle or glass houses?? Viqsi?!?

Relax

I'm not the one who neds to relax.

I'm cool as a cucumber.

It just takes a couple of sentences of bait out there to trigger you into a long diatribe and how "right" you are and everybody else is wrong. Regardless if you are actually right or wrong in reality.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

My bigger point is if Elvis were signed to a $3 million contract for only another year, many of us would be thinking a bit differently about him. You certainly can't blame Elvis for taking the money that was offered to him.

obviously his agents are going to act in his best interest but saying the money was simply 'offered to' him erases the role they played in the negotiations, even going back to the start of his tenure.

iirc his agents threatened to have him go to the KHL if the jackets didn't burn his entire ELC without playing him in any games, so he'd be ineligible to go to the AHL, then said he'd refuse to sign anything but a one-way deal the following year.

i doubt any of that sat well in the room when he arrived.

If Jarmo didn't sign him to that big contract and somebody else did, he'd be THEIR problem. Sometimes the best deal is the one you don't make.

i don't think elvis's extension was the most egregious one that jarmo did around that time (peeke's was indefensible) but in hindsight they would've been better off letting him walk.

that said, it was definitely in-line with the other big goalie contracts that summer (ullmark, binnington, grubauer, a few others). i've said this before but the mistake wasn't that they gave the wrong goalie term, it was giving any goalie term.

the only one of those contracts that aged well is ullmark, who plays on an elite team. there arguably shouldn't be a mid-market for goalies – it should just be short-term veterans and long-term superstars.

 

[squashmaple]

i don't think elvis's extension was the most egregious one that jarmo did around that time (peeke's was indefensible) but in hindsight they would've been better off letting him walk.

I'm going to pick a nit that I've been arguing for a long time. Peeke is paid perfectly fine for what he is if used correctly. We did not in any way use him correctly. It is not remotely surprising to me that he moves to another team with a structure that correctly uses him and suddenly he looks like a competent NHL defenseman again. I had this argument constantly with Leafs fans on capfriendly. It's why my tagline is "gudbranson apologist." It's not the players. It's Columbus's broken janky ass system.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

I'm going to pick a nit that I've been arguing for a long time. Peeke is paid perfectly fine for what he is if used correctly. We did not in any way use him correctly. It is not remotely surprising to me that he moves to another team with a structure that correctly uses him and suddenly he looks like a competent NHL defenseman again. I had this argument constantly with Leafs fans on capfriendly. It's why my tagline is "gudbranson apologist." It's not the players. It's Columbus's broken janky ass system.

my issue with peeke's contract was less about usage and more about timing. andrew peeke is currently in the first year of an extension that was signed before the 22-23 season, and after the erik gudbranson contract, which made him redundant. it was also after they got a nice look at blankenburg + drafted jiricek in the top 6, and boqvist in the fold who fit a completely different role.

as you said, he's a potentially useful player in a specific role, but they filled that role and then rushed to extend him while he still he still had an entire year left on his (very cheap) existing contract.

at no point was he going to be a major point producer or power play guy, and that's where RFA leverage comes from, so… it's a big head-scratcher. there was no way that peeke was going to warrant a bigger payday a year later. rushing to extend him made zero sense. and his game cratered after he signed that extension, too.

 

[NotWendell]

obviously his agents are going to act in his best interest but saying the money was simply 'offered to' him erases the role they played in the negotiations, even going back to the start of his tenure.

I really don't think it does. We all know the role of agents in sports, so it didn't need to be stated. Yes, Elvis' agent played Jarmo like a violin.

RE: the room's reaction, I have no way of knowing, but I doubt they'd care if Elvis played well and they won more games.