Around the League 43: Playoff Time- Goodbye Buffalo, Goodbye Yzerplan. And Goodbye Yotes, Welcome Utah.

[A Star is Burns]

Ronnie has some strengths but he hasn't produced a lot of results as a GM. That's not entirely on him. But it's a results based business and I won't consider him anything better than meh until his results are better than meh.

I've long been concerned he's more of a builder than a guy than can finish the job and put a team over the top. But his ability to strip down and build did help shape what this team has become. I'm glad for that but happy he's gone.

 

[Svechhammer]

Ronnie has some strengths but he hasn't produced a lot of results as a GM. That's not entirely on him. But it's a results based business and I won't consider him anything better than meh until his results are better than meh.

I've long been concerned he's more of a builder than a guy than can finish the job and put a team over the top. But his ability to strip down and build did help shape what this team has become. I'm glad for that but happy he's gone.

He's an asset hoarder. He'll collect as much as he can but he gets paralyzed when trying to actually do anything with them. He's the kind of guy who will collect a hell of a lot of 7s and 8s but won't be able to turn a collection of 5s into 1 10.

All that said, he will leave a very full cupboard for the next guy(s) to have success with.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

That should be a good goal.

Also Bob’s pads are sick

 

[A Star is Burns]

That should be a good goal.

Also Bob’s pads are sick

I kinda get it. He didn't really seem to be pushed. He spun around off the battle in front and into the goalie.

 

[CanesUltimate11]

I kinda get it. He didn't really seem to be pushed. He spun around off the battle in front and into the goalie.

Yeah given they clip skates in the crease it's understandable why it's no goal. But that puck is past Bob before he starts to move towards it. The contact didn't have any effect and it would be nice to see that recognized on a bang bang play but it's a judgement call so hard to say.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

I don't think either TB goals should have been called off.

The first, Bob knocked the puck onto Cereli's stick. Maybe Duclair prevented him from covering it, but it was Bob's stick that set it up.

The second, Bob wasn't prevented from making the save. He was just screened so well, he was nowhere close to a save.

 

[WreckingCrew]

Never fails to amuse me to see how people need a scapegoat more than they’ll look at the obvious picture, while refusing to acknowledge that good came from that time. Or refusing to attach RF to any of the good.

On top of what you’ve mentioned there were few prospects in the cupboard, and like you alluded to those big contracts were attached to guys no one wanted. Our vets weren’t worth much in trade to help the rebuild.

I think what seem people think as “going so far” to defend is actually just the same points over and over. It’s actually not very far.

I definitely don't put it all on Francis. We didn't seem to have great scouting or drafting, we couldn't develop much beyond depth guys, mediocre coaching, and we had a broke tight-wad owner who probably wouldn't let him spend. But he also didn't really do a whole lot either...like our current GMBC isn't afraid to take some shots and try to find value contracts (Nino for Rask is still robbery), and we're almost always rumored to be in on damn near every player. Again, some of that could have been the owner not allowing him to spend, but even in Seattle he just doesn't seem to be much into making moves. I don't really fault him, but I can absolutely see how he's a bit risk-averse and maybe "stagnant"

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Well, Francis doesn't have much of a choice if that's coming out in the exit interviews

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Well, Francis doesn't have much of a choice if that's coming out in the exit interviews

I don’t buy it.

What pretty significant players does Seattle even have…?

 

[Unsustainable]

How many goals can Tampa not score

 

[bleedgreen]

I definitely don't put it all on Francis. We didn't seem to have great scouting or drafting, we couldn't develop much beyond depth guys, mediocre coaching, and we had a broke tight-wad owner who probably wouldn't let him spend. But he also didn't really do a whole lot either...like our current GMBC isn't afraid to take some shots and try to find value contracts (Nino for Rask is still robbery), and we're almost always rumored to be in on damn near every player. Again, some of that could have been the owner not allowing him to spend, but even in Seattle he just doesn't seem to be much into making moves. I don't really fault him, but I can absolutely see how he's a bit risk-averse and maybe "stagnant"

I think the level of activity is based on the level of need and the cap space to make moves. They have a built out roster, and have pretty much the whole time. Two of those years they didn’t really add at the deadline for obvious reasons. Every off season they’re mentioned in the rumors about ufa’s, but they haven’t signed many because of the obvious reasons. They won’t overpay and they can only sign guys who choose to go there. It only makes sense to upgrade when the opportunity is there and the price is right. I don’t think you should trade your youth until it’s really the right time, like where we are now. So trading youth or high picks doesn’t make a lot of sense for them, and they have a good group without a lot of obvious guys to trade off. In other words, I don’t think they’ve done anything wrong by standing pat and being patient. If they don’t make moves when it’s time to make moves then the criticism is fair. They’re building and doing a pretty good job of it. I’d say the goaltending is the only thing they could really use to upgrade right now.

This off season they don’t have many spots to fill, and they have to sign Tolvanen and Beniers with very little space to do it. Hopefully they can find a way to move someone to clear some space and get some fresh blood.

 

[bleedgreen]

I don’t buy it.

What pretty significant players does Seattle even have…?

Mutiny! Always interesting to see where that goes. Well now we know they didn’t have someone in mind and are probably starting from scratch in terms of looking. Will be interesting to watch.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

I guess the canes player getting punched wasn’t significant enough to fire peters

 

[htdoc]

The refs have completely swallowed their whistles in this Tampa Florida game. I don’t even think they have a whistle with them on the ice….. watched at least 20 different penalties in half a period and that’s playoff penalties where they barely call anything… forget regular season officiating…. This is crazy….

 

[bleedgreen]

I guess the canes player getting punched wasn’t significant enough to fire peters

Rod stated directly that there was one incident where the players were annoyed and it made it to RF who addressed it directly with Peters. Everyone was satisfied with the outcome, including Rod. This was all discussed ad nauseam when the Peters situation blew up. It was a player that was kicked in the butt on the bench I believe? Pesce? I don’t recall anyone ever saying anything about a player being punched?

 

[chaz4hockey]

ESPN audio from Vegas Dallas is awful.

 

[sabremike]

Well, Francis doesn't have much of a choice if that's coming out in the exit interviews

If Abysmal is the guy they replace him with I'm going to laugh my ass off. At least RF is smarter than that raging sociopath Tim Murray who refused to sack Abysmal after the entire Sabres roster demanded it which led to Pegula going "Screw this, you're fired as well!"

 

[hangman005]

ESPN audio from Vegas Dallas is awful.

By not automatically muting the commentators.

 

[Tryamw]

How many goals can Tampa not score

What if we trade them Drury

 

[The Faulker 27]

Tampa should have been able to get 2 wins from that series. That's a shame.

 

[Unsustainable]

Rod stated directly that there was one incident where the players were annoyed and it made it to RF who addressed it directly with Peters. Everyone was satisfied with the outcome, including Rod. This was all discussed ad nauseam when the Peters situation blew up. It was a player that was kicked in the butt on the bench I believe? Pesce? I don’t recall anyone ever saying anything about a player being punched?

I believe it was Lack

 

[bleedgreen]

I believe it was Lack

I thought he only had to be told to make a save. I don’t remember a punch in there. To me a punch is an upper cut or something like that, for the record. Being shoved on the arm or kicked in the pants on the bench is a different thing in my world. Happened to me many times, usually with a comment alongside like “get the puck deep next time” or “bend your knees!!!!”. That was old school communication and there was no real violence in it, it was your coach trying to get a message through when you weren’t listening. We wore pads, there’s no pain there.

There was a defenseman from Europe who said Peters did something to him like shove him. It was someone who was struggling to get a spot on the team and clearly didn’t enjoy Peters who piped up right when the poop hit the fan. Hard to decipher what had really happened there or if the guy was just taking the opportunity to pile on the coach he hated and sent him home. Didn’t sound like an upper cut to the jaw.

 

[HisIceness]

It was Michal Jordan who was kicked by Peters

 

[Borsig]

refs sucked in the TB game last night.

Id argue they cost TB the game, and I don't like either team in the least. I can see BS when it hits the floor though.

 

[Tryamw]

refs sucked in the TB game last night.

Id argue they cost TB the game, and I don't like either team in the least. I can see BS when it hits the floor though.

Don't worry BS levels set to increase