Speculation: Erik Cole thinking about retirement?

[ECWHSWI]

me think he should have taken a picture of himself holding a pile of cash.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

Cole scored 35 goals last year and was the major force on our best line. If he retires I fully expect to miss the playoffs unless someone comes out of left field (Eller, Bourque)

To be fair, we missed playoffs even with his career year in goals. If he wants to retire, go ahead. I don't take it personal and I haven't gotten attached to him for 1 year of work.

 

[nyhabsfan]

Some players just make themselves sound dumber every time they open their mouths.

I totally agree with you!

Even if you are thinking that, what good would it do to open your big mouth at this time. YOUR teammates are getting excited about the season and you pull this crap!!!

I am actually pissed .... You sighed a DAMN good contract, honor it!

Don't cry like a baby because you " may only have to get by" with $7.5 million instead of $8 million!

Does he really think the NHL or fans will go"oh no Mr. Cole, please don't retire, we are so sorry your are upset with the new CBA"

Hey if he doesn't like it, then vote NO!

Some players should shut up, decline interviews and just do their talking on the ice, Eric Cole is one of them!

 

[Whitesnake]

You gave him a 4 year contract with a clause that said he can retire whenever he wants for whatever reason he wants.

Ilya would be operating against a transfer agreement between NHL and KHL.

Pretty big difference there.

A transfer agreement that the KHL pres is saying that it's not as clear as the NHL wants it to be.

As far as Cole's contract, I didn't give him a contract at 42 year old when I should have expected him to retire. I gave him a contract with the minding that he'd finish it. Then, I also had in mind that while a retirement or asking for a trade is also possible, that Mr.Cole would not make stupid statements like that so that I had my hands tied and would not be able to get as much as I could in any other circumstances. As a fan, my team owes me to be the best they can. Cole's comments or way of thinking will either make me not have him for the last 2 years of his contract or will make me not get as much as we could if we would have traded him last year or even this year without those comments. Now, if it is just a trade technique, we'll have to trade him to a team near where's he's located and not only that but with the idea that his new team might not know for sure if he'll retire or not. That's what pisses me off about his comments. What he does with his life is up to him. What I do with my opinions, is though up to me.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

I totally agree with you!

Even if you are thinking that, what good would it do to open your big mouth at this time. YOUR teammates are getting excited about the season and you pull this crap!!!

I am actually pissed .... You sighed a DAMN good contract, honor it!

Don't cry like a baby because you " may only have to get by" with $7.5 million instead of $8 million!

Does he really think the NHL or fans will go"oh no Mr. Cole, please don't retire, we are so sorry your are upset with the new CBA"

Hey if he doesn't like it, then vote NO!

Some players should shut up, decline interviews and just do their talking on the ice, Eric Cole is one of them!

Honestly, he's allowed to retire so no need to take it personal.

That being said, if he does plan to retire or drag this out, management should trade him at deadline.

 

[nyhabsfan]

A transfer agreement that the KHL pres is saying that it's not as clear as the NHL wants it to be.

As far as Cole's contract, I didn't give him a contract at 42 year old when I should have expected him to retire. I gave him a contract with the minding that he'd finish it. Then, I also had in mind that while a retirement or asking for a trade is also possible, that Mr.Cole would not make stupid statements like that so that I had my hands tied and would not be able to get as much as I could in any other circumstances. As a fan, my team owes me to be the best they can. Cole's comments or way of thinking will either make me not have him for the last 2 years of his contract or will make me not get as much as we could if we would have traded him last year or even this year without those comments. Now, if it is just a trade technique, we'll have to trade him to a team near where's he's located and not only that but with the idea that his new team might not know for sure if he'll retire or not. That's what pisses me off about his comments. What he does with his life is up to him. What I do with my opinions, is though up to me.

I remember when he came to the Habs. "it is a dream come true, I grew up a Habs fan... Blah blah".... I'd trade him to the Islanders for a 2nd pick and a El Niño....how would you like them apples Mr. Cole?

 

[habsfanatics*]

Lol, what would you describe him as? Vermin?

I agree with Louis CK on this: there's no room for perspective in the English language anymore. Anything we describe, we have to go straight to the top rung, without any thought to the validity of that description. From what should be "I don't particularly agree with what he said there," to "I don't think of him as a person."

blablabla. I would describe him as a whiny *****. You really think he's considering retiring? You've been punked.

 

[habsfanatics*]

Honestly, he's allowed to retire so no need to take it personal.

That being said, if he does plan to retire or drag this out, management should trade him at deadline.

The guy is whining. He's not retiring.

 

[nyhabsfan]

Honestly, he's allowed to retire so no need to take it personal.

That being said, if he does plan to retire or drag this out, management should trade him at deadline.

Don't get me wrong... If wants to retire because his body has had enough or he's lost his passion for the game, I can certainty respect that.

But when you threaten to retire because you don't like the CBA or you may have to put more into escrow then it tells me your a greed little puke, you really don't care about playing for your "childhood team" ....then LEAVE!

If he's dumb enough to leave $8 million dollars ... Hey be my guest, I'd rather give to a player who is ALL IN...heart and soul!

 

[Whitesnake]

Honestly, he's allowed to retire so no need to take it personal.

That being said, if he does plan to retire or drag this out, management should trade him at deadline.

And you get what for a guy who says up front that he might be retiring?

 

[LyricalLyricist]

The guy is whining. He's not retiring.

Probably not but if he drags this on, rather not see uncertainty in lockerroom or managament operations for a guy on later stages of his career.

Don't get me wrong... If wants to retire because his body has had enough or he's lost his passion for the game, I can certainty respect that.

But when you threaten to retire because you don't like the CBA or you may have to put more into escrow then it tells me your a greed little puke, you really don't care about playing for your "childhood team" ....then LEAVE!

If he's dumb enough to leave $8 million dollars ... Hey be my guest, I'd rather give to a player who is ALL IN...heart and soul!

I hope it's not entirely CBA related, if it is, that makes me like him less.

And you get what for a guy who says up front that he might be retiring?

Rental price?

 

[Whitesnake]

Rental price?

Which would not have been the case if he would have shut up. Talk about a great way in repaying a team who offered you the kind of contract he got.....He's not the worse human being on the planet, but his comments fits in the category of he should have shut up....And it's not me talking....it's him with his better comment of "I wish it doesn't overshadow our new era...".

 

[Agnostic]

who is Jessica Rusnak and why is she ****ing with Habs fans?

 

[OldCraig71]

My God, more drama, why does a few comments from Eric Cole have you all so fired up. Jeez lets sign guys and tape their mouths. I don't care if he retires or plays out his contract with us, who cares? Tomorrow it will be something new, the guy is not a rocket scientist he's a hockey player. Markov should go, Prust should go, Gorges should go, Price should go for telling people to chill last year, is there anyone else I forgot?

 

[Whitesnake]

My God, more drama, why does a few comments from Eric Cole have you all so fired up. Jeez lets sign guys and tape their mouths. I don't care if he retires or plays out his contract with us, who cares? Tomorrow it will be something new, the guy is not a rocket scientist he's a hockey player. Markov should go, Prust should go, Gorges should go, Price should go for telling people to chill last year, is there anyone else I forgot?

Not sure why hockey players should be different than every other public person which is, that if you make somewhat of controversial opinion, it will be known to the public and some will agree and some don't. This is a hockey board, so thank god the Harvard board of Physics don't talk about that but we do.

 

[Myron Gaines*]

who is Jessica Rusnak and why is she ****ing with Habs fans?

She's dat dere reporter who asked Jacques Martin about Cole not being on the PP early last year.

 

[Miller Time]

I am actually pissed .... You sighed a DAMN good contract, honor it!

Don't cry like a baby because you " may only have to get by" with $7.5 million instead of $8 million!

?

on the one hand you think he should honor the "DAMN good contract" he signed...

on the other hand you call him a cry baby for not being happy that the contract he signed may not be honored by the other side (who collectively locked him out exactly because they didn't want to honor the contracts they signed)

 

[deandebean]

Don't paint my comments with one brush that I intended to say that every member of the media is the devil. There are some good columnists out there who do their job the right way and intend to put their best foot forward. However, there are a plethora of journalists in the city that treat the team like a soap opera and execute poor judgment in how they go about doing their job. The Koivu picture of him in the hospital, the darkest day in Habs history, the Halak vs. Price crusades, Carbonneau's finger, are just a few examples of the media being extremely detrimental to the team. In most other markets (save the Leafs) you don't see such rabid stupidity through most (not all) the journalists.

Even if it is a select few francophone journalists who lead the Habs-francophone movement. They prey on the culture of francophone pride that exists in the province which tends to put pressure on the organization to appease them rather than do what is best for the team first and foremost. The responsibility for this, of course, doesn't solely fall on the journalists, they have a right to believe what they want to believe, it is up to management and the organization to ignore the outside pressures, to focus solely on building a competitive and winning team.

It's the way it will always be. Live with it.

 

[NotProkofievian]

A transfer agreement that the KHL pres is saying that it's not as clear as the NHL wants it to be.

Hold the phone, lets listen to what the Russian businessman says.

Gary and his ilk are from the elite of the elite law circles, and will have their way with the KHL teams who **** with them.

Don't listen too carefully to the Russians who post on this board. They'll have you believing all kinds of ****.

As far as Cole's contract, I didn't give him a contract at 42 year old when I should have expected him to retire. I gave him a contract with the minding that he'd finish it. Then, I also had in mind that while a retirement or asking for a trade is also possible, that Mr.Cole would not make stupid statements like that so that I had my hands tied and would not be able to get as much as I could in any other circumstances.

**** happens, and did in this case. I'm sure Cole signed the contract with the idea that he'd be getting its nominal value. Now, of course, there was never any guarantee that it would be fulfilled what with the structure of HRR(but it would've sans lockout). But funny thing, Cole playing all 4 years isn't guaranteed either.

If he wants to retire, then fine. Let him do it.

As a fan, my team owes me to be the best they can.

I had to respond to this specifically. Your team owes you a performance, provided you paid the price of entry. If you don't like the performance they give you, you can take your money, and **** off out the bell center. As it happens, Cole gave you value for your money last season.

Cole's comments or way of thinking will either make me not have him for the last 2 years of his contract or will make me not get as much as we could if we would have traded him last year or even this year without those comments. Now, if it is just a trade technique, we'll have to trade him to a team near where's he's located and not only that but with the idea that his new team might not know for sure if he'll retire or not. That's what pisses me off about his comments. What he does with his life is up to him. What I do with my opinions, is though up to me.

What Cole does with his opinion is up to him as well, and the fact that he may have spilled the habs milk with his comments doesn't mean his "way of thinking" is flawed, or stupid. I would be shocked - floored, even - if an analogous occurrence happened in your career without eliciting vitriol on your part.

You may not like it, and that's fine, but chill out, would ya?

 

[NotProkofievian]

I am actually pissed .... You sighed a DAMN good contract, honor it!

One: you need to go pour yourself a glass of scotch, and take a deep breath. It's gonna be okay. I mean, you realize this has 0 effect on your actual life right? Is your wife going to leave you because of Cole's comments?

Two: In what way is acting in accordance with a contract not "honoring" it?

Could the NHL take Cole to court for retiring, for example?

 

[Whitesnake]

You may not like it, and that's fine, but chill out, would ya?

And if you're not happy my way of thinking, you can stop responding as well. See, it works both ways. Problem is that in a world when we are entitled in our opinion, I am also entitled to find whatever I want stupid or ignorant. But again, fine if you never do. Fine if you never have an opinion on anything. Fine if you have no problems with people saying all sorts of things. Strange though, as you are all for Cole's expressing his opinions, yet when I do so you are telling me to....chill out? Double standards on this board sometimes....

You know that your chill out comments could apply to everything right which it makes no sense whatsoever. On every GDT, everybody who panicks for that line change, or the use of that player or this player on that line should also chill out 'cause our actual life would never be questioned because of it. I mean, what the heck are we writing on a hockey board for? Does it change our actual life if our team wins or not. What's your point really? You're actually ranting on people who are discussing things in relation to hockey with arguments like....."Everthing is going to be OK"??? Fine, again, I will remember that everytime you bash or are actually pissed off about a decision of whoever.

And in response to Cole's comments, again, what I will say is that he can totally do the **** he wants. I can totally think that by doing it, he puts Bergevin in a bad negotiating position when will come trade deadline day. And if your answer to that is **** happens well fine. I guess we could have said that to Mr. Cole who's not really satisfied with how the lockout went......**** happens after all.

 

[Agnostic]

Cole, get a babycam, be with your daughters all the time. I keep an eye on my inlaws that way.

cole and I have so much in common now. I too am $8m away from retirement. ALthough my retirement is about 30 years beyond my expected lifespan.

 

[Alexdaman]

Hockey players like Erik Cole have done one thing and one thing only in their lives and that's playing hockey.

When you're pretty sure at 16 years old that you will be playing for a professional sports team and that you will eventually sign a multimillion $ contract it's pretty hard to be in touch with the reality that the rest of the world has to face.

I can't comprehend how someone would feel even remotely bad when signing a collective bargaining agreement like the one the NHLPA just signed, the average income in Canada is about 50$G a year and by making 4M$ a year he's making 80 times what the average worker makes and all money from playing a sport. That's the collective earnings of 80 individuals in one year or 80 years of income for one individual in one year.

I'm not saying every hockey players are as delusional about money, I'm pretty sure a lot of them had to face at one point or another before becoming pros a moment with their families when money was tight, maybe for some it never happened.

But frankly I've lost all respect for him not as a sportsmen but as an individual not because of his actions but for his naivety.

A hockey player that wants to retire because of money makes no sense whatsoever, I say to him go ahead and retire but don't expect to find any resolution to your money problem by doing so.

And please make foolish investments, we'll take you back in 2 or 3 years with a minimum NHL salary contract which is 10x less of what you currently make. But beware winter is long I hope you don't end up having to sleep at the shriners with your meager 500K$ a year.

 

[NotProkofievian]

And if you're not happy my way of thinking, you can stop responding as well. See, it works both ways. Problem is that in a world when we are entitled in our opinion, I am also entitled to find whatever I want stupid or ignorant. But again, fine if you never do. Fine if you never have an opinion on anything. Fine if you have no problems with people saying all sorts of things. Strange though, as you are all for Cole's expressing his opinions, yet when I do so you are telling me to....chill out? Double standards on this board sometimes....

I can also tell you that your way of thinking is flawed, and you need to take a chill pill. Which is what I'm doing, thanks, k? k.

There is in no way a double standard. You're ranting, raving, and hurling personal attacks at someone you've never met, and Cole's expressing his opinion on his own state of affairs. And here's where I start to get frustrated. You're in a corner now because you realize that you're a grown man acting like a baby about a comment made by a hockey player on your favourite team. You want desperately to be right when in the back of your mind, the inner assassin, if you will, is telling you "you know what? Maybe this guy has a point." Maybe you should listen to him.

You know that your chill out comments could apply to everything right which it makes no sense whatsoever. On every GDT, everybody who panicks for that line change, or the use of that player or this player on that line should also chill out 'cause our actual life would never be questioned because of it. I mean, what the heck are we writing on a hockey board for? Does it change our actual life if our team wins or not. What's your point really? You're actually ranting on people who are discussing things in relation to hockey with arguments like....."Everthing is going to be OK"??? Fine, again, I will remember that everytime you bash or are actually pissed off about a decision of whoever.

This entire paragraph is proof positive that your jimmies are rustled. My point is that rather that saying "well, I disagree with him, and boy, that puts us at a real disadvantage," you're off on a tirade saying he's stupid for thinking the way he does, in the face of the context that would make his sentiments at the very least reasonable. What if he were actually serious about wanting to call it quits and spend time with his family? Wouldn't you feel like a piece of **** for calling such an aspiration stupid? Because you want your hockey team to do well? Take a step back, man.

As Bertrand Russell said, if you find yourself angry at an opinion different from your own, you may find this is an indication that you have no good reason for believing as you do.

You can remember all you like. I promise you you'll be waiting for a long time.

And in response to Cole's comments, again, what I will say is that he can totally do the **** he wants. I can totally think that by doing it, he puts Bergevin in a bad negotiating position when will come trade deadline day. And if your answer to that is **** happens well fine. I guess we could have said that to Mr. Cole who's not really satisfied with how the lockout went......**** happens after all.

He can, and is, doing whatever he wants, and nothing he's done is "stupid." You may not like it, but that doesn't change the fact that it's largely justified, in fact, and I'd be shocked if you didn't do 10x worse if you were in an analogous situation.

And what are you talking about? "**** happens Cole." Yeah, he knows, and now he's weighing his options. Take notes: nowhere is he saying "Ugh, I hate the owners, they're so stupid, takin' all r muney."

I suppose that comes with the territory of actually having a name beside the opinion, though.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Hockey players like Erik Cole have done one thing and one thing only in their lives and that's playing hockey.

When you're pretty sure at 16 years old that you will be playing for a professional sports team and that you will eventually sign a multimillion $ contract it's pretty hard to be in touch with the reality that the rest of the world has to face.

I can't comprehend how someone would feel even remotely bad when signing a collective bargaining agreement like the one the NHLPA just signed, the average income in Canada is about 50$G a year and by making 4M$ a year he's making 80 times what the average worker makes and all money from playing a sport. That's the collective earnings of 80 individuals in one year or 80 years of income for one individual in one year.

I'm not saying every hockey players are as delusional about money, I'm pretty sure a lot of them had to face at one point or another before becoming pros a moment with their families when money was tight, maybe for some it never happened.

But frankly I've lost all respect for him not as a sportsmen but as an individual not because of his actions but for his naivety.

A hockey player that wants to retire because of money makes no sense whatsoever, I say to him go ahead and retire but don't expect to find any resolution to your money problem by doing so.

And please make foolish investments, we'll take you back in 2 or 3 years with a minimum NHL salary contract which is 10x less of what you currently make. But beware winter is long I hope you don't end up having to sleep at the shriners with your meager 500K$ a year.

That's some grade A petty jealousy right there.

"Man, I can't wait till he goes bankrupt so he comes crawling back. That'll show him!"

Is this a recurring fantasy for you?