That's more rationalization, Rip. Kulemin's agent never once said that they were a package deal, only that it was a priority. I'm sure playing with a friend was a priority, along with money, a quality team etc. We had all three, but balked at providing the most important.
If you honestly think Kulemin would have picked playing with one friend on the Islanders or another with the Penguins - all other things being equal - I don't know what to tell you.
But, according to agent Gary Greenstin, the early discussion is that they would like to sign with the same team if possible
http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014...ovski-could-be-a-package-deal-in-free-agency/
I'm not denying that we wanted Kulemin, or that he was a realistic target. But it didn't happen. We don't know if that's from a lack of interest (and thus an underwhelming offer) from JR, or if Kulemin simply decided in the end to take the money and go play with Grabovski. We can make assumptions... but that's all they are. Unless someone comes out and says JR offered Y, and Kulemin wanted X, and thus decided to go to Long Island instead of here, we're stuck guessing.
I think that if you told most Pens fans before the fact that the return for Neal would be Hornqvist and a Spaling, they'd have laughed in your face.
When Neal was with Malkin he scored a lot, regular season or playoffs (a few games at the start of the last playoffs notwithstanding). When he wasn't, he didn't. The regular season/playoffs narrative with Neal is off-base, and Hornqvist hasn't shown anything to suggest he's better when it counts. That's really just what we're all crossing our fingers and hoping for to justify the deal.
Neal is a very good shooter. However, even before this year, while he would put up points, it all came in bunches (even discarding his first playoffs here). Thats fine, and I'm not trying to take anything away from that... but if he wasn't scoring, he frequently looked invisible. Game 4 (I think it was 4) against the Rangers, he was a beast. He forechecked, hit, and was skating. He looked amazing. Yet only had 1 assist and was +1 with 2 shots on net. But he was skating - something he frequently hasn't done over the years. Which is not the same as saying he didn't produce - because points per game wise, he did. Hornqvist on the other hand will still make an impact when he's not scoring.
Ehrhoff was good value. Would he make us a better team than Kulemin would if the right scoring wing isn't acquired between now and October? I doubt it.
Depends. Ehrhoff is a true PPQB, which is something we haven't had since Gonchar was here. IF Martin really won't sign an extension, and Ehrhoff would, then he could replace Martin, and allow us to trade him. Ehrhoff/JR hinted that it would be something they'd look at in the future depending on how things panned out (cap/fit/etc).
Would I rather have had Kulemin? I don't know. I never gave it a ton of thought (getting Ehrhoff), as it wasn't something I'd thought was realistic. Sure the move on it's own (regardless of the value) seems odd in the sense we have a ton of D, and are really weak up front - regardless of the depth JR signed.
