You're entitled to your own opinion just as I'm entitled to mine, so I hope you didn't construe what I said as some attack on your beliefs. They seem far-fetched to me but I'll defend your right to have them.
I guess I was also interested by your mentioning that Richards was your favorite player of the three. Little known secret by people who know me across the interwebs, but Brad has always been my favorite, too. Still is, and I was rooting for Dallas in the '08 playoffs and New York in '12 and '13 (among other reasons with regard to New York) because I wanted to see Brad lift the Cup again.
I get that Brad and Marty are good friends and just because they play for different teams doesn't mean they can't communicate with each other (UPS employees and FedEx employees can surely be friends outside the workplace; same sort of deal here), but, well, to take what you said; won't Marty still be with the Rangers next season regardless? I guess if he really wanted to screw Y over one more time he would retire for recapture penalty purposes, but I expect St. Louis to play next season. If so, then you're insinuating that Brad Richards tried to concoct some sort of deal with Marty so that they would play ~20 regular season games and 4-28 playoff games together? I dunno, it just doesn't seem worth it to me, so that's why I personally have a hard time buying into this idea.
But perhaps it's just that Brad will always remain my favorite player from those Lightning teams, so I'm not in the interest of either kicking up dirt or seeing dirt kicked up on his profile.
No I am saying there was a league of guys got together made a plan implemented a plan and the plan worked. You named two of the culprits. I think is very fair to know why one of them had an interest.
You can believe otherwise and that't cool. People will do a lot of things in certain situations. When your head is in a noose you do not know how you will react.
As have said though I am past this and hopefully in two more games I will move on and forget it ever existed as most have ignored the implications or closed their eyes to what went down. Those that had or have power have done that so is no reason to ***** over spilled milk so to speak.
Because everyone believes Yzerman is such a genius (this may be a little far-fetched):
Let's pretend Yzerman and Marty have spoken a lot in recent years of Marty's intentions to leave to go play for NYR. Let's pretend that Marty has been getting frustrated with things in the organization like Vinny being bought out. Let's also pretend that Yzerman told Marty that he would do whatever he could to make sure Marty gets on Team Canada (prior to the team actually being picked).
The way things with the team have been (seemingly) going (trending toward younger players), Yzerman came up with a master plan (we'll just say this plan took effect over the course of this season) to piss Marty off as much and as often as possible, with the intention of getting Marty to want to leave ASAP to get to NYR. Let's also say that Yzerman knew that NYR were looking for a player like Marty, and Yzerman knew that NYR didn't want to keep Cally around. So Yzerman understands these things, and understands that a player like MSL will get a big return. So with Marty so pissed (Yzerman's plan has worked) that he "demands" (basically) a trade, and Yzerman, knowing the circumstances in NY, is able to "magically" get draft picks AND Cally in return for our incredibly valuable MSL. How did Yzerman pull off that deal with his "hands tied" (Criss Angel style)? It's amazing. Suddenly Marty is a completely different person than we all thought he was, and Yzerman has his younger future.
Yzerman is a genius right? Imagine if that were all true.
I do not know how to even comprehend this? I guess you are joking.
What will say if anyone thinks we won any way shape or form their views on marty's worth are very low to me with what happened.
Art Ross winner top five scorer over last 3 and probably 5 years? No sign of let up?
So one of top ten players in the game basically? Argue wise would have to put him there to me?
So is he worth a guy we probably will not sign? And two firsts giving away a second and adding a seventh (i think this is if we sign callahan so correct me if wrong?)
That is a fleecing plain and simple!! Everyone wants to justify this deal to me that is laughable. We did well we got two firsts? WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MARTY ST LOUIS PEOPLE. Art Ross and everything else. PPG guy looking like has 5 more years at least at that level? People think too highly of draft choices but two firsts is a SLAP in the FACE for MSL. Now with the situation as it became because that ripple in the pond became a dammed tsunami by the end Stevie got what he could. That still doesn't make it cool or right or a non fleecing. All this board can disagree and say look at his age? Not just lightning fans and say he wouldn't have kept it up much longer.
Well with stamkos and in tampa he surely might have. I think the odds are he would have. He might go down stat a bit cause the talent offensively is lower on NY honestly than what he had here. Yet if was here do I think MSL had four more years at ppg? Yeah last year he was 12 points over it on way to another 100 point year. This year on tampa without stamkos he was a ppg.
So this guy we are talking about? He is worth two firsts LOL.
REALLY? I give stevie credit he ran into a buzzsaw he will learn from this. They ran this like I predicted when I heard the first chirps I read it so stevie is a smart guy and he read the tea leaves. He had no choice and came out with what he could.
To me is that simple maybe I read to much maybe is just my history and having family in certain situations in past. Yet this was a classic game that big business or rich people do at times and sometimes you win some of these games cause is enough turmoil to cause the pot to overturn and run away and you cannot deal with the heat. Something got thrown in a pond to see the ripple effect the ripple was big and real. Threw a little fire and stroked it and voila we have the results.
The end result is very unsatisfactory to me.