Is it time for Lou to get his walking papers

[Bleedred]

If Pete isn't fired by next Wednesday, Lou has gotta be absolutely senile. I have zero confidence that we win any of the next 3. If we have one win in 12 games, Deboer has to go.

The old Lou might have dropped the gavel on Pete after last season. We've been worse than Ftorek and Julien, who both had rough stretches before their firings.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Paul Maurice time?

 

[Benedict Parisechuk]

Lou is definitely at fault for SOME of this mess but not all of it. He couldn't do anything about Parise and Kovalchuk wanting to go home or from Oates and Robinson pursuing other opportunities. Those 4 departures are the big reason why we are where we are. He did the best he could trying to patch up the roster over the last 2 years but the lack of developing young players as well as some contracts are haunting us. Part of that is on Deboer as well. I don't feel like going back and re-analyzing every questionable deal Lou has handed out but there are A LOT of bad ones. I don't think giving out bad contracts is the reason why were stinking up the joint though but it is preventing us from plugging in younger players, mainly on defense. Overall, its probably a combination of Pete and Lou struggling that has got us here.

Whether the new ownership starts to get antsy after empty seats start popping up because of the losing, I don't know. I have absolutely no freaking clue who Lou is getting replaced by though. If he is on his way out soon then they better start doing there homework because that would be the biggest decision this franchise has had in a LONG time.

 

[Benedict Parisechuk]

So the real question is from who and how are we getting our first this year? Who has multiple picks? Ideas?

I really don't think were getting the pick back. Unfortunately, I think that ship has sailed.

 

[Lou's Koolaid]

Paul Maurice time?

Think he is coaching in the KHL or elsewhere in eroupe.

 

[Unknown Caller]

Lou is definitely at fault for SOME of this mess but not all of it. He couldn't do anything about Parise and Kovalchuk wanting to go home or from Oates and Robinson pursuing other opportunities. Those 4 departures are the big reason why we are where we are. He did the best he could trying to patch up the roster over the last 2 years but the lack of developing young players as well as some contracts are haunting us. Part of that is on Deboer as well. I don't feel like going back and re-analyzing every questionable deal Lou has handed out but there are A LOT of bad ones. I don't think giving out bad contracts is the reason why were stinking up the joint though but it is preventing us from plugging in younger players, mainly on defense. Overall, its probably a combination of Pete and Lou struggling that has got us here.

Whether the new ownership starts to get antsy after empty seats start popping up because of the losing, I don't know. I have absolutely no freaking clue who Lou is getting replaced by though. If he is on his way out soon then they better start doing there homework because that would be the biggest decision this franchise has had in a LONG time.

Lou is partially to blame for Parise. He waited to negotiate with Zach as an RFA until they were close to arbitration. Ultimately he signed him on a one year deal which was a huge mistake. Then Lou invokes his ******** no in-season negotiation policy and waits until after the season to start negotiating with him. So no, Lou is not blameless in that situation.

Would Zach have stayed if Lou offered him a lucrative deal prior to arbitration as an RFA? I think so. But even if not, Lou had plenty of time to either make more of an effort to keep him or explore other options.

 

[jkrdevil]

Zach was gone long before he hit RFA status. There were rumors about him wanting out going back to October 2010 when the MacLean season starting going south.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Losing ZP and IK for nothing were killers.

Actually losing Zach was catostropic.

 

[NJDevs26]

I DARE someone to go look up our record since the beginning of the Mac era through now without Parise and Kovy in the lineup. Not doing it, we may be talking about a <.200 clip here.

There were no games without Parise and Kovalchuk until last year. Kovy missed one game in '10-11, the healthy scratch fiasco against Buffalo when Parise was still 'healthy'. He missed five games in '11-12, but Parise played all of them. And Kovy missed one playoff game. Overall they were 4-3 in those games where Kovy was out of the lineup.

Now without Kovy AND Parise the last two years?

1-6-4 in the eleven games Kovy missed last year
1-5-3 this year
2-11-7 overall

 

[Lou's Koolaid]

Losing ZP and IK for nothing were killers.

Actually losing Zach was catostropic.

This is lot of **** for any GM to handle.

 

[Bleedred]

Lou needs to make good on some of this crap and hang Deboer already. After we lose to Vancouver on Thursday, he needs to sack Deboer. Why the **** does Dumbeor have a longer leash than Lou's project Johnny Mac? Patty and Clowe are missing games? BS! Zach was injured for 2 months under Maclean and he still got the boot.

 

[Uli Hiemer]

Zach was gone long before he hit RFA status. There were rumors about him wanting out going back to October 2010 when the MacLean season starting going south.

Well, I'm sure handing over the big contract to Kovalchuk didn't sit well with Zach.

According to TG, he was willing to talk during that summer, but all the focus was placed on the merc.

 

[Benedict Parisechuk]

Lou is partially to blame for Parise. He waited to negotiate with Zach as an RFA until they were close to arbitration. Ultimately he signed him on a one year deal which was a huge mistake. Then Lou invokes his ******** no in-season negotiation policy and waits until after the season to start negotiating with him. So no, Lou is not blameless in that situation.

Would Zach have stayed if Lou offered him a lucrative deal prior to arbitration as an RFA? I think so. But even if not, Lou had plenty of time to either make more of an effort to keep him or explore other options.

I think Zach made up his mind long before he became an RFA. Of course, I could be wrong but I think he was always going back to Minny. Whether JP or Suter influenced more than he originally would have, I don't know but he was gone regardless. He sure did some great lip service about wanting to stay though.

 

[Tundra]

Lou is largely living off his former reputation nowadays. In the cap era, he is a below average GM. Seems like a good guy but at some point, you have to examine the shortfalls of this organization & point your finger at the architect.

 

[billingtons ghost]

Lou is largely living off his former reputation nowadays. In the cap era, he is a below average GM. Seems like a good guy but at some point, you have to examine the shortfalls of this organization & point your finger at the architect.

Right.

At the beginning of the season everyone said it was his best offseason.

What would you have done differently? Ponied up more for Clarkson? Draft Bo Horvat? Threaten Kovy's family? Not sign Elias? Not sign Zubrus? Not sign Lokti?
Not sign Zids?

Jagr, Brunner, Ryder were all bad moves?

I was against the Clowe signing from the start and he's on the shelf as expected.

After that, I could probably have given Jagr a pass and played a kid instead - but there was some hope that he'd help with the PP.

If we didn't have Zids on the blueline there would be absolutely zero defensemen capable of actually carrying or passing the puck.

Everyone has regressed on this team. It is on the players, and the coach.

The Matteau pick thing is pretty bad, the handling of Parise may or may not have mattered, and the Zajac and Volch contracts are his biggest boners - but I don't really see how everything has passed him by.

This team is much better than it is playing.

 

[Tundra]

Right.

At the beginning of the season everyone said it was his best offseason.

What would you have done differently? Ponied up more for Clarkson? Draft Bo Horvat? Threaten Kovy's family? Not sign Elias? Not sign Zubrus? Not sign Lokti?
Not sign Zids?

Jagr, Brunner, Ryder were all bad moves?

I was against the Clowe signing from the start and he's on the shelf as expected.

After that, I could probably have given Jagr a pass and played a kid instead - but there was some hope that he'd help with the PP.

If we didn't have Zids on the blueline there would be absolutely zero defensemen capable of actually carrying or passing the puck.

Everyone has regressed on this team. It is on the players, and the coach.

The Matteau pick thing is pretty bad, the handling of Parise may or may not have mattered, and the Zajac and Volch contracts are his biggest boners - but I don't really see how everything has passed him by.

This team is much better than it is playing.

Do you think this organization is still regressing or moving forward overall? I say the former absolutely. We haven't even landed at the bottom of the well yet, thanks to some questionable contracts and stunted player development. A complete rebuild should be commencing as opposed to this stopgap nonsense that wastes everyone's time because Lou doesn't want to face the sheer embarrassment of surrendering a top 5 pick, which ironically may happen regardless.

 

[billingtons ghost]

Do you think this organization is still regressing or moving forward. I say the former absolutely. A complete rebuild should be commencing as opposed to this stopgap nonsense that wastes everyone's time because Lou doesn't want to face the sheer embarrassment of surrendering a top 5 pick, which ironically may happen regardless.

I say we are 10 games in.

I say the downturn of this team is a product of its success. There are plenty of teams that have been 'good' for the last 10-20 years but haven't fully tanked like the Pens, Hawks, and Bruins - so we haven't gotten a stud player.

I think it sucks our best players have all left for one reason or another.

I also say that if we fired Lou, 29 club presidents would be picking up their phones to hire him.

How would it taste if he replaced Sather across the river? Maybe we should ask that board if they'd be interested?

 

[Tundra]

I say we are 10 games in.

I say the downturn of this team is a product of its success. There are plenty of teams that have been 'good' for the last 10-20 years but haven't fully tanked like the Pens, Hawks, and Bruins - so we haven't gotten a stud player.

I think it sucks our best players have all left for one reason or another.

I also say that if we fired Lou, 29 club presidents would be picking up their phones to hire him.

How would it taste if he replaced Sather across the river? Maybe we should ask that board if they'd be interested?

Other than Lou's presence, why would he be a hot commodity at this stage of his career? He's barely better than Sather, who actually had the wherewithal to pass on Clowe after surrendering picks for him.

 

[billingtons ghost]

Do you think this organization is still regressing or moving forward overall? I say the former absolutely. We haven't even landed at the bottom of the well yet, thanks to some questionable contracts and stunted player development. A complete rebuild should be commencing as opposed to this stopgap nonsense that wastes everyone's time because Lou doesn't want to face the sheer embarrassment of surrendering a top 5 pick, which ironically may happen regardless.

Actually you bring up an interesting point, though - for a full rebuild - what do you do?

 

[billingtons ghost]

Other than Lou's presence, why would he be a hot commodity at this stage of his career? He's barely better than Sather, who actually had the wherewithal to pass on Clowe after surrendering picks for him.

Please take a look at any other team in the NHL, and see what it is like. Unless you look at Detroit, you will see teams that have had 1 or two years of success in the last 20. You'll see plenty of teams that maybe have made the playoffs 5-10 times.

Lou has had two bad teams in the last 20.

 

[MountainGoat]

we need top end talent

good luck on finding it Lou, we can't tank because we have no 1st and we can't tank next season or we'll lose Schneider to free agency

fingers crossed Boucher, Merrill and Gelinas pan out

 

[Tundra]

Actually you bring up an interesting point, though - for a full rebuild - what do you do?

I think we need to bring in a young, savvy hockey mind acquainted with the way the game is currently played. Maybe pluck Jason Botteril from Pittsburgh who is well versed beyond his years & adept at managing the cap. The entire org needs a new identity going forward.

As far as the rebuild, I think you try to convert our dead veteran weight into as many 2nd, 3rd and 4th round picks as possible to lessen the blow of the inevitable draft penalty. That means Zidlicky, Salvador, Jagr, Zubrus, etc. are movable. I think you even listen to offers for Greene and Schneider but you only pull the trigger if you are blown away by the return.

As far as the young players, I think you may have to shelf them until you can expel the older vets blocking them.

 

[ghoti]

No..

 

[PattyElias26]

i remember before the season everyone was sucking lou off going on about how he was great with all the signings, now we want him canned?

this place is such a joke. ****ing armchair GM's

 

[BrodeursCups]

Tundra is probably the biggest child on this board. Pouts about everything....Very little hockey knowledge.

If you think Sather "passed on Clowe" you know nothing about the situation and should probably refrain from commenting...