JR did not... just say that (Despres/Lovejoy Trade)

[Kovifan27]

The win now or never attitude has to stop. The management only cares about playoff revenue. If they make the playoffs every year it's extra money...who cares about the cup just make it to the dance.

This team has more issues then a simple house cleaning can fix. Not a chance they would give Babcock carte blanche....

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Lemieux
Burkle
Morehouse
Rutherford
Botterill
Fitzgerald
Guerin
Karmanos

Who am I missing?

Recchi was named player development coach last June.

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

The win now or never attitude has to stop. The management only cares about playoff revenue. If they make the playoffs every year it's extra money...who cares about the cup just make it to the dance.

This team has more issues then a simple house cleaning can fix. Not a chance they would give Babcock carte blanche....

That's the main reason I'm hoping they miss the playoffs. If Lemieux and Burkle don't get playoff ticket money, then maybe they'll take an honest, critical look at the team and front office structure and make the necessary changes. Because in reality, the only thing those two will listen to is money.

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

Recchi was named player development coach last June.

That makes the most sense. Gotta be him. Thanks!

 

[DegenX]

Lemieux
Burkle
Morehouse
Rutherford
Botterill
Fitzgerald
Guerin
Karmanos

Who am I missing?

Travis Williams maybe?

 

[themethod7]

...am I the only one who appreciates the honesty/transparency here, as opposed to the normal, canned response? Yes he signed off on it, but seems pretty obvious it wasn't by choice, and if it's like he says and he has some combination of Guerin, Morehouse, Fitzgerald, Botteril, Lemieux, and Burkle telling him to do it, do you seriously expect him to say no?? Come on.

 

[Wes C Addle]

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/gene-collier/2015/04/09/Gene-Collier-8/stories/201504090088

One thing about Lovejoy that I said at the time: This is a trade that over time will not be in our favor

This has been in about 4-5 threads already so it's definitely worthy of its own. We need to talk about it and we don't need the clutter in about 4-5 other threads.

Serious question about this statement. Did he actually say " One thing about Lovejoy that I said at the time: This is a trade that over time will not be in our favor" when they made the trade? I don't remember reading or hearing that when it went down. Or is he inferring that he said that statement to his 9 person group internally? Maybe he's having a CRS moment, or maybe it's me.

 

[Terrapin]

...am I the only one who appreciates the honesty/transparency here, as opposed to the normal, canned response? Yes he signed off on it, but seems pretty obvious it wasn't by choice, and if it's like he says and he has some combination of Guerin, Morehouse, Fitzgerald, Botteril, Lemieux, and Burkle telling him to do it, do you seriously expect him to say no?? Come on.

I appreciate it. It's nice to finally start to see the curtain pulled back on this dysfunctional bunch of morons.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

That's the main reason I'm hoping they miss the playoffs. If Lemieux and Burkle don't get playoff ticket money, then maybe they'll take an honest, critical look at the team and front office structure and make the necessary changes. Because in reality, the only thing those two will listen to is money.

I seriously think that is the underlying problem with the Pens' front office.

The guys that they hired are marketing people. Great at it too. I have often said that even Disney could learn something from how well this team does with fan outreach. No other franchise in any sport comes close. But they suck at, you know, actually putting a team worth a damn on the ice. They are not hockey people. But as long as the revenue comes in they will never care.

And the sad thing is that this is the guy being groomed as JR's replacement. A guy who is brilliant at marketing and blows at hockey.

However much you hate JR, he is a hockey Einstein compared to the guy(s) he is grooming to replace him.

 

[radapex]

Lemieux
Burkle
Morehouse
Rutherford
Botterill
Fitzgerald
Guerin
Karmanos

Who am I missing?

In this instance, you're probably looking at...

David Morehouse - President
Jim Rutherford - Executive VP and General Manager
Jason Botterill - Associate GM
Tom Fitzgerald - Assistant GM
Bill Guerin - Assistant GM
Jason Karmanos - VP of Hockey Operations
Jacques Martin - Senior Advisor of Hockey Operations
Dan MacKinnon - Director of Player Personnel
Derek Clancey - Director of Professional Scouting
Al Santilli - Professional Scout

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

However much you hate JR, he is a hockey Einstein compared to the guy(s) he is grooming to replace him.

Especially now that they don't have Capgeek.

 

[wej20]

Well at least he knows he's an idiot.

 

[Steve Durbano]

Maybe it's Lucky Pierre? He certainly gets his feedbag and drink on every night in Mario's box. Maybe he's a consultant now.....

 

[Joejosh999]

Actually one of the things I like about JR is his propensity to just blurt out the truth.
And to be fair, how many options did he have for HC by the time he got in here?

But seriously what a clown show.

 

[AquaticBirdman]

It's really worrisome to think that this man pretty much destroyed teh Hurricanes franchise, was then hired by us, and is now making trades that he basically admits were bad. And he's making how much money to do this again?

 

[AquaticBirdman]

What makes this deal worse is that I'm convinced 110% that he didn't actually do any homework on Lovejoy as a player whatsoever. He basically just had his team of cronies steer him into that direction.

It's basically like the evil staff at a nursing home coercing the mentally vulnerable and naive elderly residents into signing over their pensions to them.

 

[Joejosh999]

What are the chances that they actually give Babcock control of this circus? How many FOMs would need to be flushed?

 

[Joejosh999]

Oh my guess is he never planned the Lovejoy Despres trade, he was just told, and obediently picked up the phone.

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

The Board on EHM07 is harder to please than this circus act. I wish they could be the owners.

 

[hiptanaka]

Regarding the "excuse" of injuries - sure, some of them are out of the team's control. But some of our players are also getting injured because the opposing team is undeterred and taking runs at them. If this team was constructed properly and had sufficient size, toughness, and physicality in its lineup, our players wouldn't be as exposed to those kinds of hits.

 

[joeyjake5]

Any one in that group of nine who was in favor of that trade should be let go immediately and have no further voice in any decision making with this team, and that includes Lem and Burk if they gave their blessing. This is an example of dumb and dumber or maybe I am too kind to dumb and dumber.

 

[Dick Sledge]

It's pretty disgusting that this actually happened then. When something I know isn't going to work out for me over time, guess what? I don't do it!

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

Regarding the "excuse" of injuries - sure, some of them are out of the team's control. But some of our players are also getting injured because the opposing team is undeterred and taking runs at them. If this team was constructed properly and had sufficient size, toughness, and physicality in its lineup, our players wouldn't be as exposed to those kinds of hits.

Before the deadline, we had a defenseman with size, physicality, and great skating, passing, puck control skills, but who needs those anyway?

All very good points. Not to mention the fact that EVERY OTHER TEAM IN THE LEAGUE HAS TO DEAL WITH INJURIES. Henrik Lundqvist went down for a long stretch this year, but because the Rangers have a couple decent young players in the fold, they didn't miss a beat. They're winning the President's Trophy.

 

[Sam Spade]

Nothing else to say in this thread but "Wow"!

What a moronic thing to do and then to admit it to the press.

 

[orby]

It shouldn't matter whether Rutherford was the impetus behind the decision. if he knew it would be a net loss and didn't veto it, he deserves the axe.