JR: HHOF

ziggyjoe212

Registered User
Oct 2, 2017
3,039
2,359
They must have forgotten about his tenure in Carolina. IMO he would need to win 2 more cups to make up for that mess.

Also, why is this class so...weak? Aren't there any good retired players out there somewhere? Crosby accomplished more as a teenager than this entire group in their combined careers.
 
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ColePens

RIP Fugu Buffaloed & parabola
Mar 27, 2008
107,022
67,647
Pittsburgh
I said it in the other thread and I think it needs repeating. If you are in any way unhappy about this news, then shame on your for 6 weeks. JR deserves it. JR earned it. Celebrate that moment and don't forget how it felt prior to the back to back Cups.

You may be frustrated with the current direction, but don't forget what we have now because of JR.
 

Fraction Jackson

Registered User
Mar 1, 2007
1,027
49
Phoenix, AZ
Richly deserved. You win three Stanley Cups in this era, the rest is gravy, no matter how much wreckage you leave around.

Yeah I was going to say something similar.

I know we're all annoyed at some of the bad contracts he's handed out, failure to move certain guys, things like the Reaves trade, whatever. Obviously him being honored in this way doesn't change anything about what he needs to do going forward, and we can still critique what he does or has done. And he deserves a lot of that flak! But...

...it's not just the rings, he's been incredibly influential for a long, long time. And he has adapted to a changing game over a long period - not always soon enough, of course, but you can't say he's the same GM he was in 1994. It's really hard to dispute that as general managers go he's one that deserves to be remembered as important enough for the HOF.

Not to mention that, yeah, 3 cups. Plenty of franchises would kill for just one, and he got the Canes one of those three, and they were definitely one of those teams that would kill for one. And, really, as Pens fans we're pretty spoiled. Even when we've not been ideal contenders we've still had a chance year in, year out for over a decade, and then for over a decade before that with only the X-Gen years in between. Tons of Pens fans only remember, like, 4 really bad years.

There's a bunch of fanbases that if you asked them, "would you let your team be ruined for a decade if you got a Stanley Cup first," they'd slam the yes button so hard it'd cause a sonic boom. Yeah, JR's got a tendency to push his luck for too long, but he can also make the right moves at the right time in a way that ends with a downtown parade, and there's a ton of "better" GMs that have made just as many bad mistakes without also ever winning anything.

Let's just, like, be happy for him? And then go back to yelling about the contract he gave JJ in all the other threads.
 

K Fleur

Sacrifice
Mar 28, 2014
15,381
25,491
I imagine his HOF speech starting like this/

“First ‘d like to say to Penguin fans everywhere- Jack Johnson is the greatest signing I’ve ever made. You heathens need to finally give him a chance. Oh and Malkin if you’re listening; f*** you!”
 

TooManyHumans

Registered User
May 4, 2018
2,360
3,351
I was at peace after the win in 2016. I felt like no matter what we had been rewarded in the Crosby/Malkin years. Getting another Cup was gravy. JR's done a lot to criticize since the win in 2017 but I still feel like he could suddenly make the right couple of moves and we are back competing for a Cup. Idk. High risk, high reward but the reward has already been worth it imo. I honestly don't know whether he deserves the HoF but since I like him I am glad he made it. I'm not going to over complicate it.
 

ImporterExporter

"You're a boring old man"
Jun 18, 2013
18,776
7,804
Oblivion Express
I said it in the other thread and I think it needs repeating. If you are in any way unhappy about this news, then shame on your for 6 weeks. JR deserves it. JR earned it. Celebrate that moment and don't forget how it felt prior to the back to back Cups.

You may be frustrated with the current direction, but don't forget what we have now because of JR.

Preach.

I was terrified about JR coming here. Been right on a lot of calls but like 99% of this board I was wrong on him certainly. And boy was I glad to be wrong.

Without him starting this whole thing with the Hornqvist trade (which I loved but many didn't) so on and so forth there are no Cups in 16 and 17. Period.

One of my biggest peeves about society is how quickly we forget the good people do. This board is already clamoring about firing Sullivan and JR and while I think we should absolutely hold them to a higher standard than the previous coaches and GM, neither one deserves to get shit on yet. Yeah, no Cups in the past 2 years but how many teams can say they've won back to back? None in the salary cap era, i know that much off the top of my head.

Good for the old man. He's not an elite HOF builder but in this era, winning 3 Cups is elite certainly.
 

mpp9

Registered User
Dec 5, 2010
32,613
5,067
Sergei Zubov is in. Damn you, Craig Patrick.

Zubov during the Jagr reign would've lifted those teams an entire level.

What was the deal with that? Was it really as simple as 66 not getting along with him on the PP?
 

Tacitus Kilgore

Registered User
May 26, 2010
6,669
7,193
Potomac, MD
JR was 57 when he won his first Cup. Now he is 70, could you imagine working your ass off until you were 55 and then kept on working till 70 and having the most successful time of you career on your back nine? Crazy. Guy's a legend

Way to go old man, don't let it inflate your ego pls thx
 

tom_servo

Registered User
Sep 27, 2002
17,139
5,978
Pittsburgh
What was the deal with that? Was it really as simple as 66 not getting along with him on the PP?

I don't remember the insider drama from the early internet days. But I was excited to get Zubov and frustrated to see him traded after a year.

Imagine getting a defenseman at age 25, a mere three year NHL vet, who was #2 and #8 in defensive scoring the previous two years, finishes the same on your team, and shipping him right back out. Oh yeah, he becomes a lynchpin on a back to back Cup Finalist a couple years later.

Kevin Hatcher was five years older (been in the league since 18) and looking even older still. Numbers weren't close.

The asset managing was... poor.
 

Shockmaster

Registered User
Sep 11, 2012
16,006
3,373
I said it in the other thread and I think it needs repeating. If you are in any way unhappy about this news, then shame on your for 6 weeks. JR deserves it. JR earned it. Celebrate that moment and don't forget how it felt prior to the back to back Cups.

You may be frustrated with the current direction, but don't forget what we have now because of JR.

Probably the same people who think David Poile, Steve Yzerman, and Ron Hextall are geniuses as GMs despite not winning any Cups in their positions (and one of them having recently been fired).
 
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Mr Jiggyfly

Registered User
Jan 29, 2004
34,238
19,325
Sergei Zubov is in. Damn you, Craig Patrick.

Zubov during the Jagr reign would've lifted those teams an entire level.

That trade taught me as a young man to never get attached to players.

I came home and saw the trade on the TV and was so pissed I went outside and broke one of my 50 Sherwoods.

I had no idea that trade was coming... there were no rumors on the radio, or maybe I was too busy to hear them, but I was literally shocked to see it on the news.

I said it in the other thread and I think it needs repeating. If you are in any way unhappy about this news, then shame on your for 6 weeks. JR deserves it. JR earned it. Celebrate that moment and don't forget how it felt prior to the back to back Cups.

You may be frustrated with the current direction, but don't forget what we have now because of JR.

Yep, people have short memories.

JR is kind of crazy now, but he saved this org, especially Malkin and Crosby, from years of what ifs...
 

Jag68Sid87

Sullivan gots to go!
Oct 1, 2003
35,575
1,249
Montreal, QC
From what I can recall, Mario was frustrated with Zubov because he was a very reluctant shooter on the power play. Too many passers, not enough shots. Basically.

There may have been more to it than that, but as far as I can recall it was not personal. It was a power-play issue.
 
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Mr Jiggyfly

Registered User
Jan 29, 2004
34,238
19,325
From what I can recall, Mario was frustrated with Zubov because he was a very reluctant shooter on the power play. Too many passers, not enough shots. Basically.

There may have been more to it than that, but as far as I can recall it was not personal. It was a power-play issue.

Well, basically Mario blew it big time, if the rumors back then were true.

Pens spent almost a decade looking for another legit #1 guy and Zubby went off and had a HOF career.

Even more maddening that Lemieux retired the next season after chasing off an all time great. Just swell.
 

Jag68Sid87

Sullivan gots to go!
Oct 1, 2003
35,575
1,249
Montreal, QC
Well, basically Mario blew it big time, if the rumors back then were true.

Pens spent almost a decade looking for another legit #1 guy and Zubby went off and had a HOF career.

Even more maddening that Lemieux retired the next season after chasing off an all time great. Just swell.

I don't know about you, Jiggy, but I forgave 66 LONG ago.

:)
 

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