League News: NHL Talk - (News n' Scores n' Stuff) - COVID Season Edition - Vol. 3

[maacoshark]

I suppose the whole reason that some people are upset is that they don't want to confront the idea that the team they love may have made a (pardon the pun) "monumental" mistake in letting Trotz (and Korn by extension) leave.

Owner Ted has always been a meddler. It's well known that he has significant input into who coaches the team. Is it a possibility that Ted, with his gigantic ego, somehow really p*ssed off Trotz?

For the record, I didn't have a problem with Trotz leaving and was optimistic that the Rear admiral would work out. I am still a fan of Lavi but if he bombs out again next year?

I'd like to see Trotz knock off the cheaters not so that the Caps look bad but because I genuinely like Trotz and it'd be great to see a huge underdog win.

Plus, Bettman would hate to see a Montreal versus Trotz Finals. That's enough to sign me up.

I'd like to see the Isles win because I do like Trotz as a coach. I like what he has been able to do with limited skill. And to be honest I don't mind their team.
I'm not fans of Barzal or Eberle but I'm fine with everyone else on the team.
I like their dcore.

 

[maacoshark]

I think anything remotely competitive still comes with too much baggage to be appealing, especially when you can still basically go write your next contract after winning a Cup. The only way to keep Trotz on the Capitals, if at all (because it's not all about money) is to pay through the nose and recognize that the relationship is still going to need work or it won't last even two of the X number of contract years given and I don't think it's good business to just fold up like that. I think it was pretty clear that Trotz didn't want to return, I don't know how people are still holding on to that. If he wanted to return all he had to do was: nothing.

Worst, worst case, they then give the job to someone they've been grooming (ala Reirden) and then say goodbye to the Ovechkin era because that would be starting right around now.

Everything we have said on this board is speculation. We don't know what happened behind closed doors.
I think the most likely reason didn't keep Trotz was because the Caps had already decided to go with Reirden. Remember Trotz was to be a free after that season but a clause in his contract gave him a 2 year extension if we won the cup.
Winning the Cup that season put a wrinkle in everything. I don't think management expected us to win.
I believe they just wanted his contract to run out and expected that to happen.

 

[HTFN]

Everything we have said on this board is speculation. We don't know what happened behind closed doors.
I think the most likely reason didn't keep Trotz was because the Caps had already decided to go with Reirden. Remember Trotz was to be a free after that season but a clause in his contract gave him a 2 year extension if we won the cup.
Winning the Cup that season put a wrinkle in everything. I don't think management expected us to win.
I believe they just wanted his contract to run out and expected that to happen.

I don't disagree, but now take it to the next step. Now you need to enter negotiations with a guy you didn't necessarily expect to keep and you both know it. You need to re-pivot your organization just to entertain this, which you can do by either holding up the contract (which is totally fair, but is also not going to make Trotz happy given the conditions listed compared to his current contract) or negotiating in good faith, but again, you already have a better option on the table.

So just re-negotiating is already a favor, but we also have people saying they should have basically opened up the checkbook and signed over whatever Trotz demanded just to keep him. What sense does that really make? And if it's not met with a Cup, isn't it just a laughable misuse of resources trying to re-bottle lightning?

 

[maacoshark]

I don't disagree, but now take it to the next step. Now you need to enter negotiations with a guy you didn't necessarily expect to keep and you both know it. You need to re-pivot your organization just to entertain this, which you can do by either holding up the contract (which is totally fair, but is also not going to make Trotz happy given the conditions listed compared to his current contract) or negotiating in good faith, but again, you already have a better option on the table.

So just re-negotiating is already a favor, but we also have people saying they should have basically opened up the checkbook and signed over whatever Trotz demanded just to keep him. What sense does that really make? And if it's not met with a Cup, isn't it just a laughable misuse of resources trying to re-bottle lightning?

I don't think either side was interested in a negotiation

 

[HTFN]

I don't think either side was interested in a negotiation

Right. Which means that the constant bawling and insistence that "there was a number that could have worked" is an exercise in futility at best, and a refusal of reality at worst.

 

[maacoshark]

Right. Which means that the constant bawling and insistence that "there was a number that could have worked" is an exercise in futility at best, and a refusal of reality at worst.

But I feel if Caps management handled the situation better they could have come to an agreement. Twice that season GMBM threatened to fire Trotz if they lost a particular game. In both cases the Caps won.
Why would Trotz return after having his job threatened like that?
So they could fire him the next time they went on a mini losing streak?
Trotz made the best decision for himself. There obviously no job security here. Why stay?

 

[Devil Dancer]

Under no circumstances let crappy GMGM near the Cup. If you think Trotz winning the Cup would open the Caps up to ridicule, imagine crappy GMGM winning. *Ugh*

Why would a VGK win open the Caps up to ridicule?

Trotz I get. The Caps theoretically could have kept him (I personally think the relationship was wrecked before the Cup, but whatever). But the Caps parted ways with GMGM and then had four fantastic years, capped by a Cup. No shame there.

 

[max21]

Lol just got this notification on my phone “Vegas star”

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Why would a VGK win open the Caps up to ridicule?

Trotz I get. The Caps theoretically could have kept him (I personally think the relationship was wrecked before the Cup, but whatever). But the Caps parted ways with GMGM and then had four fantastic years, capped by a Cup. No shame there.

I agree with you. We all heard that GMGM was the genius behind the Caps back in the 2018 Finals, though. It was gag worthy.

I'm sure that if the Vegans win the Cup that the hockey media would be spinning it that the incompetent Caps let GMGM go.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Habs strike first. 1-0 Habs late in the first period. Go Habs go!

 

[kicksavedave]

Who coaches the Islanders again?

Last I knew it was Al Arbour.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Saintly Vegans not taking any penalties. What a bunch of BS.

Go Habs go!

 

[HTFN]

But I feel if Caps management handled the situation better they could have come to an agreement. Twice that season GMBM threatened to fire Trotz if they lost a particular game. In both cases the Caps won.
Why would Trotz return after having his job threatened like that?
So they could fire him the next time they went on a mini losing streak?
Trotz made the best decision for himself. There obviously no job security here. Why stay?

But why was his job threatened? For fun? Because the GM is a psychopath?

It was year four of building a juggernaut that couldn't climb the postseason hump, and the team looked like it was on the verge of packing it in and giving up. Threatening the coach's job there is what you do in hockey. I'm not blaming Trotz for leaving but that's kind of the point, when you look at both sides fairly it was a whirlwind of events that left both parties willing to do the unheard of (part ways with a coach they had literally just won with) and people who only want to view it through the lens of whether or not Trotz would be good here are missing the point. It was doomed to fail, it's a situation that never was.

The people pining for what we could have are really taking for granted just how lucky we are to have what we got at all, and we could easily be watching the Islanders go farther than we ever did. Still wouldn't be anybody's fault, really.

 

[Langway]

Team chaos at it again.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Toilet Staal scores! 2-0 Habs.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Team chaos at it again.

I don’t even know he is talking to?

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Habs finally get a PP and score on it. 3-0 Habs!

Goaltending controversy for the Vegans?

 

[marcel snapshot]

What a pass by Perry.
I’ve always liked Eric Staal, so it’s nice to see him get a playoff run like this late in his career. But I also find myself being happy for Corey Perry, which is just full-on bizarro world

 

[Langway]

I don’t even know he is talking to?

I was talking about Montreal. I wonder if right about now McPhee is kicking himself for trading Suzuki, esp. considering their centers. That move may turn into a low-key killer.

 

[Nice]

Habs looking sharp in this one

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

I was talking about Montreal. I wonder if right about now McPhee is kicking himself for trading Suzuki, esp. considering their centers. That move may turn into a low-key killer.

Oh, ok. Yeah, you think GMGM would have learned that Center depth is vital after crashing and burning so many times with the Caps.

Suzuki has been great for the Habs. I’m sure GMGM regrets that one.

 

[John Price]

Don't need Habs winning yet another cup

Go opponent

Lightning would kick their ass

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Don't need Habs winning yet another cup

Go opponent

Lightning would kick their ass

TBay is clearly the best team left. I’d like to see a David versus Goliath Final but more preferably a David versus David Final.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Oh, ok. Yeah, you think GMGM would have learned that Center depth is vital after crashing and burning so many times with the Caps.

Suzuki has been great for the Habs. I’m sure GMGM regrets that one.

Montreal fans had an affectionate name for Pacioretty when he still played there. They called him Casperetty, because you can count on him to turn into a ghost in big games.

Meanwhile the Canadiens' kids are flying out there, the pressure is clearly not on their side.

 

[themilosh]

Montreal fans had an affectionate name for Pacioretty when he still played there. They called him Casperetty, because you can count on him to turn into a ghost in big games.

Meanwhile the Canadiens' kids are flying out there, the pressure is clearly not on their side.

That and his lesser known monicker:
PatioReady