Meh, lots of the usual suspects piling on about NJ's bad start. The Gusev conversation is just an excuse for the bashing. The trade was a low risk move with the potential for some reward. NJ wanted to try to compete for a playoff spot this season to make Hall happy. At the time they acquired Gusev it seems unlikely there were better options available for the price paid. They were hoping he could be a top six RW, even if flawed, and the contract is irrelevant. NJ won't have cap problems this year or next so who cares.
He's been bad away from the puck, to the point where the coaches believed he needed to sit despite being one of the few guys on the team scoring. Maybe he turns it around maybe he doesn't. Trying to turn this into some sort of referendum on the team is weak. The weakest parts are the comments about being told he was the next Panarin and the like. Show me more than one or two fans saying anything of the sort. Again, just a straw man set up to bash the fanbase.
The whole team has struggled out of the gate Gusev included, it's not that complicated or that big of a deal. I've watched him live and full games and he has rare offensive zone gifts. If the team can find the right linemates for him and get him to buy in enough to be passable in the neutral and defensive zones they'll get what they wanted. If he just wants to get paid and pad his stats he'll be back in the KHL by the end of the season.
He's been bad away from the puck, to the point where the coaches believed he needed to sit despite being one of the few guys on the team scoring. Maybe he turns it around maybe he doesn't. Trying to turn this into some sort of referendum on the team is weak. The weakest parts are the comments about being told he was the next Panarin and the like. Show me more than one or two fans saying anything of the sort. Again, just a straw man set up to bash the fanbase.
The whole team has struggled out of the gate Gusev included, it's not that complicated or that big of a deal. I've watched him live and full games and he has rare offensive zone gifts. If the team can find the right linemates for him and get him to buy in enough to be passable in the neutral and defensive zones they'll get what they wanted. If he just wants to get paid and pad his stats he'll be back in the KHL by the end of the season.