Salary Cap: Pittsburgh Salary Cap Thread: All I want for Christmas is a roster who has cares to give

[Darren McCord]

The forced Kessel comparisons are bewildering, and if not intentionally dense, then just downright stupid. I'm no Kessel fan, but to even start to draw comparisons or parallels between the two situations is absurd. One guy is such a selfish, arrogant dickhead that he committed a felony while already under investigation for the umpteenth time in his career and is absolutely reviled by his teammates everywhere he goes. The other was miscast as a franchise savior in a rabid Toronto market, is an awkward weirdo who doesn't like being in the public eye, and is the antithesis of everything coaches adore in players like ZAR.

It's weird the kind of mental pretzels people will work themselves into in order to pretend it doesn't simply boil down to finding a scumbag's actions acceptable. We had dipshits around here wanting Voynov too, and that dude beat the f*** out of his wife to the point of extended hospitalization--multiple times.

Ya make the argument for Kane if you want. But dont compare it to Kessel. It's apples to oranges.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I bet Kessel would fake a Sheetz gift card if it meant a free hot dog, though. Basically the same thing.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I bet Kessel would fake a Sheetz gift card if it meant a free hot dog, though. Basically the same thing.

The robot overlords of the moderation team have decided my bullying of a multimillionaire athlete on an obscure message board went too far, so I'm still not allowed to like posts. Consider this a thumbs up.

 

[SEALBound]

We got what we wanted from Kessel, so there's a lot of people here willing to forgive a lot of the issues he had before and during his time here. And that's fair. Whatever.

I'm just saying that I generally don't give a shit about what Kessel did before his time here. I saw a guy who could help us win Cups and he did. For the same reasons I ignored Kessel's laziness and hot dog eating stories are the same reasons why I don't give a shit about the drama Kane has going on. Bottom line, I view Kane as someone that can help this team win on the ice and particularly, in the playoffs.

If everyone wants to get wrapped up in the drama off the ice, that's fine. I don't care. But I am going to point out the "it's okay when my guy does it, it's not okay when you're guy does cuz if different!!!" BS.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

We got what we wanted from Kessel, so there's a lot of people here willing to forgive a lot of the issues he had before and during his time here. And that's fair. Whatever.

I'm just saying that I generally don't give a shit about what Kessel did before his time here. I saw a guy who could help us win Cups and he did. For the same reasons I ignored Kessel's laziness and hot dog eating stories are the same reasons why I don't give a shit about the drama Kane has going on. Bottom line, I view Kane as someone that can help this team win on the ice and particularly, in the playoffs.

If everyone wants to get wrapped up in the drama off the ice, that's fine. I don't care. But I am going to point out the "it's okay when my guy does it, it's not okay when you're guy does cuz if different!!!" BS.

I think all anyone is saying is that Kessel's off ice stuff was being kinda weird and getting harassed by a notoriously garbage journalist for eating at a hot dog stand more times than he cared to see.

Kane's are like... real crimes.

For whatever it's worth strictly as a skillset detached entirely from everything else I can understand why people would be fascinated by Kane. Tough big and skilled. That's a big deal in this league no doubt. A shame.

 

[SEALBound]

I think all anyone is saying is that Kessel's off ice stuff was being kinda weird and getting harassed by a notoriously garbage journalist for eating at a hot dog stand more times than he cared to see.

Kane's are like... real crimes.

For whatever it's worth strictly as a skillset detached entirely from everything else I can understand why people would be fascinated by Kane. Tough big and skilled. That's a big deal in this league no doubt. A shame.

And I don't argue with that necessarily. I have never downplayed his issues. I fully recognize that he's done stupid shit. He's serving his suspension, he's going to court, he's reporting and playing in the AHL...so there absolutely comes a point where I go "Hmmm...okay, I don't give a shit anymore. Can he help us win?" I don't have some arbitrarily defined list of atonements he has to make up to and including personally kissing my bare lonely ass before I deem him worthy of returning to the hockey rink.

If people here want to eat sour grapes whenever they think about him, there does come a point in time where that's their problem, not Kanes (and whichever team picks him up). If you guys want to sit by and be willing to actively NOT make the team better and cuddle up with your moral victories at night, that's on you. I'm here to advocate winning the cup and doing what needs to be done to put us in the best possible position to do that.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

FWIW I saw several days ago that the Penguins sent scouts to watch his first AHL game.

I haven't gone back in the thread since I've been gone a few days but I assume that was already mentioned.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I mean I don't think the comparison from Kessel to Kane is anything beyond "acquiring a questionable guy worked well in the past". Most people who have said they want Kane justify it with the cheap cost to acquire and the upside that his talent level and skillset brings to the table. The Kessel thing is just another smaller point, it's not really the driving point.

These kind of moves obviously have risks. Look at what happened with Antonio Brown in Oakland, for example. But there is also a potential to get a great player for a steal. Look at what happened with Antonio Brown in Tampa Bay, for example.

 

[SEALBound]

I mean I don't think the comparison from Kessel to Kane is anything beyond "acquiring a questionable guy worked well in the past". Most people who have said they want Kane justify it with the cheap cost to acquire and the upside that his talent level and skillset brings to the table. The Kessel thing is just another smaller point, it's not really the driving point.

These kind of moves obviously have risks. Look at what happened with Antonio Brown in Oakland, for example. But there is also a potential to get a great player for a steal. Look at what happened with Antonio Brown in Tampa Bay, for example.

We've seen similar things in hockey as well - Tony DeAngelo being the most recent example.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Could someone please give me some bullet points for what Kane actually has done throughout his career that made people hate him so much? I wanna see if I missed something over the years. People often talk about him like the scum of the Earth, like you would about a hardened criminal.
Please don't list things that were never confirmed btw.

 

[ronduguayshair]

Fwiw, I'm not even joking when I say he and Geno would probably come to blows in practice. I think it's a very legitimate, genuine threat to happen. If not Geno, then someone else like Letang.

At the protection of favorite player Evander Kane should never play here.

 

[Darren McCord]

Look at what happened with Antonio Brown in Tampa Bay, for example.

the one who just got suspended for breaking Covid protocols?

 

[Pens x]

People are nuts if they are comparing Kessel and Kane for off the ice behavior issues. I know this board likes to trash guys once they leave, but this is bananas.

 

[Darren McCord]

And I don't argue with that necessarily. I have never downplayed his issues. I fully recognize that he's done stupid shit. He's serving his suspension, he's going to court, he's reporting and playing in the AHL...so there absolutely comes a point where I go "Hmmm...okay, I don't give a shit anymore. Can he help us win?" I don't have some arbitrarily defined list of atonements he has to make up to and including personally kissing my bare lonely ass before I deem him worthy of returning to the hockey rink.

If people here want to eat sour grapes whenever they think about him, there does come a point in time where that's their problem, not Kanes (and whichever team picks him up). If you guys want to sit by and be willing to actively NOT make the team better and cuddle up with your moral victories at night, that's on you. I'm here to advocate winning the cup and doing what needs to be done to put us in the best possible position to do that.

Lol ya that’s questioning bringing Kane in here is. The guy has a terrible history and has 13 points in 29 playoff games. His teams have won crap and none of his teammates like him. Morales aside pleases forgive me if I don’t have interest in him. I don’t think he will be much better than zucker here but I do think he could be worse.

just because people don’t want him doesn’t mean it’s just a morales thing.

he also only has 2g in his last 20 playoff games

 

[Empoleon8771]

the one who just got suspended for breaking Covid protocols?

Just click "watch on youtube"

 

[Darren McCord]

Apologies for the horrid starting music but the NFL one is blocked.

cool. Sure fun redemption for him I guess. he was targeted 12 times in 4 games that postseason. He won cause of Brady. They win without or without him.

if Kane is coming in as a passenger I don’t won’t him.

 

[Turin]

Guentzel-Crosby-Rust
Kane-Malkin-Kapanen
Heinen-Carter-Rodrigues
McGinn-Blueger-ZAR

iiissss a pretty decent balance in theory.

 

[Empoleon8771]

cool. Sure fun redemption for him I guess. he was targeted 12 times in 4 games that postseason. He won cause of Brady. They win without or without him.

if Kane is coming in as a passenger I don’t won’t him.

I don't give a shit what role Kane is playing in if he's playing for a championship team. Brown's a perfect example of a guy who had major character issues but was well behaved for long enough to be a part of a championship team.

 

[Darren McCord]

I don't give a shit what role Kane is playing in if he's playing for a championship team. Brown's a perfect example of a guy who had major character issues but was well behaved for long enough to be a part of a championship team.

You get Kane to be an impact players. Getting a guy who puts up 2g in 20 games does he his team nothing. Especially if he comes in at 3.5 for 3 more years

 

[ronduguayshair]

If you need to compare one sport to another sport to make your point then you’re really stretching.

upper echelon keyboard experting that I personally have no interest in legitimizing

 

[Empoleon8771]

You get Kane to be an impact players. Getting a guy who puts up 2g in 20 games does he his team nothing.

I mean if you want to make an apples to apples comparison, what Brown did for the Bucs is more like a 40 point 3rd liner in hockey. He was their #3 receiver after Evans and Godwin and had 6 touchdowns and about 600 yards in 11 games. That's not "2 goals in 20 games".

 

[Darren McCord]

I mean if you want to make an apples to apples comparison, what Brown did for the Bucs is more like a 40 point 3rd liner in hockey. He was their #3 receiver after Evans and Godwin and had 6 touchdowns and about 600 yards in 11 games. That's not "2 goals in 20 games".

lol go look at kanes playoff stats. I’m not comparing sports. Kane put up 2g in his last 20 playoff games. I’m not making it up it’s a fact.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I don't EVER recall Letang scrapping at practice and as far as I know, Geno's only scrap has been with Adams.

Letang has 15 full seasons in. Geno, the same. 30 combined seasons and 1 scrap...come on now. It's it possible, sure...but it's a "grasping" argument.

With that, how many fights has Kane been involved in with star players at practice?

ETA: Googled it and he scrapped with perennial Buffalo Sabres all-star Justin Falk. A scrub that makes Adams look decent. So there ya go, there's Buffalo's Malkin vs Adams.

42 total seasons between the three, 1 scrap for Kane, 1 for Malkin both with scrubs.

Again...a massive projection.

Kane scrapped with Falk - who called him exactly what his rep suggests - and nearly scrapped with the Sharks assistant coach.

Not only that, but the Pens have never had a Kane-esque attitude in the room.

 

[Empoleon8771]

lol go look at kanes playoff stats. I’m not comparing sports. Kane put up 2g in his last 20 playoff games. I’m not making it up it’s a fact.

Crosby has 3 goals in his last 14 playoff games, so therefore he sucks too and is a playoff liability.

Am I doing this right?

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

No one here knows that really. That's why I said "if". No one here watched practices on a regular basis in San Jose.
I can only guess how he'd do here given his game work ethic, how his career is in jeopardy, and who he'd be dealing with here in Pitt.

We have multiple reports:

"But the Sharks’ displeasure with Kane stemmed from a general disrespect for team rules, including routinely being late for games and practices, not adhering to the dress code and having poor practice habits."

Evander Kane's relationship with Sharks teammates and the organization may be irreparable

The whole article's worth a read. Some dandy quotes.

Then there's the suspensions for missing practices in Wpg.

And teammates chucking his clothes in the shower for simply not giving a f***.

So there's no shortage of evidence.