Predators in WC 2015 in Prague.

[Drake744]

Welcome to being the media darling and the topic of discussion anytime the Preds are mentioned nationally. It happens to every single player with high expectations coming into the league, this is not new.

Are you talking about Weber or Rinne?

 

[Montross]

First, the fact that you call people "Jones Apologists" says alot.

But you are missing the point- I don't think anyone on here has a problem with a discussion of the merits of trading Jones- I certainly don't. It is a valid discussion.

But what many of us do have a problem with is the fact that people put him under the microscope and endlessly discuss every little mistake he makes. But when he plays well and does good things (which is the majority of the time) it is crickets, not just on this board but social media as well.

Perfect example was when he inadvertantly deflected the puck into the US net in the game vs Russia- twitter and message boards lit up after that happened but there was almost no discussion about the fact that he had another strong game.

He is being analyzed/critiqued as if he is a 27 year old veteran player and not a 2nd year 20 year old.

He may not be being called a bust, but he is being criticized way, way too much by his own fanbase, with almost no discussion of anything good.

I completely agree. Not just here, but I read in other places posters frothing at the mouth to send Jones packing. Were you Jones haters calling for Weber and Suter to be ran out of town when they were his age? I watched them play just as I have watched Jones and they certainly made as many growing-pain mistakes as Jones has. To see posts say that he is nothing but a turnover machine that can't get out of his own end honestly makes me wonder if these people have ever watched him actually play hockey. And hey don't get me wrong, I am frustrated at the mistakes, but I am also frustrated when Weber/Josi/Rinne make mistakes too. And you don't see this board erupt in pitchforks when they screw up.

He improved this season from last. I expect him to improve next season from this. When he is 23-24 years old, I think we will be watching an elite guy out there on D.

He was player of the game today by the way...not that it matters right?

 

[dougie1107]

I was not calling for Weber or Suter to be traded then. We also didn't have two Norris caliber defensemen locked up long term and another great #3 guy locked up another four years back then either.

 

[drwpreds]

Welcome to being the media darling and the topic of discussion anytime the Preds are mentioned nationally. It happens to every single player with high expectations coming into the league, this is not new.

I'm not talking about nationally- I am mostly talking about his own (Predators) fanbase. They are way more critical of him than the national media- in fact, he is pretty much widely praised by everyone outside of Nashville. When I said twitter lit up after the deflected goal, most of it was from Preds fans/media...

 

[Drake744]

In the eyes of outsiders, it's hard for Jones to do much wrong. For many Preds fans it's hard for him to do much right.

 

[dougie1107]

I'm not talking about nationally- I am mostly talking about his own (Predators) fanbase. They are way more critical of him than the national media- in fact, he is pretty much widely praised by everyone outside of Nashville. When I said twitter lit up after the deflected goal, most of it was from Preds fans/media...

The same national media that we dislike for not giving Weber a Norris or for not nominating Forsberg for the Calder because they don't watch the Preds enough?

You can't have it both ways.

 

[drwpreds]

The same national media that we dislike for not giving Weber a Norris or for not nominating Forsberg for the Calder because they don't watch the Preds enough?

You can't have it both ways.

I'm not sure what point you are trying to make- forget the media- I'm just saying outside of Nashville, almost everyone loves Jones' game. The only criticism he gets is from his own fanbase.

I guarantee you if Jones played somewhere else and we needed help on D, this place would be throwing a party if we traded for him...

 

[PredsV82]

I'm not sure what point you are trying to make- forget the media- I'm just saying outside of Nashville, almost everyone loves Jones' game. The only criticism he gets is from his own fanbase.

I guarantee you if Jones played somewhere else and we needed help on D, this place would be throwing a party if we traded for him...

yes, but thats the point.. we need help at Center, and we have an abundance, some would even say an embarrassment of riches at D.... which is the only situation in which that hypothetical other team would be trading Jones..

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

yes, but thats the point.. we need help at Center, and we have an abundance, some would even say an embarrassment of riches at D.... which is the only situation in which that hypothetical other team would be trading Jones..

A team that ices a 3rd pairing of Cody Franson and...well, anybody, on the 3rd pairing, certainly has an embarrassment of something...

I just don't see much in terms of realistic deals for legit #1 centers.

-RNH shouldn't get traded by Edmonton, and I doubt he will, they'd rather move Draisaitl
-Draisaitl is not a #1
-SJ fans may say he's available, but why would a rebuilding Sharks team go with a 35 year old Thornton and 31 year old Pavelski and trade a 26 year old Couture?
-Krejci is a playoff performer, but more a 1b/2a guy. I'm not happy with his upside if we're moving Jones.
-Duchene is doubtful, and while having the ceiling we'd want, is also inconsistent. O'Reilly is more a #2 and should be stayed away from at all costs due to contract hassles. Aside, do we REALLY want to give Colorado back the one piece they're really missing?
-Stepan? Might not be a true #1, but not likely available.
-Brassard? Not really a #1, and not worth Jones.

-Staal/Thornton-Soon-to-be UFAs, and could be had for cheaper than Jones (probably much less if their teams are looking to deal them)

Is there anybody else, that's acquirable, that is going to be an upgrade on Ribeiro?

 

[jwhouk]

Listening to the Rangers radio broadcast tonight, I heard their color guy (Dave Maloney) refer to us as a team "that didn't have money, then had a little money". No words about players or talent, just money. It was essentially in the context of, "it wasn't Trotz's fault that he couldn't get them to the conference finals" (my words, not his).

 

[Armourboy]

Listening to the Rangers radio broadcast tonight, I heard their color guy (Dave Maloney) refer to us as a team "that didn't have money, then had a little money". No words about players or talent, just money. It was essentially in the context of, "it wasn't Trotz's fault that he couldn't get them to the conference finals" (my words, not his).

Just shows you how little they pay attention to things and what they really know.

Its the reason I made the statement about Jones. He is always brought up as well as Rinne and Weber. They all think he is amazing because they don't watch him play every night, at the same time we are overly critical because we do watch him every game and see him play every night. Nationally he is a big name, and I know with me that gets under my skin because he doesn't deserve it, yet.

Here is your problem, Jones already is too good to be playing 3rd pair minutes, and with the way the defensive core is built he may be there for a while. Your most valuable asset outside of names you probably won't trade is stuck in an underused position. I have no doubt Jones is going to be good, but if you can move him for an asset you need right now that will make the team better overall you do it.

I don't know if there is a guy who you can get or not. Teams can say one thing, but until you throw that package down you don't really know.

 

[PredsV82]

A team that ices a 3rd pairing of Cody Franson and...well, anybody, on the 3rd pairing, certainly has an embarrassment of something...

I just don't see much in terms of realistic deals for legit #1 centers.

-RNH shouldn't get traded by Edmonton, and I doubt he will, they'd rather move Draisaitl
-Draisaitl is not a #1
-SJ fans may say he's available, but why would a rebuilding Sharks team go with a 35 year old Thornton and 31 year old Pavelski and trade a 26 year old Couture?
-Krejci is a playoff performer, but more a 1b/2a guy. I'm not happy with his upside if we're moving Jones.
-Duchene is doubtful, and while having the ceiling we'd want, is also inconsistent. O'Reilly is more a #2 and should be stayed away from at all costs due to contract hassles. Aside, do we REALLY want to give Colorado back the one piece they're really missing?
-Stepan? Might not be a true #1, but not likely available.
-Brassard? Not really a #1, and not worth Jones.

-Staal/Thornton-Soon-to-be UFAs, and could be had for cheaper than Jones (probably much less if their teams are looking to deal them)

Is there anybody else, that's acquirable, that is going to be an upgrade on Ribeiro?

Im sure edmonton would rather move Draisatl, but, he's not going to fetch a talent like Jones in return, either.

I am sure as soon as Edmonton won the lottery, RNH realized he is now destined to be a 2C for the rest of his career if he stays in Edmonton. Maybe he hangs around a few years since he's already signed a big deal, but you know he's gonna want to be on a team where he is a 1C when his current deal expires.

problem of course is Edmonton would probably want to keep RNH until they are sure that McDavid is the real deal

 

[Drake744]

Am I the only one who thinks it's potentially smart to just stand pat with Jones for another year or so, see how our team and the league shakes out, let him mature more and go from there? What's his stock gonna do, drop? Or are we still trying to squeeze a 1C into our lineup at all costs before Rinne gets "too old"? In a year we might be in a position to keep him at all costs, or just be that much more certain that he's our best trading option. IMO there should be no rush to move him or anyone right now.

 

[JJTT]

Saros starting for Finland vs Slovakia today.

Pekka had fever yesterday and he is out for the game.

 

[glenngineer]

Jones is 20, Weber is 30. Weber has some more years of elite play in him, Jones has elite play in front of him. You trade Jones, you may land the number 1 center you so covet. I hope he's young because if he's not, he'll be on the decline around the same time Weber will be and all of a sudden you've gotten old at two important positions with no replacements in sight, unless we draft them later on down the line. You trade Weber, land a young number 1 center, you have a core to build around for the next 10 years and while we may struggle for one year, the 9 years after that we will be a very strong team. If we trade Jones we will regret it for many many years.

This one goes out to one of my good friends. Pronger was traded early on in his career and do you think that Hartford regretted that move for years? While Brendan Shanahan was a great player, he was there for one year and then traded for a good package of players but nothing that was worthy of him or Pronger.

If we can land a number 1 center that's young, I think we make the move. If not, you stand pat with what we have and hope a kid like Kamenev can develop into something and we can land one via another trade or through free agency. Unfortunately guys like that don't grow on trees so we either trade or we hope the young forwards we have can make up for the lack of a true number 1 center.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

Im sure edmonton would rather move Draisatl, but, he's not going to fetch a talent like Jones in return, either.

I am sure as soon as Edmonton won the lottery, RNH realized he is now destined to be a 2C for the rest of his career if he stays in Edmonton. Maybe he hangs around a few years since he's already signed a big deal, but you know he's gonna want to be on a team where he is a 1C when his current deal expires.

problem of course is Edmonton would probably want to keep RNH until they are sure that McDavid is the real deal

Malkin has never had any issue being a 2C, and is certainly compensated well for it. I'm not so certain that RNH will necessarily want to leave, especially if Edmonton starts to get competitive.

 

[Byrddog]

Honestly I don't care to help Edmonton even though I pulled for tem years ago they are there own worst enemy.

The question is where do the Preds go moving forward. Right now we have two #1 defensemen and one potential #1. A team can not maintain 3 defensemen like that it will come down to money or ego. If Weber is her July 2nd he will never be moved just too much money invested with this last bonus paid. If he is traded hen you have a top pairing of Jones and Josi two puck moving guys who do not seem to fit together, so you would need o pick up a top pair guy to compliment Josi. You move Jones you gain pieces to move the team forward and have time to draft and develop Webers replacement. You move Josi you have no one to put with Weber to carry the puck since Jones looks lost on that side. You stand pat until Jones is a UFA and he pulls a Suter. Jones and most everyone feels he will be a top pair guy and he will no wait for Weber to fall or retire to do so. We all know these are the options, and there are arguments that can be made any way they decide to go.

For me as much as I would like to get the O fixed now I think they should wait another year for Jones to develop then trade him. Webers the most logical one to trade before July 1 max value is now for him after 1 July hes here for the duration. There no reaon to even consider moving Josi, great contract and a great player.

 

[Huokaus]

Saros following Rinne's path and got a shutout too

 

[Predsfan78]

Rinne was sick today so Saros was in net vs Slovakia and got a shootout as well. Finland has the longest shootout streak in the modern history of the World Championships.

Go Preds!

 

[PredsV82]

Jones is 20, Weber is 30. Weber has some more years of elite play in him, Jones has elite play in front of him. You trade Jones, you may land the number 1 center you so covet. I hope he's young because if he's not, he'll be on the decline around the same time Weber will be and all of a sudden you've gotten old at two important positions with no replacements in sight, unless we draft them later on down the line. You trade Weber, land a young number 1 center, you have a core to build around for the next 10 years and while we may struggle for one year, the 9 years after that we will be a very strong team. If we trade Jones we will regret it for many many years.

This one goes out to one of my good friends. Pronger was traded early on in his career and do you think that Hartford regretted that move for years? While Brendan Shanahan was a great player, he was there for one year and then traded for a good package of players but nothing that was worthy of him or Pronger.

If we can land a number 1 center that's young, I think we make the move. If not, you stand pat with what we have and hope a kid like Kamenev can develop into something and we can land one via another trade or through free agency. Unfortunately guys like that don't grow on trees so we either trade or we hope the young forwards we have can make up for the lack of a true number 1 center.

cool, this is exactly what Ive been saying. Jones for RNH = yes. Jones for Cotoure = yes. Jones for Thornton = no.

 

[glenngineer]

cool, this is exactly what Ive been saying. Jones for RNH = yes. Jones for Cotoure = yes. Jones for Thornton = no.

Those deals never happen though. RNH>Jones. Couture is the only solid young piece SJ has at this time.

Two years ago before Stastny left Colorado I would've done Weber for Duchene straight up. It would've solved both teams needs.

What has to happen is we get lucky and draft a number 1 center that comes out of nowhere. That's the best possible solution. Poile, make it happen.

 

[Sigismund]

Don't know how most of this talk is related to Preds in WC, but oh well - Saros played a good game against Slovakia, and keeping in mind how he's played the last year or two: you've got yourselves a Rinne 2.0 (smaller version though). He seems to be one of those natural "keep calm" guys.

 

[Gh24]

He seems to be one of those natural "keep calm" guys.

Shaking off that sloppy start so quickly definitely sspeaks for that

 

[Adz]

So, sad that Peks has had 2 scored on him, but the second one was assisted by my former fave Sergei Kostitsyn. Looks like it's going to OT, which is better for the USA.

 

[Drake744]

So, sad that Peks has had 2 scored on him, but the second one was assisted by my former fave Sergei Kostitsyn. Looks like it's going to OT, which is better for the USA.

....just kidding.