Salary Cap: Salary Cap+Roster Building: 'twas a great run....

[KIRK]

A Malkin trade would have massive and terrible ramifications for this franchise.

It would be terrible for fan moral. I imagine ticket sales would tank. This isn’t a Jagr like situation where the star doesn’t want to be here and the team can’t afford him anyways.

We’d never get to hear him say anything, but I can’t imagine a quicker way to piss off Crosby. Who is to say he won’t want out if that trade happens.

Nah, I think the story will be 'it's not us, Malkin is asking for the trade' sprinkled with more of the 'uncoachable' crap.

That said, I can't imagine Sid will be on board with where this goes . . .

 

[KIRK]

Malkin is 189th in the league at 5 on 5 goal scoring with 12 goals. That’s a bad investment at 9.5 million.


This is my opinion. It should be ok to have an opinion that’s different than the majority.

It's okay to have the opinion that he wasn't worth it last year.

It's dumb to have the opinion that he hasn't been worth it since signing his extension.

Fair?

It's also okay if you were to acknowledge the complications involved with trading Malkin, but it would be quite shocking.

 

[KIRK]

What if he said, “well it’s me or Sullivan,” ...that’s not exactly asking for a trade...but I hope then the organization is stupid enough to choose the dime a dozen coach and never see the SCF again...I’ll be so pissed if they choose Sully

I don't see him doing that.

I think he'd just ask out.

 

[Turin]

I worked in a care home about 3 years ago. I asked a resident who had a pretty wild life from Jamaica, “hey did you ever see Bob Marley?” His reply was “when, today???”

So I could see that Rutherford might have no sense of time, and that he might really believe it’s something like 2006 or 2003 now. “Hey Jimmy, you ever think of trading Geno?” “Today???”

He might have been confused.

 

[Slaaapshuter]

I'll tell you what. Until today, I thought it was just some push back from Sully.

Now, with this from JR, I think Malkin's comments at the end of the season about the team's construction, system, and arrogance hit home hard and likely invited for JR and Sully some unwanted scrutiny from above. So, you get the 'uncoachable' pushback through the usual media stooges. This pretty much is how that game works, dating back to Shero/Bylsma.

Could very well be the case. They both need to be in the hot seat.

 

[Extra Texture]

Either way if he causes Malkin to get mad and demand a trade, which apparently Mario is dead set on avoiding, he's still getting fired

If ownership and GM are not on the same page about how to move forward with this core of players, then (prior to any Malkin talk) he abssolutely should be given his pink slip as soon as possible.

I really dont think this is JR angling to trade Malkin, but if he is even entertaining the idea (and potentially doing damage with his mouth) and ownership is dead set against it, make a move now and get someone in who has a plan to modify THIS roster without seismic change.

Change is needed, and it may be radical. But starting with 71 is the wrong point. Its a bit like JR inherited a once grand house that had fallen into disrepair. He spruced it up and beautified it back to its former glory. Everyone on the block went "ooohh" and "ahhhh" and couldnt stop talking about it. But over a few years he started putting in ugly fixtures, bad wallpaper, tacky design choices, and people stopped marveling at it. And now, instead of fixing those things and getting back to what works, the answer is demolishing the house (trading Geno) and starting all over again?

 

[Turin]

Sid is too close to Mario and Geno for this to happen without Malkin’s personal life or physical status being in complete disrepair. I’m not worried about it, but I am worried about loudmouth here causing unnecessary consternation amongst his players.

 

[K Fleur]

I mean we are talking about the 3rd most important player in the history of this franchise being traded by a dude who thinks JJ is a good player that was never given a chance...

And Malkin is “only” the third most important player because the first might as well be a Pittsburgh deity and the 2nd is one of the ten best players ever.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I loved this reply to the article getting tweeted out

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Letang's name has been out there for a year and a half, and you know it.

The interesting thing now is this Malkin criticizing and the 'uncoachable' pushback angle. As noted, I assumed it was from Sullivan's camp and only to worry IF JR doesn't push back AND it's repeated elsewhere.

Well, today, JR did NOT push back, and it's getting repeated elsewhere.

So, unless he's senile-- and admittedly there's plenty of evidence for that over the last 2 years-- something is really, really off here.

What I know doesn’t help me understand what JR wants though that would make him pull the trigger... and that’s the only real question that matters, and none of us know that.

It’s all a big puzzle and I only have a few pieces put together for me.

Ie like me knowing Kessel has been shopped a couple years in a row, he isn’t fond of Sullivan and vice versa, the brass is annoyed with Letang, etc, doesn’t tell me what JR wants back for them, if he’s willing to take less now that they had a real shit show in the playoffs, etc.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I absolutely love Sullivan, but I wouldn’t hesistate for a second to fire him and keep Geno if Malkin asked.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Letang's name has been out there for a year and a half, and you know it.

The interesting thing now is this Malkin criticizing and the 'uncoachable' pushback angle. As noted, I assumed it was from Sullivan's camp and only to worry IF JR doesn't push back AND it's repeated elsewhere.

Well, today, JR did NOT push back, and it's getting repeated elsewhere.

So, unless he's senile-- and admittedly there's plenty of evidence for that over the last 2 years-- something is really, really off here.

If Sullivan chases both Kessel AND Malkin out of town, will the Sullivan defenders finally admit maybe he's not blameless?

 

[KIRK]

What I know doesn’t help me understand what JR wants though that would make him pull the trigger... and that’s the only real question that matters, and none of us know that.

It’s all a big puzzle and I only have a few pieces put together for me.

Ie like me knowing Kessel has been shopped a couple years in a row, he isn’t fond of Sullivan and vice versa, the brass is annoyed with Letang, etc, doesn’t tell me what JR wants back for them, if he’s willing to take less now that they had a real **** show in the playoffs, etc.

Yes, but with Phil and Letang, he can have discussions with some teams before talking to the players.

How do you do that with Malkin, who has a full NTC? I mean, if I were another GM, I'd be like 'well, call me when you can tell me Malkin might be willing to come here'.

Listen, I get what you're saying, but this Malkin stuff is weird, and when I'm suggesting what it COULD be, that's all it is, a possibility. But even a possibility is a big departure from anything we've seen where this organization is concerned with Malkin, no?

 

[KIRK]

If Sullivan chases both Kessel AND Malkin out of town, will the Sullivan defenders finally admit maybe he's not blameless?

No. That's why the 'uncoachable' Malkin stuff has started.

 

[KIRK]

Sid is too close to Mario and Geno for this to happen without Malkin’s personal life or physical status being in complete disrepair. I’m not worried about it, but I am worried about loudmouth here causing unnecessary consternation amongst his players.

Which one, JR or Sullivan?

 

[BrookswasHere44]

TL/DR all of it but I read enough posts in this thread to say it's officially on ownership to put an end to this crap right now.

Very soon they will be as guilty as JR for just letting him potentially sour this relationship

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

No. That's why the 'uncoachable' Malkin stuff has started.

You'd have to be pretty stupid to believe that stuff. The dude's 32 years old (going to be 33 this summer) and has 3 Stanley Cups, multiple individual awards, and only *now* is any talk of him being uncoachable coming up?

 

[Turin]

I like Sullivan, but anybody with a hand in a Geno deal needs to be fired barring a ridiculous return. I don’t think it’s really on the table though. Unless guys like McDavid, Barzal, Matthews start getting thrown around for equally stupid reasons.

 

[KIRK]

You'd have to be pretty stupid to believe that stuff. The dude's 32 years old (going to be 33 this summer) and has 3 Stanley Cups, multiple individual awards, and only *now* is any talk of him being uncoachable coming up?

Funny how that works, no?

 

[KIRK]

I like Sullivan, but anybody with a hand in a Geno deal needs to be fired barring a ridiculous return.

Which you will never get because Geno's NMC makes it impossible.

That's why I keep saying I don't think they've fully thought things through.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Just catching up to this, now.

Man and I thought JR's comments on the defense were loony.

 

[KIRK]

TL/DR all of it but I read enough posts in this thread to say it's officially on ownership to put an end to this crap right now.

Very soon they will be as guilty as JR for just letting him potentially sour this relationship

That's why today's lunacy from JR was so scary. Until today, I assumed it was pushback from camp Sullivan to deflect questions about his coaching. BUT, the second JR when prompted did NOT push back . . .

 

[EliteGoaltending]

Which you will never get because Geno's NMC makes it impossible.

That's why I keep saying I don't think they've fully thought things through.

Remember that talk how they wanted return Hagelin, but couldn't because of salary retention?
Sure makes you think, that they don't fully think through a lot of things.

It would be funny if it weren't so sad. I'd miss you Jason Boterill and the perfect storm on things that went on in 2016.

 

[KIRK]

Remember that talk how they wanted return Hagelin, but couldn't because of salary retention?
Sure makes you think, that they don't fully think through a lot of things.

It would be funny if it weren't so sad. I'd miss you Jason Boterill and the perfect storm on things that went on in 2016.

I'm not sure how proactively great Bottlerocket was, but it's pretty clear he was the 'don't do stupid crap JR' whisperer.

EDIT: Also pretty clear Tocchet played the same role for Sullivan.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Yes, but with Phil and Letang, he can have discussions with some teams before talking to the players.

How do you do that with Malkin, who has a full NTC? I mean, if I were another GM, I'd be like 'well, call me when you can tell me Malkin might be willing to come here'.

Listen, I get what you're saying, but this Malkin stuff is weird, and when I'm suggesting what it COULD be, that's all it is, a possibility. But even a possibility is a big departure from anything we've seen where this organization is concerned with Malkin, no?

Well we both know the media is a sounding board for the org to test the waters and sometimes send players a message, like they did with Letang in Nov-Dec of ‘17, or last season right before Hags was dealt.

Maybe this is one of those cases, but he has a full NMC and we shall see how this story is countered.