These Are The Days
Oh no! We suck again!!
It's October 2020. The Lightning won the Stanley Cup and we're about 2 weeks out. Julien Brisebois (JBB) has to sign: Erik Cernak, Mikhail Sergachev and Anthony Cirelli.
JBB basically has nothing for cap space. JBB responds by waiving Tyler Johnson hoping somebody bites.
No one does
Tyler Johnson clears waivers, Lightning still need salary cap relief
He waits out the market and nothing happens. Still have to sign the RFA's
JBB Signs Sergachev November 25th 2020. He has to right?
Kucherov reports hip discomfort December 3rd. Team responds with cortisone shots and palliative treatment. It is a well known fact this hip injury is a direct result of a groin injury sustained in game 1 5 OT marathon vs the CBJ in the playoffs. The Lightning are certainly aware of the recovery time necessary if you pursue hip surgery. Hint: it would be a very long time... about 5 or 6 months.
Still up in the air certainly. JBB does not make moves when he is not certain. He has to be careful right? You're not only in cap hell but your best player is not responding to treatment. He probably needs hip surgery.
I mean.... best wait and get a timetable right?
NHL, NHLPA announce plans for 2020-21 season, playoffs
NHL announces season schedule December 20th. Now stop there. JBB still has to Cirelli and Cernak to sign.
You're the GM of the Lightning. Your options are
1. Make Kucherov play on a bad hip --> You therefore gotta blow it up and deal from a bad position
2. Kucherov has surgery --> You blow it up anyway and deal from a bad position
3. Kucherov has surgery --> Re-sign RFA's and let the rest go from there
By December 22nd they go with option 3 and Kucherov has surgery on December 30th with the official announcement being made on the 23rd. They do it after Christmas **shocker**
Lightning's Nikita Kucherov needs hip surgery, out for regular season
Lightning optimistic following Kucherov’s hip surgery
The RFA's re-sign
So I ask you. How does a GM go about options 1 or 2. What do they say to the fans? "We are worried about fair play?" So they deal from a bad position while their star player recovers? Or they make their star player play on a bad hip and risk making it worse AND deal from a bad position?
YOU tell ME what the right thing to do is. If it's cap circumvention show me your homework. The injury was reported almost 3 weeks ahead of any kind of announced schedule. Show me the corrupted master plan and what should've been done differently
JBB basically has nothing for cap space. JBB responds by waiving Tyler Johnson hoping somebody bites.
No one does
Tyler Johnson clears waivers, Lightning still need salary cap relief
He waits out the market and nothing happens. Still have to sign the RFA's
JBB Signs Sergachev November 25th 2020. He has to right?
Kucherov reports hip discomfort December 3rd. Team responds with cortisone shots and palliative treatment. It is a well known fact this hip injury is a direct result of a groin injury sustained in game 1 5 OT marathon vs the CBJ in the playoffs. The Lightning are certainly aware of the recovery time necessary if you pursue hip surgery. Hint: it would be a very long time... about 5 or 6 months.
Still up in the air certainly. JBB does not make moves when he is not certain. He has to be careful right? You're not only in cap hell but your best player is not responding to treatment. He probably needs hip surgery.
I mean.... best wait and get a timetable right?
NHL, NHLPA announce plans for 2020-21 season, playoffs
NHL announces season schedule December 20th. Now stop there. JBB still has to Cirelli and Cernak to sign.
You're the GM of the Lightning. Your options are
1. Make Kucherov play on a bad hip --> You therefore gotta blow it up and deal from a bad position
2. Kucherov has surgery --> You blow it up anyway and deal from a bad position
3. Kucherov has surgery --> Re-sign RFA's and let the rest go from there
By December 22nd they go with option 3 and Kucherov has surgery on December 30th with the official announcement being made on the 23rd. They do it after Christmas **shocker**
Lightning's Nikita Kucherov needs hip surgery, out for regular season
Lightning optimistic following Kucherov’s hip surgery
The RFA's re-sign
So I ask you. How does a GM go about options 1 or 2. What do they say to the fans? "We are worried about fair play?" So they deal from a bad position while their star player recovers? Or they make their star player play on a bad hip and risk making it worse AND deal from a bad position?
YOU tell ME what the right thing to do is. If it's cap circumvention show me your homework. The injury was reported almost 3 weeks ahead of any kind of announced schedule. Show me the corrupted master plan and what should've been done differently
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