I was a huge Talbot fan in junior, was thrilled when we drafted him, and I got a ton of weird looks for saying this guy was going to be something in the NHL. One of the few times I was right back then
Max will always be a favorite of mine, and I'm so happy that the Penguins handled him absolutely correctly - backing off when Philly offered him absurd term right after he took a step back (when you play the way Max did, burning out quickly was inevitable...tough miles) and never bringing him back to be paraded as a hero's return when he was clearly a shell of his former self.
I'll never fault a fourth liner for taking a five year contract paying a (then) high amount for such a role, regardless of who it is with.