Like many have stated, I too am disappointed with the return the Pens received for Despres... regardless of management's admiration of Lovejoy.
However, I don't understand the continual displeasure for the entire organization, for JR, Mario, etc... due to one move.
Before DK's and Muir's reports of "off ice issues," we all noticed and even noted the signs. (...and I don't read "off ice issues" as behavioral or attitude problems.)
Despres' training camp fitness level saga from a few years ago... his lapses in reading plays and decision making... Despres' lack of acceleration (watch game after game of him being unable to separate from fore-checkers.)
All of these things line up with "sources" stating that he had "off ice" or training/fitness and film study issues.
Maybe Despres blossoms in SoCal, maybe not. However, it was clear that two different coaching staffs, and two GMs became exasperated by his lack of development in certain areas.
I don't like the quality of return, but I'm not going to pretend that Despres had hopes of rising above Letang, Maatta, or Pouliot, nor was he much more, if any more valuable, than Harrington or Dumoulin.
A future number four, in an organization where four through six futures are not so different... doesn't seem worth all the outrage.
Brian Burke helped get Deryk Engelland like 3 million per year. You don't think the Flames would have given up something serious for Despres?
Like many have stated, I too am disappointed with the return the Pens received for Despres... regardless of management's admiration of Lovejoy.
However, I don't understand the continual displeasure for the entire organization, for JR, Mario, etc... due to one move.
Before DK's and Muir's reports of "off ice issues," we all noticed and even noted the signs. (...and I don't read "off ice issues" as behavioral or attitude problems.)
Despres' training camp fitness level saga from a few years ago... his lapses in reading plays and decision making... Despres' lack of acceleration (watch game after game of him being unable to separate from fore-checkers.)
All of these things line up with "sources" stating that he had "off ice" or training/fitness and film study issues.
Maybe Despres blossoms in SoCal, maybe not. However, it was clear that two different coaching staffs, and two GMs became exasperated by his lack of development in certain areas.
I don't like the quality of return, but I'm not going to pretend that Despres had hopes of rising above Letang, Maatta, or Pouliot, nor was he much more, if any more valuable, than Harrington or Dumoulin.
A future number four, in an organization where four through six futures are not so different... doesn't seem worth all the outrage.
But why would we trade Despres to Calgary when we could get the great and experienced Ben Lovejoy? Lovejoy made Cam Fowler into what he is, didn't you know that?
And Rob ScuderiKills me how I keep hearing "TWO different staffs saw something in Despres they didn't like..."
I'm not the first one to come up with this one, but two different staffs see something in Craig Adams that 29 other teams don't see.
I read that, it was interesting, but I feel like he watched each of them once, against the Kings.
The Pens played the Kings on Oct 30th. Despres gotten a little better since then. I always didn't understand his comment about physicality. He "insults" Despres' physicality, but never explains what he means.
Even eliminating hits, I prefer Despres' ability to go in the corners and win a board battle kind of physicality over just about anyone else on the Pens roster.
I read that, it was interesting, but I feel like he watched each of them once, against the Kings.
The Pens played the Kings on Oct 30th. Despres gotten a little better since then. I always didn't understand his comment about physicality. He "insults" Despres' physicality, but never explains what he means.
Even eliminating hits, I prefer Despres' ability to go in the corners and win a board battle kind of physicality over just about anyone else on the Pens roster.
Future Watch 2015: the NHL’s top 10 falling prospects
7. Brian Dumoulin, D, Pittsburgh Penguins (-31)
Last year: 45th
This year: out
He’s big and well-rounded but doesn’t play to his size. His path to the pros depends a lot on what the Pens want to do with pending unrestricted free agents Paul Martin and Christian Ehrhoff this summer.
My interpretation was that he preferred (what he saw as) Lovejoy's tendency to rub out puck carriers to (what he saw as) Despres' tendency to lay bigger hits on guys after they made passes. Hence being somewhat dismissive of Despres' counted hits.
I would like to know more about these off-ice issues and this broken trust between the Pens and Simon Despres. I'm sure it will out come out at some point.
yea, I get where he's going with it, I just totally disagree with it, which I guess is why I said insult. I think Despres is really good in corner/board work.
It's amazing how suddenly these members who never really post come out of the woodwork to defend the Pens organization after a silly trade.
I wouldn't be surprised if Morehouse weasels his way into becoming a mod here and starts banning posters with anti-Pens FO thoughts.
I wouldn't be surprised if Morehouse weasels his way into becoming a mod here and starts banning posters with anti-Pens FO thoughts.
Despres had the flu, he wasn't out of shape in camp. That's been well known for awhile.
Clearly he was a bad apple trying to skate through his sickness.
So when the Pens PR dept says he had the flu at training camp , that we believe.
But when the Pens PR dept (thru DK) says it was off ice issues that is rubbish meant to slander a guy they traded.
So when the Pens PR dept says he had the flu at training camp , that we believe.
But when the Pens PR dept (thru DK) says it was off ice issues that is rubbish meant to slander a guy they traded.