PerreaultForever

You're not getting that at the deadline. Not a chance.

I do not expect our opening night roster to simply be minus them. There should be additions as well. We might not have a direct comparison #1 center but we might have a solid balanced line up and centers 2, 3 and 4 might be pretty good. There's plenty of decent talent available that can tie us over until Cozens and Dach/Zegras/Rossi/whoever are ready to step up fully. Take a look. https://www.spotrac.com/nhl/free-agents/ Now of course if we don't sign any decent FAs you might have a point. That would indeed be foolish. We're suffering now. So staying the course in any fashion is not a good idea.

Since you asked. In order to end the rumours I want people to know I'm currently suffering through a disc injury in my back that dates back to before the season started. It's a complicated injury and there are different ideas on what the best treatment path is. We're currently working with the team on which pathway we should take. Initially we thought I could manage it for the season but in the end this probably wasn't the best idea. I'm confident I will be back next year and fully recovered. To the team, I think we all saw positive signs at the end of the year and I think we should all be encouraged with the direction we're going. I need to be better and I will be in order to help these guys grow and become great as a team. It's hard to be optimistic at times, but I truly believe we've finally turned a corner and to the fans I can only say keep the faith. Some BS like that. As a captain, something that speaks to the TEAM first. and that's all.

Sabotage is maybe too extreme. Possible, but extreme. More likely you end up with a team "led" by a guy who doesn't have his heart in it. You want that? I don't. I don't see how you change the culture for the benefit of the youth on the team if the top of the team isn't all in and giving their maximum every night. And if the NMC kicks in we're totally screwed. Taylor Hall signed a contract with us too. (and yes, F Taylor Hall I know, but I think you get the point). (Right now my favourite deal for Eichel is with Minnesota. Eichel for Foligno, Dumba, Rossi and a 1st. (We sign the other Foligno as a FA and the boys teach this team what it means to be a team and then we watch the kids like Cozens and Power etc. ascend to true greatness and Buffalo will no longer be a place teams come for easy points. )

We will win more games without him than we did with him and more importantly perhaps, the hockey will be more fun to watch and there will be optimism. That is what I believe.

Sure. Maybe. Why not. I don't care. His words and attitude in that "disconnect" press conference told me he doesn't want to be here and also he shouldn't be here. I'm going to tell you flat out, disagree if you want to, but if Eichel is NOT traded, this team is doomed.

but you enjoy the pyrotechnics, just like everybody else.

It was questioned this year, and then everyone brushed that aside with the injury narrative . as in he must have been injured before the season started. So, I will just ask you this, do you honestly in your heart and or mind think Eichel still wants to be in Buffalo next season?

So if he's the VICE president of "hockey strategy and research" who is the president of hockey strategy and research cause Karmanos was associate general manager was he not?

Oh come on, you do to. Same for gun ranges and target practice and fires and any other explosive thing. People love to see stuff blow up and love shiny bright explosions. idk if it's human nature, but it's pretty common and there's nothing wrong with it if done responsibly.

Of course not. That's why it's tragic.

That's tragic but fireworks and hot tubs................have to think a considerable amount of alcohol might be involved in this as well. At least for someone involved.

Hockey tickets are a luxury item. Unless you're rich, you only buy them after you've paid for your food, rent, etc. So yes, extra pennies. Save them in a jar if you want to lol. Regarding the other point, if the player shows the hard work then they don't get called lazy so I'm not sure what the point you're making is. That's what they owe the fans, their best effort, and if they are leaders they give even more to the community and whatnot but generally yes, their best effort. I'm far from convinced the core of this team does consistently give us that.

Yup. and why I have in the past suggested we hire them. 🙂

Guess he'd rather work with Karmanos than Burke. Okay, lets see if all in on analytics yields us better draft results than the last decade has (with whatever methods they have been using over that time). I don't really pay attention to them, but do the Pens have a stocked cupboard of young promising prospects?

Some would think this way (you obviously) and others (me) think that when you put on a jersey you should feel pride and feel you owe it to those people that save their extra pennies to attend games or use hockey as a happy escape from life issues or all the other reasons we watch sports and attend games and invest our time in this stuff, and I might add that's exactly what Granato was talking about (just saying) but yes, before I ramble too much, these rich bastards owe the fans for their privileged lives. If they don't feel that F them and show them the door. We, the fans, owe Jack nothing. He's a ***** if he thinks otherwise. Sorry if that comes off bitchy, but the idea that fans owe athletes annoys me. and you believe what GMs say?

Everybody has a price.

and I disagree with that. It SHOULD be a team game but it often isn't. What did Eichel say? Time to think about Jack Eichel. When's the last time he said he owed anything to Buffalo or the fans? imo Jack has always been about Jack. As for Skinner, I just don't think he cares one way or the other. He wanted to be near his family, not be in Buffalo cause he loves Buffalo. He's an uncoachable player imo. Just does what he wants to do. So you can drop him down the line up when he doesn't listen like Kreuger did or you can bump him back up and cater to his play as maybe Granato tried but I think he dropped him down again later as well. That uncoachable attitude is NOT a good influence on the kids. "puck luck" lol. Two years of excuses.

Wow. Didn't know that was a rule. Guess they will then. Take Kyle take Kyle..............

I'm not sure why you say that. If I'm the Kraken I'm taking the youngest players I can get my hands on in the expansion draft (assuming they are decent or have upside) and then using free agency to get up to my minimum cap numbers. I'd also take an extra goalie and trade one later to some team (like us possibly) that gets desperate for a goalie before the season. Valuable commodity. I see no reason why they have to grab any high priced veterans.

I don't think his heart's in it either. I personally think he asked to be traded LAST summer and agreed to be quiet about it but he asked. They didn't find a deal they liked and he was here and not into it. I don't believe it's actually all injury what we saw this season (but that is just speculative). In any event, if his heart isn't in it, as captain, he becomes toxic if you're trying to bring in a new attitude with a new core. I really don't know how they're going to get around Skinner's presence either but that remains to be seen what happens there.

Not if he quits on the team and just shows up to fulfill his contract but doesn't care, doesn't try, etc. and don't tell me he's a professional and wouldn't do that, because I think he could. You want to risk that?

I just want this over with.

Playoff games this year that I saw he was one of their best players. It's a good deal.