2012-2013 General NHL Hockey Thread

[Lestat]

Originally Posted by Aftermath

I cant believe the Stars got Jamie Benn for 5 yr / 26.25 m (5.25). Guy is so underrated. Id much rather have him than Lupul or Zajac.

all i know is this. once Benn signed for 5.25. Ryan O'Reilly has no business trying to demand anything over 3.75 mil.

[RedskinBronco]

Originally Posted by Ray Finkle

Pens fans are the NHL version of Skins fans...

haha, I will chime in here since I have had season tickets to both caps and skins.

Pens fans (the fake me out) transplants are absolutely the worst. They come into verizon center and have no respect and start kicking doors in, over flow toilets on purpose, etc.

I have been to multiple games in pittsburgh and fans there are good people for the most part and act like normal human beings. The posers that say they are from pittsburgh but live in DC because of jobs are the morons. **** YOU GO BACK TO PITTSBURGH THEN!

The thing is when skins fans needed their sports fix during ****ty years recently and jumped on the caps bandwagon, the pens fans learned the hard way. I saw many fights that ended in beatdowns of pens fans. They learned that skins fans will throw down, not like the more quiet hardcore caps fans.

If I had to rank them (visiting fans):

1) Buffalo (absolute worst). I spoke to a few canes fans who had a horrible experience with them in the 2006 Eastern Conf Final

2) Pittsburgh

3) Philly - Although they aren't as bad as they have been historically. I would say NYR is catching up here.

[SoCalBronco]

Beatdowns of Pens fans? lol. Perhaps it is built up frustration because the Caps playing the Pens in a Game 7 is like the Browns playing the Broncos in an AFCCG.

Good guys can punch their ticket to the next round before the game even starts!

[RedskinBronco]

Originally Posted by SoCalBronco

Beatdowns of Pens fans? lol. Perhaps it is built up frustration because the Caps playing the Pens in a Game 7 is like the Browns playing the Broncos in an AFCCG.

Good guys can punch their ticket to the next round before the game even starts!

You mad?

Every fight I ever saw was low lifes wearing black and yellow starting it. They got what they deserved.

Has nothing to do with the games. No reason to take low blows for the actual games. I kind of expected more from you than to support the ****sburgh trash.

and btw, for as much choking as the caps do, guess who has more series wins since your 2009 Cup that was won on the shoulders of Malkin (but hey crosby is the best even though the p***Y sat out almost all of game 7 in detroit) and the league script to get the golden boy a Cup

[SoCalBronco]

Originally Posted by RedskinBronco

You mad?

Every fight I ever saw was low lifes wearing black and yellow starting it. They got what they deserved.

Has nothing to do with the games. No reason to take low blows for the actual games. I kind of expected more from you than to support the ****sburgh trash.

and btw, for as much choking as the caps do, guess who has more series wins since your 2009 Cup that was won on the shoulders of Malkin (but hey crosby is the best even though the p***Y sat out almost all of game 7 in detroit) and the league script to get the golden boy a Cup

Actually, in 2009, Crosby contributed just as much if not more than Geno. He finished with like 31 points in that playoff season, about 5 short of Geno, although that was because he and Zetterberg erased each other schematically in the Final. The last few years have been tough and underachieving, esp this past year.

This year, there is still a winger problem, esp on Sid's line. Kunitz is really showing his age so far. I'm waiting for Bennett to be brought up. Geno is having some real anger issues so far and is real close to tuning Bylsma out. Martin has been much better than last year, but the d-corps are still kind of suspect. True solutions wont come until Morrow, Dumolin, Harrington etc. are ready. Despres has shown some flashes but has been scratched the last few games because he is turning it over too much. PIT will be back atop of the league with another title....but probably not in 2013.

And BTW since when did you become a big Caps fan? Dude, in earlier posts I thought you yourself called them chokers and said you were an Avs fan first?

Calm down bro (yes, you can lulz at me telling you to calm down )

[RedskinBronco]

Originally Posted by SoCalBronco

Actually, in 2009, Crosby contributed just as much if not more than Geno. He finished with like 31 points in that playoff season, about 5 short of Geno, although that was because he and Zetterberg erased each other schematically in the Final. The last few years have been tough and underachieving, esp this past year.

This year, there is still a winger problem, esp on Sid's line. Kunitz is really showing his age so far. I'm waiting for Bennett to be brought up. Geno is having some real anger issues so far and is real close to tuning Bylsma out. Martin has been much better than last year, but the d-corps are still kind of suspect. True solutions wont come until Morrow, Dumolin, Harrington etc. are ready. Despres has shown some flashes but has been scratched the last few games because he is turning it over too much. PIT will be back atop of the league with another title....but probably not in 2013.

And BTW since when did you become a big Caps fan? Dude, in earlier posts I thought you yourself called them chokers and said you were an Avs fan first?

Calm down bro (yes, you can lulz at me telling you to calm down )

No, no just because I know they are chokers doesn't mean I'm not a fan. Hockey is my #1 sport; I play it, I watch it like religion, etc.

I am a caps/avs fan and a peter forsberg fan; my favorite player of all time. I didn't like it when he went to Nashville or Philly but it is what it is.

As for the pens, Malkin is the key (in my eyes at least). I also do not trust crosby to stay healthy. It's not all his fault, but he is injury prone nonetheless. From what I see so far from them this year, the defense is suspect and so I think it will be tough for them to win a SC.

I expect more from the avs than I do the caps. I like Oates and his system but he's going to need more pieces. The caps played a good game today but they don't look like they have enough honestly. The avs look like a young team that can scare some teams in the playoffs and I do think they will get in this year. I'm always a big believer in Varlamov so I think they might cause some damage in the WC.

It's all good man, just thought you wouldn't defend your trash group of fans (every team has them).

edit: and you know I don't sugarcoat things even if I am a fan of X team. Remember our shanny debates

[Ray Finkle]

Originally Posted by RedskinBronco

haha, I will chime in here since I have had season tickets to both caps and skins.

Pens fans (the fake me out) transplants are absolutely the worst. They come into verizon center and have no respect and start kicking doors in, over flow toilets on purpose, etc.

I have been to multiple games in pittsburgh and fans there are good people for the most part and act like normal human beings. The posers that say they are from pittsburgh but live in DC because of jobs are the morons. **** YOU GO BACK TO PITTSBURGH THEN!

The thing is when skins fans needed their sports fix during ****ty years recently and jumped on the caps bandwagon, the pens fans learned the hard way. I saw many fights that ended in beatdowns of pens fans. They learned that skins fans will throw down, not like the more quiet hardcore caps fans.

If I had to rank them (visiting fans):

1) Buffalo (absolute worst). I spoke to a few canes fans who had a horrible experience with them in the 2006 Eastern Conf Final

2) Pittsburgh

3) Philly - Although they aren't as bad as they have been historically. I would say NYR is catching up here.

Caps fans used to be great.....in the 80's-90's you could sit next to a Caps fan at the old arena and have a good time. It all changed with Ovie. Very few "real" Caps fans from the day exist, it's all the Ovie aged fans that think since they have the goofy looking, 0 work ethic drunk on their team, they deserve a championship every year.

Other than going to the Rangers games with a bunch of buddies, I can't stand that place anymore.

[RedskinBronco]

Originally Posted by Ray Finkle

Caps fans used to be great.....in the 80's-90's you could sit next to a Caps fan at the old arena and have a good time. It all changed with Ovie. Very few "real" Caps fans from the day exist, it's all the Ovie aged fans that think since they have the goofy looking, 0 work ethic drunk on their team, they deserve a championship every year.

Other than going to the Rangers games with a bunch of buddies, I can't stand that place anymore.

I could definitely see that. Also keep in mind, a lot of the landover crowd never made the transition to chinatown. A lot of hardcore caps fans came from the landover community.

And you are spot on about the drunk, partying sense of entitlement that cost them a Cup from the 2009-2011 timeframe. I thought 2008 was probably their best chance if they got past the flyers in that tough 1st round series.

It seems like Chimera, Brouwer, Ribiero, etc. all have backing from oates or the organization to call out ovechkin as they did it after yesterday's game. Lots of quotes in the paper today about his play.

This can end one of 2 ways: 1) If they start winning, ovie will likely contribute and help propel the team or 2) if they can't string together wins, ovie will start pouting and ask out.

Just another saga in this franchise's long history with these things. Murphy, Stevens, Jagr, etc.

[Ray Finkle]

Originally Posted by RedskinBronco

I could definitely see that. Also keep in mind, a lot of the landover crowd never made the transition to chinatown. A lot of hardcore caps fans came from the landover community.

And you are spot on about the drunk, partying sense of entitlement that cost them a Cup from the 2009-2011 timeframe. I thought 2008 was probably their best chance if they got past the flyers in that tough 1st round series.

It seems like Chimera, Brouwer, Ribiero, etc. all have backing from oates or the organization to call out ovechkin as they did it after yesterday's game. Lots of quotes in the paper today about his play.

This can end one of 2 ways: 1) If they start winning, ovie will likely contribute and help propel the team or 2) if they can't string together wins, ovie will start pouting and ask out.

Just another saga in this franchise's long history with these things. Murphy, Stevens, Jagr, etc.

You make a lot of valid points....when they were in MD, it was real hockey, not it's an event.

Spend some time in Clarendon and you're bound to run into drunk Ovie (or Mike Green)....

[RedskinBronco]

Originally Posted by Ray Finkle

You make a lot of valid points....when they were in MD, it was real hockey, not it's an event.

Spend some time in Clarendon and you're bound to run into drunk Ovie (or Mike Green)....

Oh yeah . I see them out all the time. It's an organization issue, Leonsis "didn't care" what they did as long as they were winning. Now that people are jumping off the bandwagon (skins and nats look to be primed), he suddenly cares. It's a joke. They should have been reeling in these "young guns" when they were actually young, but like fools they let them do whatever they wanted.

Also, I won't name the pens player but I went to a party after they had won the Stanley Cup in summer 2009 and the pens player (drunk of his ass mind you, but still truth comes out) was ridiculing ovie and the caps. He said something along the lines of the caps had the series won, but the ****ing clowns decided to party it up during the series and lost. I just shook my head because between games 1 and 2 of that series I saw dynamic russian duo of semin and ovechkin out getting ****faced, breaking glasses etc.

btw, here are a couple of quotes from yesterday.

“When [Ovechkin] moves his feet, he’s the best player in the world. That’s what he can do,” teammate Jason Chimera said. “You could tell through two periods that even though he didn’t have anything he was playing good. You could tell he was on the forecheck, he was getting to guys, he was in the cycle. That’s what we need from him. When he does that, people follow. That’s the name of the game.”

Added center Mike Ribeiro, who had the secondary assist on Ovechkin’s goal: “He’s a big boy. He has all the skills in the world. And I think once he gets that we have to play all the same way and then gets into that I think he’s gonna be even more, like, bigger beast than he is right now. By doing the little things that system wise that everyone has to do as a team.”

[Ray Finkle]

Originally Posted by RedskinBronco

Oh yeah . I see them out all the time. It's an organization issue, Leonsis "didn't care" what they did as long as they were winning. Now that people are jumping off the bandwagon (skins and nats look to be primed), he suddenly cares. It's a joke. They should have been reeling in these "young guns" when they were actually young, but like fools they let them do whatever they wanted.

Also, I won't name the pens player but I went to a party after they had won the Stanley Cup in summer 2009 and the pens player (drunk of his ass mind you, but still truth comes out) was ridiculing ovie and the caps. He said something along the lines of the caps had the series won, but the ****ing clowns decided to party it up during the series and lost. I just shook my head because between games 1 and 2 of that series I saw dynamic russian duo of semin and ovechkin out getting ****faced, breaking glasses etc.

btw, here are a couple of quotes from yesterday.

“When [Ovechkin] moves his feet, he’s the best player in the world. That’s what he can do,” teammate Jason Chimera said. “You could tell through two periods that even though he didn’t have anything he was playing good. You could tell he was on the forecheck, he was getting to guys, he was in the cycle. That’s what we need from him. When he does that, people follow. That’s the name of the game.”

Added center Mike Ribeiro, who had the secondary assist on Ovechkin’s goal: “He’s a big boy. He has all the skills in the world. And I think once he gets that we have to play all the same way and then gets into that I think he’s gonna be even more, like, bigger beast than he is right now. By doing the little things that system wise that everyone has to do as a team.”

Green is actually one of the cooler Caps I've met out. Actually had a conversation over a beer and had some good insight....Ovie's just a booze hound looking for chics....

It's true about Ovie, for too long they gave him the keys to the kingdom with no restraints. As he's gotten older and is in less than ideal playing weight, his game has gone down.

[RedskinBronco]

Originally Posted by Ray Finkle

Green is actually one of the cooler Caps I've met out. Actually had a conversation over a beer and had some good insight....Ovie's just a booze hound looking for chics....

It's true about Ovie, for too long they gave him the keys to the kingdom with no restraints. As he's gotten older and is in less than ideal playing weight, his game has gone down.

Agree on Green. I have mutual friends, he's a very cool dude. He also has matured big time.

He doesn't get hammered like he did when he first got here. He realized it wasn't good for his career and he leaves early too.

Shame for Green is that injuries have really derailed his career. He was going to be a great one but you can tell he doesn't have the burst that he did when he was younger. Still a great player but he could have been special.

The coolest player I ever met was Brent Johnson. That guy is so down to earth it's unreal. He is genuinely interested; I was amazed he stood there talking to me for 20 min. Real cool guy, in my mind I was like "soooo, should I be the one that says I go to go lol" Awesome guy though, with a lot of insight and appreciative of hockey players/fans

[Ray Finkle]

Originally Posted by RedskinBronco

Agree on Green. I have mutual friends, he's a very cool dude. He also has matured big time.

He doesn't get hammered like he did when he first got here. He realized it wasn't good for his career and he leaves early too.

Shame for Green is that injuries have really derailed his career. He was going to be a great one but you can tell he doesn't have the burst that he did when he was younger. Still a great player but he could have been special.

The coolest player I ever met was Brent Johnson. That guy is so down to earth it's unreal. He is genuinely interested; I was amazed he stood there talking to me for 20 min. Real cool guy, in my mind I was like "soooo, should I be the one that says I go to go lol" Awesome guy though, with a lot of insight and appreciative of hockey players/fans

Knuble was another good guy....when we spoke he noticed I had a local lacrosse shirt on and then began to ask me about lacrosse questions (his kids play).

[Lestat]

i think the Caps will do well with Oates as coach. he can get the most out of his players and really helps enhance their scoring.
you can see the wonders he did for Stamkos when he was a young pup and helped guide him to reach his potential.

of course, they also need to decide who is their #1 goalie.
they have become as bad as the Flyers with going back and forth.
glad we got Varlamov from them when we did, still not happy about the price we paid but dude is worth it.

[gyldenlove]

Originally Posted by Lestat

all i know is this. once Benn signed for 5.25. Ryan O'Reilly has no business trying to demand anything over 3.75 mil.

I definitely agree. There is real disparity in the league when it comes to teams resigning their own players prior to free agency - some teams are doing a very good job of getting guys under reasonable contracts and others are so scared by the prospect of losing a guy to free agency that they overpay for guys who fit in that top 4-6 bracket.

Benn is a good deal at 5.25 and it is a contract that makes a lot of sense given his age and his playing style. Zajac is overvalued because he is a center on a team with no depth at that position. The Stars are in a good place with their current ownership situation, they have a ton of money coming off the books next season, Roy, Jagr, Ryder, Morrow and they have no young players who are in for huge raises the next 2 years unless something spectacular happens. With the impending drop in salary cap due next season that is a good place to be.

[Requiem]

Originally Posted by chadta

I never said they would win, so why would i bet that they will ?

you have, put up or shut up.

Why even watch the games if you don't have faith in your team to win it all? You that down on the group of losers you cheer for?

By the fact that you are here posting im going to guess the pengals won today

I post in the NHL thread whenever I feel like it. It has nothing to do with whether or not Penguins win. They won't win every game. What kind of Simpleton are you to even suggest that?

Like I said: $1,000 bucks your team doesn't win the Cup. I'll even put you on a payment plan. Are you too much of a chicken****?

[RedskinBronco]

Originally Posted by Lestat

i think the Caps will do well with Oates as coach. he can get the most out of his players and really helps enhance their scoring.
you can see the wonders he did for Stamkos when he was a young pup and helped guide him to reach his potential.

of course, they also need to decide who is their #1 goalie.
they have become as bad as the Flyers with going back and forth.
glad we got Varlamov from them when we did, still not happy about the price we paid but dude is worth it.

I like the Oates hiring and all my friends who follow the caps like the hire. You can tell his system is good and he has a great mind. I still think he needs more pieces (mainly a top 6 scoring winger and another top 4 d-man) but I can live with his system.

Boudreau was run and gun, oh ****! what do I do when I get stumped!! His lack of adjustments against Montreal in 2010 was so embarrassing.

Dale Hunter was good for the work ethic, competitive fire aspect of the game. They busted their asses for Dale.

if they can combine the run through a wall for Hunter with Oates' system, they will go places.

But I still think a couple of upgrades are needed. I love Joel Ward but expecting 30 goals from him is not something you want to do if you want to legitimately compete. It was kind of ironic yesterday on the Ottawa feed they were saying how Crosby needs help and the wingers he has (Dupuis, Kunitz) are not going to cut it. Funny, a few years ago everyone was saying how crosby was just that damn good...he could take scrubs and make them awesome 1st liners

[Lestat]

Originally Posted by gyldenlove

I definitely agree. There is real disparity in the league when it comes to teams resigning their own players prior to free agency - some teams are doing a very good job of getting guys under reasonable contracts and others are so scared by the prospect of losing a guy to free agency that they overpay for guys who fit in that top 4-6 bracket.

Benn is a good deal at 5.25 and it is a contract that makes a lot of sense given his age and his playing style. Zajac is overvalued because he is a center on a team with no depth at that position. The Stars are in a good place with their current ownership situation, they have a ton of money coming off the books next season, Roy, Jagr, Ryder, Morrow and they have no young players who are in for huge raises the next 2 years unless something spectacular happens. With the impending drop in salary cap due next season that is a good place to be.

i agree. some teams overpay and then screw up the market for others.
this is partly why O'Reilly's agent is trying to demand more than 3.5 per on a short deal and 5 or more on a long term one.
he's got stats that prove O'Reilly is one of the top players in the league based upon his overall defensive play, offensive production and face off ability.

i don't blame the Avs for taking a hard stance, he's got one good season to 2 other so-so ones. Duchene is making 3.5, Johnson 3.75. no way O'Reilly deserves more than either one.

[SoCalBronco]

Originally Posted by RedskinBronco

I like the Oates hiring and all my friends who follow the caps like the hire. You can tell his system is good and he has a great mind. I still think he needs more pieces (mainly a top 6 scoring winger and another top 4 d-man) but I can live with his system.

Boudreau was run and gun, oh ****! what do I do when I get stumped!! His lack of adjustments against Montreal in 2010 was so embarrassing.

Dale Hunter was good for the work ethic, competitive fire aspect of the game. They busted their asses for Dale.

if they can combine the run through a wall for Hunter with Oates' system, they will go places.

But I still think a couple of upgrades are needed. I love Joel Ward but expecting 30 goals from him is not something you want to do if you want to legitimately compete. It was kind of ironic yesterday on the Ottawa feed they were saying how Crosby needs help and the wingers he has (Dupuis, Kunitz) are not going to cut it. Funny, a few years ago everyone was saying how crosby was just that damn good...he could take scrubs and make them awesome 1st liners

That's the thing... a few years ago Kunitz was at least scoring on some of the chances Sid was feedinhim. Now he just looks old and awful. There were at least 3-4 beautiful chances flubbed in the game yesterday. Pens fans want him taken off the PP now too. Kunitz is done...bring up Bennett.

[RedskinBronco]

Originally Posted by SoCalBronco

That's the thing... a few years ago Kunitz was at least scoring on some of the chances Sid was feedinhim. Now he just looks old and awful. There were at least 3-4 beautiful chances flubbed in the game yesterday. Pens fans want him taken off the PP now too. Kunitz is done...bring up Bennett.

Yep, I saw that. Same issues in DC. Caps have no excuse for not having another scoring wing though, they have the cap space. I believe the pens are tapped our right?

People really underestimated what Clark, Knuble and Kozlov brought to the first line. I realize Knuble didn't have much left and it was time to replace him but Brouwer chemistry with ovechkin/backstrom just doesn't seem to be working and really I feel they should split up 19 and 8 which they have done.

[Lestat]

Originally Posted by RedskinBronco

I like the Oates hiring and all my friends who follow the caps like the hire. You can tell his system is good and he has a great mind. I still think he needs more pieces (mainly a top 6 scoring winger and another top 4 d-man) but I can live with his system.

Boudreau was run and gun, oh ****! what do I do when I get stumped!! His lack of adjustments against Montreal in 2010 was so embarrassing.

Dale Hunter was good for the work ethic, competitive fire aspect of the game. They busted their asses for Dale.

if they can combine the run through a wall for Hunter with Oates' system, they will go places.

But I still think a couple of upgrades are needed. I love Joel Ward but expecting 30 goals from him is not something you want to do if you want to legitimately compete. It was kind of ironic yesterday on the Ottawa feed they were saying how Crosby needs help and the wingers he has (Dupuis, Kunitz) are not going to cut it. Funny, a few years ago everyone was saying how crosby was just that damn good...he could take scrubs and make them awesome 1st liners

the Caps definitely need some upgrades on the wing. they rely so heavily on their minors that they rarely go out and dip into FA heavily.

[RedskinBronco]

Originally Posted by Lestat

the Caps definitely need some upgrades on the wing. they rely so heavily on their minors that they rarely go out and dip into FA heavily.

Yep, It's either Mcphee is conservative or Leonsis is cheap because it's all bargain basement type acquisitions (Wolski, etc.) or guys that fall right in their hands (Vokoun, Knuble).

It seems lately that it's Leonsis is the issue due to him being exposed that he didn't want to pay James Harden a 5 yr $80M extension after wizards/okc had a tentative deal in place. He also seems to have been the guy leading the crusade for shorter term and less salary during this NHL lockout so he is under immense scrutiny now.

They really do overvalue the draft picks here (e.g., Johansson, Schultz). IMO, they will forever regret not acquiring Pronger or not putting an honest deal for Chara. You put a top notch #1 on any of the 2008-2011 caps and you probably win a Cup.

The rose is off leonsis, he is being seen as a cheap bastard these days and you have to question a guy's commitment when he keeps a GM around for 15 years. Then again, he could be keeping him around because he does everything Ted wants. I hear many confirmations that Mcphee gets vetoed by Dick Patrick and Ted Leonsis which is now becoming more evident given the James Harden story.

[chadta]

Originally Posted by Requiem

Why even watch the games if you don't have faith in your team to win it all? You that down on the group of losers you cheer for?

What kind of retarded homer are you ? oh wait, part time pens fan I forgot, the rest of us can see years where teams have real shots, and teams that don't.

Originally Posted by Requiem

Like I said: $1,000 bucks your team doesn't win the Cup. I'll even put you on a payment plan. Are you too much of a chicken****?

So now you expect me to bet a grand on something I don't believe, when you didn't have the balls to bet 20 bucks on something you did believe, after shooting your mouth off about it. Then you call me a chicken ****. That ranks right up there with the old, I am rubber you are glue defense.

If you can find me one post where I said the cup is ours, or even hinted that i thought the team would realistically win the cup this year, unlike you I will back it up.

Happy hunting chicken ****

[Requiem]

Originally Posted by chadta

What kind of retarded homer are you ? oh wait, part time pens fan I forgot, the rest of us can see years where teams have real shots, and teams that don't.

Yes, part-time Pens fan.

So now you expect me to bet a grand on something I don't believe, when you didn't have the balls to bet 20 bucks on something you did believe, after shooting your mouth off about it.

You said bet anything. I made and offer. You cried in the sandbox and went home.

Then you call me a chicken ****. That ranks right up there with the old, I am rubber you are glue defense.

If the shoe fits, wear it.

If you can find me one post where I said the cup is ours, or even hinted that i thought the team would realistically win the cup this year, unlike you I will back it up.

I just seem to find a lot of posts with you following me around like a little toddler, despite the fact that you are a grown-up. How does it feel to relive sixth grade?

Happy hunting chicken ****

Just because a poster requested it:

[Lestat]

Originally Posted by RedskinBronco

Yep, It's either Mcphee is conservative or Leonsis is cheap because it's all bargain basement type acquisitions (Wolski, etc.) or guys that fall right in their hands (Vokoun, Knuble).

It seems lately that it's Leonsis is the issue due to him being exposed that he didn't want to pay James Harden a 5 yr $80M extension after wizards/okc had a tentative deal in place. He also seems to have been the guy leading the crusade for shorter term and less salary during this NHL lockout so he is under immense scrutiny now.

They really do overvalue the draft picks here (e.g., Johansson, Schultz). IMO, they will forever regret not acquiring Pronger or not putting an honest deal for Chara. You put a top notch #1 on any of the 2008-2011 caps and you probably win a Cup.

The rose is off leonsis, he is being seen as a cheap bastard these days and you have to question a guy's commitment when he keeps a GM around for 15 years. Then again, he could be keeping him around because he does everything Ted wants. I hear many confirmations that Mcphee gets vetoed by Dick Patrick and Ted Leonsis which is now becoming more evident given the James Harden story.

oh he's definitely cheap. he's more concerned with turning a big time profit than paying for a sure fire winner.
he's like Reinsdorf in that way. except Jerry will bend over backwards for the White Sox and go cheap with the Bulls(the Bulls are generally the 2nd or 3rd most profitable team in the NBA).