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NHL Season 2019-20

#1,361
Aha! Rutherford did admit he screwed up on Johnson, indirectly:
"Here's my summary of the situation," Rutherford told The Athletic in August. "Maybe Jack Johnson isn't as good as I think he is. Maybe. But he's not as bad as all of the anti-Jack Johnson people think he is. I'll tell you what he is: He's a solid, third-pairing defenseman if he's playing with the right guy. He's a player that I happen to really like and I think he's a better player than a lot of people want to give him credit for."
Yeah Jim, so since you liked him you handed over a huge contract despite knowing he wasn't as good as the contract? Jim, stop signing your friends to big contracts, and don't let Crosby tell you to do it either.

-Mike
 
#1,362
MJ5150 said:
Aha! Rutherford did admit he screwed up on Johnson, indirectly:
"Here's my summary of the situation," Rutherford told The Athletic in August. "Maybe Jack Johnson isn't as good as I think he is. Maybe. But he's not as bad as all of the anti-Jack Johnson people think he is. I'll tell you what he is: He's a solid, third-pairing defenseman if he's playing with the right guy. He's a player that I happen to really like and I think he's a better player than a lot of people want to give him credit for."
Yeah Jim, so since you liked him you handed over a huge contract despite knowing he wasn't as good as the contract? Jim, stop signing your friends to big contracts, and don't let Crosby tell you to do it either.

-Mike
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Although I tend to agree with his assessment of Johnson (not as good as thought, but not as bad as the haters are saying)...JR is right about one thing, he's a 3rd-pairing Dman. And JR of all people, should know you don't hand out 5-yr contracts to 3rd-pairing defensemen.

I grew up in the 'burgh and remember the 70s Penguins team. There was a defenseman, Ron Stackhouse, who had good puck-moving skills, logged a lot of PP time, and contributed offensively. He wasn't the best in his own end, and because of his lanky build looked awkward at times. The guy was the target of boo-birds for most of his years despite being a core member of the team. I think the JJ situation has some similar parallels...once a guy gets that reputation everything he does wrong is magnified. Just my two cents.
 
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#1,363
dwm74 said:
Although I tend to agree with his assessment of Johnson (not as good as thought, but not as bad as the haters are saying)...JR is right about one thing, he's a 3rd-pairing Dman. And JR of all people, should know you don't hand out 5-yr contracts to 3rd-pairing defensemen.

I grew up in the 'burgh and remember the 70s Penguins team. There was a defenseman, Ron Stackhouse, who had good puck-moving skills, logged a lot of PP time, and contributed offensively. He wasn't the best in his own end, and because of his lanky build looked awkward at times. The guy was the target of boo-birds for most of his years despite being a core member of the team. I think the JJ situation has some similar parallels...once a guy gets that reputation everything he does wrong is magnified. Just my two cents.
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I agree bud.
The contract he got amplified the badness since I expected that level of play. I'm still a bit disgruntled that he's now getting paid millions not to play for the Pens, but at least I don't have to see him in a Pens uniform anymore.

-Mike
 
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#1,364
MJ5150 said:
I agree bud.
The contract he got amplified the badness since I expected that level of play. I'm still a bit disgruntled that he's now getting paid millions not to play for the Pens, but at least I don't have to see him in a Pens uniform anymore.

-Mike
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This is exactly how I feel about Tyler Seguin. I have fantasy "fired" him at least a dozen times. I am done with him. He still has years on his contract.
 
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#1,365
GonePlaid said:
I think booing Bettman is kinda like hollering "Free Bird".
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There is truth to that & I was one of hose who suggested piping in Boos for Bettman.
Sort of tongue in cheek.

Part of the reason though, that Bettman is disliked is the attitude he seems to have at times, and he can be give off the vibe that he is not into Canada, or at least that he is pumping up the US at the expense of Canada--when you can pump both up.

AT least that is the perception many have--I'm not going to discuss the accuracy of the perceptions--just pointing out the perceptions (& worse) are out there.
 
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#1,366
zontar said:
There is truth to that & I was one of hose who suggested piping in Boos for Bettman.
Sort of tongue in cheek.

Part of the reason though, that Bettman is disliked is the attitude he seems to have at times, and he can be give off the vibe that he is not into Canada, or at least that he is pumping up the US at the expense of Canada--when you can pump both up.

AT least that is the perception many have--I'm not going to discuss the accuracy of the perceptions--just pointing out the perceptions (& worse) are out there.
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I'm not from Canada, but I didn't like it one bit when he expanded the league into the hot southern states of the USA.
To me, that is when he started selling out the league to the highest bidder.
Had I been Canadian, I would have been disgruntled, and all the more so as he pulled teams from Canada to go down south.

-Mike
 
#1,367
The expansion is part of the Commissioner's agenda, but the franchises that moved (Quebec to Colorado and Winnipeg to Phoenix) were solely the decisions of those team's owners seeking greener pastures. Sure, the league is involved in ensuring all the destination logistics meet the requirements, and perhaps the league could have encouraged them to stay but bottom line is it isn't their call. Bettman and the NHL hierarchy have absolutely no power to 'pull' a franchise and move it anywhere. (Unless the NHL takes over ownership, which almost happened with the Coyotes).

And wondering where else in Canada would you put a team? Hamilton would be prime but Toronto will not concede any more of their territory (as they did when Buffalo entered the league in 1970). Regina? Saskatoon? Quebec again?
 
#1,368
dwm74 said:
The expansion is part of the Commissioner's agenda, but the franchises that moved (Quebec to Colorado and Winnipeg to Phoenix) were solely the decisions of those team's owners seeking greener pastures. Sure, the league is involved in ensuring all the destination logistics meet the requirements, and perhaps the league could have encouraged them to stay but bottom line is it isn't their call. Bettman and the NHL hierarchy have absolutely no power to 'pull' a franchise and move it anywhere. (Unless the NHL takes over ownership, which almost happened with the Coyotes).

And wondering where else in Canada would you put a team? Hamilton would be prime but Toronto will not concede any more of their territory (as they did when Buffalo entered the league in 1970). Regina? Saskatoon? Quebec again?
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The issue with Hamilton is not the Leafs...they would not be impacted at all and probably would welcome another team in the region. The issue is Buffalo...a lot of the fans who go to Sabres games are from St. Catherines/Fort Erie/Welland area, and they would be the ones who would shift to a Hamilton team. You are right about Bettman, he is just a spokesman for the owners, everything he does or says is a reflection of the owners wishes.
 
#1,369
GoLeafsGo said:
The issue with Hamilton is not the Leafs...they would not be impacted at all and probably would welcome another team in the region. The issue is Buffalo...a lot of the fans who go to Sabres games are from St. Catherines/Fort Erie/Welland area, and they would be the ones who would shift to a Hamilton team. You are right about Bettman, he is just a spokesman for the owners, everything he does or says is a reflection of the owners wishes.
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Thanks for the clarification...I thought I'd read it was the Leafs blocking it but I'll defer to you since it's in your back yard. :thumbsup: (And that article was from several decades ago, IIRC)
 
#1,371
dwm74 said:
Thanks for the clarification...I thought I'd read it was the Leafs blocking it but I'll defer to you since it's in your back yard. :thumbsup: (And that article was from several decades ago, IIRC)
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But some would say that the reason they will not give Hamilton an NHL team is that then they would have to give Toronto one too.....
 
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#1,372
GoLeafsGo said:
But some would say that the reason they will not give Hamilton an NHL team is that then they would have to give Toronto one too.....
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I love yer gallows sense of humo(u)r.:laugh:
I visit EPCOT fairly often and I always mention to the folks at the Canada pavilion that it'd be nice to have an NHL team in South Florida.
 
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#1,373
GoLeafsGo said:
The issue with Hamilton is not the Leafs...they would not be impacted at all and probably would welcome another team in the region. The issue is Buffalo...a lot of the fans who go to Sabres games are from St. Catherines/Fort Erie/Welland area, and they would be the ones who would shift to a Hamilton team. You are right about Bettman, he is just a spokesman for the owners, everything he does or says is a reflection of the owners wishes.
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I can confirm that KeyBank arena is a second home for the Leafs.
I can also confirm that it was Buffalo that nixed the Hamilton expansion. As far as the impact on TO from another Southern Ontario team, I dunno. No matter how well Spacely Space Sprockets is doing, do they really want a Cogswell Cogs factory opening up across the street?
 
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#1,376
Inky13 said:
I think two TB cups would disagree with you. :)
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TB is NOT South Florida. South FL is from about West Palm Beach down. For example, I'm in the Stuart, FL, area (40 miles north of WPB) which is why it says Southeast FL in my sig. TB is West FL.
BTW, while I'd like to see the Cats do well, I've only been to three games at whatever they're calling the Panthers arena this year. I've been to Amalie Arena about 12 +/- times. GO BOLTS!! And they did!
1007201447-00.jpg
1007201444-00.jpg
 
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#1,377
GonePlaid said:
BTW, while I'd like to see the Cats do well, I've only been to three games at whatever they're calling the Panthers arena this year. I've been to Amalie Arena about 12 +/- times. GO BOLTS!! And they did!
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Ain't that the truth? I find that so annoying. Here the Yotes arena was Glendale Arena, then Jobing.com Arena, now it's Gila River Arena. Ditto with the Cardinals stadium and Diamondbacks stadium...honestly can't recall what any of their names are anymore.
 
#1,379
dwm74 said:
Ain't that the truth? I find that so annoying. Here the Yotes arena was Glendale Arena, then Jobing.com Arena, now it's Gila River Arena. Ditto with the Cardinals stadium and Diamondbacks stadium...honestly can't recall what any of their names are anymore.
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For now, it's still BB&T Center, but I expect it to become TRUIST Arena-or some such fol-de-rol.
 
#1,380
GonePlaid said:
TB is NOT South Florida. South FL is from about West Palm Beach down. For example, I'm in the Stuart, FL, area (40 miles north of WPB) which is why it says Southeast FL in my sig. TB is West FL.
BTW, while I'd like to see the Cats do well, I've only been to three games at whatever they're calling the Panthers arena this year. I've been to Amalie Arena about 12 +/- times. GO BOLTS!! And they did!
View attachment 4009962 View attachment 4009963
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Noted. When you're from the northeast, anything snow free is SF.
 

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