OT: Former Pred Talk

[Predsanddead24]

I just feel like we’ve waffled too much on what we wanted to do. We either needed to fully buy into the retool and make decisions with a focus on the future or actually make moves to be a contender. Instead we’ve taken the middle road and I think it’s going to result for us being a mediocre team for the foreseeable future. Granted right now we have the benefit of hindsight but holding onto Ekholm and Duchene would have fixed two of our bigger issues this season (lack of secondary scoring and another shut down type defenseman).

 

[Armourboy]

I just feel like we’ve waffled too much on what we wanted to do. We either needed to fully buy into the retool and make decisions with a focus on the future or actually make moves to be a contender. Instead we’ve taken the middle road and I think it’s going to result for us being a mediocre team for the foreseeable future. Granted right now we have the benefit of hindsight but holding onto Ekholm and Duchene would have fixed two of our bigger issues this season (lack of secondary scoring and another shut down type defenseman).

I get that Trotz may have pivoted on the fly, I'm just not sure that was the right decision. As you say if we were going to be a team to push for the playoffs than its hard to deny Duchene and Ekholm probably help those chances. It smells a bit like some indecision on the part of Trotz which will most likely leave you where you are right now.

I have never been one to say we need to tank but I feel like he wasted a season where expectations were low so had he played a bunch of kids, maybe not the same ones all season, roll them in and out, see who has what, etc. the fan base would have been just fine with it. Now you've made the playoffs which is fine, but you did it on the back of old guys and tweeners mostly so now the fan base is going to expect you to continue to get better from here, and it wouldn't be the first time I was wrong but I just don't see it. We had nearly a perfect season as far as health and career years went outside of Saros, so you gotta really wonder if those guys slip a bit what its going to look like.

I think if he makes the right moves in the offseason, gives some guys a shot that played well in the lower leagues things could be fine. That said I really just want him to pick a direction and stick with it.

 

[weeze]

I think the Country Club talk to get rid of certain players was how they could do it. Just talk. Both Duchene and Ekholm are performing on winning teams and doing well. Duchene WANTED to be here and was expected to be the top scoring player on the team (or close to that). Know he is a piece to the puzzle on a team with many scoring players. That looks to be the difference. RyJo is a different issue, I think he has given up after being traded. I think he loved being in Nashville and hated leaving. And his play has shown that. NOT their fault they were paid too much money for what/how they played. DP gets all of that and the Turris debacle as well.

 

[Adz]

I don't think Ekholm and Trotz would ever mesh. Trotz degraded him pretty seriously as a rookie and Ekholm is now a seasoned veteran. He'd tell him to eff off now and it would probably be deserved. And Trotz absolutely killed Craig Smith's soul when he lambasted him in public after that open net. Ruined him for awhile, IMO. I love Trotzy but those two incidents and one more kind of muddy the waters.

Hindsight says losing Duchene was a mistake on the ice, Joey not so much. Ekholm may have been a mistake but the return was okay (I liked Barrie) and he's thriving. Craig Smith's too long ago to be a factor. I do not know what Matt and Joey brought to the locker room if anything but there is no doubt in my mind that it was not a trade to either of their liking and we had to pay to move them. I give Trotz a C- on them, but I also think he was instrumental in the Jeannot trade (A+++) so that mitigates it somewhat. Overall B. Still I cheer for the laundry, have to at this point. I can have opinions but they're the ones running the team, not me. I don't know what's going on behind the scenes.

All that said, I will NEVER cheer for Dallas (or Ryan $uter) and my fervent hope is that no Canadian team wins a Cup til after we do.

 

[weeze]

I don't think Ekholm and Trotz would ever mesh. Trotz degraded him pretty seriously as a rookie and Ekholm is now a seasoned veteran. He'd tell him to eff off now and it would probably be deserved. And Trotz absolutely killed Craig Smith's soul when he lambasted him in public after that open net. Ruined him for awhile, IMO. I love Trotzy but those two incidents and one more kind of muddy the waters.

Hindsight says losing Duchene was a mistake on the ice, Joey not so much. Ekholm may have been a mistake but the return was okay (I liked Barrie) and he's thriving. Craig Smith's too long ago to be a factor. I do not know what Matt and Joey brought to the locker room if anything but there is no doubt in my mind that it was not a trade to either of their liking and we had to pay to move them. I give Trotz a C- on them, but I also think he was instrumental in the Jeannot trade (A+++) so that mitigates it somewhat. Overall B. Still I cheer for the laundry, have to at this point. I can have opinions but they're the ones running the team, not me. I don't know what's going on behind the scenes.

All that said, I will NEVER cheer for Dallas (or Ryan $uter) and my fervent hope is that no Canadian team wins a Cup til after we do.

I agree with almost everything you said. Especially your last sentence! Suter can rot. You can also add Minnesota to that Dallas list! What their owner tried to do still irks me to this day!

 

[Adz]

I agree with almost everything you said. Especially your last sentence! Suter can rot. You can also add Minnesota to that Dallas list! What their owner tried to do still irks me to this day!

Oh, absolutely. That $uter has moved on helps but unless Minn is playing Dallas I cheer against them. For Minn vs Canadian team I'd definitely cheer for an implosion inside the arena for both but I found out when Dallas and Minnesota played a few years back that I was "for" Minnesota over Dallas. So I don't know yet. Liarpold and Canada kinda made me um...I think the word would be "furious" in 2007. I love Canada, I want them to have their teams...but not mine and until we get a Cup I want them to ultimately lose and get no more. Go East. Make it 0.

 

[PredsV82]

I'm pretty sure nobody ever said Ekholm was part of the country club/attitude problem. He was traded because he was getting older and could still garner a good return.