For Thrashers, what will be the lasting legacy of letting Manny go?
If you’re a loyal resident of Thrasherville, you undoubtedly know by now that Manny Legace was released and sent off to find employment in the nets of some other team. Now, after hearing of the news, I must admit that my first thought was, “Certainly their must be a logical explanation for this decision”.
Well, I mean, that was my first thought right after, “Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot”???
See, this is what I was trying to make sense of…
On one hand, you have Kari Lehtonen…dubbed our “goalie of the future” for the past seven years now…once again out due to pulled groin, flu, strained back, hangnail, split-ends, back surgery and won’t be able to start the season this Saturday. Heaven only knows when he’ll be healthy enough to return.
Then you have young Ondrej Pavelec…the newest “goalie of the future”…who has a career record of 6-10-0, 3.42 GAA, .890 SV% and zero shutouts…who last season, when called upon because of “Kari Down ‘08″, played to the numbers of 3-7-0, 3.60 GAA, .880 SV% and no shutouts…and who has seen 8 of the most recent 39 shots in four periods of preseason play get past him. Just last Sunday, five of the 26 shots faced needed to be pulled out of the net.
As I’ve opined here before, my confidence level in Pavs in not very high at all… and the game against the Bolts did nothing to ease my mind. Especially given that on Saturday we will be treated to a return visit by our Southeastern Division brethren for the first game of the regular season.
Sure, there is the reliable Moose in the back yard…but he’s dependable as a quality backup. He’s not the guy to have play eight-nine of your first ten or eleven games.
What are your thoughts on the Thrashers releasing Legace and going with Pavelec?
- Love it! I'm just oozing with confidence in Opie! (3%, 4 Votes)
- Manny would have been a nice, but I'm OK with his leaving (17%, 27 Votes)
- They must be high on Opie-um! (80%, 126 Votes)
Total Voters: 157
Loading ...But then…there is this Manny Legace dude who is dressing out in your locker room, practicing on your ice, who possesses a career mark of 177-92-18… with 18 ties to boot… a 2.38 GAA, .912 SV% and 23 shutouts, (which is only 2 less than Opie, Kari and the Moose combined).
He’s 36 years old…but his most recent three years of play in St. Luis has seen him put up a record of 63-49-15, 2.73 GAA, .901 SV% and 10 shutouts.
Why, given the current situation in goal, you count your lucky stars a guy like Legace is in camp for you to turn to in your time of need…right?
Uh…no.
Apparently, you cut Legace and go with Opie.
So obviously then, this must mean that things are so good for you in goal…life is so exceptionally hunky-dory in the nets…you are sooooo confident in your current keeper situation…that you tell a Manny Legace type of player, “Ah, thanks big guy…but you’re just not gonna crack the lineup here. But here, please take this nice Thrashers schedule magnet for your refrigerator door and 10-year logo lapel pin as a token of our esteemed gratitude for trying out”.
sigh…
But somehow…I just think there is something more to this than meets the eye.
Maybe the money issue wasn’t something the two parties could come together one.
Maybe Legace didn’t want to accept a 2-way contract, fearing a return to the AHL once Kari…knocking wood…is healthy enough to not only start but complete the rest of the season…don’t laugh.
Hey, maybe he was holding out for Don Waddell’s parking spot, a personal company car with Thrashers decals on the sides and member of the Blue Crew as a chauffeur.
Or maybe…just maybe…Don Waddell, Rick Dudley and John Anderson honestly and for-true felt that Opie and the Moose are the duo to see us through “Kari Down ’09″. And after all, let’s not forget what it cost the Thrashers to bring him in and have a look-see at him.
shrugs…
Regardless, do you think that there will be any ramifications or, shall we say, any lasting…ahem…legacies of the team cutting Manny loose at this time? Do you fear the team will not get off to as good of a start as I and many others have thought it could have? Or will Pavelec finally take this opportunity to step up and prove he is the goalie the franchise trusts he can be?
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175 comments Add your comment
Michael
September 29th, 2009
1:54 pm
Saturday night will be very interesting. If DW is wrong about the goalie situation it will be the end for him and Ilya in Atlanta….
Russian
September 29th, 2009
1:56 pm
We might have a Mad Max
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklund/Rumors–Afinogenov-Makes-Thrashers–Lang-Signs-in-Phoenix/1/23287
Smoothie
September 29th, 2009
1:59 pm
http://twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/status/4475099823
A much more reliable source…did Eklund get one right??
Christy
September 29th, 2009
2:00 pm
Well, Max is out golfing with the team today, so I guess that makes sense.
Didn’t see, or rather didn’t want to see the Oystrick move. Kept praying/assuming it would be Boris.
Oh well. I’m 3 for 3 when it comes to feeble hopes being crushed.
Smoothie
September 29th, 2009
2:01 pm
Rawhide, I think my expository essay got hung up in blog purgatory due to the heavy traffic of waiver wire activity and tweet-beat reporting.
Thanks to Trixie in advance!!
Russian
September 29th, 2009
2:01 pm
**to Smoothie**
GOOOD!!! ONLY 4days Left!
DWTOO
September 29th, 2009
2:02 pm
Believe Oystick owns a condo. We both have the same bug guy.
Bob
September 29th, 2009
2:03 pm
Here we go again. The Don Waddell wheel of fortune, do you think he just throws darts at a wall to make his decisions? Cuts cards? Well, hopefully he’s getting plenty of autographs on the golf course today…why is this guy still our GM?
Eileen
September 29th, 2009
2:03 pm
Hey Rawhide, I got a real chuckle out of this post today. The hang nail/split ends comment is great.
Check out the new video on the Thrashers website (if you haven’t already). It is pretty cool.
Also, J.B. (from the previous post), you are right about the Kovy line. I think with so much penalty killing going on, I did not see that line together much!
Smoothie
September 29th, 2009
2:05 pm
I hope they are right on this one Russian. I don’t like Peverley getting bumped but I guess they are convinced that a Double White Russian is better than a Little one! Who’s going to throw the heavy lumber on a Kozzy / White / Finny line?? Oh dear.
I like a line of Pevs / Reasy / Army (Kane) A LOT though. Methinks Kane will get his short audition while Armstrong continues to rest his sore groin…no need to screw with an injury like that.
Bob
September 29th, 2009
2:09 pm
Alright, amateur GMs. We have 3 decisons here from our brain trust, Donny the Wad. Do you agree with any of these 3? 1? 2? All 3? I’m 0 for 3, I wouldn’t take Max “Skate around all pretty and do nothing” Afinogenov, and I think he’ll upset team chemistry big time. That move just reeks of a panicky Waddell hoping and praying that another Russian will make Kovy re-sign.
I wouldn’t cut Oystrick over Valabik. Valabik does not fit Coach’s system and I see no progression in the guy. Big ogre move slow, get angry, hit someone, fall down.
I wouldn’t have cut Legace and kept Pavelec and Moose to carry the club for what, 2 months? until Kari is ready. Legace would have been a great insurance policy.
So, I guess I shouldn’t be suprised, I have never agreed with Waddell’s boneheaded moves, I don’t understand why ownership hadn’t canned him long ago, so I guess I shouldn’t be suprised that I don’t understand any of these moves. Welcome to another year of the same ol same ol, Thrasher fans.
Bob
September 29th, 2009
2:13 pm
Brendan, I’m ready. 81 pts, 4th in the SouthEast, 13th in the Conference. Woo.
Smoothie
September 29th, 2009
2:15 pm
Bob, I’m with you on the 0 for 3 assertion. If we didn’t have Peverley, I’d be okay with Maxim. I tried to write up a Brendan-esque essay expressing my concerns in a coherent fashion, but it got swallowed up by the Blog Monster.
Does anyone know if Colin Stuart cleared waivers? Randy Jones already did per HockeyBuzz, but he was released on Saturday I think.
Smoothie
September 29th, 2009
2:19 pm
I don’t understand why Valabik wasn’t cut and Oystrick was. Won’t it be easier for Boris to go down without having to worry about waiver claims?
Perhaps the presence of one Paul Postma in the pipeline made Oystrick expendable. But was Popovic THAT much better than Nathan? He did seem to block a lot of shots when on the ice compared to Oystie.
Tony C.
September 29th, 2009
2:31 pm
So Oysterick would have to clear waivers before he’s re-claimed right? Would you re-claim him? Don’t you feel McCarthy is better?
pond scum
September 29th, 2009
2:38 pm
Everybody scratching your head,you don’t need to cause it’s VERY clear to see……. DW’s pride is at stake.
HE wants HIS PICKS to possibly pan out in Valabik and Opie (both HIGH picks let’s not forget) so he can LOOK GOOD.
Only a blind fool like DW would’ve kept Valabik over Oystrick and some how kept the only goalie insurance he had in Legace till Cript Lehtonen decides to get in shape(another reason he’s still here,being picked so high and hasn’t really done jack).
Bye-bye captain,even this optimistic fan knows when a GM’s pride is what is really the problem. I’m with the rest of you, can DW!!
DWTOO
September 29th, 2009
2:42 pm
Well – I’m 1 for 3 with the moves. Think Max will add some more speed and offense. Also think we have a really dynamic third line with Pevs, Reasoner, and Armstrong.
Unfortunately the goalie situation just sucks. Neither Moose or Pavs makes me think we’re set. Still hoping for a trade, waiver move, or re-sign Manny.
And I will never understand the facination with Boris – he’s just not fast enough. Constantly playing from behind. Would have kept Oystrick. Not even a hard decision.
Brendan
September 29th, 2009
2:47 pm
I am truly stunned by the Oystrick move. Hopefully he clears waivers. Then again, to recall him from Chicago, he’d have to clear waivers again. Oystrick is a Michigan guy, whom Darren Eliot referred to as “a revelation.” Waddell, also a Michigander, agreed with Eliot’s comments during a 2nd period intermission interview last season. I guess Boris is getting the BIG PUSH this year. Sincerely, I hope we can retain Oystrick. Anyone heard if Waddell reclaimed Colin Stuart off waivers?
With respect to Finny, I wouldn’t have gambled on Max. But that’s just meee. If I had a Kovalchuk situation on my hands, I’d be in FULL APPEASEMENT MODE until that man signed. So, if Kovy said, “Get me Max Afinogenov,” I would have caved and done it. That probably makes me a BAD GM. But, there it is. Also, let’s see how much Finny will get paid. If it’s something like $685,000, that would cushion the blow substantially to hearing he made the team. Shoot, if placed on waivers, someone might even claim Max, at that price.
Now, regarding Legace, I’m willing to be more tolerant with Waddell. Hear me out. We don’t know what Manny demanded. We don’t. What if Manny INSISTED on a “No Movement Clause” (NMC). Then what? Cut him loose, right? What if Manny asked for too much money? I welcome your guess as to what that figure might be. What if it were $2.75 million? With an NMC? Sign him, or cut him? Wouldn’t that change things, somewhat? Bear in mind, Kari’s still getting PAID, whether on IR or not. And I don’t know that Steve Belkin has kicked in “one nickel” yet in terms of cashflow. I know. I know. As fans, “We don’t care what things cost. We just want GOOD DECISIONS, and GOOD RESULTS from those good decisions.”
What if we put Moose on waivers? What if Moose isn’t claimed? Is anyone suggesting a ‘buyout?’ … which will impact future caps. Think Zhitnik. I wish I knew what Manny’s demands were. I think Manny may have had a bit of an upperhand in those negotiations. Kari will, by most accounts, be coming back. It’s a question of WHEN. Can Pavelec and Moose carry the load? Shrugs. I have no EARTHLY IDEA. But, apparently, that’s the plan moving forward. Pavelec can be safely stashed in the minors, free from any potential waiver claim. If Waddell’s plan was to go with Moose and Lehtonen this year, then … eventually … that’s exactly what it would be. Waddell might even be forthright about that plan. But, ya know? Who knows? Waddell says and does whatever he says and does. At one point in time, Alexei Zhitnik was going to be a big part of the Thrashers future, and that ‘no talks of a buyout’ were ever discussed. GM’s are politicians, who are NEVER PUT UNDER OATH, and are, therefore, FREE from the laws of perjury. If Waddell feels or felt that Lehtonen and Hedberg was the best option, for the balance of the upcoming season, then that’s his decision. If Pavelec earns a roster spot, in Kari’s absence, SO BE IT! I wish young Pavelec the best of luck. But, in my view of things, that’s RUSHING HIM. I don’t like to rush prospects, as a general rule.
five_hole
September 29th, 2009
2:49 pm
I’m with you on 2-of-3. If Afinigov’s knee is OK, he adds a real dimenstion of speed to the team, and is capable of 25-30 goals. Yes, defensively, he sucks. That seems to be the same problem with most of the Thrasher forwards. So what’s the difference?
Really good point by Smoothie re: penalty killing.
jonathan
September 29th, 2009
2:49 pm
i think thrashers are crazy letting manny legace go he is awesome player and lets not forget the guy had some pretty awesome years with red wings. so he knows how win games the thrashers are going be kicking there selfs for thing
jonathan
September 29th, 2009
2:49 pm
i think thrashers are crazy letting manny legace go he is awesome player and lets not forget the guy had some pretty awesome years with red wings. so he knows how win games the thrashers are going be kicking there selfs for this
jonathan
September 29th, 2009
2:55 pm
this why thrashers are bad team every year beacuse they don’t know diffrent between good player and bad player
ranallo10 (in AT)
September 29th, 2009
2:59 pm
Oystrick being cut is disappointing, but I guess not a surprise. When Popovic was invited for a tryout it seemed apparent that it was for a chance at the #6/7 competition between the other two puck movers, Salmella and Oystrick. I imagine Valabik doesn’t play into the equation because he’s a different type of player…but he has looked pretty bad from the clips I saw so I can assume he was more deserving.
Anyways, I hope Oystrick clears waivers and has a chance to fill in again. I feel he played admirably last year and was even willing to drop the gloves if he had to, something most of the current crop of defenders wouldn’t or shouldn’t do.
Legace doesn’t disappoint me because there’s no room for three goalies. This is a coach’s decision in my opinion, thus I assume it means Anderson is happier with Pavelec. Long term (when thinking on the macro level for goalies) it makes more sense to keep Pavelec at the NHL level for more NHL conditioning, and the hopeful Varlamov/Mason/Rask/Rinne performance. It doesn’t help this club to have two 35+ goalies, in my opinion. Short term (winning immediately and getting a “hot start” to “woo Kovalchuk” [like that's all it would take...]) it would make more sense to hold on to Legace by signing him to a one-year contract and waive him when it’s apparent Lehtonen is healthy enough to return or Pavelec is the better goalie.
I’d rather the club go the honorable route and say “thanks for your time but you don’t fit our needs” than sign him to a pity contract and let him rot on the bench or in the minors. It wasn’t a waste of Legace’s time because he could have signed a contract with any other NHL team that wanted him even while trying out with Atlanta. Perhaps it was a waste of another goalie’s time.
Funny though, people are railing on Waddell for making a bad decision by choosing youth over a marginally better veteran player. Had this been a different position (let’s say defender, ala Klee) how would the reaction be then?
kracker
September 29th, 2009
3:00 pm
I don’t know, folks. I thought they would go w/ 3 goalies at least for a while, which was pretty much what most people thought. Legace was here for a tryout and perhaps he didn’t make the grade in helping the team and/or in earning whatever he was asking in salary. And in other conditions such as a ‘no AHL’ clause maybe.
Chris
September 29th, 2009
3:02 pm
Well, if worse comes to worse, Manny Fernandez and Cujo are still on the market…
TrueBlue
September 29th, 2009
3:03 pm
You know, I understand the argument that “we dont know what Manny demanded”. umm…The guy was on a TRYOUT. You don’t think that DW had ANY type of conversations with his agent BEFORE he was invited??? This wasn’t like an all of a sudden thing. He was in camp for 1-2 weeks. You wait until the day BEFORE to all of a sudden decide you dont want him? Also, how COULD Manny DEMAND a lot of money when the best he got was a tryout for a team?
This sounds like a load of garbage to me.
By the way. Hey Rawhide! I never really post over here because I have an addiction to the message boards, but this craziness got me all frustrated and needed to vent anywhere and everywhere! Thanks for providing a place for me to complain! Great blogs!!
GaVaHokie
September 29th, 2009
3:07 pm
Wow, only $800,000 for Maxim… never thought it would be THAT cheap.
http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=293075
Gotta think we showed similar numbers to Legace and he laughed.
GaVaHokie
September 29th, 2009
3:09 pm
I’m MUCH happier about the Maxim situation now that I see the dollar figure… Afinogenov on the Thrashers? Sure, why the hell not… we still have room to make moves later in the season if need be.
five_hole
September 29th, 2009
3:19 pm
I’m lovin’ the Afinigenov signing, but wouldn’t put him on Kovy’s line. I’m thinkin’ 2nd line with Koslov, who could cover for him defensively. That moves either Peverley or White to the 3rd line. I like Pev’s better, but White is the natural center.
I think a checking line of Peverley, Reasoner & Army should be pretty darn good.
Brendan
September 29th, 2009
3:25 pm
That’s a good price for Atlanta. People might not agree with the signing, but at that price, we surely didn’t overpay. If Max actually has a decent year, this could turn up on one of those articles that lists the “best bangs for the buck.”
Hokie, I am curious as to what Manny was asking, in terms of salary and NTC/NMC. I guess we’ll never know.
Midfield
September 29th, 2009
3:25 pm
I’m probably slow on this – forgive me for this – but where’d Manny go for more money, if the money was the issue?
Brendan
September 29th, 2009
3:28 pm
Midfield, it might not have been the money. It might have been a no movement clause.
GaVaHokie
September 29th, 2009
3:29 pm
Midfield… more like “not worth the money” to stay, is what I’m guessing… he hasn’t signed anywhere.
Brendan… I was just posting on Rawhide’s Hockeybuzz blog, with Max, Peverley and Little, we could have 3 players with 50 pt (plus) potential making chump change.
Brendan
September 29th, 2009
3:30 pm
Bob, you’re registered at 81-points, 4th in SE Division, and 13th in the Conference. You and Russ are right there, neck-n-neck. Russ has 82-points, tied to 4th in SE, and 12th in the Conference. This could be a nail-biter finish!
Smoothie
September 29th, 2009
3:33 pm
Afinogenov, at the very least, should be quite motivated to prove all of his nay-sayers (e.g. Lindy Ruff) wrong and that he is back to 100% and ready to roll like 2005-06. And at a price-tag of $800 K, I can live with that for now. However, I would feel better if he were playing on a line with Peverley who I think is a better two-way forward than White. But perhaps the Obama-fied (distribution of wealth) line-up will work with flying (we will certainly see some flying up and down the ice!) colors.
But so much of this smacks of cost-saving and “bang-for-your-buck” kind of stuff in the wild hope and gamble that a) Kovy will be happy as a lark and b) the exciting line-up will put butts in the seats. But can this line-up be a winner??
Brendan
September 29th, 2009
3:34 pm
Hokie, that very well could be true! Plus Bryan Little is still on his rookie contract, too. We could see a lot of bang for the buck. Marty Reasoner could have a pretty decent year, too. These guys don’t make all that much. Segue, Todd White might just be the best bang for the buck. We’ll have to just wait and see. I am very encouraged to hear the terms of Finny’s deal. Now, there aren’t any “incentive clauses” in there, are there? I don’t think so. But I have to ask.
Remember Peter Bondra’s deal? $505,000, but it included $1.25 million in bonus, which had to be counted against the 2006-07 cap, as I recall.
Rawhide
September 29th, 2009
3:40 pm
Max at $800K is a very good deal! Glad to see this got done.
By the way. Hey Rawhide! I never really post over here because I have an addiction to the message boards, but this craziness got me all frustrated and needed to vent anywhere and everywhere! Thanks for providing a place for me to complain! Great blogs!!
TrueBlue – You’re welcome…thanks for being a part of it! I’ve seen you on the message boards before, nice to have you comment here as well.
Zoomo
September 29th, 2009
3:41 pm
$800K…definitely worth taking the flyer on him. If it doesn’t pan out..we’ll we won’t hurt too bad over it. Who knows, maybe he’ll deliver 40 points or more. Let’s hope his lack of D doesn’t hurt us too bad.
Think of some of the kooky combos we could see..Max, Pevs, Slater …..they may never put the puck in the net, but that’d be a fun line to watch.
GaVaHokie
September 29th, 2009
3:44 pm
Smoothie… I’m hoping Coach has some tricks up his sleeve that he didn’t reveal in pre-season.
Anderson did point out that when Peverley and Afinogenov are on the ice, they “fly”. I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but I’d still like to see…
Kovy Antro Little
Kane Pevs Max
Kozy White Army
Boults Marty Slates
Thorsy sits out the 9 game audition for Kane.
Smoothie
September 29th, 2009
3:44 pm
Custance says the Finny signing doesn’t affect Kane’s status and that he’ll be on the Opening Night Roster. Does EK end up in the press-box with Gratton going down to the AHL (he has a 2-way deal like Oystie)? Or does Colbs go on IR for 2+ weeks while Kane and Gratton fill the void? I hope this doesn’t mean we’ll see Thorburn on the 3rd line subbing for Army. If Kane is safe, I guess we will be passing on Colin Stuart?
Bob
September 29th, 2009
3:47 pm
No way Legace asked for a NM clause. That’s just not realistic, he’s on a tryout. I guarantee you if they offered him $800k, he would’ve jumped at it. The only realistic sticking point is that the Thrashers (cheap cheap, Stroz) only wanted to sign him to a 2way contract so they could hide him in Chicago to bring up if/when Pavelec chokes, and Legace said screw that, I’m not riding a bus for $150k or whatever.
I don’t care what they got Afinogenov for (remember my dumpster diving prediction to fill out that line?), the point is that he’s all figure skating, no finish, and I think he’ll be bad for team chemistry, which is something they actually had a lot of at the end of next year (speaking of which, any of the usual suspects still think there’s carryover from last year’s finish that is going to amount to a hill of beans, much less equate to being enough to compensate for missing out on Hedman/Tavares? yep, thought so) Peverly would work much better on a top 2 line and then keep Fritsch as a checker.
So, my moves would’ve been, sign Legace for $800k, send Valabik down and keep Oystrick, and skate Peverly on the 2nd line and keep Fritsch and tell Afinoskatearound thanks but no thanks. Drop the puck and get it on. But no…thanks, Donny!
World Be Free
September 29th, 2009
3:53 pm
Max is a disaster and Lindy Ruff has nothing to do with it. Lindy asked Max to play defense, like a team player is supposed to. I just hope this doesn’t implode the team for season.
Trade Max and Slater to the Ice Capades and a couple rolls of white tape. Sorry folks, neither of these guys are going to get us to the promise land.
Frische and Manny Malholtra (at his San Jose price) would have been a much better option.
Brendan
September 29th, 2009
4:12 pm
I see that Petr Sykora just got inked by Minnesota recently, at a fair price. That might have been a nice option.
Bob, there’s no doubt that landing Hedman or Matt Duchene would have been tremendous for Atlanta. But like you said, people just want their WINS and they WANT THEM NOW!! I don’t think anyone can argue that Atlanta was playing meaningful games last March, in any capacity other than trying to convince Kovalchuk that the organization is still moving in the right direction. The jury is still out on that, gazing at the cap figure, at roughly $8 million below the limit for Opening Night.
If I were Manny Legace, and I were offered $800,000, I would only take it with a no movement clause. Why ride the bus AT ALL? Atlanta’s in a tough situation. They need immediate help. Advantage: Legace. Legace says, “I’ll sign, but I’m not going to the minors. Ever. I’ll retire, first. You want me, you sign me on my terms.” Hypothetically. Legace is still free to pursue other options, including retirement, if riding the AHL bus isn’t his cup o’tea. Posters keep listing nice stats for the man. Someone will bite. I suppose.
World Be Free, at least Max could be picked up by another team on waivers, at that price. Even if it’s “re-entry waivers. But, you never know. This might work out. And I think the only reason Max got an invitation was because Kovy asked for it. Wonder if Kovy now wants Miroslav Satan. I don’t think he’s signed anywhere. Unless it was the KHL.
Can you imagine the headlines? “Don Waddell and the Thrashers were so desperate to ice a winning team and to please Kovalchuk … that they went out and got SATAN!” Only try to imagine the spoken word as being uttered by “The Church Lady,” the way only Dana Carvey can do.
Don *(Not That One)*
September 29th, 2009
4:15 pm
Brendan, I don’t think the deep south is ready for the headline “Thrasher’s pin playoff hopes on Satan!”
Rawhide
September 29th, 2009
4:17 pm
speaking of which, any of the usual suspects still think there’s carryover from last year’s finish that is going to amount to a hill of beans, much less equate to being enough to compensate for missing out on Hedman/Tavares? yep, thought so
Bob – You can count me as one of those who still believes the team chemisty gained by the improved play last spring was well worth it.
As for your thoughts on Manny, Oystrick and Boris…i agree 100%. Not so much with Max….I think the team got a good deal with him. And I certianly don’t see him being one to break the chemistry found in the locker room from last season.
Very, very VERY concerned with the goalkeeping situation…nervous about the PK. Outside of that, when looking at the whole picture, I think we’re better than last season.
Ilya's Dad
September 29th, 2009
4:17 pm
2 thumbs up on signing Max. 2 thumbs down on not signing Manny. I believe they never intended to sign Manny. I think he was in camp to fool some people into buying season tix>……..
Rawhide
September 29th, 2009
4:20 pm
BTW – That poll has been up there all day…87 votes casted so far and not one cast saying they are oozing with confidence in Opie.
Who’s gonna break the goose egg?
Smoothie
September 29th, 2009
4:21 pm
97th!
We might as well trade White to Washington for Nylander, Theodore and the rights to Alexandre Giroux while we’re at it!!
Smoothie
September 29th, 2009
4:22 pm
99th then! Damn you Bill.
Wow, that’s not exactly a rousing endorsement for the Pavster!
R. Stroz
September 29th, 2009
4:31 pm
100th