haroldsnepsts

Amazing. How many different ways can you spin this? How many different irrelevant details can you throw in to avoid acknowledging that either the Oilers intentionally misled the Kings about the player they traded, or they didn't have current and accurate knowledge of that players health before they traded him? Kudos. Seriously. I give up. You should look into being press secretary.

So Lombardi should take all the blame for taking Tambellini on his word, but Tambellini warrants no blame for not having a current or accurate assessment of the player he's trading. Makes sense. They're likely trying to work out a fix for the deal because Tambellini probably realized he looks like an ******* in this transaction to everyone but you.

Exactly. So you agree that the Oilers completely lied to Lombardi regarding Fraser's health. Yet you also somehow say this is entirely Lombardi's fault? When another GM tells you a player has been checked out by team doctors and will be ready to play in a few days, at a certain point you have to believe them. Especially in the crazy days after the free agent market starts. When a GM has so many possible deals in the works and players can get signed at any minute, time is of the essence. The market changes to quickly to lose that much time, so it would make sense to accept the word of another team's GM because it would take too long to fly the player in and have him examined by the doctors before you pull the trigger. Several of your other deals could fall apart in that time. It's called bargaining in good faith. It's not exactly a radical notion. Almost every other GM in the league does that because they all have to deal with one another in these transactions season after season and it doesn't make sense in the long run to try and screw a team over or lie to a GM. If these underhanded tactics were regularly used by GM's, then yes, it Lombardi would be a fool not to have the player completely checked out before pulling the trigger because he should expect to be lied to. But that's not how most franchises operate. Seriously. Your position is that the Oilers lied to Lombardi, and this is all Lombardi's fault? Sometimes I think you take a completely ridiculous position just for the sake of arguing.

If there was, the Islanders would probably do it. Talk about throwing good money after bad. Can't they find a better way to get to the cap floor? "Hey Alexei, I know it didn't work out last time, and we're still paying you $2.2 million a year for the next 4 years not to play for us, but how about we give it another go? Pleeeeeease?"

Honestly I think it was the right decision for him and for the team. That doesn't make it any less of a dick move to go celebrating it in a thread about his retirement.

That's exactly what Tambellini did with Fraser, so I'm not sure what your point is. The Oilers told Lombardi that Fraser was days away from being able to play. Even in the most optimistic assessment of the Oilers doctors, that wasn't true. That's Lombardi's fault? Among most GM's there's a level of professional respect and conduct, because they are all essentially in the same boat. Oiler's GMs don't seem to get that.

right. like you couldn't possibly have predicted the reaction you got from your post. It's a thread about a long-time Red Wing player retiring, and you posted about how happy it made you. You were trolling and it worked. Congrats.

This. In the storied history of the Detroit Red Wings franchise, they've only retired six numbers (seven when Lids retires). Osgood did a ton for this team, is a very good goaltender, and is a heart and soul Red Wing, but he's not in the same class as those other guys. I was totally surprised to see this though. So did he retire by conference call? I'm a little confused by that. All in all it seemed like it was time. He managed to reinvent his game once, but then all the injuries just took their toll. Like I said, he's a heart and soul Wing and I won't forget all he gave to this organization. He was phenomenal in '08 when he stepped in as backup and won the Cup.

It could be the two Cups he won as the starting goaltender for the Wings. Just a guess. That being said, his health is a major concern. But I'm guessing Holland made pretty damn sure about Ozzy's health before he offered him a contract.

As I said, Lombardi should have done his due diligence, and probably gone above and beyond normal checks considering how dishonest the Oilers have proven themselves to be only a month ago. Of course Lombardi bears some responsibility as the GM, but you make it sound like Edmonton has no responsibility for misleading the Kings twice in two months about the health of a player. They have a tough enough time luring players to that market, but they sure don't make it easier on themselves with underhanded moves like this.

It's Lombardi's fault that Edmonton traded them a player who can't play? Yes they should do due diligence, but it sounds like he did check him out and the Oilers assured him he was fit to play. He isn't. Oilers doctors apparently differ with Kings docs about the length of his rehab, but even with the most realistic assessment, he can't play and the Oilers said he could. How much checking out of a player can you do until you actually have the guy? At some point you have to assume the other GM wouldn't be stupid enough to try and screw you over by traded an injured player. And certainly not twice in two months. Edmonton just continues to amaze. It's like they're still pissed at LA for the Gretzky trade or something.

well he certainly didn't injure it backchecking.

I don't know what article you guys keep talking about. That link just took me to some s***ty blog.

Here's the actual post you replied to, in case you need to refresh your memory. Could you point out the part where he was freaking out about Holland in any way? As for the rest of your points, they're all still assumptions. They're not completely unfounded, but someone having a different opinion than yours doesn't mean they can't read. This is a discussion forum after all. At least that's what I've been told. I think after the playoffs management is probably feeling more solid about Jimmy. It's not a coincidence they took a run at Nabokov. Though if they were talking to Vokoun it likely means he still has Osgood-like status here, in that he's the starting goaltender but they're still open to shopping for someone better.

Right. It may sound like that, but these are all assumptions on your part, so I don't see why you go questioning someone's reading abilities or acting like Vokoun wanted a handout when nothing in the article confirms what you're saying. It's all just speculation. Boudreau could just as well be announcing Vokoun as starter for publicity reasons after his team s*** the bed in the playoffs once again. With Vokoun they've got a proven goaltender in net (not much playoff experience but that's hardly his fault). That would make me happy if I were a Caps fan, knowing now we've got a promising young goaltender and a solid experienced one. If a goalie as good as Vokoun takes a discount that big, it wouldn't be surprising he would want some guarantee in Washington of the starting gig, but who knows what the potential offer was to play in Detroit. Holland never even commented specifically on Vokoun. And to be clear, I'm not assuming Holland just told him no. I don't know what went on at all in any of the negotiations, other than Vokoun signed with the capitals. Because Holland can somehow get every single player he wants? Again, you're making the assumption that Vokoun somehow ruled out signing with the Wings simply because he would not be guaranteed the starting job without having to compete for it. Unless there's some article out there I haven't seen, nothing Holland or Vokoun has said confirms that. It's all just speculation and quite likely that there were other factors involved in his decision, yet you're latching onto this one detail like there has to be some reason that makes Vokoun look bad, just because he didn't sign with Detroit. Ultimately, who cares? He signed with Washington. I don't see why we need to invent a reason why he didn't play in Detroit.

Where does it say that? I read the article, and the only part that comes close to saying that is the conjecture made by Wyshynski about how Vokoun will be starting in Washington without having played a game for them. Nothing Holland said indicates anything about Vokoun, or any goalie, wanting to be given the starting job. That sounds like wanting to compete for the #1 job, which I can completely understand with Vokoun. He very well could've won the job with the Wings. And it's not like Detroit doesn't have a history of bringing in other goalies to compete for the job when the opportunity is there.

I always assumed that GMR has his tongue firmly planted in cheek when he talks about Lilja's fighting prowess. If you guys are seriously saying he won that fight or tuned up Souray, or that Lilja was in any way a good fighter, it just shows how long it's been since the Wings have had someone who can actually fight.

ummm.... Like most Lilja fights, it ended when he lost his balance and fell down after taking several punches to the head. As I've said before, much respect for him trying to learn to fight at the NHL level, but he the best he ever did in a fight was not get his ass handed to him.

this post makes way too much sense to be in this thread or even on this site.

Is Nashville trying to get to the cap floor or something? Lebda's only asset is his overinflated contract.

If that's the case, I hope he's spending the offseason having Lidstrom show him how to get his slapshot off faster. And the value of shooting wide of the net if it means you avoid blasting the puck into a forward's shinguards.

Not saying it won't happen, but Ericsson hardly got a look at the PP last season. Kindl even got more PP than E. Ericsson has a cannon apparently, but his windup is too slow and I wouldn't trust him out there at the point. Of course, Kindl is pretty scary there too, but he at least gets his shot off quicker.

True. Honestly I just hope Lids and Stuart don't end up as the main pairing this season. They never seemed to work very well together. Stuart looked crossed up out there more than I've seen him before, yet Babcock stuck with it. And he could again with White. The good news is with this defensive corps, Babcock has a lot of options. Everyone except Kindl and Smith is capable of handling 18+ minutes a night if they're playing well. (I don't really see Commodore doing that, but it's possible).

He played with Rafalksi most of last season. It's not like it hasn't happened before.

in the playoffs? Then why'd he join the Caps? Seriously, Vokoun for 1.5 is a steal. Wow.