2010-2011 NHL season

The Preds? Really, JR? You can't even be bothered to double-check that you have the correct southern team?

I'm not even sure how to describe all the moves Florida made. It's beyond a fire sale.

 

The first year was OK, struggled with MacT, the second year was completely lost, last year he was their best player, this year he was fine as well. So yeah, one truly disappointing year. You have to look at more than just point totals. Keep in mind his first year was just his second full year in the NHL, so some inconsistency in his game was to be expected, especially as the Oilers struggled to figure out how to use him. There is no excuse for the second year, both he and MacT have taken responsibility for how that went down. Last year he led the team in scoring and if he didn't play half the year with third liners on the top line he likely would have cracked 40 goals -- before Horcoff and Hemsky went down he was on pace for over 50. This year he was second in points, tied for first in goals scored, while never having consistent linemates and often playing with first and second year players and rarely were those players named Hall or Eberle. When he was paired with Hemsky and Horcoff this year they lit it up, but between injuries to Hemsky and Horcoff and pressure to play Hall on the top line Penner's time on the top line was limited and the team slumped when he wasn't there. That and for several reasons the PP unit has been a complete mess for most of the year.
You can go look back at our past arguments over Penner, my issues with Penner stemmed from his second year, I know you never liked him and his contract, which is fine. No one expected him to have a season that would be worth the 4.25 mil cap hit his first season. The contract was as much about his future as it was about, yes, having to overpay to get him -- as is the entire point of signing an RFA, if you don't over pay the team with his rights will just match the offer. But in the end he turned into the type of player they thought he would turn into. They signed him to score goals and that's what he did. Only one year did he fail to reach 20 goals on some pretty sorry teams. If they stick him on the top line with Kopitar he should tear it up, he goes to LA and is already their leading goal scorer. He's a different player going to the coast than when he came to Edmonton.

 

You have a low barometer for what a quality player such as Penner should be able to accomplish. It wasn't just the 4.5 they paid they gave up 1st, 2nd a nd 3rd round picks for him. If his work ethic ever matche his skill and size he'd be a very good hockey player. I'm sure he will do that in LA for the rest of this year, then he will return to being underachieving Dustin Penner again next year.

 

Not sure how he underachieved the last two years -- maybe you could enlighten me on that one.

No one questioned his work ethic the last two years. He was their best player last year, and he wasn't far off this year. These last two years he really turned a corner. His second year -- the complete disappointment -- was a wake up call for him. Have not heard a complaint about him or his work ethic since. Players do change, and he did. The one knock is people wanted him to be more physical but he has never been the type of player to throw his body around a lot and never will be -- although he still does from time to time. He's a space eater with great hands. he creates space for the playmakers, provides pressure on the forecheck and has the ability to get open and become available for a pass or rebound. He also plays all three phases of the game (ES, PP, PK).

They gave up a lot to get him, absolutely. They also had a stockpile of draft picks at the time for that year. They still had another first round pick and I believe another third round pick that year. In addition they got what amounts to a better haul in return. Two firsts and a 2/3 rd pick.
My issue with the return is so much of it hinges on the development of Tuebert who has apparently struggled since turning pro, also it sets the rebuild back another notch. They were previously on schedule to return to contention in about three years -- miss the playoffs this year, miss the playoffs next, look to make the playoffs the following year, then hopefully jump into contention the next year. Now maybe it's dropped back one more year. They weren't in a cap crunch and he would have been in his prime still when they were scheduled to be back in contention. They are going to need some veterans to get them there, they certainly don't have anyone who is going to step in and take Penner's spot on the current roster. They also got a whole lot smaller right now and that's not something they could afford to do.

 

Hopefully, Edmonton has done proper due diligence on Teubert.

 

My boy Rusty Klesla is on the move from Columbus to Phoenix. Too lazy to look it up but he must be the last player from their expansion season that was still with the club.

He certainly had the talent but never came close to being the Norris Trophy contender he was touted to be when he went fourth overall. Maybe a change of scenery will do him some good.

 

Yes, Klesla is the last original Blue Jacket. Or was.

 

He still has a big shot, can be effective on the power play, he's a leader and he's won Cups. He will help the Caps. But do those intangibles make him that much better than Steckel (AND a draft pick)? That will be learned in April and May.

 

Nuts! Yorkman used twitter to attack a reporter.

 

Hard to believe he's got 10 years in the league. There is a Sporcle quiz that asks you to name all the players who have played the last ten years with the same club. There were only like 20, and Rusty was one of them.