Phil

All I know is we need a "Saving Stamkos" ESPN doc about the brief moment in time that Stamkos was traded to the Rangers on a handshake agreement.

https://theathletic.com/5461033/2024/04/30/mike-sullivan-devils-rumors-penguins/?source=emp_shared_article

According to Friedman on TJMS, Tampa "knows he wants to be there," and "it's all going to come down to, are they going to make an offer that he feels is legitimate enough?" Said he expects them to make a below market offer that's basically just high enough for him to say "yeah, I'll take it."

Named team captain after Tortorella told the media the team wouldn't name one this season. Benched for multiple games by Tortorella. Changes agent to the same agent who used to represent now team GM Danny Brière. I dunno... feels like something?

CROSSED OUT THE TOTAL AND PAID A DIFFERENT AMOUNT! LMFAO

His back injuries are apparently preventing him from even being able to pick his own kid up. He has an Olympic medal, a Stanley Cup, and hit 1000 games — what's left to do? Seems insane to return next season to a Caps team that's almost certainly not going to make the playoffs.

Lots of Twitter griping about how Binnington or Markstrom should have been in on this over Bob. I mean, OK, but it's Hellebuyck's award. No one else stands a chance.

Be a man, Hogan.

Don't threaten me with a good time! I'll be sure to give you all the financials before renewal.

Appreciate that. I'm not trying to be flippant with how short my response is, but the counter to that is simple: You can't pick and choose when elite players become available. You move when they do and you figure things out once they're secured (just like the Rangers did with Panarin when they were also shitty). I can't blame them for not seeing how this could maybe/possibly go poorly six years later when they're facing the opportunity to go Matthews-Tavares-Kadri down the middle. On paper, that's a power move. Certainly a bigger power move than not trading woefully performing, high-priced wingers when they actually had the opportunity to.

That same cap space would have been available to them via trade if they moved Marner (and/or Nylander). I just don't really see the reason to blame it all on him given how the biggest contract players have performed. Only one has truly, deservedly, been heavily criticized for being unable to play big stakes playoff hockey. Hint: it's not Tavares.

100% this. I love Rempe, but I'm not playing him at all in a Canes series. Brodzinski would go in if Chytil can't.

The core you cited also needed to be paid. Namely Kadri and Hyman, who were direct casualties of the Tavares decision. I guess I just don't understand your argument. It feels like you want to have your cake and eat it too, without ever having to actually use a single name to anchor any of it. Who were they going to pay instead of Tavares in order to get better?

Irrelevant who wins. Beat the ever living shit out of each other. I'm 100% rooting for the Isles to push this to seven games, and I hope it's a painful, grueling affair to get there. I hope game seven goes seven OTs. That said, for the 94 vibes, go Isles I guess?

The Sore 4! LMFAO

I want King of the Ring treatment — scepter and crown — and I want it presented to me by @Karan.

In this scenario, what you're actually asking for them to do is keep Kadri (who was routinely getting suspended in the playoffs and basically run out of town for it). There was no cache of impact centers beyond Tavares they could have tapped into instead. That years' free agent class went: Tavares Fifty feet of crap 32-year-old Paul Stastny 38-year-old Joe Thornton 32-year-old Tyler Bozak Everyone else. Would keeping Kadri and Hyman have been better for them? Maybe. Probably. But it's unfalsifiable, and Marner's playoff performance is at the forefront of why fans want him gone.