(no subject)

[bzarcher]

Aaaand Selanne is back.

Am I a bad hockey fan if I increasingly think that allowing Niedermeyer and Selanne to basically sit out over half the season and then come back to the Ducks is horseshit?

If you don't go to training camp, don't play in the first 40 games, and are on a one way contract (ie: Not in the AHL), I don't think you should get the chance to play. You made your decision by skipping out on the first half of the season. "Oh, look, the team's doing well, so I suppose I'll come back!" Bullshit! How is this reasonable or fair to the other 29 teams in the league? I bet a lot of them with injury prone or older players would love to give a couple of them an extra 4 months of off season.

In pretty much every other sport, if you're still -under contract- (and yes, they BOTH are under contract this year), refuse to attend training camp, and don't play for the first 1/3 of the season, you're done for the year. No "well, I might retire", no "I don't know if I have the passion to play". You didn't play, you forfeited your game checks for that first part of the season, and now your contract says you get to sit at home until next season and not earn any checks at all. Maybe you can come back in the off season if it matters so much to you now.

This feels less and less like they wanted to retire and more like gamesmanship from Burke and the Ducks to make a big move for the playoffs without having to give up anything at the trade deadline, and it stinks to high hell.

Comments

[tattermuffin.livejournal.com]

I'm with you 100% on this.

[chaoticgoodnik.livejournal.com]

My thoughts on this: if Roger Clemens did it, you probably don't want to do it.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

*nods*

Heck, it hurts you more than us. We're competing with them for a playoff spot, but our 4 games with them are done unless we meet them in the postseason. The Sharks have, what, 3 games left against them? 4? How much of the Pacific div. just got screwed by this, I wonder?

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

heh. That should be a locker room sign somewhere.

Edit: Clemens was also -at least- a free agent when he's been pulling this crap.

[tattermuffin.livejournal.com]

Is it wrong of me to hope he hurts something and has to sit out on IR the rest of the season being called "too old" to play effectively?

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

I'd find that highly ironic, yes.

Maybe they could Chris Beech 'im and put him on waivers for "Poor Conditioning."

[chaptal.livejournal.com]

So, who is going to sign Forsberg?

Carry The Flag!

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

My gut feeling says Philly, if he comes back, but I've been wrong before.

I have to admit that if somehow Hitch could play on their connections and maybe have Freddy Modin do a little talking on the Swede-vine, it could be -exactly- what Columbus needs. (Ie: Bona fide #1 Centre) But I think the chances for that are...slim.

[flaggerx.livejournal.com]

I'd have to wonder what their conditioning is like at this point. Yeah, they're talented guys, but hockey ain't baseball. I suppose if the point is the playoffs themselves 31 games is enough time to work themselves into shape, but they may have a bit of huffing and puffing along the way.

I figure training camp is tough for a reason. A lot of vets retire during camp, and a long season can take a bit out of an old man. Oh well, if it works for them I bet it works of the Jackets.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

That's going to be a question. Supposedly they were both skating and practicing on their own until they came back, but we'll see.