FeedOne Is A Lonely Number
June 30, 2010 in Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs Tags: Ben Eager, Bretn Sopel, Colin Fraser, Dustin Byfuglien, Kris Versteeg, Stanley Cup
If a team has to ship out a big chunk of its roster after winning the Stanley Cup just one time, it kind of makes you wonder if there will ever be another dynasty in the NHL.
The Chicago Blackhawks, only weeks after capturing their first Cup in 49 years, have dealt Dustin Byfuglien, Brent Sopel, and Ben Eager to the Atlanta Thrashers, Colin Fraser to Edmonton, and now Kris Versteeg has signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
It’s all business, salary caps, dollars and cents, accountants, tax shelters, unrestricted and restricted free agents, unions, and player agents in the hockey world now. The soul of hockey is taking a beating. The days of four or five consecutive Stanley Cups won by one team appear to be a thing of the past.
Montreal must learn from this. They must find a way to keep the team intact after they win the Cup next spring. One isn’t going to be good enough. We’ll need at least three, thank you very much.
June 30th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
Three important things Montreal must learn from Chicago’s experience
1) remember to make qualifying offers to RFAs on time
2) don’t overpay your goalie
3) bring home the Cup
June 30th, 2010 at 9:14 pm
And Don’t sign Hossa!
June 30th, 2010 at 9:16 pm
Hey Dennis, gary bettman has ruined our game by making it all business.I think that it may have eventually gone this way to a certain extent, but not with the magnitude that we are witnessing nowadays.You must remember,bettman makes money for the owners,which the owners do enjoy and in turn they pay him quite well.I’d really enjoy slapping that mug of his and wipe away that fucking smurky look he always packs around with him
June 30th, 2010 at 9:19 pm
Josh, that’s right. Don’t sign Hossa.
June 30th, 2010 at 9:21 pm
Derry, for me there’s something wrong with the game when a team has to dismantle a lot of it after winning it all. Doesn’t seem right at all.
July 1st, 2010 at 6:27 am
Dennis, just imagine if Gary Bettman was in charge of Formula One racing.
The legendary Michael Schumacher* would have only one Grand Prix victory to his credit after being forced by Bettman’s stupid rules to drive a Chevy Chevette for the rest of his career.
In the race for the Stanley Cup, I’m afraid Chicago’s Ferrari is slowly and painfully being converted into a Ford Fiesta. Practical, affordable but not much of a threat on race day.
* Michael Schumacher is the holder of seven Formula One Championship titles, along with five consecutive titles and 91 race victories. He is considered to be the greatest Formula One driver of all time. And “CH” appears three times in his name.
July 1st, 2010 at 7:26 am
Dennis, all the more reason to love your team and root for them no matter what happens. Anyone can be a bandwagon fan. Plus, the CH are on the upswing.
You’ll change things when you are the owner!! Don’t forget me to be in charge of handing out towels to the men in the locker room.
July 1st, 2010 at 8:47 am
You’ve got the job, Diane. But will you be good at it?
July 1st, 2010 at 8:48 am
Great comparison, Danno. “And here comes Schumacher in his Chevette for the final lap. Everyone else has showered and gone home.”