• Moderators, please send me a PM if you are unable to access mod permissions. Thanks, Habsy.

Call your deadline shot

The attendance problems really seemed to start sinking once they threatened to ban Leafs fans from attending. Looks like we kept them afloat for a good while.
 
LeafGm said:
I wonder if that might actually not be true.

Because this whole situation didn't blow up until Karlsson went to the media and said in no uncertain terms that he wouldn't be taking a discount, and would be getting paid his full market value on his next deal.

That was when the Sens asked him for his trade list, and that's when Melnyk started blowing up publicly & privately. So I kind of wonder if, prior to that point, Melnyk was deluded enough to think that Karlsson would take a significant discount.
Click to expand...

They traded for Phaneuf, Brassard and Duchene to compete over the next two years. I guess Burrows too. Its no coincidence Brassard and Duchene's contract lined up with Karlsson. They were going for it this year and next year. Sure part of that may have been to convince Karlsson to stay. But even then they knew he needed some convincing.
 
leafman101 said:
They traded for Phaneuf, Brassard and Duchene to compete over the next two years. I guess Burrows too. Its no coincidence Brassard and Duchene's contract lined up with Karlsson. They were going for it this year and next year. Sure part of that may have been to convince Karlsson to stay. But even then they knew he needed some convincing.
Click to expand...
I definitely agree with that part. Like the Habs, what they've done over the past couple of years was legitimately their best attempt to contend for a Stanley Cup.

But I just wonder at how quickly Melnyk came totally unglued in the immediate aftermath of Karlsson stating that he was going to get paid, and opening the door to him leaving Ottawa. To me, that seems like the behaviour of an owner that just assumed Karlsson would take a discount to stay, like Alfredsson before him, and he threw a hissy fit when he was publicly disabused of that notion.
 
Oh yeah for sure. Since Karlsson spoke out all of their actions have been based on emotion rather than winning.

But yeah, up until that point they were earnestly trying to win. Not just Expo style save money. That was them trying.
 
leafman101 said:
Oh yeah for sure. Since Karlsson spoke out all of their actions have been based on emotion rather than winning.

But yeah, up until that point they were earnestly trying to win. Not just Expo style save money. That was them trying.
Click to expand...

Trying on a shoestring.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top