The coaches.

i'm hearing BIG buzz about Lavy to Strong Island... since "Goodfella" Capuano is gonna be Garth's sacrificial lamb.

 

Ted Nolan turned down a contract extension. Is there another HC in the history of the NHL with a more finely honed ability to piss his team off?

 

He must have studied Keenan.

Nothing good is going to happen with him at the helm anyway. His coaching career is one step away from the end. If he stays and everything goes bad, he'll burn it all himself and take everybody down with him.

Buffalo should be happy he rejected it in my opinion.

 

RE: "in Pittsburgh"
relax. its just... (ahem) stretching exercises.

 

I agree, and while I am not happy, I think it places the inevitable on the fast track. I feel more relieved than happy. Still, Nolan has fierce* loyalty from some players, and I think he's been good for our youngsters this year. I half hope he stays behind the bench for one more year for this reason. But, he will never ride in a SC parade in Buffalo.

* Matthew Barnaby ran Hasak in practice after Nolan was let go the first time; that's a good example of fierce loyalty. Of course, the question must be asked if you really would want him on your side in the first place.

 

That's the question I would ask. Dangerous times ahead, but I think Nolan was a trainwreck. Who knows? It's tough enough trying to land good professionals that actually want to be a part of losing, it almost never works, even tougher to match up a coach with kids knowing the final destination is a lotto pick. Even the good vet NHLers decide it's best to ride out the contract on a sunset tour. I'll be expecting some more noise out of Buffalo before the draft.

 

torts to buffalo for a 2nd

 

Trade for Nolan?

 

From Ken Dryden's The Game-

Bowman feels much the same way about the team?s other exceptional players ? about Gainey, Robinson, Savard, Lapointe, Shutt, Cournoyer, Lemaire. He believes that while he can set a constructive tone for the team, and can prepare these players physically and tactically, reminding them from time to time to their annoyance that they are not playing as they can, ultimately what drives them is them.
Not so the marginal player. Young players whose styles are not yet set, older players on the other side of their careers, their egos battered until they?re willing to listen: These players are vulnerable and can be manipulated. So Bowman manipulates them?Tremblay, Chartraw, Larouche, Larocque, and others?sometimes cruelly. Benching them, ignoring them for long periods of time, he makes them worry, and makes them wonder why. Then the team hits injuries or a slump and he uncovers them again. He works them hard in practice, watching them, telling the press how hard and well they are working, making them feel they are earning their place in the team. Given a chance, usually at home, they give back an inspired game. A few games later, the inspiration fades, and it all starts again. He holds them by their emotional strings, often for many years, manipulating them until he gets out of them what he thinks is there; then, when he gets it, when feels it is grooved into place, he stops.

 

master manipulator

 

And not a cupcake either. Ruthless comes to mind. I think he has a tattoo on his chest that says "losing blows" in old english style or something.

 

I have tried to pay very little attention to Carolina and I think I've been successful since November. How has Harvey Dent done there? Is he salvageable?

 

He's freed:

 

he looks like he should be running a nice Italian joint in Providence.

 

^^^M04R NECKFACE!^^^