So like, I’m sitting here watching Pens-Jets, listening to Steiggy and Errey talk about the new guard of Pens coaching staff and management staff as if they are guys they’ve been drinking at the Elks club with since 1985. Errey slurs “Gary Agnew” like he’s had at least eight Yuenglings. And what about “Jimmy Rutherford”, who is like a grown man and we didn’t know he had let anyone know they could call him Jimmy? My father’s name is James, too, and the visible anguish on his face when his mother calls him “Jimmy” will make your hair curl. God, I sound like the world’s oldest person right now. ANYWAY
I know I’m late as hell on this but I like to think that emphasizes how little I want to distance myself from the pack of “hot takes” and just say what’s on my mind in (hopefully) as level a way as possible. What do we make of Rutherford’s weird timing on signing Marc-André Fleury to a four year deal at $5.75 million per?
Whether you’re a Twitter warrior crunching numbers or someone who watches hockey via the eye test (assisted by your own favorite recreational beverage), you probably already know the truth about MAF, which is that he’s average. The fact that he is possibly the nicest human to ever survive into adulthood is what makes him a fan favorite. Seriously, people who dislike Fleury as a person just want to be angry for no reason. The man is a saint. His pricetag is reasonable considering his performance, and he has definitely become the most convenient scapegoat for the nuclear dissolution of the Penguins Dynasty that I wrote about after this most recent playoff embarrassment. Honestly: you don’t give up a 3-1 series lead solely because of goaltending. Grow up. MAF might only steal a game once in a blue moon, but he can steal a few periods at a time. Same as most NHL starters, to be perfectly fair. BUT THAT’S THE HOT/LUKEWARM/FLAN-TEXTURED TAKE you’ve been reading all week.
What I really want to ponder is Rutherford’s weird timing with the signing. He didn’t want to sign Fleury in the summer. Before Thanksgiving, Fleury posts three shutouts and is .931. Arguably he’s begun the best season of his career. It’s weird because from a bullshit narrative standpoint, we felt we’d entered a new, hardassed era of Penguins hockey, thanks to Mike Johnston being basically an Angry Principal With A Ruler, and Rutherford’s weird candidness and emotional detachment during press conference in general.
(Seriously, was a practice ever described as “intense” the entire time Dan Bylsma was coach? Even by the “official Inside Scoop” account?)
No, but MAF earned his contract based essentially on one good month of not fucking up.
And. . .I’ve tried for a few days to care.
But when does it matter when you give your guy the vote of confidence when you basically know you’re going to sign him anyway? Because as much as we want to hem and haw about how MAF has to “earn this contract” there was really no way he wasn’t going to. He was going to play fine all season no matter when the money dropped and there’s no way letting him go to UFA was remotely a good idea. Whatever strange black magic overtakes the Pittsburgh Penguins in April will return if it is meant to, and that darkness will blanket his soul as it blankets all of our souls, no matter how much money he makes. It’s not like you could have played that series against the Flyers with Patrick Roy in his prime between the pipes and somehow won. It was bad bad. It was bad for everyone. In fact, the Penguins probably would have dissolved after 2012 because Patrick Roy In His Prime would have killed a man.
Basically it doesn’t matter. A lot is different now, but certain players are still among the untouchable. It may not be a “dynasty” but it is a long-term core and we’re fairly sure the ownership would consider it mercenary bullshit if they won a Cup in the next five years having thrown MAF to the wolves in free agency or, worse, in a trade. There’s “just business” and then there’s just rude. MAF was always going to be re-signed this year by whomever the Penguins GM was. It’s in the script. This is not improv. And I mean, we should all be okay with it, probably.
LEFTOVER OBSERVATIONS:
![Screen Shot 2014-11-06 at 9.01.49 PM]()
Is Gary Agnew alive? legit question- Pavelec is probably having his best game ever against the Penguins so far and it’s 3-2 and he just gave up the softest goal ever to Steve Downie. It was so bad that Byfuglien actually attacked him after out of sheer frustration and also because he is Dustin Byfuglien.
- Steigerwald oddly has made it like almost two periods without talking about the Long Stick of Toby Enstrom.
- The trapezoid being bigger is so much less shitty than it was before and no one is talking about this.
- Byfuglien at one point in this game is trying to get Kris Letang to go to the winter festival with him but Kris Letang already has someone to go with. Chaos ensues. Blake Comeau thinks that Byfuglien is being inappropriate, tries to cap him.
- I need a cup of tea because Jacob Trouba just scored. Cue the internet saying we all spoke to soon about MAF or something. yawn. Seriously, you should all be drinking herbal tea at night for health and happiness. Go Pens.
