No, and again for the same reasons. He's more to the Flyers than just a player. He's the face of the franchise.

That said, I think they're more or less on about the same level, but I'm biased, so I would prefer Giroux.
- jmatchett383

But wasn't Richards the "face of the franchise" before him & he got traded?

I've been screaming the same thoughts in my head. You can't lay blame on doctors when they've done everything by the book & the book has proven to be wrong. Vaccinated players & tests all point to "this isn't the mumps", you can't really be held responsible when every conventional method of telling "is this the mumps or not?" has said "this isn't the mumps".
- ScienceJesus

I agree, but when the player has all of the physical symptoms of the mumps, it may be best to not say one way or the other that he does/does not have the mumps until you can conclusively say it. Something along the lines of, "He is being withheld from team activities while awaiting diagnosis," or something.

But wasn't Richards the "face of the franchise" before him & he got traded?
- ScienceJesus

Yes, and the fan base was furious, and turned a lot of people off in a traditional hockey market. The fan base has not yet recovered to the extent it was at prior to the trade.

Edit: I actually want to correct myself. He was the captain, but was not necessarily the "face of the franchise." That was actually Chris Pronger at the time, and most people realized that Giroux was the most talented player on the team.

upgrade Spaling and get rid of the 2nd and we are getting close
- DDM-Coga

Hmm..I guess you want Harrington and Sutter for ROR....

Now getting too much for me..

The Penguins were the 5th team to have this Mumps ordeal, 12 players on 4 other teams had it, so it's not like it is only the Pens dealing with this issue. When there is a proven test for Mumps and those tests come back negative, how much blame can you really put on them? I am pretty sure when you have to send blood samples to the CDC to positively identify something when convential tests have failed and that disease is also something that the players have been vaccinated against then you are dealing with some pretty extenuating circumstances.

Also, I think referring to a disease that causes swollen glands with pain that is treated with ibuprofin and a minimal possibility of having swollen/painful testicals as a plague is a little over the top.
- PensFan1103

Here is my only problem with how they handled it... Crosby looked like Quagmire from family guy after practice. Maybe he looked fine prior to practice and his face swelled up with/after exertion, but on the ice or coming off the ice, someone should have noticed it and grabbed him.

Putting him in front of the cameras and then MJ saying that everything was negative and "he looks fine" just made them look completely incompetent.

I agree, but when the player has all of the physical symptoms of the mumps, it may be best to not say one way or the other that he does/does not have the mumps until you can conclusively say it. Something along the lines of, "He is being withheld from team activities while awaiting diagnosis," or something.
- jmatchett383

Oh, I agree. They should have taken a more precautionary approach, but they did initially believe that it might have been an abscess tooth or something when all the mumps tests said "nope". So they would have seemed silly for taking a quarantine approach for something that wasn't even an illness.

That's the thing with doctors. Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Oh, I agree. They should have taken a more precautionary approach, but they did initially believe that it might have been an abscess tooth or something when all the mumps tests said "nope". So they would have seemed silly for taking a quarantine approach for something that wasn't even an illness.

That's the thing with doctors. Damned if you do and damned if you don't.
- ScienceJesus

If it was an isolated thing, I agree. But when it's been going around the league, holding him out of practice for a day or two for "precautionary measures" wouldn't be a terrible idea.

Here is my only problem with how they handled it... Crosby looked like Quagmire from family guy after practice. Maybe he looked fine prior to practice and his face swelled up with/after exertion, but on the ice or coming off the ice, someone should have noticed it and grabbed him.

Putting him in front of the cameras and then MJ saying that everything was negative and "he looks fine" just made them look completely incompetent.
- rival22

It was after/during practice it happened, but I agree he should of been taken off the ice immediately and not put in front of cameras. If he wasn't in front of cameras this whole situation is not as messy.

No Yonk1216 said he was a 3/4 Dman.

Klef/Marincin/Nurse all full time next season. No question.

I agree Sutter would be a nice addition, just not at the price of Hall
- nanook82

So, can we both agree Yonk1216 doesn't know much about hockey?

I pitched the idea of maatta being used in a deal for hall and I stand by it. This deal will most likely hurt the team for this season, but next year after pouliot and Harrington get a fresh training camp, Sundqvist will be sticking around, Kapanen could crack the lineup and JR can make some free agency moves, they will be set for the next 5 years. Let's say the trade is maatta/sutter/1st for hall, JR could maybe send a minor package for fleischmann to replace sutter. The only thing would be finding the cap space for all of this

Here is my only problem with how they handled it... Crosby looked like Quagmire from family guy after practice. Maybe he looked fine prior to practice and his face swelled up with/after exertion, but on the ice or coming off the ice, someone should have noticed it and grabbed him.

Putting him in front of the cameras and then MJ saying that everything was negative and "he looks fine" just made them look completely incompetent.
- rival22

Yes, because of the way Crosby looked, everyone suspected it. But that's why they then do the tests. When the tests come back and say it's negative for Mumps, you assume those tests are accurate and start looking into other potential causes. It's not like Mumps is the only explanation for swelling of glands. But I agree instead of flat out saying it isn't Mumps, they could have just said that the tests came back negative and they were still looking for the cause of the swelling.

Letang for Hall...straight up

It was after/during practice it happened, but I agree he should of been taken off the ice immediately and not put in front of cameras. If he wasn't in front of cameras this whole situation is not as messy.
- znagle

Exactly... they could have said in the afternoon that he had symptoms and they ruled him out of the game or whatever, but that image of him, and hundreds of twitter doctors (successfully) diagnosing him before the team did, just looks horrible.

Even though he had the earlier gland issue or whatever, with the league being on high alert for mumps, the training staff should have quickly stepped in.

Yes, and the fan base was furious, and turned a lot of people off in a traditional hockey market. The fan base has not yet recovered to the extent it was at prior to the trade.

Edit: I actually want to correct myself. He was the captain, but was not necessarily the "face of the franchise." That was actually Chris Pronger at the time, and most people realized that Giroux was the most talented player on the team.
- jmatchett383

I guess.. kinda, but the way I remember it was that Richards was the "face of the franchise" for a few years (after the lockout as the "face of the future" & through their disaster year shortly after the 1st lockout that let them draft Giroux) until they brought in Pronger. Then they kinda became the dual-faces for a while until Richards was traded.

Hmm..I guess you want Harrington and Sutter for ROR....

Now getting too much for me..
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Sutter would be a solid part, but Avs would have to have ROR extend or sweeten the pot to get those 2

If it was an isolated thing, I agree. But when it's been going around the league, holding him out of practice for a day or two for "precautionary measures" wouldn't be a terrible idea.
- jmatchett383

I guess. I still think they didn't play it perfectly, but there's only a small amount of blame to really throw on them beyond a "you screwed up. Maybe be a little more precautious the next time something weird crops up?"

I would nottrade maatta straight up for hall... that is a loss in a few years unless maatta ends up with bennettitis

Im on board for attempting to acquire Hall. But I would prefer not to deal away Maatta. You have to give up to get, so I recognize some player of substance would have to leave Pittsburgh, but given that Martin and Erhoff are likely to walk at the end of the year, there is no way I also get rid of Maatta. Unless of course, you believe his shoulder issues are so significant that he will never reach his true potential

Letang for Hall...straight up
- Tiogadog

No way. Letang has been an anchor in all situations. Let's just play pretend and say he sid waive his NTC to go there, I'd want hall and yaks

Sutter would be a solid part, but Avs would have to have ROR extend or sweeten the pot to get those 2
- DDM-Coga

Ok, still working on this...

Harrington and Sutter for ROR and Talbot?
Harrington, Sutter, Spaling for ROR and Tanguay?

We're taking on a buttload of salary but I think we can handle it with Dupuis' cap relief...just guessing, would need to look at it.

Harrington and Sutter for ROR and Talbot?
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I demand Talbot's return.

I pitched the idea of maatta being used in a deal for hall and I stand by it. This deal will most likely hurt the team for this season, but next year after pouliot and Harrington get a fresh training camp, Sundqvist will be sticking around, Kapanen could crack the lineup and JR can make some free agency moves, they will be set for the next 5 years. Let's say the trade is maatta/sutter/1st for hall, JR could maybe send a minor package for fleischmann to replace sutter. The only thing would be finding the cap space for all of this
- drummer829

Yeah, Hall would fit under the cap, but not with much room for anyone else. Fleischmann's $4.5 mil definitely would not. Ehrhoff or Martin would have to be moved, even moving Scuderi would not be enough.

I demand Talbot's return.
- Victoro311

Nice bottom 6 insurance/depth if Sutter was going the other way...

Yeah, Hall would fit under the cap, but not with much room for anyone else. Fleischmann's $4.5 mil definitely would not. Ehrhoff or Martin would have to be moved, even moving Scuderi would not be enough.
- PensFan1103

Some Fleischmann's cap will be held onto by the panthers, especially since they have the room and want to move him to make room for the kids. But I would have to guess they wouldn't eat more than half of that salary leaving around 2.2 (best case scenario)

Do you think you could take on the contract? Hall would score 60 next to EM/SC but it could really ruin your depth in a few years.