Salary Cap: '24-'25 Salary Thread: Crosbicles Volume MMXXVI: Sid is Still Goat

[BusinessGoose]

If your thumb or elbow is locking up, you're f***ed, pro or not

 

[Randy Butternubs]

I wonder if that's why they traded Miller instead of EP40. They basically had to keep EP40 since I'm assuming all the GMs knew about this chronic injury.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I wonder how much of EP40's issues are from being a Kessel kinda guy. In that I mean he's not a team's centerpiece, a guy you build around, the guy you lean on all night, every night, etc. A guy who wants to just quietly do his own thing and be left alone.

It's probably a combination of a bunch of things tbh. Nagging injury (looked godawful in the 4 Nations), a battered ego after the months-long circus played out in the media and to the public (with the POHO/GM both saying anything's possible when asked whether EP40 was on the block), and probably a bridge burned too badly to repair in the end.

It would be very funny for the Canucks to lose all of JT Miller, EP40, and then Quinn Hughes in the span of a couple of years though. EP40 is Hughes' best friend, so if/when EP40 is dealt, I imagine that'd be it for Hughes' chances of sticking around--either by asking to be dealt or refusing to re-sign in a couple years.

 

[Pancakes]

I wonder how much of EP40's issues are from being a Kessel kinda guy. In that I mean he's not a team's centerpiece, a guy you build around, the guy you lean on all night, every night, etc. A guy who wants to just quietly do his own thing and be left alone.

It's probably a combination of a bunch of things tbh. Nagging injury (looked godawful in the 4 Nations), a battered ego after the months-long circus played out in the media and to the public (with the POHO/GM both saying anything's possible when asked whether EP40 was on the block), and probably a bridge burned too badly to repair in the end.

It would be very funny for the Canucks to lose all of JT Miller, EP40, and then Quinn Hughes in the span of a couple of years though. EP40 is Hughes' best friend, so if/when EP40 is dealt, I imagine that'd be it for Hughes' chances of sticking around--either by asking to be dealt or refusing to re-sign in a couple years.

Were I a Canucks fan I'd be worried about Hughes wanting to go to the Devils in a few years given both of his brothers are there.

We already dealt with this as Pens fans with Jordan Staal. Staal wanting to go to Carolina was as much to play with his brother as it was to have a bigger role.

 

[ChaosAgent]

If I zoom out, Malkin's trend line from the 2009 cup through the 2011 knee injury looks similar to EP's. To get a bit Malkin soapboxy, those 1.5 seasons as Crosby and Ovechkin continued to dominate (and balance of power shifted to Chicago/LA) are the reason he fell off the wider hockey narrative, had the stupid NHL100 snub, etc.

Then after the knee injury he came back motivated, fit, and gave us 9 years of elite 1C play albeit with frequent injuries. But during his time off he was maniacally motivated, saying and doing all the right things. It seems like EP40 is being more petulant and scoffing/snappy about it.

I also look at players like Eric Staal, Lecavalier and Toews. We take it for granted that elite is elite and will stay that way. But there are guys who just peaked early and then fell into a sort of meh malaise. Still good players, but not franchise players.

I still think it's worth taking a swing on a potentially great 1C. I would trade our 2025 1st, but I would also need them to take Jarry or Graves.