mouse Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 I could see him going to St. Louis. Backes is there, so team USA connection. Good young team. Good sports town, and no basketball, so he would be the center of attention all winter instead of on the number 5 team in the market. Langs is there, and Zach and he are still close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Claude didn't really force his way out...he tried to use his playoff run to get more cash out of Lou (not the smartest idea with a guy like Lou), and Lou wasn't having it...I think Claude would've happily stayed if he'd gotten the cash (and considering how lost Lemieux looked during the '95 regular season, I can understand why Lou didn't ante up). It's kind of too bad the Devils couldn't have just gotten Wendell Clark for Lemieux straight up...the Devils clearly got the worst and softest of the three players in that three-team deal in Steve Thomas. I don't think that's clear. I don't like Steve Thomas at all, but while Wendel Clark put in some goals, he was often hurt and was a shoot first player always. I guess his numbers over those years were better - I forgot just how awful Thomas was. Claude definitely forced his way out - he had a signed contract that he tried to reneg on. While that was certainly done back in those days, renegging on a signed contract was a good way to get yourself traded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 (edited) I don't think that's clear. I don't like Steve Thomas at all, but while Wendel Clark put in some goals, he was often hurt and was a shoot first player always. I guess his numbers over those years were better - I forgot just how awful Thomas was. Claude definitely forced his way out - he had a signed contract that he tried to reneg on. While that was certainly done back in those days, renegging on a signed contract was a good way to get yourself traded. I know Clark was injury-prone, but when healthy I just liked his game a lot more than Thomas'. I think Claude thought his playoff MVP run was enough to get whatever he wanted out of Lou...I don't think he necessarily did it to try to force a deal, though he clearly messed with the wrong bull when he took that route. Edited May 11, 2012 by Colorado Rockies 1976 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaneykoIsGod Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Claude didn't really force his way out...he tried to use his playoff run to get more cash out of Lou (not the smartest idea with a guy like Lou), and Lou wasn't having it...I think Claude would've happily stayed if he'd gotten the cash (and considering how lost Lemieux looked during the '95 regular season, I can understand why Lou didn't ante up). It's kind of too bad the Devils couldn't have just gotten Wendell Clark for Lemieux straight up...the Devils clearly got the worst and softest of the three players in that three-team deal in Steve Thomas. I remember hearing once that when Lou first hired Lemaire, he asked him to name one player he'd like for him to try to acquire, and apparently the player named was Steve Thomas. Anyone else remember hearing that story? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 I remember hearing once that when Lou first hired Lemaire, he asked him to name one player he'd like for him to try to acquire, and apparently the player named was Steve Thomas. Anyone else remember hearing that story? No actually, but interesting. Thomas was pretty disappointing here...the only good thing I remember about him is that he had some OT goals in his first season...I think the Devils went 7-0-12 (ties, not OT losses obviously) in games that went into OT in '96, and I think he had something like 4 or 5 OT goals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundstrom Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 12-17-32 - the hells angels line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halfsharkalligatorhalfman Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 I hated Steve Thomas but I was like 12 at the time. The closest recent parallel to Parise signing in NY would be Hossa signing with Detroit after the Pens lost to them I suppose. Or Johnny Damon signing with the Yankees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neb00rs Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 (edited) I hated Steve Thomas but I was like 12 at the time. The closest recent parallel to Parise signing in NY would be Hossa signing with Detroit after the Pens lost to them I suppose. Or Johnny Damon signing with the Yankees. Hossa has one of the most amazing stories ever. Seriously he loses in the SCF to the Wings as a Penguin, the next year he loses in the SCF to the Pens as a Red Wing. Everybody at that point figured he was the most unlucky guy in hockey. But then the next year he wins the Cup as a Blackhawk. Edited May 11, 2012 by ben00rs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The 29th Pick Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 I remember hearing once that when Lou first hired Lemaire, he asked him to name one player he'd like for him to try to acquire, and apparently the player named was Steve Thomas. Anyone else remember hearing that story? yeah I remember that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njdevsftw Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 If the above happened, what more does Zach owe us exactly? He will have done his job +1 This guy is a Minnesota native no? Why should he give up a ton of cash to stay in NJ? He's put in a bunch of years with the devils always giving his all. Whatever his decision I'll always consider him a great devil and a class act. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeCups Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 +1 This guy is a Minnesota native no? Why should he give up a ton of cash to stay in NJ? He's put in a bunch of years with the devils always giving his all. Whatever his decision I'll always consider him a great devil and a class act. Except if he signs with the Rangers... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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