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KK has been scratched in 3 games in 3 years with the Canes. Say what you will about him (he is overpaid for his performance), but I also blame RBA for some of that. He's not properly matched on his line and his opportunities are far and few between. But we've all seen what he's capable of when he's on the right line.

Paying a backup or a 50/50 goalie $4.5M a year is ridiculous. Knowing he'll be injured at some point and likely miss 20 games, play in maybe 25 or 30 behind Kochetkov, $4.5M is also irresponsible and not smart.

Here's what we've learned about Freddie over the past 3 seasons: 2021-2022: 52 (reg season) games played with a 2.17 GAA and 922 SV %. No post season due to injury 2022-2023: 34 (reg season) games played with a 2.48 GAA and 903 SV %. 9 playoff games were better with a 1.83 GAA and a 927 SV %. He was far better in the post season than the regular season, but a short season due to injury. 2023-2024: 16 (reg season) games played with a 1.84 GAA and a 932 SV %. 10 playoff games with a 2.62 GAA and a 895 SV%. Another short season due to injury. But the glaring number here should be the fact that with 246 regular season games over the past 3 seasons, Freddie has only played 102 of those. We have paid him $4.5M to play in a total of 50 regular season games and 19 post season games over the past 2 years.

And yet there are only 7 stadiums which are older. And 5 of those have had far more costly renovations which truly make them younger than their original opening date.

That's what I became after selling my PSLs year ago. Almost 10 years as a casual fan, watching 1 or maybe parts of 2 games a week with no allegiance to anyone. Far less stressful, less emotional investment and the ability to see the reality of the league as an entertainment business and nothing more.

Yeah, but the Panthers haven't left..... yet...

A Ph.D. in chemistry from Cal Berkeley, a 2-year postdoctoral study at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington and holds 27 US patents. 12 years in the tech industry managing research teams for nanotechnology in areas such as DNA sequencing and solar energy. Yep.... hockey guy. He brings some sand paper to the front office.

Kings sent Pierre Luc-Dubois to the Caps for Darcy Kuemper. Calgary sends Markstrom to NJ for Bahl (D) and a 1st round pick (top 10). 2 goalies moved...

I was a very young Little Leaguer watching Mays play. A great 2-way player. Was sad to watch him stay too long and his last year or so with the Mets was hard to watch. He was 93.

I was a very young Little Leaguer watching Mays play. A great 2-way player. Was sad to watch him stay too long and his last year or so with the Mets was hard to watch. He was 93.

1. You can never be known or recognized as a loud fan base when the stadium's acoustic design is atrocious. If the wind is blowing the slightest, you can't even hear the halftime crap, and that's amplified over a loudspeaker system. The only place in the entire stadium where crowd noise has ever had any impact was in the east end zone area. 2. If your team was founded and run by Jerry Richardson, how did you think the crowd would behave? This is as "fired up" as you'll ever see him. 3. Is it still against stadium rules to take your shirt off? Yeah, fans are doing it in Buffalo when it's -20 outside, but when the sun is scorching your ass on the north side of BOA in September, you better not! 4. Larger markets without an NFL team include San Antonio/Austin, and throw in the fact Texas has no state taxes... 5. Charlotte/Meck already has one of the highest property tax rates in the entire state, and a part of that is from previous stadium upgrades and projects over the years. About $.74 cents per $100, city and county combined.

TBH, if there's one place there should be an overabundance of humor is any conversation about the Panthers or the Hornets. Otherwise, I'd think some are just taking the game way too seriously.

Okay, Nancy. Keep on pulling for those Pop Warner boys in Charlotte.

Imagine that- talking trash about Olympic athletes when the best thing you're paying attention to is the Panther football team?

Participation trophies for everyone!

Gastonia or Rock Hill......lol

No, please, no. Keep the garbage in Charlotte. No need to drag another city into the cesspool of professional sports that Charlotte has become. With any luck, maybe the soccer team can avoid the curse of Charlotte.

Hey mods... @rayzor @LinvilleGorge and others. What are the odds of getting an Olympics forum installed for the next 8 weeks or so? Looks to be an exciting Olympics in Paris, especially in the track & field events both men and women's teams are strong, women's swimming.

I don't think Necas or Guentzel stays. Sorry, there is absolutely no indication that there's a chance either of them stays unless there are some serious and very quiet talks going on. And, as good as Waddell was at keeping things close to the vest and out of the press, I'm not sure how that continues. But, I'll gladly eat some crow if the Canes manage to keep just one of the 2. I just don't think the bank account allows for it.

Pesce leaving is a forgone conclusion and I can't say the same for Skjei. Unfortunately, this team is built on defensive scoring, and if the 2nd D pair is indeed Orlov and Chatty, there will be a huge drop-off there. Chatty is a great move. Been saying for a long time he's playing at a 2nd pair level. I'm more concerned with Orlov's lapses and turnovers for the amount of money he's getting. I'd rather get Skjei back and put Chatty on the 2nd pair with him.

The Logo has passed at 86. He was the Lakers when I was growing up and my father had season tickets to the Lakers when it was Jerry, Goodrich, Chamberlain, Baylor, Counts, Erickson, McMillan, Hairston... Met him years ago with Mitch Kupchak in San Diego. They were having dinner at the table next to mine and I had to say hello as quietly and unobtrusively as possible.

The Logo has passed at 86. He was the Lakers when I was growing up and my father had season tickets to the Lakers when it was Jerry, Goodrich, Chamberlain, Baylor, Counts, Erickson, McMillan, Hairston... Met him years ago with Mitch Kupchak in San Diego. They were having dinner at the table next to mine and I had to say hello as quietly and unobtrusively as possible.

They are buying one of the best hockey sites on the web, CapFriendly, and plan to shut it down after the draft. What the motherfug!

Guentzel was a rental, and one could argue a long-shot rental. Yes, he added scoring and he made some game-winning plays along the way, but make no mistake- the Canes were going to the post season with or without him. We all knew re-signing him was going to be a challenge, so the best way to look at the 2023-2024 season with him is, "it was a nice first date, but I don't think it'll work out." But, the advantage to knowing he won't be staying is the freedom to start working with the options they have (Jarvis, Noesen, Skjei/Pesce, Chatty, Turbo).

Unless the Canes let about every UFA walk, there's no way. The money just isn't there. Make the decision, keep Gunetzel and risk the long term success of the team, or let him go and continue to put a winning product on the ice.