Could they of both gotten out and they decided to stick with it or did mgmt decide they weren't getting a good enough return, etc etc. I have no idea why or why not players move or don't move as it is almost always pure speculation.

There were lots of rumours of those players being shopped but apparently the players weren't willing to be traded. If Lou had refused to be traded, would he then be putting the team first?

Even going into the first round of the playoffs, most had them labeled still as chokers and bad leaders but they win a couple of series and the narrative changes.
- belcherbd

I know that after last season Marleau finally asked out, but prior to that both him and Thornton had always said they liked and wanted to be in SJ. Like you say though, if Lou had said the same thing he probably would have been vilified for blocking trades, blocking Schneider, etc. (though I doubt that would be a bad thing within the room).

I totally agree with the narrative crap too. They have better depth this year than they have had in the past, plus they had a few unlucky series when they were top seeds. Ovechkin is going through it now, its absurd

Weren't getting their way?

It was time for Kesler to move on and while he allegedly told David Backes that he wanted to be traded, that is a big difference than claiming he was badmouthing teammates. The only drama comes from butthurt fans speculating.

By all accounts Lou was a great teammate and member of the community in Vancouver, I'm not sure I've seen any reputable source claim he was a problem in the room. Was that a poop show for 18 months.... yes but blaming it on Luongo is naive.

Gillis (frank)ed up, Nonis pulled a fast one, Bettman changed the rules, if you want to point fingers, I suggest you start there but claiming the guy was a crybaby is asinine.
- belcherbd

Kesler was the one who made sure his trade request went public at the Olympics. So did Luongo. That deliberately disrupts the room. You really don't have much of an argument.

Kesler said on camera that his trade request was a year old. He also talked about wanting to be with a playoff team. I'm sure the dressing room was 100% impartial to it....ya right...

Kesler & Lou moved on & nothing has changed. No cups.

Kesler was the one who made sure his trade request went public at the Olympics. So did Luongo. That deliberately disrupts the room. You really don't have much of an argument.

Kesler said on camera that his trade request was a year old. He also talked about wanting to be with a playoff team. I'm sure the dressing room was 100% impartial to it....ya right...

- boonerbuck

Like I said earlier about fan and media speculation, unless of course you want to substantiate any of this and no Scooby's hairdresser doesn't count and I don't believe you know anyone in the organization willing to give you insider info.

I'm not denying he asked out, what I am saying is that it is petty and ridiculous to suggest that he purposely was disrupting the room.

The rumour from the Olympics was that a reporter allegedly overheard Kesler in a bar telling Backes that his hand injury might impact his ability to be traded. That's it.... but here we are 2 + years later and he was sabotaging the room and stating that he was making sure his trade request went public.

Honestly your are just proving my point about fan/media speculation.

Could they of both gotten out and they decided to stick with it or did mgmt decide they weren't getting a good enough return, etc etc. I have no idea why or why not players move or don't move as it is almost always pure speculation.

There were lots of rumours of those players being shopped but apparently the players weren't willing to be traded. If Lou had refused to be traded, would he then be putting the team first?

Even going into the first round of the playoffs, most had them labeled still as chokers and bad leaders but they win a couple of series and the narrative changes.
- belcherbd

Gillis made an accusation in an interview about Luongo not waiving. Counting all the people reporting the quote followed by the speculation doesnt make it "lots". Luongo denied he was ever approached to waive. Gillis then followed up Luongo's comments to a story about his preferences etc.. dropped the waiver refusal comment. Gillis back peddled. Gillis was and still is shameless when it comes to putting out misinformation to cover his ass.

Things were way more out in the open then you are remembering. I often notice your memory is vague on past events like this. Marks for wanting to counter for fun though

[quote=belcherbd]
you guys need to get a (frank)ing room

then why say,

when i'd already included TSN and all other media...

- kaptaan

You are both right.

Gillis made an accusation in an interview about Luongo not waiving. Counting all the people reporting the quote followed by the speculation doesnt make it "lots". Luongo denied he was ever approached to waive. Gillis then followed up Luongo's comments to a story about his preferences etc.. dropped the waiver refusal comment. Gillis back peddled. Gillis was and still is shameless when it comes to putting out misinformation to cover his ass.

Things were way more out in the open then you are remembering. I often notice your memory is vague on past events like this. Marks for wanting to counter for fun though

- boonerbuck

I think you might be confused by what I said because you are starting to go off the rails about Gillis when this is about whether or not Kesler and Lou purposely were disrupting the room.

I make no claims about whether Lou did or did not refuse to waive but was using it as an example of how not waiving could be perceived as not putting the team first as well. Read the previous discussion to give yourself some substance.

[quote=belcherbd]

Wait? Kesler later confirms he asked out a year earlier after a few months earlier denying he wanted out at the Olympics. I see no reason not to believe that original report now. If you want to fire up the time machine so we don't have that knowledge,,, then I would treat it as a baseless rumor like you are trying to do. Doesnt seem like a strong place for you to argue from now though.


For myself, it looks pretty clear that he lit a fire under his trade request by way of a media leak. It's nothing new.

If Kesler deliberately get his trade request out to the media like Luongo did,,,, you are deliberately causing all the negativity it comes with. That is the leverage... "put this fire out by moving me". I'm surprised it has to be spelled out for you.

Wait? Kesler later confirms he wanted out for a year after a few months earlier denying he wanted out at the Olympics. I see no reason not to believe that original report now. If you want to fire up the time machine so we don't have that knowledge,,, then I would treat it as a baseless rumor like you are trying to do. Doesnt seem like a strong place for you to argue from now though.


For myself, it looks pretty clear that he lit a fire under his trade request by way of a media leak. It's nothing new.


If you deliberately get your trade request out to the media like Luongo did,,,, you are deliberately causing all the negativity it comes with. That is the leverage... "put this fire out by moving me". I'm surprised it has to be spelled out for you.
- boonerbuck

I'm not denying the original report or that he did in fact ask for a trade and also denied asking for a trade...... stay on topic.

Spell it out for me how he deliberately was sabotaging the room? I see that you have speculated that it makes sense that he would of leaked the rumour.

But isn't it just as realistic that it happened the way it was reported which stated he was overheard in a bar talking to a teammate.

Justin Trudeau almost starts a brawl at Parliment today by banging into an NDP. Benning should see if he knows how to play LW.

His legacy lives on

His legacy lives on
- SRam19

Can you put a condom on his head too?

Can you put a condom on his head too?
- VANTEL

If only my photoshop skills were on par with MG's contract negotiating skills.

I'm not denying the original report or that he did in fact ask for a trade and also denied asking for a trade...... stay on topic.

Spell it out for me how he deliberately was sabotaging the room? I see that you have speculated that it makes sense that he would of leaked the rumour.

But isn't it just as realistic that it happened the way it was reported which stated he was overheard in a bar talking to a teammate.
- belcherbd

Really? You still cannot get your head around how going public negatively effects the dressing room? The object may be to get your trade... but you cannot wash your hands of the negative. You can't play naive like you are doing right now and pretend you didnt know it was going to happen either. Like I said, that is the leverage... you are using that negative which is your team mates and fans to get what you want...

I'm not denying the original report or that he did in fact ask for a trade and also denied asking for a trade...... stay on topic.

Spell it out for me how he deliberately was sabotaging the room? I see that you have speculated that it makes sense that he would of leaked the rumour.

But isn't it just as realistic that it happened the way it was reported which stated he was overheard in a bar talking to a teammate.
- belcherbd

Whats the point of arguing it? Someone in the media claimed he heard Kesler tell someone he wants out.... Kesler later confirms he wants out... no, we'll never know if the person made up a rumor that ended up being accurate.... don't lose sleep over it.

Really? You still cannot get your head around how going public negatively effects the dressing room? The object may be to get your trade... but you cannot wash your hands of the negative. You can't play naive like you are doing right now and pretend you didnt know it was going to happen either. Like I said, that is the leverage... you are using that negative which is your team mates and fans to get what you want...

- boonerbuck

Tbh who cares about the past. Move on.
The present & future r what matters.

Really? You still cannot get your head around how going public negatively effects the dressing room? The object may be to get your trade... but you cannot wash your hands of the negative. You can't play naive like you are doing right now and pretend you didnt know it was going to happen either. Like I said, that is the leverage... you are using that negative which is your team mates and fans to get what you want...

- boonerbuck

Sorry I still don't see the part where you explain how he went public? I very much believed the rumour as it made sense and came from a pretty reputable source but I also didn't add any other elements to it like you decided to.

Honestly what's more likely a reporter overhears two players talking in a bar or a player manipulates a schenerio where he leaks the rumour but makes it look like he was overheard ?

Can't go wrong with Daltry Moon and Townsend bringing you onto the ice.

Sorry I still don't see the part where you explain how he went public? I very much believed the rumour as it made sense and came from a pretty reputable source but I also didn't add any other elements to it like you decided to.

Honestly what's more likely a reporter overhears two players talking in a bar or a player manipulates a schenerio where he leaks the rumour but makes it look like he was overheard ?
- belcherbd

More likely?

Hmmm...Reputable reporter in the room.... Kesler talking loud enough for him to hear about getting out of Van....story turns out to be true...

To me, the chances that Kesler, a NHL star who has been in the NHL many years doesnt have an eye for "reputable" media members in the same room nearby and is not fully aware about talking in public loud enough about things of that magnitude are pretty low. I also think he isnt as naive as you obviously.

More likely?

Hmmm...Reputable reporter in the room.... Kesler talking loud enough for him to hear about getting out of Van....story turns out to be true...

To me, the chances that Kesler, a NHL star who has been in the NHL many years doesnt have an eye for "reputable" media members in the same room nearby and is not fully aware about talking in public loud enough about things of that magnitude are pretty low. I also think he isnt as naive as you obviously.
- boonerbuck

It would be impossible to say if this is a reason for locker room issues. Kesler was a locker room cancer for other reasons. Considering Lou is still friends with many of his Canucks teammates, i doubt he caused any substantial issues himself. If anything it was likely the team knew how he was being treated by management and he seemed depressed here towards the end. Gillis screwed this team up in many ways due to being a horrible GM.

Now lets stop talking about this and start talking about the rumour or Tallon coming to Vancouver.

You honestly believe those guys were purposely disrupting the room....

I feel like some of you guys are getting your programing mixed up with the Bachelor again.

SJ has stayed competitive because like lefty said they drafted and developed talent. They also have been able to sign and trade for effective players. The same people lauding Jumbo and Marleau for being great leaders today were the same people calling them choke artists and gutless a year ago. That stuff is over way overblown...
- belcherbd

So please explain to us how Luongo wasnt disrupting the room when he went public... and not just public but totally emotional about not being traded... the soap opera was pretty epic and long lived... and deliberate... but please....

It would be impossible to say if this is a reason for locker room issues. Kesler was a locker room cancer for other reasons. Considering Lou is still friends with many of his Canucks teammates, i doubt he caused any substantial issues himself. If anything it was likely the team knew how he was being treated by management and he seemed depressed here towards the end. Gillis screwed this team up in many ways due to being a horrible GM.

Now lets stop talking about this and start talking about the rumour or Tallon coming to Vancouver.
- Retinalz

You can talk about what ever you want. Don't let us stop you.

I see what you are saying. It wasnt personal obviously... but he still deliberately used his team and fans as leverage. You may be missing the point.

You can talk about what ever you want. Don't let us stop you.

I see what you are saying. It wasnt personal obviously... but he still deliberately used his team and fans as leverage. You may be missing the point.
- boonerbuck

Then you haven't made your point well enough. I'm not doubting that news of a player requesting a trade would cause issues in the locker room. But I would argue that everything stems from Gillis/Torts. The locker room issues would directly be caused by them, as the players first tried to quietly be traded and Gillis pulled a GMMG move(being greedy), and they never got traded. Then the stuff Torts pulled on a regular basis pushed them to want off, when doing it quietly doesn't work, publicly is the only way to do it. Lou and Kes had NTC's(GMMG handed them out like candy) and gave their lists. Rumours of Lou denying a trade to Toronto are known(likely true), but they both gave a list and GMMG should have worked them properly, before anything went public.