Paul McCann: Ryan Suter's Return

well written and a good summary of most preds fans IMO. glad they didnt do a tribute both for the cited reason (subject suter to boos while it went on) and b/c of the circumstances he left under. all the tributes i can recall were exits chosen by the team. i may have forgotten, but dont recall any for players that left of their own choosing and certainly not for any that mishandled the exit as suter did. many were upset at kariya when he left. not me. whether we actually made any offer or not may not be clear, but what is clear we would have never entertained 6 mil for 3 years. he had no choice and i wished him well. this was different. i have no idea if we would have matched. i dont even blame him if playing w/ parise and the roster of the wild convinced him he may have a better chance to win a cup there. i didnt like his words and actions ( philly media comments, quotes in our media, dealings w/ poile) being so inconsistent.

Interesting quotes from Suter. Telling Minny media that he doesn't care about the booing and went on to say the fans have every right to boo. Then after the game, acts hurt and confused. Suck it up Ryan, admit you and your agent didn't handle this whole situation properly and move on.

Paul McCann: Ryan Suter's Return
- pmccann

Good read! Captures my personal feelings. It is about the opportunity, time, and effort the Preds put into him only to have him manipulate management in a manner that cost the team dearly.

It was tough to read Pekka's comments about the way to beat the Preds is to get to the shoot out because he cannot stop the puck.

I put it on the rest of team and management that ices a team that can't score. I bet Pekka stops every Pred in practice. He needs better players to practice against.

Legwand's shoot out attempt typifies our "scorers", lay the goalie down for a gloriously wide open net, only to hit the post. Close, always close. Close is what we get these days,


Did you notice all the passes into the skates and behind last night?

Gruesome.

Personally I would have been embarrassed to be a Preds fan last night. And as a fan of hockey I WAS embarrassed for Preds fans. Booing the entire game, I mean really?! Marion Gaborik pulled the same garbage with the Wild, he constantly took the opportunity to tell the MN media and fans that he wanted to stay in Minne, only he took the first chance he had at UFA.

Wild fans still cheered him upon his first return to the Xcel energy center. That's called class. That's called moxie. That's called respecting a players choice as unfavorable as it was to us and understanding that it's nothing personal against us fans. It's their livelihood and their business.

It's funny how players are supposed to have such loyalty to their teams and fans, but ownership can up and a trade a guy on a whim because they feel that's whats best for the team.

Well that my friends is a two way street. Suter saw a better opportunity for his family and himself and took advantage of it. So Preds fans can hate all they want, I just think it's classless and petty to alienate a guy who meant so much to your team for so many years.

A woman scorned and Nashville Pred fans seem to be one in the same...

Hey MnGump.. did you even read the article? the vast majority of Predator fans don't care that he left it's that he fed everyone a line of BS for over a yr and cost the team dearly. The Preds could have at least traded his rights for a pick but he even screwed us out of that.. take your .02 and go home.

MnGump...What you didn't have to live with for YEARS is the uncertainty of keeping or losing your hockey team at the hands of that ahole Leipold...watching him rip apart the team that had been built and watching him scoot right over to Minny and buy another, in a heartbeat....and as he was doing had lie upon lie to feed the fans.
Basically Suter has been since last spring the same damn way, talking out of both sides of his mouth...He learned from the best or worst, however you want to look at it. BUT I only hope his karma comes back to bite him and LIARPOLD in their ass!!
Those two deserve each other...

Let's face it, the reason for the boos is that the fans do care. He was one of the best "D-men" we had. Some top Preds brass may say he was our best D-man.
I don't buy the comment Trotz made that "we were trying to save him from embarrassment". (The reason behind no tribute). They were pissed that he left and I get that. If fans want to boo that is their right. I just don't agree. I, like Paul, Ryan was very nice to my kids as well. How the situation with him leaving was handled, most of us will never know, but most likely probably could have been handled better.
Just remember one thing, if the situation was reversed ?
The main problem lies in the fact that the Pred's didn't get to control his situation like the players that have come and gone in the past......and future !

One more thing to keep in mind, how many times has Leipold tried to raid
The Predators of a coach, management personnel or players since moving to MN.
Poile finally had to say public ally he wondered if CL going after our Milwaukee coach
Was appropriate before he laid off of that....and just wondering how the lessons of
Lying to ones many bosses, coaches, owners and fans is such a good life lesson
For your children....you can be nice and gratuitous to ones face and their children,
But in the end nothing but a snake in the grass. I wouldn't want my son or daughter
Having so little respect for so many......

While I will hold the firesale against Leipold, I won't trash him for the simple fact that he eventually let a local ownership group buy the team. He didn't do the things necessary to be financially successful in Nashville, and the new ownership group has proven that it can be done.

Suter would probably have been given a decent reception if the fans felt he hadn't been lying to everyone for all of last season. Heck, we even did a tribute video for Jordin Tootoo after he chose to go to one of our most hated rivals. David Poile is normally very stoic and wishes former players well. The press conference after Suter decided to leave is the only time I have ever seen him get emotional. The fans felt the same way. There is a difference between keeping your business options open and flat out lying like Suter did. He somehow thinks Nashville is to blame for believing what he said.

Personally I would have been embarrassed to be a Preds fan last night. And as a fan of hockey I WAS embarrassed for Preds fans. Booing the entire game, I mean really?! Marion Gaborik pulled the same garbage with the Wild, he constantly took the opportunity to tell the MN media and fans that he wanted to stay in Minne, only he took the first chance he had at UFA.

Wild fans still cheered him upon his first return to the Xcel energy center. That's called class. That's called moxie. That's called respecting a players choice as unfavorable as it was to us and understanding that it's nothing personal against us fans. It's their livelihood and their business.

It's funny how players are supposed to have such loyalty to their teams and fans, but ownership can up and a trade a guy on a whim because they feel that's whats best for the team.

Well that my friends is a two way street. Suter saw a better opportunity for his family and himself and took advantage of it. So Preds fans can hate all they want, I just think it's classless and petty to alienate a guy who meant so much to your team for so many years.

A woman scorned and Nashville Pred fans seem to be one in the same...
- MnGump

i agree w/ your last line. the rest is crap. read my comment above and maybe you understand better. maybe not. we dont care.

Personally I would have been embarrassed to be a Preds fan last night. And as a fan of hockey I WAS embarrassed for Preds fans. Booing the entire game, I mean really?! Marion Gaborik pulled the same garbage with the Wild, he constantly took the opportunity to tell the MN media and fans that he wanted to stay in Minne, only he took the first chance he had at UFA.

Wild fans still cheered him upon his first return to the Xcel energy center. That's called class. That's called moxie. That's called respecting a players choice as unfavorable as it was to us and understanding that it's nothing personal against us fans. It's their livelihood and their business.

It's funny how players are supposed to have such loyalty to their teams and fans, but ownership can up and a trade a guy on a whim because they feel that's whats best for the team.

Well that my friends is a two way street. Suter saw a better opportunity for his family and himself and took advantage of it. So Preds fans can hate all they want, I just think it's classless and petty to alienate a guy who meant so much to your team for so many years.

A woman scorned and Nashville Pred fans seem to be one in the same...
- MnGump

You don't know what you're talking about. And it shows.

Personally I would have been embarrassed to be a Preds fan last night. And as a fan of hockey I WAS embarrassed for Preds fans. Booing the entire game, I mean really?! Marion Gaborik pulled the same garbage with the Wild, he constantly took the opportunity to tell the MN media and fans that he wanted to stay in Minne, only he took the first chance he had at UFA.

Wild fans still cheered him upon his first return to the Xcel energy center. That's called class. That's called moxie. That's called respecting a players choice as unfavorable as it was to us and understanding that it's nothing personal against us fans. It's their livelihood and their business.

It's funny how players are supposed to have such loyalty to their teams and fans, but ownership can up and a trade a guy on a whim because they feel that's whats best for the team.

Well that my friends is a two way street. Suter saw a better opportunity for his family and himself and took advantage of it. So Preds fans can hate all they want, I just think it's classless and petty to alienate a guy who meant so much to your team for so many years.

A woman scorned and Nashville Pred fans seem to be one in the same...
- MnGump

Completely different situation. The Wild fans were well aware Gaborik was going to be leaving the team. Wild wanted to trade him at the deadline, but he was injured. Wild's GM openly questioned if Gaborik's surgery for that injury was necessary, just one of many signs that Wild were not resigning Gaborik, and Gaborik never said anything to the contrary that last season. Gaborik also didn't return to MN the very next season, he was injured when Rangers first came to town. Wild fans had a year of Gaborik with the Wild, then a year of Gaborik with the Rangers, to get used to the idea of him leaving, before he returned.

Predators fans were given every reason to think Suter would be returning. Wild fans were given every reason to think Gaborik wouldn't be. Comparing the two and acting all self-righteous is just ridiculous. And if you think Wild fans have class, you need to get some perspective. Worn a Blues jersey in many other teams arenas, Wild fans rank near the bottom in how they treat people who support the opposition.

Completely different situation. The Wild fans were well aware Gaborik was going to be leaving the team. Wild wanted to trade him at the deadline, but he was injured. Wild's GM openly questioned if Gaborik's surgery for that injury was necessary, just one of many signs that Wild were not resigning Gaborik, and Gaborik never said anything to the contrary that last season. Gaborik also didn't return to MN the very next season, he was injured when Rangers first came to town. Wild fans had a year of Gaborik with the Wild, then a year of Gaborik with the Rangers, to get used to the idea of him leaving, before he returned.

Predators fans were given every reason to think Suter would be returning. Wild fans were given every reason to think Gaborik wouldn't be. Comparing the two and acting all self-righteous is just ridiculous. And if you think Wild fans have class, you need to get some perspective. Worn a Blues jersey in many other teams arenas, Wild fans rank near the bottom in how they treat people who support the opposition.
- Antilles

Yep....went the MN-NSH game in MN in FEB. Sat in the 200 section....some a-hole yelled at my 12 year old to "Sit the F down" during warmups and after NSH only goal.

Well he didnt really "yell" more like "spewed"....his mouth was full of donuts and beer.

Been to STL, DAL, LA, ATL for games....MN is the only place something like this has happened.

While I will hold the firesale against Leipold, I won't trash him for the simple fact that he eventually let a local ownership group buy the team. He didn't do the things necessary to be financially successful in Nashville, and the new ownership group has proven that it can be done.

Suter would probably have been given a decent reception if the fans felt he hadn't been lying to everyone for all of last season. Heck, we even did a tribute video for Jordin Tootoo after he chose to go to one of our most hated rivals. David Poile is normally very stoic and wishes former players well. The press conference after Suter decided to leave is the only time I have ever seen him get emotional. The fans felt the same way. There is a difference between keeping your business options open and flat out lying like Suter did. He somehow thinks Nashville is to blame for believing what he said.
- RockiesTop

Let's not forget the fact that Tootoo WANTED to stay in Nashville. Preds were not going to pay him and Detroit was willing to do so. That is the reason for the tribute.
The tributes (if you notice) are only done if the Preds get rid of the player not if the player wants to leave himself.

Completely different situation. The Wild fans were well aware Gaborik was going to be leaving the team. Wild wanted to trade him at the deadline, but he was injured. Wild's GM openly questioned if Gaborik's surgery for that injury was necessary, just one of many signs that Wild were not resigning Gaborik, and Gaborik never said anything to the contrary that last season. Gaborik also didn't return to MN the very next season, he was injured when Rangers first came to town. Wild fans had a year of Gaborik with the Wild, then a year of Gaborik with the Rangers, to get used to the idea of him leaving, before he returned.

Predators fans were given every reason to think Suter would be returning. Wild fans were given every reason to think Gaborik wouldn't be. Comparing the two and acting all self-righteous is just ridiculous. And if you think Wild fans have class, you need to get some perspective. Worn a Blues jersey in many other teams arenas, Wild fans rank near the bottom in how they treat people who support the opposition.
- Antilles

Oh, they rank near the bottom because you say so? Hate to break it to you, but there are bumhole fans in every venue on any given night. I have not heard too many complaints about vistor fans experiences at the X and I have several friends that come down from Canada regularly who rave about the arena and have never complained about the locals.

The bottom line in this argument is, these players don't owe their alliegence to any organization. He played his contract and earned the right to go elsewhere. Fan speculation on whether he did or didn't mislead anyone is nothing but fan speculation and quite frankly holds no bearing on whether he's a good or bad guy. Maybe he didn't want to disappoint Preds fans in case he actually ended up staying, maybe he just didn't know how to handle it. Who knows, but he certainly doesn't deserve to be treated as some pariah that never meant a thing to the Nashville organization.

As far as the Gaborik situation, sure the writing was on the wall, but he himself maintained until the day he left that he wanted to stay in Minnesota. So to say the sitiuations were completely different is misleading. That was the whole point of my comment, he deliberately mislead Wild fans, meaning, he didn't want to outright tell fans he was intending to leave even though those were his intentions. Not unlike what Suter did.

Yep....went the MN-NSH game in MN in FEB. Sat in the 200 section....some a-hole yelled at my 12 year old to "Sit the F down" during warmups and after NSH only goal.

Well he didnt really "yell" more like "spewed"....his mouth was full of donuts and beer.

Been to STL, DAL, LA, ATL for games....MN is the only place something like this has happened.
- buelleo

Obviously MN is the only hockey venue that has bumhole fans! Nice work detective. I'm sure if I wore my Suter jersey to a game in Nashville, I'd be treated with the utmost respect? Right?! Like I said, there isn't a hockey venue in existence that doesn't have local jerks in the crowd.

Personally I don't abide by any fans acting like bumholes or treating visitor fans badly, but some of them are obnoxious and combative to begin with. That to me is asking to be heckled and jawed at.

As for your son, well that is unfortunate, not everyone in Minnesota is as nice as people think. I'd be surprised if there weren't other local bystanders that didn't stand up for your kid and tell that chowder head to shut up and sit down or at least report him to security.

That said, personally I think instances like the one you've desribed are rare. I go to at least a half dozen games a season and I've never seen anything like that take place. Even the chowder head visitors that try to stir up the locals usually are left alone.

I find the reaction from most (not all) Wild fans to be hilarious personally. You’d think we’re the first fans of any franchise in the history of sports to boo a returning player!

Oh and all the Wild fans that want to run to defend Suter need to remember you won the Suter sweepstakes by default. No offense to the Wild, but they aren’t exactly the model of NHL success. I’m by no means saying we are. However, damn near every team in the league wanted Suter. Teams that are usually in the cup conversation, that would NOT include us or the Wild wanted him. Yet he chooses Minnesota, the state his WIFE happens to be from?! Sorry but that has wife’s (family) decision written all over it. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but still. Chicago is even closer to SUTER’S family, and they are obviously a powerhouse, and again he chose the Wild. So just remember Wild fans, if Suter’s wife happened to be from Tennessee he may very well still be here.

Oh and if any of you Minnesota Wild fans that think it’s classless to boo a returning player happen to be baseball fans. All I have to say is AJ Pierzynski. Fans boo returning players sometimes, in every league, in every city. The reasons aren’t always the same but it happens. You’re just mad it was your new star D-man this time. Nut up and deal with it because it may/probably will happen again.

For the record I don’t hate Suter, I booed him too though because I’m a Preds fans and felt it necessary. If they would have done a tribute video I would have cheered. He was a Preds for some the Franchise’s most memorable moments to date. I’m also a big fan of international play and he will still represent my country.

Oh, they rank near the bottom because you say so? Hate to break it to you, but there are bumhole fans in every venue on any given night. I have not heard too many complaints about vistor fans experiences at the X and I have several friends that come down from Canada regularly who rave about the arena and have never complained about the locals.

The bottom line in this argument is, these players don't owe their alliegence to any organization. He played his contract and earned the right to go elsewhere. Fan speculation on whether he did or didn't mislead anyone is nothing but fan speculation and quite frankly holds no bearing on whether he's a good or bad guy. Maybe he didn't want to disappoint Preds fans in case he actually ended up staying, maybe he just didn't know how to handle it. Who knows, but he certainly doesn't deserve to be treated as some pariah that never meant a thing to the Nashville organization.

As far as the Gaborik situation, sure the writing was on the wall, but he himself maintained until the day he left that he wanted to stay in Minnesota. So to say the sitiuations were completely different is misleading. That was the whole point of my comment, he deliberately mislead Wild fans, meaning, he didn't want to outright tell fans he was intending to leave even though those were his intentions. Not unlike what Suter did.
- MnGump

Wasn’t speculation friend, he was quoted in the press saying he wanted to return here, that “a deal will get done.” Forgive us (and Poile) for thinking Suter to be the stand up guy that doesn’t B.S. that we thought him to be. You’re right though, he has the right to go wherever he wanted. As do WE have the right to boo him if we want to. He could have given the company line, gone his own way, said it was for family reasons and we’d be all good! Which we are good with it being a family decision. Poile felt he was lied to…POILE! How often do GMs come out and say the stuff he did when a player leaves? Weber even said he was shocked by the decision. This was a unique situation. One that I don’t expect ANYONE that doesn’t follow this team religiously like we do to understand.

Oh, they rank near the bottom because you say so? Hate to break it to you, but there are bumhole fans in every venue on any given night. I have not heard too many complaints about vistor fans experiences at the X and I have several friends that come down from Canada regularly who rave about the arena and have never complained about the locals.

The bottom line in this argument is, these players don't owe their alliegence to any organization. He played his contract and earned the right to go elsewhere. Fan speculation on whether he did or didn't mislead anyone is nothing but fan speculation and quite frankly holds no bearing on whether he's a good or bad guy. Maybe he didn't want to disappoint Preds fans in case he actually ended up staying, maybe he just didn't know how to handle it. Who knows, but he certainly doesn't deserve to be treated as some pariah that never meant a thing to the Nashville organization.

As far as the Gaborik situation, sure the writing was on the wall, but he himself maintained until the day he left that he wanted to stay in Minnesota. So to say the sitiuations were completely different is misleading. That was the whole point of my comment, he deliberately mislead Wild fans, meaning, he didn't want to outright tell fans he was intending to leave even though those were his intentions. Not unlike what Suter did.
- MnGump

Its not speculation. Do some un-biased research. Or Don't. Your call

I find the reaction from most (not all) Wild fans to be hilarious personally. You’d think we’re the first fans of any franchise in the history of sports to boo a returning player!

Oh and all the Wild fans that want to run to defend Suter need to remember you won the Suter sweepstakes by default. No offense to the Wild, but they aren’t exactly the model of NHL success. I’m by no means saying we are. However, damn near every team in the league wanted Suter. Teams that are usually always in the cup conversation, that would NOT include us or the Wild wanted him. Yet he chooses Minnesota, the state his WIFE happens to be from?! Sorry but that has wife’s (family) decision written all over it. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but still. Chicago is even closer to SUTER’S family, and they are obviously a powerhouse, and again he chose the Wild. So just remember Wild fans, if Suter’s wife happened to be from Tennessee he may very well still be here.

Oh and if any of you Minnesota Wild fans that think it’s classless to boo a returning player happen to be baseball fans. All I have to say is AJ Pierzynski. Fans boo returning players sometimes, in every league, in every city. The reasons aren’t always the same but it happens. You’re just mad it was your new star D-man this time. Nut up and deal with it because it may/probably will happen again.

For the record I don’t hate Suter, I booed him too though because I’m a Preds fans and felt it necessary. If they would have done a tribute video I would have cheered. He was a Preds for some the Franchise’s most memorable moments to date. I’m also a big fan of international play and he will still represent my country.
- Pelvis

As I have stated in few different posts, I don't think booing him was out of line. Booing him the entire game is what I thought was a little classless. And the fact that a player that apparently was so vital to the Preds success for so many years was snubbed even by the organization because they chose not to even acknowledge his first return game back was equally if not egregiously classless.

As far as the rest of your rant, no one in Minne is gloating about Suter "choosing" Minne. That's not what it's about, and no one is saying the Wild organization is more successful than is the Preds.

The main reason Pierzinski is booed is because of his on and off field antics. He was bitter that Minne traded him and took every opportunity to act like a complete ass to the Twins and their fans each and everytime he's returned. Big difference between him and Suter.

Its not speculation. Do some un-biased research. Or Don't. Your call
- wings-suck

Fine, I'll take your word for it, but here's another question. Why was no one upset with Weber for signing the offer sheet with Philly? Did he or did he not also state he wanted to stay in Nashville? In hind sight you can obviously say well that was why he signed the offer sheet, but had Poile not elected to match he'd be long gone for the rest of his career with Philly. That to me means that one way or the other he was willing to leave Nashville in order to get the deal he wanted even though he said he wasn't leaving. And in doing so pretty much handcuffed Nashville by giving them an ultimatum. Sign me to a crazy fat contract or I'll go play for Philly. Isn't that pretty much along the same lines as Suter leaving in FA?

Fine, I'll take your word for it, but here's another question. Why was no one upset with Weber for signing the offer sheet with Philly? Did he or did he not also state he wanted to stay in Nashville? In hind sight you can obviously say well that was why he signed the offer sheet, but had Poile not elected to match he'd be long gone for the rest of his career with Philly. That to me means that one way or the other he was willing to leave Nashville in order to get the deal he wanted even though he said he wasn't leaving. And in doing so pretty much handcuffed Nashville by giving them an ultimatum. Sign me to a crazy fat contract or I'll go play for Philly. Isn't that pretty much along the same lines as Suter leaving in FA?
- MnGump

Are you kidding me? Did you really just ask that idiotic question. Good grief man, quit while you're only 75 light-years behind. With each successive post, your arguments spin are burying you ever deeper in the spider hole.

You don't know what you're talking about. And it shows.
- wings-suck

I replied to your otf post a while ago.

As I have stated in few different posts, I don't think booing him was out of line. Booing him the entire game is what I thought was a little classless. And the fact that a player that apparently was so vital to the Preds success for so many years was snubbed even by the organization because they chose not to even acknowledge his first return game back was equally if not egregiously classless.

As far as the rest of your rant, no one in Minne is gloating about Suter "choosing" Minne. That's not what it's about, and no one is saying the Wild organization is more successful than is the Preds.

The main reason Pierzinski is booed is because of his on and off field antics. He was bitter that Minne traded him and took every opportunity to act like a complete ass to the Twins and their fans each and everytime he's returned. Big difference between him and Suter.
- MnGump

Ah see, there are specific reasons as to why you all boo AJ. As there are specific reasons we boo Suter. Don’t sit there and justify one fan base then rip ours for doing it. We have our reasons and if we want to boo all game more power to us.

As for the gloating thing, that wasn’t said or implied in my “rant.” Nor did I say the Wild are or Preds are more successful than the other. I was saying REAL cup contenders wanted Suter, like Detroit, Chicago, Philadelphia, to name a few.

I just find it odd some of you are so upset with Preds fans over a player you’ve had for about 2 months now. He was here SEVEN years! Plus all the years we tracked him leading up to the Preds. He was OUR guy. Honestly I think Preds fans were more worried about losing Weber than Suter. We honestly believed he wanted to and was going to stay here. Our fault! Haha!