Understanding Homer

So far this offseason with ever single signing no matter what is completely blasted by the BSH community and every possible move proposed it also blast. Welcome to the Internet. Much like talk radio those who are upset tend to post most often, Geoff (no offense), venting their frustration, leaving a small minority vastly outnumbering trying to quell the angry mob.

There are a million ways to handle the offseason. Any GM is not going to do everything you or I want him to do. And what you and I want him to do are two completely different things. If I had my way over 50% of this boards members will be infruritated and posting left and right calling for me to be fired.

Nobody is going to be perfectly happy with everything that is done. But it is not that hard to use your head and understand what Homer is doing or surmise a legitimate / justification for each move he has made.  I be it the Shelly move is hard to justify. 

We have to look at things in with the goal of putting the best possible to team on the ice. Use our head not our hearts. 

Here is something that we all good agree on. The team needs.

1A) Goaltending

1B) 3rd Defense Pairing

2) Third line winger

We wanted to improve either goaltending or defense with a BIG upgrade. Let me stress BIG here. We want to spend considerable money on a guy that is a sure thing. Ellis, Nitty, Biron are they upgrades over Leighton. Possibly are they BIG upgrades over Leighton no really. They all fall into that career backup mold and vulnerable to soft goalies. With Leighton we got a guy who played with our team and system really well and played in the playoffs really well. There isn't that unknown let's wait and see how the playoffs go does the goalie play well when not facing lots of shots etc. 

The only BIG upgrade in my opinion and Homer's was Nabokov and he was probably going to be too expensive so lets start off by going after D. 

Try defense with Hamhuis he wouldn't sign for whatever reason. Move to do Pittsburg essentially turning Ryan Parent into a 3rd and 7th round draft picks. Very nice

Maybe we were wrong with Nabokov and SJS stated they were not going to offer him a deal let's find out.

Hand shake deal with SJS to talk with Nabokov before July 1st

No deal he wants too much either years and most likely money. Now what?

Try Dan Ellis shit his rights were traded to MTL.

Okay sign Leighton at good price and we will get our D-Man via UFA. Leighton gets a 1.55 million dollar contract. Not too bad considering he might be really good bargin goalie on the market come tomorrow if Ellis is signed. 

Ellis wasn't signed by MTL Damn it. Oh well. Too late for that. 

Move to Defense UFAs. Couldn't get a deal done for anyone. Money was not the issue. Either they didn't want to come here to play on the 3rd pairing much like Hamhuis did or want long term deals with NTC I learned my lesson with those. Now what no goalie no big name D-Man face palm.

Mezaros trade. 24 year old big body blocks shoots. Can't complain about where he plays he is coming from Tampa that is almost as good as getting a guy from the KHL. Deal done. 

Add a vet to sure it up with O'Donnell. 1.00 million nice with veteran incentives done on D. 

Here comes the hard part. Going to let Asham walk. Not sure if I want Lappy to lead the league in fights next year with the brain injury and all he is too important to this team to be fighting all the damn time. Shelly is available he is a good guy plays smart similar to Lappy in terms of bringing a warrior attitude to the team, and finally a true Heavyweight this team hasn't had since Brashear. Deal done, 1.1million for a guy who is 34 and been in the league awhile not too bad. Call Cote thank his wife tell them to start packing for Glen Falls. 

Meanwhile goalies are signing for pennies. And Kovy is jerking everyone off. I can probably still get a goalie like Turco or Theodore and a winger. And still sign Carcillo to replace Asham and Powe if I move some salary. 

Options Carter too young and too good don't want to move him. Gagne is to become a UFA next year probably going to lose him anyway lets see if he will waive is NTC. He will, such a class guy I will try to accommodate him as best as possible like we always do. 

Meanwhile I need to replace his offense at a lesser one year cap hit. Zherdev wants back to the NHL get him on the phone. 2million one year, deal okay I am over the cap until I move Gagne. Get a winger or a goalie for Gags and pursue which ever I don't get in free agency. I don't think I will have to waive him but rumors are that I will. Gagne might to willing to waive his NTC for more teams rather than be waived and get picked up by Edmonton or the Islanders. Trade eminent waiting on Kovy to make up his damn mind. 

Well the dust has clear and all is said on done. 

Better goalie tandem.

Much better 3rd pair.

More balance offense. 

I turned UFA walk away in Gagne into a bunch of 1 year deals that will leave me with RFAs. I can probably get compensation for them versus no compensation for Gagne and I will still have to room to resign my upcoming RFAs Giroux and Leino.

Call George W. Mission Accomplished. 

I would have done things differently. I would have taken a similar approach to Geoff and signed lesser players to play on the 3rd pair. Leopold or Foster maybe somebody would have came over, at 2million. I would have kept Gagne and inked Zherdev to play on the 3rd line with JVR and Giroux. Goalie I would have kept Leighton at the deal and got Turco to compete with him. And I would not have signed Shelly. But in the end as long as the positions were addressed and upgraded and nothing insanely bad is done trading Giroux or JVR for Kaberle I am okay.

The team will be better. That is what matters most.