Updated: More Murray on Teemu’s decision

It’s really beginning to sound like that Meatloaf diddy:

I want you, I need you
But there ain’t no way
I’m ever gonna love you, now
Don’t feel sad, ‘cuz
2 out of 3 ain’t bad

First Murray doesn’t leave cap room, then yesterday NHL.com reports, ”

“If he’s sure he wants it bad, then we’ll make it work,” Murray said. “Whatever I have to do. I don’t care when he tells me. We’ll find a way. We’ve got lots of cap space [and] we have enough contract [room].”

Who is this putz to question Teemu Selanne’s desire? His professionalism? I’ve occasionally referred to Bob Murray as a B Market Bozo and he continues to live down to that estimate.

And how does he make cap room? Another salary dump? Send one of Penner, Cogliano or Sbisa to Norfolk? Maybe Teemu will play for the league minimum?

The thing here is, if you think a guy is done and you don’t want him back at least show him, yourself, your employer and your employer’s customers enough respect to say so. Teemu at least, deserves that much.

CBS Sports also thought the Murray’s comment newsworthy. A poster had an interesting comment:

redwings1969

Teemu is a first ballot hall of famer and one of the best to ever play in the NHL.   Unfortunately though he’s just not the same player anymore ( can’t be at 43) and regressed in a big way last year.  The overall stats don’t even tell the story, not at all.   This 12-12-24 line is actually flattering to say the least.   After he scored 5 goals and 16 points in his first 18 games the last 2 months of the season didn’t go so well for him.   In his last 28 games Teemu only scored 7 goals and added 1 assist to that for a total of 8 points during that time period.   In a league with a hard cap unless he agrees to play for 1 million dollars I don’t think he should come back.  If he couldn’t produce for the final 2 months of a 48 game season, how can he produce for 82 games at 43 years old?

Who knows what caused Teemu’s slump as the season wound down. What I saw is that he paced himself. He can still jet through the neutral zone. What he didn’t do was make the sharp quick cuts and dekes. Guys who Teemu deked out of their cups just a year before were now timing him and tying him up.
In other words, the north/south speed is still there but the agility wasn’t. The problem with Teemu’s slump is that he wasn’t getting as many scoring chances. He couldn’t put himself in position to score as often.
This contrasts to Corey Perry’s playoff scoring slump that wasn’t the result of fewer chances. All players will tell you that so long as the chances are coming they try not to be concerned about slumps.

I shoot straight enough to recognize what I don’t know. I don’t know what caused Teemu’s slump. Was it Bonino going out with his injury? The compressed schedule? An undisclosed injury?

I do know what I saw though.