Is the Bloom Off Ray Shero's Rose?
Mike Adams | Pittsburgh Penguins
Oct 19, 09:08 AM | Hype this story!
Last night on Canadian sports network TSN, Bob McKenzie reported that Pittsburgh Penguins GM Ray Shero is shopping for a reliable veteran backup for Marc-Andre Fleury. If McKenzie’s report is true (and he’s usually pretty reliable), this is more an indictment of Shero than it is of Fleury. There are many (myself included, cough, cough) who could not understand the signing of Sabourin. I realize he was trying to show full confidence in Fleury, but to go into a supposed playoff season totally trusting an unproven 22-year-old made no sense at the time and even less sense now. Fleury had a good, not great, season last year, and the hope was he’d continue to improve. But you don’t sign a worthless backup goalie like Sabourin when you are hoping your young goalie will keep growing. You must have some sort of veteran insurance, like Jocelyn Thibault was last year.
Right now, they don’t have that, and there is nobody to blame but Shero. His moves since the end of last season have not worked out to date. Darryl Sydor appears shot. Recchi is Recchi. Tim Brent got beaten out by Adam Hall, who was admittedly a good find for Shero. But when your best find is a training camp invitee, something isn’t right. Mike Weaver was signed, then inexplicably lost on waivers (that same Mike Weaver is averaging over 13 min a game for Vancouver, and is right-handed).
I fully realize that Shero has limited resources. He probably wanted another scoring winger, but couldn’t afford one. He wanted a stud D, couldn’t afford that either. But there were plenty of cheap backup goalies out there. Shero chose the cheapest, and might now be regretting his decision. It doesn’t speak well for his offseason moves.
Comments
Matt Bodenschatz
Oct 19, 09:56 AM
Mike, while signing Dany Sbourin clearly was a gaffe on Shero’s part, there are circumstances we, as fans, are not privy to that could have forced him to make such a move.
First, let’s consider the amount given to new players (excluding Recchi and Roberts): roughly $5 million.
If Shero was looking for an offensive upgrade and a defenseman, as well as a goalie, he had to choose where to throw the money. Obviously the decision was made to acquire two veteran skaters and a young backup goalie.
If Shero had signed a backup to a $1 million-plus contract and failed to add a scoring winger, fans would be ticked at that. And if he failed to add a defenseman, fans would be mad about that as well.
I’m not condoning Shero’s decision to sign Sabourin, but I am willing to give him some time to rectify his mistake. At least he is unlike Craig Patrick was toward the end of his career, and is willing to admit he made a mistake and willing to make attempts to fix it.
I’m not saying it will (or that I expect it to) happen, but imagine if Shero pried Illya Bryzgalov out of Anaheim for Christensen, Sabourin and a minor leaguer or a draft pick. I certainly would be more than happy with that — likely more happy than I would have been with the addition of a goalie through free agency.
Regardless, I see your point, and Shero must do a better job setting priorities in the future, or the team will continue to have such problems.
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