[Cali Panthers Fan]

I can't believe I'm going to wade into this abortion of a thread but...

I got so frustrated with the previous regime's ridiculous tight lipped nature. You literally never knew what was going on in Sutter's head. Every time he made a move the reaction was "Woah, didn't see that coming...Sutter's a genius!". Sutter was not a genius as we can see now, but the unexpected nature of the moves out of left field gave the appearance of that. But then he lost his mind and made crazy moves which really hurt the franchise, and when asked about things he would say nearly nothing as to the direction the team was going or what the freakin' plan was. I nearly lost my mind watching Sutter make move after move with no idea where it was all intended to end up.

Now we have a GM who not only talks, but can do so eloquently and give you a clear picture of what their intentions are and where they are headed. Sure, he has little catch phrases that drive everyone crazy, but that's like watching a trailer for a movie and assuming it's a bad movie without actually seeing the movie. Sound bytes don't really matter as much as having a clear vision and then openly communicating that vision with the fan base.

It's that communication that allows us as fans to feel like we are part of the decision making process. The problem with a knowledgable fan base getting all the details means that there will be thousands...literally thousands...of armchair GMs that think they can do it better than a man who has years and years of NHL GM experience. I happen to believe that if Feaster was really incompetent he wouldn't have been hired in the first place, let alone continue to run the franchise after several years out of the playoffs.

But for whatever reason, a large portion of us love the stoic clamshell tactics of Sutter, somehow believing that gave him a bigger advantage in negotiations with other GMs and free agents. I don't know what makes people think that's the case. Sutter didn't necessarily "win" a lot of trades or free agents, and Feaster has done marginally better so far. At least there were no Phaneuf fiascos so far under Feaster. Every move has been a calculated, or at least a calculated risk, to turn this franchise in the right direction. Sutter's abysmal prospect management and reactionary trades set us back for years, and only now are we truly understanding the impact of his tenure. Feaster is in a no-win situation, kinda similar to what Burke had to deal with in Toronto. And, of course, as soon as this management group decides to finally start doing what everyone has been asking, the natural reaction is "What are you doing? Who said to start jettisoning aging stars for whatever you can get and begin the rebuilding process!" The guy can't win with this fanbase.

So really, why are we getting so upset about him talking to us, trying to include us in the long, arduous process of rebuilding the franchise. Why are we upset with him relating his vision of the future and why are we so especially upset at a man stating flatly that there is no interest in the pieces that we all want him to move out? I for one want to know what the status is of everyone in the system. I want to know what expectations are for prospects. I want to know the envisioned roles for veterans. I want to know what to expect as a return for a player we are clearly trying to move.

I want to know all this because it makes watching a terrible on-ice product infinitely more bearable if you can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I encourage Feaster to talk as much as possible with us.