Dreger: Kiprusoff to not move, retire at end of the season

[Dion]

Originally Posted by joe_mullen

Players care about 2 things and 2 things only. Winning and getting paid. Being classy sounds nice but will not pay it forward in the future. The New England Patriots have been cutting players unceremoniously for years. They do just fine attracting players to come there. Furthermore, the Los Angeles Clippers have an owner that has discriminated against minorities, yet once they started winning, players flocked there. Detroit is an awful city, but people love playing there. Why? Because they win. The way the Flames treated Kipper will have no positive impact in the future. Just another lost opportunity to get something for a depreciating asset.

It would not have been very much or anything that would have made any difference going forward. I'm willing to bet Kipper told the same thing to Leafs management as he did with Feaster. We held on to him for too long like we did with Iginla.

[wretched34]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

Honest question: What do you expect the return to be on a 36-year-old goalie, recently injured, playing as poorly as he ever has, who is on the verge of a final year of a stretched-out contract that most people don't expect him to play anyway? Add into the mix family issues, and no desire to continue playing by extending his contract?

The answer isn't a second-rounder, or even a fourth-rounder. The answer is absolutely nothing. And this is before the rumours started swirling that he would just as soon retire than to uproot his family in the middle of (presumably) a fairly serious time.

The 5.whatever million in cap space is by far the most important part of this equation. We should be thankful that the club won't have that committed for next season. Any suggestion of draft picks or a bag of pucks simply isn't realistic.

The honest answer: I'm expecting a lot more back than nothing when he throws in the towel at the end of the year. Wether it's a 2nd rounder (unlikely, and delusional to think plausible), a 7th rounder, or an unknown prospect. At least it is something that has a slightly higher possibility of continuing with this organization......

[bigtmac19]

Detroit also has an ownership group that is renowned for how well they treat their players, they treat them like family. I'm sure that's a big plus for a player making a decision to play in Detroit, a city that admittedly would not be a draw to live in.

[schteve_d]

Originally Posted by Wronskian

To add, I'm not a big fan of sentiment in pro sports, he is nothing more than a player that played 10 seasons for us and thats that. The fact that he puts this self-imposed NTC in place is bull.

What exactly are you cheering for then? A bunch of red shirts skating around? Why bother learning their names at all?

[wretched34]

Originally Posted by Cole436

Well that's where you differ from a lot of us.
These players mean something to people. They represent heros and memories that we cherish. Without these players, there would be no Calgary Flames. Whether its as small as a memory of an amazing play, or something as big as a kid being inspired to pick up a pair of skates for the first time, players like Kiprusoff and Iginla meant something bigger to the city of Calgary then just being hockey players on an NHL team.

Without "These" players there would have been Other players to idolize and cherish memories of. The only reason "these" players are heroes in Calgary are because that's where they had exposure. If the individual athlete himself is your hero, it shouldn't matter what team they play for. Iginla and Kiprusoff mean something bigger to this city, because that's where all the fans placed them.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by wretched34

The honest answer: I'm expecting a lot more back than nothing when he throws in the towel at the end of the year. Wether it's a 2nd rounder (unlikely, and delusional to think plausible), a 7th rounder, or an unknown prospect. At least it is something that has a slightly higher possibility of continuing with this organization......

Is having the best goalie the Flames have ever had finish it off and retire with the team, instead of sitting on the bench in Toronto with a hangdog expression, worth more than a 7th rounder? Or an unknown prospect?

I think it is worth it to have him close it out here. Especially after this season. Waving goodbye at the end of that last home game in three weeks will be better, and far more memorable for the fans and the team, than a 7th round pick.

There's sort of a weird mentality around this. Every single player will retire. It's not some kind of organizational failure if one of them plays his final NHL game with the Flames.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by joe_mullen

Players care about 2 things and 2 things only. Winning and getting paid. Being classy sounds nice but will not pay it forward in the future. The New England Patriots have been cutting players unceremoniously for years. They do just fine attracting players to come there. Furthermore, the Los Angeles Clippers have an owner that has discriminated against minorities, yet once they started winning, players flocked there. Detroit is an awful city, but people love playing there. Why? Because they win. The way the Flames treated Kipper will have no positive impact in the future. Just another lost opportunity to get something for a depreciating asset.

Weird. I saw the whole building sing Happy Birthday to 85 year old Gordie Howe in Detroit on Sunday.

Since treating your players right doesn't matter, and winning is all that counts, I guess they must be hoping he makes a comeback.

[taxbuster]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

Meh. I guess I just don't see these players as "human beings".

And that, apparently is only your first failing.....to acknowledge such in a public forum is likely your second one.

Miikka - regardless of what he has made working here - has (apparently) a newborn child who has difficulties, and a wife who had some as well.

Well, Vlad, welcome to the real world: family comes first and it doesn't matter what you do or how rich you are. Real life comes long before money. Or obligation.

Now - reboot yourself and start seeing players as "human beings" first, and as NHL players second.

[Badger Bob]

Does anybody know for sure if Kiprusoff gave serious consideration to going to Toronto or was retiring his intention all along?

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by taxbuster

And that, apparently is only your first failing.....to acknowledge such in a public forum is likely your second one.

Miikka - regardless of what he has made working here - has (apparently) a newborn child who has difficulties, and a wife who had some as well.

Well, Vlad, welcome to the real world: family comes first and it doesn't matter what you do or how rich you are. Real life comes long before money. Or obligation.

Now - reboot yourself and start seeing players as "human beings" first, and as NHL players second.

Sorry - no. If family was really that important, he would have quit 3 weeks ago. Not buying what he is selling.

[BigBrodieFan]

Originally Posted by taxbuster

And that, apparently is only your first failing.....to acknowledge such in a public forum is likely your second one.

Miikka - regardless of what he has made working here - has (apparently) a newborn child who has difficulties, and a wife who had some as well.

Well, Vlad, welcome to the real world: family comes first and it doesn't matter what you do or how rich you are. Real life comes long before money. Or obligation.

Now - reboot yourself and start seeing players as "human beings" first, and as NHL players second.

This ^ is my issue- we never know what is going on with these players. I always see them as people- kids who were babies and grew up playing hockey, dreaming of being in the N. Kipper's address to the press made me tear up far more than any other good-bye. The sincerity in his voice and motions about where his heart lies overwhelmed me. That was very hard for him, and I respect him all the more for doing it. I adore Kipper. I would have loved him as a Leaf, but I love him all the more as a Flame.

[timbit]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Weird. I saw the whole building sing Happy Birthday to 85 year old Gordie Howe in Detroit on Sunday.

Since treating your players right doesn't matter, and winning is all that counts, I guess they must be hoping he makes a comeback.

Gordie Howe was treated very poorly by the Red Wings for a longtime. Underpaid and under appreciated.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Badger Bob

Does anybody know for sure if Kiprusoff gave serious consideration to going to Toronto or was retiring his intention all along?

http://video.flames.nhl.com/videocen...235353&lang=en

He said he thought about going to Toronto but didn't think it was fair to the Leafs to go there and sign an extension when his heart wasn't 100% on going there. He also said retirement is something he will decide this summer when he meets with the Flames.

[taxbuster]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

Sorry - no. If family was really that important, he would have quit 3 weeks ago. Not buying what he is selling.

He can still be (mostly) in Calgary - that is a significant difference from moving to, say, Toronto, where his family has no support when he is on the road. No need for him to quit while here. That is a ridiculous argument.

[Igottago]

I swear people are just inventing reasons to lose their minds on CP these days. This is a non issue. Kipper is doing the right thing by announcing his true intentions that his heart wouldn't be into a move to Toronto. He is close to the end of his career, about 1 month left. He wouldn't fetch much of a return anyways, and would look like an even bigger jerk going to Toronto and retiring right away.

Kipper isn't an organizational asset anymore, but he is an organizational treasure. The Flames did right by Iginla and now they are doing right by Kipper. If they were worried about huge returns the time has passed anyways. Teams need to treat their legends with respect, I'm glad Calgary is.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by BigBrodieFan

This ^ is my issue- we never know what is going on with these players. I always see them as people- kids who were babies and grew up playing hockey, dreaming of being in the N. Kipper's address to the press made me tear up far more than any other good-bye. The sincerity in his voice and motions about where his heart lies overwhelmed me. That was very hard for him, and I respect him all the more for doing it. I adore Kipper. I would have loved him as a Leaf, but I love him all the more as a Flame.

That part seems to forgotten when it comes to trades. We don't get to see the human side of players very often when I think we should. Yeah they get paid millions to play hockey but there is still the hardship that goes along with that career - especialy players with families.

When you hear players like Bouwmeester talking about how he was allowed to take the flight back to Calgary and say goodbye to his team mates, or Feaster working the trade to preserve his ironman streak speaks volumes about the class of a hockey organization. It may not seem like much but it could go along ways to attracting future players to this team

I'm glad he's staying and I hope fans as a whole will come to understand his decison.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by timbit

Gordie Howe was treated very poorly by the Red Wings for a longtime. Underpaid and under appreciated.

Sure, 60 years ago....black people werent treated quite the same back then as now either.

Things change.

[GreenLantern2814]

A player everyone loves had to retire here eventually. The last person to do it was lanny. Maybe Vernon if you count that.

[GGG]

We should trade him to the Islanders in the off season fo a late pick. He can not report, be suspended and count against the islanders cap.

Its win win, he gets to stay in calgary or go back to Finland and Calgary gets assets.

[Jbo]

Happy the Flames respected his wishes.

Kipper is my favorite flame and I am happy he wants to finish here.

Some things are worth more then a late pick that will likely never impact the team anyway.