[Rumour] Letang on the move? Upd: Letang turns down 8yr $56mil contract

[sureLoss]

Freidman on why Letang is upset:

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/opin...act-talks.html

According to a couple of sources, Letang was hurt and upset by comments made in this article. (For the record, Hockey Night's PJ Stock, who is a summer workout partner of Letang's, is not one of the sources).

What stung most was this passage: "Shero is fairly confident Letang has become a must-move player. That is true because Letang is not the consensus best defenceman on the Penguins, at least in the eyes of management and coaches."

Letang apparently believes someone in the organization was responsible for this and it's poisoned the process. A horrendous Eastern Conference final by almost the entire roster has blinded everyone to what's really happened here.

Letang's worked very hard over the past few seasons to become one of the best defencemen in the NHL. He's not perfect; he has to become less of a gambler. But he had 16 points in the first two post-season rounds, as many as top blue-line scorer Drew Doughty had in all of the 2012 playoffs.

It is borderline impossible to replace that. After watching Duncan Keith slalom through the Bruins in the Stanley Cup final, I'd never let Letang go if I could avoid it. He will learn from what happened, and he will get better.

[wpgflamesfan]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Freidman on why Letang is upset:

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/opin...act-talks.html

What a baby.

[SuperMatt18]

Why not go out there and prove them wrong, instead of whining about it.

Personally think he is overrated and that the $7 million for 8 years was more than enough.

[Dagger]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Why not go out there and prove them wrong, instead of whining about it.

Personally think he is overrated and that the $7 million for 8 years was more than enough.

If your employer said all of that about you after you've already accomplished a lot and are working hard to do better, would you return to that employer when you could get at the very least the same money and in the destination of your choice more or less?

IMO, I think Letang can see a situation in which he gets traded not far into his contract with the Pens paying him premium defensemen dollars but perceiving to not get the value. Sure an NTC stops any of that(should he get one), but I don't think a player ever wants to veto a trade because they always return the bad guy and it makes it extremely awkward knowing your expendable/not wanted.

[Kaine]

Goodie, one of the most overrated defense men in the league, a total trainwreck in his own zone that seems to see himself as the next Lidstrom is pouting. Screws with Letang (fool to turn down that money) and the Pens? Sounds like a Win-Win to me.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Anyone who signs him to this deal is going to regret it roughly 2 minutes after. The Pens dodged a bullet if he rejected that offer.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Don't blame the Pens at all for moving him. Good player, but not that good. Agreed with MMF, whatever team signs him to that deal will regret it shortly. Very shortly.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Penguins need to sign him as I think Letang makes them a better team. He is an elite NHL defenseman and puts up huge points.

[Bourque's Twin]

That offer defines his worth. I don't see him getting much more on the open market.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Yeah I don't know... almost feels like his ego needs to be satisfied by having a larger cap hit than Ryan Suter...

Exept the fact that Suter is a far superior defenseman. If he was on the Penguins he would put up close to the same amount of points without the gong show play in his own end. He's a high end Dennis Wideman/Brian Campbell but he's never going to be confused with a truly great overall defenseman.

[Flames_F.T.W]

I can't fathom Letang looking anywhere near as good as he did with the stacked Pens should he be traded/sign elsewhere. I also think he's overrated (not by a lot, but overrated nonetheless) and isn't worth 7 million, let alone 8 million!

[icecube]

He would have been making more than Karlsson who is the far superior offensive weapon. Letang is awesome at what he does, but he's gonna see his points drop leaving the pens.

[Enoch Root]

"Waaa. They thought the other guy played better than me. That hurt my feelings. Waaa."

Shut up ad prove them wrong, you baby!

[the_only_turek_fan]

Just thinking out loud: Wonder if we see a Subban for Letang blockbuster.

[GoIggy]

Hello all, I feel the need to quote part of my 2nd post I ever made here

as a side note... if any of you hear any news on Iggy from Penguins beat writer Rob Rossi, please ignore it.

In recent years his "inside sources" have told him:
-Pens without a doubt moving to KC
-An opinion piece that they need to trade Crosby....
-Malkin being traded to LA
-Jagr to Pittsburgh
-Penguins getting frustrated with Crosby injury and want to elect a new "C" (which the Pens responded by all wearing a "C" at practice as a big "f you" to him)
- Parise to Pittsburgh

He has quite a track record

Seriously, this guy knows nothing and is a well known rumor spreader. Its a shame a mainstream newspaper employees him, but I'm seeing some Rossi stuff being linked. Just a FYI that all of that means nothing

[GoIggy]

As for an opinion from a guy who has watched about 90% of Letang's NHL games (although still not likely to be a good opinion).

He's overrated. His physical abilities are IMMENSE and based on that he could be the best d in the league. Hockey IQ is the exact opposite. Just too many brain farts to rely on / give this much $

I'm glad he rejected that offer tbh. Pens would have way too much $ invested in 3 guys

[GoIggy]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

Just thinking out loud: Wonder if we see a Subban for Letang blockbuster.

No, it'll be reminiscent of the Staal deal. Pens are trading Letang because they can't afford another big contract.

It'll be Letang for a cheaper, but not as good version of him and picks / prospect type of deal

[trackercowe]

Originally Posted by icecube

He would have been making more than Karlsson who is the far superior offensive weapon. Letang is awesome at what he does, but he's gonna see his points drop leaving the pens.

People really like to throw around the phrase "far superior" lightly, don't they? And no he's not far superior offensively at all, both have put up similar PPG in the past year, and whereas Karlsson has been downright awful in the playoffs in general, Letang has been quite good for the most part, and fantastic offensively.

And yeah he probably saw the money being thrown at Suter and Weber last year and think he's in near their level of excellence. And truthfully he's probably around there. The only defensemen in the league who I'd say with a certainty are better than Letang are Chara, Kieth, Suter, and Weber; then he's right there with Karlsson, Doughty, and Pietrangelo. He's most definitely a top ten dman without a doubt, and probably should get paid what he's asking for based on similar cotracts. But if he wants to play on the same team with Crosby/Malkin he will have to take a lesser deal, even if he could get more elsewhere.

Although if he's mostly about the money just wait another year and there will probably be a team out there willing to sign him to a deal closer to the ones Weber/Suter received last season.

Edit: In the last three years there have only been three defenseman to finish in the top ten in Norris Trophy voting in each year; Chara, Weber, and Letang. Just goes to show what professional hockey writers think of him, since they are the ones voting for the award.

[Hockey]

Follow this guy for the LOL's and this one is pretty good

#Letang offers #Ducks =Ryan, 1st rnd pick, Etem. #Flames =Cammalleri, 1st rnd pick, Bartschi #Canucks =Edler, 1st rnd pick, Schroeder #NSS

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Hockey

Follow this guy for the LOL's and this one is pretty good

He was also drumming up a Luongo to CGY rumour.