Quote:Originally posted by jkrever@Mar 31 2013, 02:33 PM

They weren't about to win a cup in the next 2-3 seasons anyway. Getting two actives for one will make a difference four seasons down the road. I wouldn't have retired if I were him, but good on him to have the foresight to see that far ahead.

I'm in agreement with Jamie, but what you're saying is also correct. Retiring a top line center will only hurt them in the near future but what kind of player he might get in return with this tactic is nothing more than conjecture at this point. The rebuild has been pushed back another couple of seasons, which for us means the Panthers won't be competitive for another four to six months. I wonder how the current players will take this decision, will they stay in LA for what might be or will they leave because they don't wish to repeat this prior season over and over again (I'm speaking about free agency). Honestly, it has the potential to be a good managerial move for the future of LA.

Blizzard just became a tougher opponent... Darn.