When I heard the report that the Pittsburgh Penguins had been trying to recapture former Vegas goalkeeper Marc-Andre Fleury (twice) over the past few months, a lot went through my head.
Via Vegas Hockey Now, Bob McKenzie of TSN told NBCSN on Wednesday that “the Penguins have been trying ‘very hard’ since the off-season to recapture their former three-time Stanley Cup goalkeeper. The Golden Knights have succeeded on several occasions.
” Former Penguins manager Jim Rutherford was at the forefront of the talks during the off-season. Interim GM Patrik Allvin tried as recently as a few weeks ago, but Vegas insisted on ‘no’. ”
My first thought, of course, was that Vegas said no. Why would the Golden Knights say “yes”?
Fleury was fantastic. Before a 1-0 defeat against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, he won his first five decisions with a 1.80 goals to average and a saving percentage of 0.92. Meanwhile, the man who wrestled Fleury’s primary starting position in Vegas last year, Robin Lehner, was not nearly as sharp (3-1-1, 2.96, 0.88%).
The Knights are also 8-1-1 above a very strict Western conference. And the Penguins have little to give back in return. At least nothing that would be a big deduction from their current roster.
Plus, how could the Pens absorb the rest of Fleury’s $ 7 million salary cap this year and the whole piece in 2022? What money had to be moved at the door to make it happen? Or how much of the salary did the Pens expect Vegas to eat?
Not to mention what it would do to Tristan Jarry’s confidence. If it’s important to the franchise at all. What it might not be.
Do not get me wrong. I am a flower sycophant who allows himself. I would like to see a reunion happen. Especially with Jarry’s fight so far in 2021. Yet for all the reasons, it’s no wonder why McKenzie says the Golden Knights give the proposal a ‘hard no’.
But let’s go beyond all this troublesome pragmatism. Who cares if the idea makes sense or not? If all McKenzie’s report is accurate, let’s talk about my old Patrik Allvin!
Look, I understand the concept of Rutherford fishing to see if he can bring Fleury back into the off-season. Goalie depth was a question. Rutherford is a two-time general manager of the Stanley Cup. He is a Hall of Famer looking for a three-time Cup champion, whom he could not choose after 2017.
I get it all. But Allvin? What about a little love for this guy ?!
He is an interim general manager. Emphasize ‘intermediate’. He had the job for 15 minutes? And he would still have it about 15. And he was apparently quite aware of the probability.
Allvin essentially says, ‘Oh, well. I’m just renting this car. Let’s see how fast she can go! ”
So it sounds like at some point during the three weeks of fortifying the fort he got on the phone, and he decided to swing off his heels and try to get a five run on the first track to strike – with no one on base.
So Allvin Vegas called back – after Rutherford could not sign the deal during the off-season – and apparently to Kelly McCrimmon, GM’s Golden Knights, saying: ‘I got one chance to make it happen. Let’s dance! “
He’s like a Swedish version of Eminem.
Now, for what purpose? Honestly, I do not know.
Maybe Allvin was trying to impress the Penguins buyer by doing something Rutherford could not do. This way he could make a pitch to keep the job full time. Maybe it was a personal passion to get Fleury, and he would do anything to make it happen in the limited opportunity he had.
Or maybe he just wanted one trade legacy he knew most Penguins fans would want with his limited management. At the very least, he will have a striking line in his resume for his next general manager interview.
It’s as if Allvin longed to be drunk, and that he would be Tom Brady at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers boat parade.
And I love it! I’m about that. I may even be a bigger fan of Allvin now than of Fleury.
A few other items. Who was offered in return by Allvin or Rutherford? Was there anything at the end of Pittsburgh? And does that have anything to do with Rutherford’s decision to walk away?
I kick all the subplots around with Pittsburgh native and Joe Bartnick, a Puck Off Podcast host Friday’s “Breakfast With Benz” podcast. We also discuss the hiring of Ron Hextall and Brian Burke, the issues the Penguins have faced so far in 2021, and the benefits of this bizarre schedule the NHL is accumulating for the pandemic-changing season.
Tim Benz is a staff writer for Tribune-Review. You can contact Tim at [email protected] or via Twitter. All tweets can be re-posted. Unless otherwise stated, all emails are subject to publication.
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