Wake Up With GTOG: Jagr Basks; Free Agency Begins

By Finesse

Jaromir Jagr has managed to turn something that everyone was excited about into something everyone is legitmately pissed off about.  Now every team is apparently involved in bidding for his services, which is probably the same as it was 3 weeks ago, except now Petr "Finesse really wants to find video of me getting scored on by Mario" Svoboda is publicizing it.  Whatever.  The Pens made an offer and if Jagr wants to play in Pittsburgh, he can sign it.  If he doesn't, then oh well.  No matter what, our memories of him in Pittsburgh will always be positive and we will never boo him* even though we won't like him next season if he is on another team.  But to look at the bright side -- if he does sign with another team, especially if it's a rival of the Pens, it gives us a great villain for 2011-12.  So we win either way.

Kind of being jag-offs.

While Jagr soaks up as much attention for himself as he can, Ray Shero and Co. will be busy signing other free agents.  The under-reported story of the past few days is the near certain departure of Max Talbot.  The Pens traded his rights to the Leafs a few days ago, but he didn't sign with them, so apparently the Pens still own his rights.  Regardless, he's likely to be gone, especially if he is looking for something more than 2-3 years.  And if someone gives Max more than $2 million/year, then that someone is either 1) buttering his English Muffin with lead paint, or 2) Glen Sather.

We wish Max the best if he does sign elsewhere.  The official GTOG prediction is that Max is gone for the next 3 years, realizes that he never had it better than he had it in Pittsburgh, and comes back to the Pens in 2015 or thereabouts.  Our memories of him will not fade.  So long as there is the Internet.





We'll be live-blogging the first few hours of free agency, but let's face it, that is probably going to amount to live-blogging the conclusion of #jagrwatch. Not sure anyone cares where Andrew Brunette signs at this point.  Fingers crossed.  LGP.

* OK, Artistry may boo him.