Thread: Clock's Ticking Mr. O'Sullivan

oh, thanks

Originally Posted by Carla Muller

Borrowing a line from the movie, “Jerry Maguire”, O’Sullivan now has to decide if he wants to be a ‘paycheck guy’ or a team heart and soul guy who will inspire others to leave their last drop of themselves on the ice – not in their wallet.

That's it in a nutshell, right there.

Good post. Personally, I think Sully's getting bad advice from Meehan. If he misses camp, it may well have a very negative impact on his season, which will cost him more money in the long run than any extra money he makes from the deal. At this stage of his career, if I'm his agent, I'm telling the kid "I'll play hardball up until training camp, but between you and me, you have to be there." It's too early in his career for him to be missing training camps.

Here, here, Carla. Once again, you've hit the nail on the head. Let's hope POS meant what he said and, indeed, wants to be a part of this organization for the long haul. Great post, Carla, as always.

Great post! We are still rebuilding and that also means building the team from within.

I'm with Carla on this one.
It's time for Sully to meet with DL and put an end to his agent controlling this situation. Sully can solve this whole mess himself, IF he really wants to be a part of the Kings future.

nice read, But...

This is the NHL, it is a business first and foremost. Players like O'Sullivan have the right to do exactly what he is doing.

His not taking a lesser amount does not make him a bad team mate. Nor does it send the message he doesn't want to be here. It's business pure and simple.

Unless he bad mouths the team or players if he comes back he will be welcomed back with open arms by the players.

It's the business side of the NHL pure and simple. Get over it.


Also Lombardi didn't lose his job in San Jose due to contractual challenges.

The Gunds wanted to win and allowed Lombardi to pursue players and pay them, maybe a bit too much.

New ownership came in, demanded Lombardi to cut payroll, and hard ball others on contract demands. They put him in a no win position.

With a couple of players holding out and the team on pins and needles, they played poorly. When Lombardi couldn't move contracts approved by previous ownership, he was fired.

The truth is the San Jose Sports and Entertainment Enterprises wanted to move him out and bring in their guy on the inside Doug Wilson.

Lombardi was a victim of circumstance, pure and simple.

Stop with the take one for the team crap. These hockey guys know how to play hockey, that's it. He'd have problems balancing a checkbook. He's going to get as much as he can as fast as he can, and he is going to rely on professionals to provide that service. He doesn't care whether he plays for the Kings. And that makes him no different from every other guy is this league.

Carla,
I am sorry to say it but I am convinced that you are dead wrong - again - on this issue.

Lombardi is trying to thread a needle here and it is risky. DL wants to have his cake and eat it too.

On the one hand DL says that O'Sullivan is a young player who has one good season of scoring on a bad team. He says that he needs to prove himself.

At the same time DL is insisting on a long term contract. If a player hasn't proved himself, would it not seem logical to sign a short term contract and do the requisite "proving" before agreeing to a long term deal?

DL is pushing for a bargain basement contract for a player with no incentive to sign one. Though they were drafted the same year, this is not like the Dustin Brown situation. Brown had a baby on the way and had played in L.A. since he was 18. DB had a reason to sacrifice some money - security. POS has 1.5 seasons in L.A., is not a family man as of the moment (to my knowledge) and was drafted by a different organization. Whereas DB improved gradually over time, POS has been a fast riser in his time year, absent his first time up in the bigs. These are different situations.

Rather than allowing POS an opportunity to sign a fair, short term contract and prove last year was no fluke he wants to save money under the pretense that it is to help sign other players within the organization.

I understand that DL has a plan to build a contender but sometimes you need to adjust your plan to realities on the ground. DL shouldn't force POS to take a long term deal for $2-3 million if he is going to score like a $4-5 million player.

O'Sullivan had a great season and DL openly talked about POS being a part of the "core". If he means it then POS needs to get paid like a "core" player. If DL does not think that way then he needs to sign POS to a one or two year deal and avoid this distraction. The team has a new coach and POS is out of town on the first day of training camp. Not good!