Did Ziggy Really Retire?

Post by **Mad City Mike** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 10:58 am

Or did he pull a Mondesi?

This, from Spector's:

"SPECTOR'S MAILBAG.

My thanks to Eric Greenstein for the following on Ziggy Palffy: "Last thursday before the game against Edmonton, on the Kings pregame show called "Break the Ice", Marty McSorley was interviewing Pavol Demitra who was not playing in that game. Mcsorley asked Demitra if he has been talking to his friend Pallfy. Demitra says they have been chatting and would like the opportunity to play together. When asked if he thought Palffy would be available to play in LA next year, Demitra smiled, winked, and said he couldnt comment."

Hmmmmm.

http://spectorshockey.tripod.com/specto ... mours.html

Hawkeynut · Post by **Hawkeynut** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:01 am

Now that would be a kick in the jimmy.. UNLESS (insert conspiracy theory here) Craig Patrick and the sunshine boys asked Pallfy to "retire" to save on some $$.

Wouldn't surprise me.

Bowser · Post by **Bowser** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:09 am

MCM - I hear Palffy told the Penguins he had some legal issues to deal with in Europe and wanted to leave to take care of things personally. He wasn't happy in Pittsburgh, he missed LA and playing under Therrien wasn't a real joy.

Make no mistake, it was Palffy and his agent who came up with the CBA loophole that he could *retire* and then return next season.

Post by **Mad City Mike** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:13 am

Bowser wrote:
MCM - I hear Palffy told the Penguins he had some legal issues to deal with in Europe and wanted to leave to take care of things personally. He wasn't happy in Pittsburgh, he missed LA and playing under Therrien wasn't a real joy.

Make no mistake, it was Palffy and his agent who came up with the CBA loophole that he could *retire* and then return next season.

I assume the Pens still maintain his rights, though, correct? Unless they pull a Littlefield and cut him loose. But even CP isn't THAT stupid, right?

Bowser · Post by **Bowser** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:22 am

From what I was told and I'm trying to get this totally confirmed, Palffy's "retirement" declaration and Pens letting him out of his contract, he's no longer Penguins property.

You can bet, if Pens wanted to pursue it, they could file a grievance if Palffy returns to the free agent market this summer and signs a deal with Kings.

A few months ago, LA had a scout in Pittsburgh and word was the Kings were looking at Palffy but the Penguins wanted Dustin Brown. Dave Taylor said no thanks and that was it.

BJL · Post by **BJL** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:29 am

Would this not be the exact type of thing that Mike Brophy was referring to when he said that Bill Daly told him the league is watching these "unusual" retirements, such as Palffy and Malakhov?

Bowser · Post by **Bowser** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:36 am

The Malakhov retirement is very fishy because the player says he didn't retire but Devils say he did. The Pens are saying he retired because of personal issues, yet he's quoted in Europe saying it was his shoulder.

Then I've heard Palffy retired because of legal issues, what those are, I have no idea.

BJL · Post by **BJL** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:41 am

I suppose if there's a loophole they found in the CBA then the league will end up just having to live with it... but if there's any way they can intervene they will because you can't have an easy out for teams to get contracts off their cap #.

The discussion I heard was more along the lines of a "hey if you retire now there will be some cash in it for you a few years down the road" type deal - but I never bought that at all. At the same time, Brophy was seemed to have no doubt that Palffy will play again at some point, although he figured it'd be w/ the Pens.

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:50 am

when he ritired that it just seemed a little odd.
If it was a shoulder injury then he probably could have kept some of that salary being on an injured list. Probably not the full salary due to having a previous injury.
Did he hate Pittsburgh that much? Maybe.
Was his head just not in it anymore?
He is not the same expolsive Ziggy we once knew that would kill your team on a breakaway.
Having said that, he is still worth a 7 figure contract.

Wouldnt surprise me to see him playing again next year.

yeltzen · Post by **yeltzen** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:54 am

I'm sure the Pens realized that both parties benefitted from his retirement and they just agreed on it.
Palffy gets out of this city he obviously doesn't care for and team that's going nowhere.
Pens get to sign Fleury. The season was a lost cause with or without Ziggy, so they get to avoid the wrath of season ticket holders by keeping Marc-Andre up here.

Post by **skullman80** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 12:08 pm

yeltzen wrote:
I'm sure the Pens realized that both parties benefitted from his retirement and they just agreed on it.
Palffy gets out of this city he obviously doesn't care for and team that's going nowhere.
Pens get to sign Fleury. The season was a lost cause with or without Ziggy, so they get to avoid the wrath of season ticket holders by keeping Marc-Andre up here.

I agree with this statement whole heartedly.

BJL · Post by **BJL** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 12:23 pm

If they "allowed" this to happen for the reason you just outlined then it would have been a VERY short-sighted decision. You don't just give up a guy like Palffy when you have him locked in for 2 more years for nothing. His numbers weren't exactly Gonchar-bad.

yeltzen · Post by **yeltzen** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 1:35 pm

BJL wrote:
If they "allowed" this to happen for the reason you just outlined then it would have been a VERY short-sighted decision. You don't just give up a guy like Palffy when you have him locked in for 2 more years for nothing. His numbers weren't exactly Gonchar-bad.

The point is this season was hopeless and next season will be as well, unless CP pulls a miracle deal and lands two all-star defensive defensemen. So, what's the point in paying a guy 3 million or whatever for 2 years and sending down your goalie phenom to finish last in the league? Season ticket holders would riot.

BJL · Post by **BJL** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 4:57 pm

I am a season ticket holder... and when the season is lost does it matter if Fleury is here or not? We just lost 7-1 yesterday... it doesn't matter if he's here or not. Palffy was the ONLY free agent signing that I was happy with as the season went along. When his goal scoring went down toward the end he was still putting points on the board w/ assists. People were claiming they were cheap and merely a benefit of playing w/ Crosby, but they count either way and I haven't seen anybody else consistantly put up points like that even when they do play with Sid.

Post by **skullman80** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 5:14 pm

BJL wrote:
I am a season ticket holder... and when the season is lost does it matter if Fleury is here or not? We just lost 7-1 yesterday... it doesn't matter if he's here or not. Palffy was the ONLY free agent signing that I was happy with as the season went along. When his goal scoring went down toward the end he was still putting points on the board w/ assists. People were claiming they were cheap and merely a benefit of playing w/ Crosby, but they count either way and I haven't seen anybody else consistantly put up points like that even when they do play with Sid.

I'm a season ticket holder as well. Fleury should have never been brought up in the first place. Since he is up here though, it would be bad move to send him back down. As far as goalies go he gives the best chance to win. Yesterdays loss was not his fault. He made some great saves, and he faced 51 shots..FIFTY ONE. Their was no "D" In front from him.

Palffy's heart hadn't been into it for a while for whatever reason, he couldn't hit the ocean for the last month or so he was on the team, it sucks it had to end the way it did though.

I feel bad for Fleury just because he has no "D" in front of him to help him out on most nights.

Post by **Ron`** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 3:35 am

Legal reasons as in he couldn't just walk out without breaching his contract with the pens. no legal medical basis to go on IR, and he legally couldn't be traded without the team accepting his full balance of his contract against the cap.

This actually makes sense if he wanted out of Pittsburgh really bad. But the team he wants to go to is close to cap for this year. Wink Wink LA. Hence legally he retires, saves Pens money and maybe gets his wish next year to return to LA within a higher salary cap figure.

socket · Post by **socket** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:35 am

I'm a season ticket holder, too. I still think it is terrible that Palffy left. He was the best on the team next to Crosby. And bringing Fleury up just seems like a waste now. Whatever. If he comes back in LA I will be a little mad. And who says this team is "going nowhere"?? They'll be great soon in whatever city they're in.

Post by **Draftnik** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:48 am

20 goal scorers don't get $4.5M contracts. He did the Pens a favor by quitting.

Did Ziggy Really Retire?

Did Ziggy Really Retire?

I thought from day one