Joe's Reaction of the Week (Chip's Version): Oh, For Chris Sake

Hey all, Joe here.

As you might have noticed, I have been pretty absent from "Joe's Reaction Of The Week." Well, that will likely continue for another month or two—my best guess is until early November. I have some non-Blueshirt Banter things that have popped up in my life (all good) that are not going to allow me to be as active here as I would like to be.

Furthermore, you will notice that the podcast might be recorded at stranger times (but will still be released in the normal day and time slot) because of this. Eric and Chip are going to be covering for me on writing the column, and as much as it pains me to do so publicly, I thank both of them for their service. I will be around, just not as much the next two months. 

Thank you all for your continued support! 

Well, Pat Verbeek certainly boned the hell out of himself this summer didn't he?

The man watched most of his defense walk out the door and traded away Olen Zellweger and Mason McTavish. Then he got backed into a corner because he was too stupid or arrogant or both to understand how to properly negotiate with Leo Carlsson's representatives, leading to the Philadelphia Flyers signing him to an enormous five-year, $18 million AAV offer sheet that he had no choice but to match, only to then find himself with a second young gun in Cutter Gauthier who was all of a sudden asking for money that Verbeek and the Anaheim Ducks did not have.

After a summer of trying in vain to find a trade that would help free up space under the salary cap and return assets, Verbeek's only move remaining was to work with Chris Kreider, an important veteran voice in that room, to terminate his contract.

Well played, Pat. Well fucking played.

Anyway, that's how we got here. What's next is where things get fun. Camps are opening, and Chris Kreider just became a really interesting free agent. Where is he going to land?