annieQ at the peripheral

He wasn't performing how the Lightning/Cooper wanted him to perform the first two seasons of his career, so they sent him down (up geographically) to the Syracuse Crunch (Tampa Bay's AHL affiliate). They wanted him to play left wing for Stamkos or Kucherov, I can't remember which, but either way, it was top 6 minutes. And he was only setting up less than 30 assists his first season for whichever of them they had him on a line with, and that's unacceptable for a top 6 LW. It makes sense that he was sent down to learn in the AHL, but some of that fault is also on them for throwing him into that right out of the gate. 🥴 Maybe some 3rd line LW time at least.

He didn't want to be with the team anymore after that and refused to report and asked to be traded. It was all kept diplomatic, as hockey business is, but Yzerman made some comments that suggested that Jo wasn't able to handle the type of coaching that Cooper is known for. (As an aside, the way MacKinnon has said that he hates that style of coaching very publicly makes me think he was sticking up for Jo the way he's done a couple of times in the past. Even if it was over ten years later.)

Jo was suspended by the team for not reporting, and was suspended for like two months total until he agreed to report. He still asked to be traded, but it took Yzerman another season to work one out. He was hung up on trying to find a player he felt was worth a 3OA pick, even though he insinuated in that press conference I linked above that Jo was a "draft bust" and not worth what they thought he was worth. (Make it make sense!!!)

He struggled so bad with anxiety and depression in Montreal that was so bad he had to enter the NHL player assistance program. (This is why he's such an advocate for mental health, and why he spoke highly about Sammy G when he had a similar issue and needed to enter the program back in the 2023-24 season. Not only did they bond over both being Quebecers and being able to speak fluent Québécois with one another, I think Jo helped Sammy G through that time away from the team because he knows how hard it is to go through that.)

Like how Jack's parents embezzled his entire NHL fortune, and he's bounced around from team to team trying to make enough to be able to retire with a proper NHL nest egg. And how Jonathan had a really, really rough fucking time in Tampa with Cooper and didn't gel with that style of coaching. He did kind of well in Montreal, but the pressure to be not only a Hab, but a Quebecer on top of that was just too much with the media. The most successful year of his career was 2023-24 in Colorado with his best friend, but his tendency to get injured ruined that the following season and he left in free agency after two seasons.

Jack even had two seasons in Pittsburgh with his best friend, but much like Jonathan, that came to an end during free agency the following summer. Unlike Jack though, Jonathan hasn't won a Cup. The 3OA draft position seems absolutely fucking cursed overall (and I digress), but man. Imagine being best friends with Sid and Nate and being drafted third with them during their draft class, celebrating with that picture of the first 3 picks, then getting nothing but Fucking Struggle your entire damn career while they become Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon. It's fucking sad.

[Edit to add more thoughts]

And how fucked up it must have been for all four of them before the draft, knowing they wouldn't be drafted to the same teams - the Penguins in Jack's case, and the Avs in Jonathan's. Being such close friends up to that point and then having to walk different paths because of the rumors of how the draft might go. Just fucking tragic.

PENS + AVS YOU NEED TO FIX THIS PLS 😭😭

edit: OUGH

-At my house

-At a restaurant/bar

-At the game live

-At a friends/family member’s house

-Other??

I’m sure this is not new to you but this is insane???

the red string of fate is just a habs sweater