I dont get why this has to be explained.
I don't get why you can't disagree without being rude. I know what a tryout it is.
Yeah, he's not a lock, but bringing in a guy like Gonchar who has a history with the team and the fact they have no room on defense I think logic would lean toward a greater chance of him staying than just your regular run of the mill tryout.
Bob Errey came in on a tryout that failed before retiring. One could argue that he had a bigger impact on the team than Gonchar, given his history of championships, first line duties with Lemieux, and the fact that he was drafted by the team.
Why is it so difficult to ascertain that maybe he was brought in as a courtesy to him? You scratched our backs and played a huge role in our Cup run, so we'll scratch yours and give you a camp tryout. If you do well, and we can find a place for you, we will. If you do well and we don't have a place for you, we'll talk you up around the league. If you don't do well, hang 'em up.
It's also entirely possible to think that he was brought in for the sole purpose of being an extra "coach" on the ice. A guy with Gonchar's reputation on defense could go a long way in teaching some of the young, inexperienced defensemen the lay of the land. Considering the three veterans on defense are Letang, who is great, but no leader, in my opinion; Lovejoy, who is a good 5/6 guy and locker room guy, but not much else; and Scuderi, whose game has always been focused on pure defense, having Gonchar around as an alternative source of knowledge and model for composure and behavior is a GOOD thing.
I cannot for the life of me understand the backlash, at least from some, this tryout is getting.