NHL Hockey thread

[Barrister]

Who exactly are the Jets looking to trade (although of course they're talking about PLD). 

I first read this in La Presse a month ago, and again this morning.  So it's obvious where the journalists want Dubois to go.

The Jets' GM would obviously not announce his hand by saying he wants his star player gone, that would weaken his value.

The message is clear - PLD wants to go to Montreal.  I know and understand this.  Jets had hoped to change his mind (his father works in the organization!) but apparently it is not to be.  c'est la vie.

But what the Jets are not going to do is trade him to Montreal for a handfull of magic beans.  Even as a 1 year rental to someone else he carries good value.

[viper37]

Fuck Dubois. What I want is Hellebuyck.

The journalists want a Frenchie.  Another Drouin.

[Barrister]

Reports in The Athletic that LPD will give the Jets a list of 5-6 teams he'd want to be traded to.  The idea then is he'd sign an 8 year deal as part of a sign-and-trade.

Time to step up to the plate Habs.  Give us your best offer.

[Grey Fox]

Dvorak and this year's 31/32 choice.

[Barrister]

Dvorak and this year's 31/32 choice.

Fuck that.

A 30 point per year guy who is only under contract for 2 years, and a 31/32 overall draft pick?

Someone's going to offer more than that for sure.  Even as a deadline rental he gets more than that.

[viper37]

Dvorak and this year's 31/32 choice.

Fuck that.

A 30 point per year guy who is only under contract for 2 years, and a 31/32 overall draft pick?

Someone's going to offer more than that for sure.  Even as a deadline rental he gets more than that.

A 30 point per year guy playing for Montreal.
Once he's out of Montreal, he's going to explode!

Take a look at John Leclair.  19 goals a year in Montreal.  50 goals a year once traded to Philadelphia.

You could get your next star player right there, a hidden gem!

[Grey Fox]

Dvorak and this year's 31/32 choice.

Fuck that.

A 30 point per year guy who is only under contract for 2 years, and a 31/32 overall draft pick?

Someone's going to offer more than that for sure.  Even as a deadline rental he gets more than that.

It's a better offer than a 3rd round pick in this year's draft.

The reality is that there is no established players that are attractive to keep the Jets window open. What the Habs can offer is salary shedding & help start the rebuild. 

[viper37]

I'm just wondering why 2 or 3 of the biggest Jets players wants to leave the team, burn the bridges.

Is there a coaching problem with the team?  PLD wants to leave, the goalie wants to leave, other players want to leave...  It does not even seem a question of salary, they just want out.

[Barrister]

I'm just wondering why 2 or 3 of the biggest Jets players wants to leave the team, burn the bridges.

Is there a coaching problem with the team?  PLD wants to leave, the goalie wants to leave, other players want to leave...  It does not even seem a question of salary, they just want out.

PLD - wants to play in Montreal.

Hellebuyck - wants to play for a contender.  He doesn't see the Jets as a contender.

Not sure who else wants out.  I think Wheeler asked about a trade.  Former captain who is the only remaining Atlanta Thrasher still with the team he clearly didn't hate Winnipeg, but I think he feels like his time is up with the club.

[viper37]

I'm just wondering why 2 or 3 of the biggest Jets players wants to leave the team, burn the bridges.

Is there a coaching problem with the team?  PLD wants to leave, the goalie wants to leave, other players want to leave...  It does not even seem a question of salary, they just want out.

PLD - wants to play in Montreal.

Hellebuyck - wants to play for a contender.  He doesn't see the Jets as a contender.

Not sure who else wants out.  I think Wheeler asked about a trade.  Former captain who is the only remaining Atlanta Thrasher still with the team he clearly didn't hate Winnipeg, but I think he feels like his time is up with the club.

Yeah Wheeler was the 3rd one.
It's just curious that 3 players want out now.  Not even one more year in Winnipeg, out now.

[Barrister]

I'm just wondering why 2 or 3 of the biggest Jets players wants to leave the team, burn the bridges.

Is there a coaching problem with the team?  PLD wants to leave, the goalie wants to leave, other players want to leave...  It does not even seem a question of salary, they just want out.

PLD - wants to play in Montreal.

Hellebuyck - wants to play for a contender.  He doesn't see the Jets as a contender.

Not sure who else wants out.  I think Wheeler asked about a trade.  Former captain who is the only remaining Atlanta Thrasher still with the team he clearly didn't hate Winnipeg, but I think he feels like his time is up with the club.

Yeah Wheeler was the 3rd one.
It's just curious that 3 players want out now.  Not even one more year in Winnipeg, out now.

I think PLD is the only one trying that trick.

Hellebuyck has said he won't sign an extension.  He's under contract for one more year.  That's his right.

Wheeler asked for a trade last year after he was stripped of being the captain.  I think the Jets would like to move him as well, since even without the "C" he carries a lot of influence in the locker room and the team would like to move on.  But his contract (only one more year) probably means he has negative trade value at his age.

Jets have always been in kind-of a tough spot - it is a small and cold city, it does have relatively high tax rates.  We certainly have seen players sign extensions to play there and/or waive no-trade conditions to go there, but it's not like a Florida where players will go no matter how the team is doing - Winnipeg is only attractive if the team is doing well.

Jets seem like their window to compete for the Cup has closed.  So they're having trouble keeping players.

[viper37]

I've always been told the high tax rates don't bother hockey players that much since they can manage, with some help, to dodge a lot of these taxes.

It's not like Florida, mind you, it takes work, but it's doable, and not like they would lose 45% of their income.

As for the cold, well, yeah, lots of players said the same about Quebec city back in the days, even when they originated from Manitoba of Saskatchewan.

[HVC]

At least quebec city is only like 2 hours away from Montreal.

[Barrister]

One thing I will note about the Jets - they do seem like they have prioritized drafting Americans, in particular from the US National Development Team.  Think Jacob Trouba, Connor Hellebuyck, Andrew Copp, Kyle Connor, Jack Roslovic, and even recent picks like Chaz Lucius and Rutger McGroarty (that's an awesome name, by the way).

I think the Jets view it as a form of arbitrage - that US players aren't viewed as highly as "good ole Canadian boys" so they can get better value for their draft picks.  And there probably is something to that.  Problem is when the draft pick works out and it comes time to sign players long-term, they may well want to go back to the US and not stay in Winnipeg.

I don't think there is a single Manitoban on the Jets roster.  Compare that to Vegas, who have 5 (plus their GM was the long-time GM for the WHL Brandon Wheat Kings).

I kind of think the Jets should focus more on recruiting Manitobans, or at least prairie kids, as they have a better shot at keeping them long-term.

[viper37]

I kind of think the Jets should focus more on recruiting Manitobans, or at least prairie kids, as they have a better shot at keeping them long-term.

There's always been lots of talk about this in Quebec city, and Montreal now.

The reasoning was that players from Quebec would read the papers and hear the radio, know about the frustration of their bad performances on ice.  And also feel some kind of attachment to the city they're playing in.

However...  If we're looking at it frankly, to the owners of the franchise feel any loyalty toward the player?  Not really.  If he starts slowing down, local or not, they'll try to trade him for the best possible value.  The players know the game.  They'll ask for the best possible salary when they can.

I think, from memory, only Crosby signed a deal where he would received less money as he neared the end his of career.  He's making 3M$ a year as we speak, although 8,7M$ still count toward the cap (I do not know the technicalities, it seems is salary was spread out evenly for all the years of his contract under the cap hit).

As for small markets like Winnipeg and Quebec city, I think there comes a point when some of these people are simply too rich and can't spend their money.  At 3-4 millions $ /year, there's still lots of places to go, but once they reach the 9-11 millions$, where are they supposed to go?

Judging by its size, Winnipeg must not be much different than Quebec city.  There's a limit to what kind of bars/clubs and restaurants the city than have.  Montreal and Brossard (close to the Habs training center) can have place where they serve whiskys at 400$ for half a ounce no problem.  In Quebec city, such bottles are rarely used and bars carrying them would lose their product once open if too many are carrying such bottles.