Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluzman
I don't know about the rest of you but if someone was willing to pay me 3 million bucks a year to play a game, well, I'd pretty much go anywhere.  |
If you could make that same $3 million a year in any one of the 30 different cities across North America that have NHL teams, would Winnipeg be at the top of your list?
That's the real choice NHL players have to make. It's not "3 million in Winnipeg or nothing", it's "3 million in Winnipeg or 3 million in one of these other cities".
Sure, there will be entry-level guys who have no choice where they play and they'll be happy just to be in the NHL.
There will also be guys who have the choice between being a League-minimum player in Winnipeg or an AHL player in the Rangers organization who would gladly pick Winnipeg over "New York".
To attract top-level UFAs, Winnipeg may have to give out the infamous Edmonton "bad-town bonus".
Right now, the Coyotes have 8 roster players who will be UFAs in July - including both their goalies - and only 3 players on their current roster signed for 2012. If the move happens, we'll see how attractive a market Winnipeg is pretty quickly.