Quote:
Originally Posted by cowtown75
His wife will go where he goes because he pays the bills and has given her a wonderful blessed life where she doesn't have to worry about anything. Most players go to where they are traded to, not where their family lives or where their wife prefers to live. There is of course the odd exception to the rule, and usually these are guys in the twilight of their years who still have some value- but in the end, you still have to make a living and the man might not want to play there. Best to leave perfect living arrangements when the guy retires at 40 or earlier (gasp) Also, his family owes their fortunes to the Flames and their fans.
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1986 called and they want their outlook back.
Sorry, that isn't how it works anymore. People who have a choice - and that means UFAs, players with NMCs, and executives like Shanahan - make these decisions as a family. If they're young and they're looking for that first big contract, sure, they'll go to whoever pays them most. But guys like Iginla and Shanahan have piles of money already. They have kids in school. Their spouses have family, friends. Doctors they like. Nannies. Schools their kids love. They don't just cheerfully pick up stakes and move wherever their husband has the best chance at winning. Shanahan says he turned down Calgary because his family didn't want to leave NY/USA. I believe him.
As for rivalries, these days those are confined to fans. NHL players simply don't hate other teams and other players the way they used too. There's too much player movement, too much money involved. I'd wager the proximity of Vancouver to his summer home, even the climate, matters more to Iginla and his family than some rivalry.
All that said, I'm betting on the Rangers. Iginla probably has enough pride left that he'll want a situation where plays in the top six. And it's New York.