Quote:
Originally Posted by Flames Fan, Ph.D.
It's interesting that in player - owner disputes, be it player versus team or NHLPA versus NHL, there is a slight tip in opinion towards favouring the owners and questioning the dedication / attitude of the players.
The NHL acts as a cartel and players such as Drouin have very few rights. I think he should be free to do whatever he thinks is necessary to maximize his short career. He asked for a trade, which is not illegal. He's now trying to protect the vehicle for his success, his health, and seems to be accepting the consequence of his actions and has kept his mouth shut.
I don't see a whiner; I see a guy challenging the system. I'm reading more whining from those who ask him to submit to a system that severely limits his rights as an employee.
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I see this opinion often, especially on Twitter. Here's why I think it's based off wrong principles.
The NHL is a cartel, yes. As a group of private enterprises, they make a series of rules to ensure maximum values for their respective businesses. These rules include player movement. They aren't restricting the player from playing outside their cartel, but to ensure competitive balance they need to have movement restrictions. If you want to share in the wealth of the cartel you need to play by the rules that protect the cartel's wealth.
He's can legally refuse to play, but then he suffers the consequences. It's for the betterment of the collective group.