Quote:
Originally Posted by Flash Walken
Iginla, Nieuwendyk and Gilmour all sat out either while under contract or while their rights were held by the Flames.
Does anyone who follows the NHL (that isn't a Flames fan) even think about that when the name "Iginla", "Nieuwendyk" or "Gilmour" comes up? No. Why? Because no one cares. They care about what those players did on the ice.
Lindros held out at the draft, and while he's certainly remembered for it (But moreso remembered for the trade return that landed him in Philly), it's not even close to the defining characteristic of his career.
Once Drouin is trade, if he starts putting up points for his new team, is a good teammate on his new team, no one will care about this at all except for those who have attached spite to the conversation.
Meanwhile, a team in contention for the cup, a team in their prime competitive window, is missing out not only on Drouin, but also on the potential return he would get and how that would benefit the aspirations of the Lightning to win now.
If this situation was happening right now with Bennett and the Flames, I would be annoyed. If this had happened with the Flames and Phaneuf in his rookie season I would've been absolutely furious.
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I agree that holding out, in and of itself, is not the end of the world. And lots of players have done it.
But not all hold-out situations are the same. Sometimes, it is because the player is a DB.
Lindros is such an example. His presence caused consternation in dressing rooms from the WJs, all the way through his career.
In a team game, you want team players.
Holding out on a contract does not necessarily mean you're not a team player. But I think in this case it does.