Quote:
Originally Posted by sa226
I'm just legitimately surprised that he signed here. I don't subscribe to the "Nobody wants to play here, especially Americans" mantra. I'm just legitimately surprised.
Players wait years for UFA status, he apparently was building a house in Texas, spent a good chunk on a cup winning team in Tampa, and he chooses Calgary? Kinda cool.
With the deeper dive into the type of valuable player he is, I would have pegged him as a top 5 massive overpay in free agency But 4.9 AAV is, quite reasonable for a 2 way top 6 forward.
He must have had multiple offers. Maybe it was term that tipped the scales for Calgary.
Would be interesting to know what made him want to sign in Calgary. Especially with 2 cups under his belt.
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It sounds like the slower, small city vibe was in their comfort level and, for a young family, Calgary is a very attractive city and has always been a reason cited for people coming/staying here. I can imagine Tampa (and Dallas) has a pretty rowdy scene comparatively.
Maybe they just thought the idea of living in a different country for a while sounds cool, maybe get their kids dual citizenship.
Plus yeah it was probably the best contract offer, term wise. Seems like he could be a bit sleeper great signing looking at those metrics. Passes the eye test too, found myself enjoying his play throughout the playoffs.