It is a stupid opportunist play by his agent and as much as I enjoy watching him, he's not worth top 3 minutes. He's just a smart stay at home player that's surprisingly mobile for his size because he's rarely out of position, and he occasionally hits hard and passes the puck well. At best he's a number 3. But he'd look great on any cup contender, similar to Gudas' role.
Even reading between the lines here, there's the obvious question of inequality based on his ice time, but I think it's more than that. He's questioned the culture a couple times now, and I tend to think he's right. Numbers can kinda say one thing but Kadri has played pretty soft since getting his big deal. Huberdeau got paid bigtime but can't find his game at all. Both got rewarded with handsome contracts and have not had their feet to the fire this year. That's gotta bother some players because they're getting ice time and are totally soft. Z is playing hard and perhaps not getting enough ice time where Tanev this year should probably be getting a bit less too. All in all, just seems like a team that isn't playing hard, and the only vet who is, feels like he's getting shafted, that's all. In a contract year, I see how he wants to stand out more, so I understand his frustration.
On one hand, great you're going to be selling high, but with three d going to be dealt (Tanev, Hanifin, Zadorov), I'm a bit worried that the deals won't be purely for picks as Conroy has to still field a team. Tanev and Hanifin absolutely have to be dealt for a 1st at minimum. Zadorov I don't know what his value is (I think a 2nd and a 3rd?), but given the timing do they have to bring back a defenceman for him?
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