[News] Upd: Drouin decides to sit out until trade is completed. Lightning suspend him

[Resolute 14]

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.

Interesting, but not surprising. While the players love rhetoric like "there is no game without us" during labour disputes, the simple fact is that the team is what anchors us to the sport. The players are utterly replaceable.

Jarome Iginla is a fine example of this. The guy is one of the greatest players in history and easily the greatest in this franchise's history. Yet by the end of his tenure here, many wanted him dealt so we could acquire the next big thing (rational) while some focused their disappointment in a poorly constructed team into a near hatred of Iginla (irrational). When he came back the first time with Boston, we celebrated him with loud cheers as a brief acknowledgement of what he's done for us. Then nothing. Now any game he plays in town is just another game.

Iginla is gone. The Flames remain. Our loyalty is tied to what is here.

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.

Jonathan Drouin chose - of his own free will - to enter into a contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. That contract itself operates within the collective bargaining framework that his union representatives negotiated on his behalf. And speaking of rights, he also has the right of a guaranteed salary. And unlike most of the rest of us right now, the opportunity to turn good work into significant bonuses and a large raise.

This is not a player heroically challenging an unjust system. This is a petulant child insisting on special treatment.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Dajazz

Perhaps, but he did the right thing.

The right thing for who? Definitely not the team as the return Yzerman gets will suffer based on the current drama surrounding Drouin.

Originally Posted by CroFlames

What did Yzerman do wrong? Player asks for trade, and Yzerman went to work.

Was the player realistically expecting a trade the day after his request? Things take time. The player and agent are way out of line. Yzerman did nothing wrong, and all the player did was make the trade even harder to do now.

Drouin apparently made his trade request in October.

It's now January.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

The right thing for who? Definitely not the team as the return Yzerman gets will suffer based on the current drama surrounding Drouin.

Drouin apparently made his trade request in October.

It's now January.

If Drouin had committed himself and been playing anywhere near what his talent level and draft position suggests, the trade would have been done immediately, or never even been requested because he would have his full-time role.

Yzerman may be dragging his feet for any number of reasons, but there's no doubt that a major reason is that he is not going to get 3rd overall value for a 3rd overall pick because he's not up to snuff and is actively tanking his value by acting this way.

[CroFlames]

So? Yzerman didn't find a trade he liked in that time frame, and that is reasonable. Just because a player requests a trade, doesn't mean he gets one right away, or even at all.

Was Yzerman supposed to trade a 3rd overall with huge upside for magic beans? He needs to build a team.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

The right thing for who? Definitely not the team as the return Yzerman gets will suffer based on the current drama surrounding Drouin.



Drouin apparently made his trade request in October.

It's now January.

Hamonic apparently made his before the season started. Have the Islanders handled it poorly?

The reason that this has blown up on Yzerman is because Drouin and his agent have taken additional steps to force Yzerman's hand. How is that his fault?

(key point above: the verb comes after Drouin and and his agent, not after Yzerman)

[flambers]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

So? Yzerman didn't find a trade he liked in that time frame, and that is reasonable. Just because a player requests a trade, doesn't mean he gets one right away, or even at all.

Was Yzerman supposed to trade a 3rd overall with huge upside for magic beans? He needs to build a team.

If the stand off continues for a lengthy time. Will it diminish the asset? That's the ultimate question.

If the answer is no, no big deal for the lighting.

If the answer is yes..... Then yes he has to trade the player and he has a timeline.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Hamonic apparently made his before the season started. Have the Islanders handled it poorly?

The reason that this has blown up on Yzerman is because Drouin and his agent have taken additional steps to force Yzerman's hand. How is that his fault?

(key point above: the verb comes after Drouin and and his agent, not after Yzerman)

Hamonic is already making millions of dollars.

[Poe969]

Hamonic also said that he's willing to play out the season with the islanders but he wants to be dealt close to home for personal reasons.

[IgiTang]

Is anyone else getting tired of this saga?

I fully support Yzerman in getting the best return, but I for one would like to see the page turn.

This is getting old.

(Not saying CP should stop discussing it. Saying g everyone in the media and fans are all going in circles with the conversation. Lets get this over with so the hockey community can move on.)

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by IgiTang

Is anyone else getting tired of this saga?

I fully support Yzerman in getting the best return, but I for one would like to see the page turn.

This is getting old.

(Not saying CP should stop discussing it. Saying g everyone in the media and fans are all going in circles with the conversation. Lets get this over with so the hockey community can move on.)

Yes, we need more McDavid talk, I am short of my vitamin M

[IgiTang]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Yes, we need more McDavid talk, I am short of my vitamin M

Lol. Fair. I can do without him too.. I guess we should get ready for that onslaught next week.

[Split98]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Hamonic is already making millions of dollars.

Hamonic also made a request for a much more reasonable reason than Drouin has.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by JetsFlamesFan

Maybe he'll smarten up and turn his career around like Baertschi is in Vancouver, but he probably won't unless he gets a major attitude adjustment quickly.

Faertschi's on pace for 30 points. How is that turning it around?

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

Faertschi's on pace for 30 points. How is that turning it around?

He also has 9 goals, to compare that would put him 5th if he was with the Flames.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by flambers

He also has 9 goals, to compare that would put him 5th if he was with the Flames.

Except Frolik has missed a bunch of games and so have guys like Colborne, Raymond, Ferland, Granlund, Jooris and Bouma. Sven would be a bottom 6 at best on this team. He might beat Raymond for a job out of the guys listed, but no others (and probably only because he's cheaper).

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by flambers

He also has 9 goals, to compare that would put him 5th if he was with the Flames.

His PPG is 0.02 higher than it was during his time with the Flames.

He is the exact same player he was when we traded him away, difference being that he isn't forced to play defence anymore, and yet his points have remained meh.

[Cyclops]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Interesting, but not surprising. While the players love rhetoric like "there is no game without us" during labour disputes, the simple fact is that the team is what anchors us to the sport. The players are utterly replaceable.

Jarome Iginla is a fine example of this. The guy is one of the greatest players in history and easily the greatest in this franchise's history. Yet by the end of his tenure here, many wanted him dealt so we could acquire the next big thing (rational) while some focused their disappointment in a poorly constructed team into a near hatred of Iginla (irrational). When he came back the first time with Boston, we celebrated him with loud cheers as a brief acknowledgement of what he's done for us. Then nothing. Now any game he plays in town is just another game.

Iginla is gone. The Flames remain. Our loyalty is tied to what is here.



Jonathan Drouin chose - of his own free will - to enter into a contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. That contract itself operates within the collective bargaining framework that his union representatives negotiated on his behalf. And speaking of rights, he also has the right of a guaranteed salary. And unlike most of the rest of us right now, the opportunity to turn good work into significant bonuses and a large raise.

This is not a player heroically challenging an unjust system. This is a petulant child insisting on special treatment.

Didn't Richards sign a contract with guaranteed money with a team that operates in the same league? How does his money look now?

I have no problem with what he is doing.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by flambers

He also has 9 goals, to compare that would put him 5th if he was with the Flames.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement, especially considering he would get like 13 minutes a game if he were still here, while sitting a fair amount of games in the press box.

[IamNotKenKing]

Originally Posted by flambers

Yep, same thing with most folks, however most are not members of a players association.

Its within their rights to holdout.

For example this has happened to many teams within the league.

i.e. Joe Niewendyk ( big difference Joe was an established player) was suspended by the Flames before he was traded long time ago.

In my view players agent, has provided poor direction....

I was responding to huntingwhale's comment that every single one of us have done this.

[868904]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

His PPG is 0.02 higher than it was during his time with the Flames.

He is the exact same player he was when we traded him away, difference being that he isn't forced to play defence anymore, and yet his points have remained meh.

Baerstchi is probably my most hated player in the league due to his low moral character and bad mouthing of an organization that granted his wish.

But to his credit, he has really improved lately. He is playing well and he is also doing the things that Hartley asked him to do, that is play a 200 foot game. He's not a great 200 foot player, but he is adequate enough that he is now getting regular ice time and is producing with it.

It pisses me off that the Canucks are benefiting from the idiot finally realizing what the Flames have been telling him all along, but he is a better player now than when he was with the Flames. He struggled early in the season to the point where many Canuck fans wanted him on waivers, but the light finally turned on for him about 20 games ago and he's now starting to look like a real NHL player.

Course, i still hope for the worst for him and hope his ego will eventually submarine his current good play and he finds himself back in the swiss league in short order. Maybe after he convinces the Canucks to sign him to a ridiculous $6 x 6 year contract first, with the Canucks forced to buy him out after 2 terrible seasons and enduring cap penalties that will cripple that no good franchise for years.