First WHA Player

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dumpnchase

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Apr 24, 2004
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Who will be the first player to sign with a WHA team (excluding Brett Hull) and risk being looked down upon if the league flatters or pass up the chance to play in Europe if there is a lockout?

Take a shot.

My pick,
Chris Chelios
 

PhoPhan

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Feb 27, 2002
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It's going to be a guy whose WHA team will give him their $5 million cap exemption, whose NHL team would never give him that much.
 

Mess

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Lard_Lad said:
Travis Green. Has to be some reason why he was picked so early.
I agree it has to be Green .. I bet they have a verbal argeement in place already and it seems like a thing Green would do .. It would go down in History and his name in lights as the first player signed by the NEW WHA .. That would fit Travis Green to a T...

Crosby would be another good choice but that will take some time considering we are talking about big bucks here ..
 

dwaynester

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May 10, 2004
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Ladies and Gentlemen, the first WHA player is:

Here is a complete shock out of left field.

I think the first player will be signed to a one year contract, and could very well be for the exemption. My guess:

THOMAS VANEK

lots has been said about him, and the fact that Buffalo hasn't signed him yet. Imagine if he signed in the WHA. He would have a real chance to showcase his talent.

You want a guess, here it is.
 

Vic Rattlehead*

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dwaynester said:
Here is a complete shock out of left field.

I think the first player will be signed to a one year contract, and could very well be for the exemption. My guess:

THOMAS VANEK

lots has been said about him, and the fact that Buffalo hasn't signed him yet. Imagine if he signed in the WHA. He would have a real chance to showcase his talent.

You want a guess, here it is.
:shakehead
 

Guest

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Feb 12, 2003
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The Messenger said:
I agree it has to be Green .. I bet they have a verbal argeement in place already and it seems like a thing Green would do .. It would go down in History and his name in lights as the first player signed by the NEW WHA .. That would fit Travis Green to a T...

Crosby would be another good choice but that will take some time considering we are talking about big bucks here ..

Travis Green was on AM 910 (Phoenix, AZ) radio with Gambo & Ash in the afternoon. He had some comments that may be of interest.

- He didn't know he had been drafted in the WHA draft until a friend of his told him Sunday.
- He has yet to be in contact with anyone involved with the WHA, and even joked, "Do they have a coach or GM yet?"
- He feels that the Euro's will play the full season in Europe for sure, including many NA players.
- NHLPA has prepared the players for a 2 year holdout.

He didn't seem that into playing in the WHA, and even talked about signing to play in Europe. He said he will play hockey next season, it's just a matter of where. He also mentioned he would like to re-sign with Boston, but they didn't seem to want to sign anyone this summer.
 

Licentia

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Jun 29, 2004
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The Messenger said:
I agree it has to be Green .. I bet they have a verbal argeement in place already and it seems like a thing Green would do .. It would go down in History and his name in lights as the first player signed by the NEW WHA .. That would fit Travis Green to a T...

Crosby would be another good choice but that will take some time considering we are talking about big bucks here ..

They could pay Crosby $1 or $2 million if they don't make him the franchise salary player. Why play for $500 a week in junior if you can make that much cash? Crosby could get injured this year and never play hockey again. Why take the risk?

Honestly though, I think it will be the minor leaguers first to sign and then some of the rookies that were drafted. The top NHLers will take the longest to sign.
 

Default101

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Chelios has already signed with the Wings....


MY PICK....

BRETT HULL

...Reasons...

-Unrestricted Free Agent

-Definately get to play next year for daddy
-will make 5Million playing for the Dallas Americans a city where he has played before.
 

Lard_Lad

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GoCoyotes said:
Travis Green was on AM 910 (Phoenix, AZ) radio with Gambo & Ash in the afternoon. He had some comments that may be of interest.

- He didn't know he had been drafted in the WHA draft until a friend of his told him Sunday.
- He has yet to be in contact with anyone involved with the WHA, and even joked, "Do they have a coach or GM yet?"

Now that's bizarre. Why draft Green so high without even talking to him first?
 

Verbal Kint*

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Lard_Lad said:
Now that's bizarre. Why draft Green so high without even talking to him first?
First thought that occured to me was that it was a safety pick. Someone they felt would be easier to pry from teh NHL then say Ilya Kovalchuk.
 

colonel_korn

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Lard_Lad said:
Now that's bizarre. Why draft Green so high without even talking to him first?

:joker: Who knows...y'know I have nothing against this league but everything I read about it just makes it seem like more of a joke. I wouldn't put it past them to just have drafted Green that high because they *think* he's very likely to play in the WHL and haven't even talked to him. I mean, look at the rationale Toronto's GM used for drafting Thornton even after he signed with Davos:

Link
The Toros went for the enormous splash early in the draft, taking Joe Thornton of the Boston Bruins in the first round, even though Thornton is going to arbitration and will be under contract to the Bruins if there is an NHL season. And if there isn't, he has already signed a contract to play with Davos of the Swiss Elite League.

"Maybe he (Thornton) has agreed to go to Switzerland, but that's something I don't know for sure," Badali said. "If he has an out-clause if the NHL starts, maybe there's an out that will apply to anybody."

:lol: Sound good to me! He has an out-clause for the NHL so I bet he has an out-clause for other leagues too, even if they don't technically exist yet!
 

Guest

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neogeo69 said:
When does the WHA season start? Should they be starting to sign some players soon.... as in like ANY players soon?
The President of the WHA said November. Players, coaches, and GM's all need to be hired.
 

Mizral

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I have been recently given reason to believe that the answer will be:

Simon Gagne.

The Quebec team is rumoured to be set to offer him $5 million, though I'm not sure how true that is.
 
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