Friedman went out of his way to clarify that it isn't Drysdale, in particular, that is discontent about how that situation played out. It's just an "undercurrent" (I think that's the word he used) in the negotiations.
His leverage is that our defense is still near the bottom of the league, which is totally viable
This. Until he proves he can substantially improve the team's zone exits and lane suppression enough to move the needle more towards an "average" defense, that's not an argument in his favor. In any case, any improvements to the defense at this point are going to rely on changes within Cronin's strategy, game prep, and structure.
That doesn’t mean he should take a lowball offer. I’m sure his agent has a better hold on his value than some fans on the internet who are frustrated
PV addressed this when Friedman asked him about it today. He said there’s no issue. With Drysdale’s injury, everyone agreed it was a minimum of 6 months he’d be out. So there was no possibility he could have played games last season.
Well, not everyone. He said the doctors said 4-6 months but that it couldn't be less than 6. He didn't really say what that was based on, other than implying that it wasn't the doctors.
With these kind of shoulder injuries ,why would any team risk a disaster for two games in a season that was already a train wreck?
I’m going to guess that the ducks are pushing him to sign for 3 years like Zegras and Terry. And Ryan during the Murray era. Put the hammer to rfas with no arbitration rights.
