2019-2020 Around the League Thread - Part IV

[Balthazar]

Getting great value from your rental, Oilers. Another pending UFA opting out.

 

[Mooserton]

Spaceballs II: The Search For More Money

 

[Avsboy]

Spaceballs II: The Search For More Money

"Sucker. If you account for inflation, cap percentage, taxes and escrow you were worth at least $10 million. You would have enjoyed Magnitogorsk"
-RoR's brain

 

[S E P H]

Getting great value from your rental, Oilers. Another pending UFA opting out.

I have absolutely zero problems with players opting out, but I want to know what they think is different between today and like five months down the road? The viruses true second wave will impact when the temperatures get colder and majority of cities which house NHL teams are definitely in some of the coldest cities in North America. Will Mike Green purposely go to a southern belt team if he signs a new contract when the season is over and if so is he going to avoid majority of roadtrips to colder climates (which is like 90% of the league)? I still think it's wishful thinking to have an effective vaccine when the next season starts. More likely we as a society hopes and prays that this strain dissipates and a less transmittable takes its place.

 

[Balthazar]

I have absolutely zero problems with players opting out, but I want to know what they think is different between today and like five months down the road? The viruses true second wave will impact when the temperatures get colder and majority of cities which house NHL teams are definitely some of the coldest cities in North America. Will Mike Green purposely go to a southern belt team if he signs a new contract when the season is over and if so is he going to avoid majority of roadtrips to colder climates (which is like 90% of the league)? I still think it's wishful thinking to have an effective vaccine when the next season starts. More likely we as a society hopes and prays that this strain dissipates and a less transmittable takes its place.

When you're offered to make the same money in the safety of your home you take it. Hockey players are no different than other humans, the difference is when you're in a team there's a "team culture" hovering over your decisions...you're supposed to be there for your teammates and not abandon them.

A whole lot of players will go back to work because they feel pressured to do so (hockey culture oblige) and they don't want to be labeled as "quitters".

And that's when pending UFA's come into the equation. Those who won't have to go back in that same locker room with these teammates don't have to give a f***...they can stay home, enjoy the same paycheck and make sure they don't get sick and hurt their value for their next contract in the offseason.

Just call it family reasons and (almost) no one will raise an eyebrow even if ultimately, it doesn't make any sense.

 

[Avs44]

When you're offered to make the same money in the safety of your home you take it. Hockey players are no different than other humans, the difference is when you're in a team there's a "team culture" hovering over your decisions...you're supposed to be there for your teammates and not abandon them.

A whole lot of players will go back to work because they feel pressured to do so (hockey culture oblige) and they don't want to be labeled as "quitters".

And that's when pending UFA's come into the equation. Those who won't have to go back in that same locker room with these teammates don't have to give a f***...they can stay home, enjoy the same paycheck and make sure they don't get sick and hurt their value for their next contract in the offseason.

Just call it family reasons and (almost) no one will raise an eyebrow even if ultimately, it doesn't make any sense.

Agreed for the most part. But I also think some of these UFAs sitting out aren't going to get contract offers this offseason, or will at least have badly hurt their value. Not because "character," but because there is no reason to believe they'll actually play. Clubs are going to be awfully wary of paying these fringe guys...because, as SEPH said, what is the difference between right now and this winter, when it might even be worse? If they won't play now, then it's not believable they'll show up in December or whatever. I sure wouldn't be calling up Hamonic or Green (if they actually make themselves actively available in UFA) until the disease has completely run its course.

 

[MarkT]

There's absolutely no reason to the think that the players opting out now will be willing to play next season. The odds of next season being any safer than the upcoming bubble are very low in my opinion. I think if the league even runs in December the reality will be that players are going to get covid.

If anything, I wouldn't be surprised if even more players opt out of next season than will end up opting out of these playoffs.

In terms of judging the guys opting out, I don't judge them at all if they don't want to take the risk of getting it. Where I'm unsure is if they were given the option of skipping training camp and just going to the hub city. If agreeing to play means agreeing to go to training camp, I understand the family risk issue. A guy like Hamonic isn't going to transmit covid to his daughter once he's in the hub. But if he gets it during a training camp practice, he might very well transmit it to her. Plus, if you've got sick or vulnerable family members, you probably don't want to leave them for up to 2 months just in case something happens.

 

[JoeSakic13]

Getting great value from your rental, Oilers. Another pending UFA opting out.

I'm fine with this if Green re-ups with Edmonton.

That being said if he signs a contract with a team in (for example) California, Florida, or New York? Kinda begs the question why didn't he think Edmonton was safe. I hate to be negative but I can't see it being safer in any of those places (and almost any US city) by the time the off-season hits than it is in Edmonton right now. Not to mention he would have been connected to the arena he was playing in if he competed.

 

[Metallo]

Are the quitters getting paid? That money is coming out of other players pocket.

 

[AvsCOL]

Are the quitters getting paid? That money is coming out of other players pocket.

Don’t be that guy...

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

I'm fine with this if Green re-ups with Edmonton.

That being said if he signs a contract with a team in (for example) California, Florida, or New York? Kinda begs the question why didn't he think Edmonton was safe. I hate to be negative but I can't see it being safer in any of those places (and almost any US city) by the time the off-season hits than it is in Edmonton right now. Not to mention he would have been connected to the arena he was playing in if he competed.

I think @MarkT is spot on. Logically, you would think that guys who are opting out now won’t play next season. The situation won’t be much different from what it is now.

 

[Ararana]

All I’ll say, so I don’t get myself into trouble, is I’m more interested in seeing who sits out when regular season payroll is on the line. Something tells me the list is going to be a bit smaller.

 

[Balthazar]

There's absolutely no reason to the think that the players opting out now will be willing to play next season.

Getting paid this year vs not getting paid next year is a pretty good reason.

 

[Metallo]

Don’t be that guy...

You can call them whatever you like.

Also are they getting paid?

 

[Balthazar]

I think @MarkT is spot on. Logically, you would think that guys who are opting out now won’t play next season. The situation won’t be much different from what it is now.

Right now out of all players who opted out there's not a single guy who is:

1) Under contract for next year (Green, Polak, Hamonic)
or
2) Likely to play in the NHL next season (Alzner, Baertschi, Kampfer)

That's not a coincidence.

 

[UncleRisto]

Right now out of all players who opted out there's not a single guy who is:

1) Under contract for next year (Green, Polak, Hamonic)
or
2) Likely to play in the NHL next season (Alzner, Baertschi, Kampfer)

That's not a coincidence.

Yep.

E: I'm blind.

 

[Richard88]

Right now out of all players who opted out there's not a single guy who is:

1) Under contract for next year (Green, Polak, Hamonic)
or
2) Likely to play in the NHL next season (Alzner, Baertschi, Kampfer)

That's not a coincidence.

Based on that the likeliest players to opt out from Colorado are Wilson, Nieto, Namestnikov, and/or Barberio. Maybe Kamenev too if he's intent on heading to the KHL next season.

 

[MarkT]

Getting paid this year vs not getting paid next year is a pretty good reason.

You're right. That's a good reason. But if their reason for not playing is that they're worried about their family's health, then getting paid more shouldn't sway them.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

 

[The Abusement Park]

Just wait till he hits his peak season next year

 

[ASmileyFace]

I can't believe I'm still getting this much entertainment out of Kerfoot's misadventures in Toronto nearly a full year after the trade. Bless you Joe Sakic

 

[Tralfamadore]

What does this even mean?

 

[Muffin]

Players are safer in the bubble than on their own, I don't really understand the opt out. Here's Hughes at a crowded beach, Makar wouldn't do that.

 

[Pokecheque]

Players are safer in the bubble than on their own, I don't really understand the opt out. Here's Hughes at a crowded beach, Makar wouldn't do that.

We don't know how safe the bubble is really going to be. We've seen how ravaged some teams get during flu season, now imagine a disease twice as contagious in a given locker room. Even with all the precautions, we're still seeing multiple players test positive.

Also, there's something to be said about not wanting to be quarantined from your family for an extended period of time, and also staying home if you happen to have family who are immunocompromised.

 

[Foppberg]

Question: How good is Kaprizov really?