Speculation: Has Ron Hainsey’s NHLPA lockout ‘bad cop’ role blackballed him in free agency?

[Mungman]

Presented without comment

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nh...ckout-bad-cop-role-blackballed-132352672.html

EDIT:

Ok, One comment:

Click to read more...

 

[Edgar Halliwax]

I think he will sign somewhere. Perhaps his asking price may be to high? Who knows for sure...

Guess we will find out when he eventually signs.

 

[King Woodballs]

I honestly dont think so.
I think it has to do with a bunch of teams that have a lack of cap space

 

[cheswick]

I find it extremely unlikely that an owner would instruct their GM not to sign Hainsey cause of his role with the PA.

 

[Grind]

I find it extremely unlikely that an owner would instruct their GM not to sign Hainsey cause of his role with the PA.

yep. Any owner that does that's an idiot. Business is Business, leave it in the boardroom. If the player represents an upgrade on your situation and you can grab him affordably, you should do it every time.

 

[Warhead77]

Maybe because most teams don't think he is of any value to them?

 

[TCsmyth]

I think he will sign somewhere. Perhaps his asking price may be to high? Who knows for sure...

Guess we will find out when he eventually signs.

Agree. I think the fact that Ron has not been signed yet has more to do with what he is looking for ($ or term) then being blackballed.

His agent was directly quoted in the article saying not a factor, multiple teams interested. That just says to me that Hainsey's camp is expecting a bigger number than those multiple teams have offered.

 

[almostawake]

He just priced himself out of the market at the start of UFA and is no suffering because most teams are now near the cap. Those that aren't are playing their cards extremely close looking for bargains.

 

[pegjets]

This free agency round is following the same as the past - there's a flurry at the start and a flurry at the end. With the salary cap changes, there's a lot more salary juggling that has to occur. There are already 5 teams over the cap, and 14 teams either over, at, or near the cap (within $3M). Also, 17 teams already have a 23 man roster.

If Hainsey isn't signed by puck drop, then maybe this rumour mill could start turning.. but there's still a lot of time and it's way too early to be making a pronouncement about a player having "no value" or being blacklisted.

 

[Lynk]

He's ****.

 

[DEANYOUNGBLOOD17]

I would say "yes".... he is blacklisted. The Nhl owners are an old boys club and a tight Knit group. Hainsey........ruffled some feathers in the board room and is now paying the price. Hainsey s problem is that his skill set is not considered elite.....he is a good 4/5 defensman, but not critical for a teams success.

I would say that he has received some low ball offers so that he cannot claim collusion. I think he will receive less $ and term this year than Clitsome.

Do I think it it right or fair ?..........No

Do I think he is being blackballed and /or being negativly affected by his actions durring the lockout ?........Yes

Does anyone think this may also be a reason why we could not get anything decent for him at the trade deadline?

 

[Gm0ney]

He's ****.

^ THIS

Actually, I think as Lynk's pointed out, he's made good money, and now he wants to finish his career on his own terms.

So if 32 year-old Ron Hainsey wants to play hockey in a place with lower taxes, better playoff prospects and warmer winters than Toronto/Buffalo/name your overtaxed steaming-pile-of-a-city-with-a-garbage-hockey-team-here, more power to him. He doesn't need the cash, so he might as well be somewhere he wants to be. This will, by definition, limit his market in terms of UFA cash.

Although I wouldn't be surprised if he angered a couple of cranky old dinosaurs like Jacobs and they'll never let their team sign him, it's ridiculous to assume the whole league is colluding to keep Hainsey out of a job. The owners are only united during lockouts...and even then, there are divisions between hardliners and moderates.

 

[Duke749]

Do people even look at how close ALL teams are to the cap? It's like people are intentionally being ignorant of that fact and just want to find any excuse to crap on Hains. How many teams even have $3 mill in cap space??

EDIT: 14 teams have less then $3 mill in cap space and 5 teams are currently over the cap.

 

[Mungman]

Do people even look at how close ALL teams are to the cap? It's like people are intentionally being ignorant of that fact and just want to find any excuse to crap on Hains. How many teams even have $3 mill in cap space??

EDIT: 14 teams have less then $3 mill in cap space and 5 teams are currently over the cap.

They all did that in collusion to keep Hains out of the league.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

They all did that in collusion to keep Hains out of the league.

He has his hill to die on

 

[Mud Turtle]

IF he plays anywhere, he'll take a massive pay cut.

With the lower cap he should have been out there early with a low number. He's probably missed his chance at getting anything decent now.

 

[Duke749]

IF he plays anywhere, he'll take a massive pay cut.

With the lower cap he should have been out there early with a low number. He's probably missed his chance at getting anything decent now.

Maybe he actually wants to get paid what he's worth? Why should he just take a huge pay cut when he can play for a reasonable price?

 

[Bob E]

I think Ron has some criteria - he would like to stay in the Eastern conference, play for a team with a legit playoff/SC shot, make as much $ as he can.

Many teams in the East have their D settled, for the most part, or need to move salary to sign Hainsey.

Would expect to see some activity near the end of the month. Still think Carolina is the landing spot for him. They can use him, and there appears to be interest.

 

[Positive]

I would hope no owners or GM's would be so immature to harbor grudges. HOPE.

Chipman, last January, sounded like he had no ill-will whatsoever in an interview:

Free Press: What was it like sitting across the table from Ron Hainsey, one of your players?

MC: It was fine. I have a good relationship with Ron. I would say this -- I admire how much time and energy he invested in this process. He was there in the beginning and right to the end. I've told him this, I give him full credit for showing the courage of his convictions and I'm looking forward to talking to him again. Dealing with the players was a good experience.

 

[Guardian17]

He will sign, but, not for as much as he thinks he is worth.

 

[ajmidd12]

He will sign, but, not for as much as he thinks he is worth.

That's the problem, he's over-valued himself big time. That or he wants a long contract that no one is willing to touch.

IF he signs in the NHL he will need to realize that it will be for less than half of his last contract.

 

[garret9]

How do we know if he is over-valuing himself if we don't know how he values himself?

 

[wpgsilver]

I tend to agree with those who are saying that he is not being blackballed.

 

[Jet]

When I saw the tweet I rolled my eyes so hard they almost fell right out of my head.

One of the single stupidest things I have seen from 'legitimate' media.

Honestly 'sports journalists' better watch their backs. The gap between these 'educated' 'connected' guys and bloggers narrows by the second.

Anyone who thinks that NHL GM's are doing anything other than trying to assemble the best possible team they can are idiots. They could give a flying **** about what Hainsey did during the lockout. If he signs for a $ and term and is what they are looking for, they will sign him. Period.

Honestly I just think these guys are running out of **** to talk about before camps start.

 

[Duke749]

How do we know if he is over-valuing himself if we don't know how he values himself?

QFT!! Pretty sure only one person on this board is in the know with Ron, and it's not the guys making comments about him "overvalueing" himself. Jut blind speculation spoken as if fact.