Was Wideman Blacklisted?

[illpucks]

His point totals were in the same range for the last 5 or so seasons. He's only 35 (young to retire). Did the linesman incident effectively make no other team want to sign him?

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[Pia8988]

He was also making 5 million a year. How much of a paycut was he willing to take. He isn't young and he isn't particularly good.

 

[Thrive]

Which team(s) do you think Wideman would have been a fit?

That’s not a challenge, I’m genuinely interested.

I personally don’t think they “blacklisted” him but likely no team wanted that type of distraction in their clubhouse. It also says a lot about the person to do what he did - not sure that’s the type of character you would want hanging around youngsters or around any team that has any type of shot at success. But I could be wrong - certainly won’t be my first or last time.

 

[Howie Hodge]

Yes he was.

He will soon appear as a masked hockey player; simply known as The Midnight Rider........

And no one will know who he is; "IF YOU WEEL .....!"

 

[deckercky]

He was a bottom pairing defenceman that came with baggage....no blacklisting necessary.

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

I don't know how he was in Calgary but the guy was brutal in Washington, he was slow, he was prone to turnovers at terrible time, he was an absolute defensive liability every time he was on the ice. Point totals be damned the guy was not a great defenseman in my opinion and his contract with Calgary is mind blowing. There was a reason the Caps traded his rights away for a guy they had no intention of signing, I suspect the rest of the league wised up. If you're good enough to play in this league people will give you a shot see Bertuzzi and Mike Richards

 

[GodEmperor]

#RefLivesMatter movement destroyed his career.

 

[valet]

No excuse for hitting a ref like that, but come on, in the post-incident litigation Henderson claimed to have suffered a litany of injuries that couldn't be proven in court. That's corny man, what a softie.

No I don't think wideman got blacklisted out of the league. He's just way over the hill.

 

[El Cohiba]

I don't think so. He is long past his prime and at his age (35-36) you're getting to the point where only the elite, smart, and genetically gifted individuals stick around.

 

[Lunatik]

He was an older player, prone to defensive lapses and was a poor skater. It was unlikely he was going to get a contract without the ref stuff. The Flames calling out officials for the "Wideman effect" effectively eliminated any small possibility there was of him getting a contract.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Probably didn't help, but he was already enough of a liability without the incident.

 

[JPeeper]

Yeah, because he sucks and can't skate anymore.

A 300lb beer leaguer could outskate Wideman his last season.

 

[Howie Hodge]

His point totals were in the same range for the last 5 or so seasons. He's only 35 (young to retire). Did the linesman incident effectively make no other team want to sign him?

There's actually only about a couple dozen players in The NHL who are 35 or older.

So in todays game, 35 is much older than one might think...

The guys like Jagr, Cullen, and Chara who still play, or played this year at 40 or older? Amazing.