CFN– Boggling. The Habs have a Norris trophy winning franchise player in PK Subban who is about to enter his prime.
They just went to arbitration with their star and franchise player and yes, PK is the Habs franchise player.
It’s quite a conundrum for the team; and is starting to come down to PR more than PK at this point.
It’s starting to look like Habs ownership and management clearly are not enamored of their star by even going through the process.
There’s an old saying; Penny Wise, Pound Foolish. The numbers bandied in Arbitration were the Habs offering $5.25M and PK’s agent, one of the biggest and best in the biz, Don Meehan asking for $8.5M
Round one goes to Meehan. The number was perfect for an ask. Most fans get that you ask for a bit more in the process and this number is not too high when a Dion Phaneuf makes what he makes.
The Habs offer was ridiculously low. It certainly does not send a message of respect? The days of Slavery are long gone in this part of the world. It seems weird that a team that opened the vault for David Desharnais and just gave Lars Eller a new 4 year contract would be so niggardly with their star player?
Is it all bad theatre and part of negotiating a long term contract? When it comes to your franchise players they should want to play for your team. It means not chasing the highest dollar possible and the team not pushing the lowest. It’s about mutual respect and admiration. Look at Chicago locking up Toews and Kane and even Toronto locking up Phaneuf and Kessel? What is Montreal doing with PK?
GM’s and coaches come and go; star players?
If at a certain point; and I would wager that point has passed, you determine that your franchise player doesn’t want to be your franchise player you move him out and maximize your asset. If the Habs end up with a one year arbitration result that would be considered blood in the water by the other GM’s in the league and you possibly would lower your trade return.
What I would like to know is what owner Geoff Molson is thinking? He has a franchise that is one of the richest in the NHL. You want to sell more beer; win a fricking Stanley Cup. Players like PK Subban are the type that win cups and they are very very hard to acquire. They also sell beer as the crowd drinks more the more excited they are during games.
I would wager that Winnipeg would offer Evander Kane and either Dustin Byfuglien or Zach Bogosian to get PK. A lot of teams would offer up a bunch; but at the end of the day would it benefit the team, and more importantly the fans? Colorado, Arizona, and of all weirdness, the Maple Leafs would be the front runners of possible trade partners with the teams having the components to make a deal.
What do you think Hockey gurus? You can post your comments below.
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$110k per game…..insane!!
I know. It’s almost as much as some Chief of First Nations salaries! 😉
No human on the planet is worth that much. Just one more example that illustrates the fact that professional sports have become an obscenity.