Winnipeg Has Andrew McBain
An interesting thing popped into my head as I read this piece on hockey players not wanting to play in Edmonton and the Oilers having to over-spend on some guys to entice them. To wit:
If you ever wonder why the Edmonton Oilers are paying Shawn Horcoff $7 million this season, why Fernando Pisani makes $2.5 million or Steve Staios $2.8 million, take a look at what’s going on with Dany Heatley right now.
Think back to when the Winnipeg Jets skated in this city. Salaries were nowhere near what they are today, and I don’t remember any players (or a whole lot of players) complaining that they had to play in Winnipeg. Sure, Mario Lemieux didn’t want to make the trip to Manitoba once a year (seriously, how many times did the Magnificent One actually play in Winnipeg?), but not many Jets grumbled publicly about the cold winters, the lack of night life, or the potholes.
Ah…but that was a different era. In this day and age, those things — quality of life things like warm weather, large shopping centres, and an abundance of things to do in the safety of gated communities — are now near or at the top of most players’ lists. Check that — near or at the top of the players’ wives or girlfriends’ lists. All of a sudden, everyone wants to play hockey but they don’t want the cold weather. For an example of this, please look to Chris Pronger and his brief Oiler career.
The players, not the teams, can now dictate where they want to play — and their pulling this power play more and more each year. Dany Heatley doesn’t like Ottawa anymore. He requests a trade. The Senators work out a deal with Edmonton, only Heatley blocks the move with his no-trade clause, hoping that another team (New York Rangers) step up to the plate with an offer.
He hates Ottawa, but he hates Edmonton even more. Without even trying it.
Not saying Heatley won’t end up in Edmonton — he very well might. What I am saying is that if I was an Oilers fan, I would find this little dramatic episode very troubling. A year from now, if the trade does happen, this could be Pronger all over again.
Which brings me back to this burg. Is this what it would be like for Winnipeg if the NHL returned? Would we struggle to find upper-tier guys to play here, and be forced to over-compensate medium talents so that they don’t leave, too? Would all the cold shoulders further rattle our self-esteem as a city?
Better question: Could our confidence as a city take any more direct hits from the NHL?
Think about it. Not only is Edmonton a bigger city than Winnipeg, but it’s a market that has accumulated an abundance of NHL tradition in a relatively short amount of time. Stanley Cup banners. Wayne Gretzky. Mark Messier. Paul Coffey. City of Champions. Despite those roots, 30-year-old hockey players who grew up watching those great teams and no doubt pretended to be those Hall of Fame players in countless road hockey games don’t want to play there now. If the new NHL player hates Edmonton so much, how will they take to our fair city?
Yes, something to look forward to, Winnipeg. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: If I wanted that much frustration, I’d try to pick up chicks.
