There's no one happier than Dustin Byfuglien right now and perhaps no one more peeved than Kevin Cheveldayoff and Mark Chipman. It's obvious why Byfuglien would be happy, he's looking at a fellow NHL player, of the same position, cash in on what will likely be his final contract. That's what Dustin Byfuglien will want to do soon too and it appears NHL GMs are all to happy to oblige.
It would be foolish to compare the two players but we're going to anyway. The difference between them is that Giordano is smaller, was a legit Norris candidate before his injury last season and has only been getting better. Remember this about Gio, he was sent packing by Daryll Sutter as Flames GM to Russia before coming back and developing into what he is now- a premier NHL defensemen.
So does Byfuglien warrant the same money and term?
Buff
Gio
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Based on the data that
Mimico Hero uses Giordano edges Byfuglien out. That might be good news for Jets fans but hardly soothing to GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and principal owner Mark Chipman who are going to be writing a big cheque if they hope to keep Byfuglien around, and that cheque is in US dollars too. 6.75 million equals roughly 8.97 in Canadian dollars right now.
The problem that Jets fans have to wrestle with in this situation is that Chevy has let the market set the price, and he was not part of that market. He stayed on the sideline while teams like Anaheim locked Kesler in and now the Flames with Giordano. It may cost him and his owner more money than they thought they'd have to spend.
While the dollar value may upset some fans in regards to Giordano does it seem that high? Not to me, but the term seems awfully long for a guy who turns 32 this coming October 3rd. Would Byfuglien demand the same term, would he get close to the same AAV?
If one believes Buff is not the player that Gio is then perhaps there's a discount on the AAV to 6.5 million or 6.25 perhaps, but that does not solve the term issue. What if Byfuglien want 6 years, can it be negotiated down to 5 or 4? He will get 6 years from some GM and he may get 6.75 million if the Jets wait too long so what is the pre-emptive strike?
The Jets are on the rise, but not like the Flames, so how long does Buff want to be in Winnipeg to ride that upswing, if it even happens. Remember, Giordano took a bet that he's on a team that is going to compete for 6 years if not challenge for the Stanley Cup- does Winnipeg have that same allure for Buff?
While there is no news about any deal or talks for Byfuglien, and Andrew Ladd for that matter, that does not mean there is not some understanding. Buff could simply want to wait and see how this group looks after losing key forward Michael Frolik and adding youth from within to round out the roster. If the team stumbles and such he may want to know what the plan is before he commits. The problem with all of this is time. There is only this season and really only until the trade deadline. It's not an insurmountable deadline but it does present challenges if the player wants to use a 'wait and see' approach in regards to the team.
It's good news in Calgary for Giordano, his family, the Flames and their fans but that's hardly comfort for the Jets and their fans. The pressure just got a bit more intense, and scrutiny a bit more direct on the player and team. Unfortunately that is really only a preview of what happens if the Jets sign Buff or move him. That's just the way it is in the NHL with high profile players so fans might as well get used to it because unless the deal is a huge one-sided win for the Jets Chevy is damned if he does, and damned if he doesn't.
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