So what do we think his criteria are?

- where I fit in line up
- coach
- $/contract
- how good team is.

I wonder how big the last one is. You'd think the better the team, the tougher it is to play top 6.

I also wonder how good this guy is. Is he necessarily a top 6 on a good team?
- Canada Cup

I think location, direction of franchise, teammates, city, all of it will factor.

I still like Buffalo's odds. They have an opening, and one of his friends as a franchise center

I never said Chicago wasn't a factor. I said I think they are a long shot. If being a good team was the only factor, he would have signed in Nashville.

Chicago isn't northeast
Chicago isn't his hometown
Chicago hasn't been able to guarantee him a top 6 spot
Chicago isn't getting better, they are getting older
Chicago doesn't have a lot of cap space for down the road.

This doesn't lead me to believe they would be his #1 choice
- sbroads24

if you were offered a spot on a team that has won the cup 3 out of 6 years (?)
and play on a line with the reigning Hart/Art Ross, or a line with future hall of famers in Toews and Hossa. the Hamster on the wheel starts turning

Maybe. I think whats important is he could be a top 6 forward next year at ELC price. Highly sought after in todays nhl.
- Sabresfan-365

I get that. Bozak was a nice free pick up but not worth obsessing over. How much better is Vesey?

I never said Chicago wasn't a factor. I said I think they are a long shot. If being a good team was the only factor, he would have signed in Nashville.

Chicago isn't northeast
Chicago isn't his hometown
Chicago hasn't been able to guarantee him a top 6 spot
Chicago isn't getting better, they are getting older
Chicago doesn't have a lot of cap space for down the road.

This doesn't lead me to believe they would be his #1 choice
- sbroads24

Does he even have a "#1" choice right now?
Obviously he knows everything u just said and STILL wants to talk to them
So idk how u can say they're a "long shot"
But you're obviously welcome to your opinion

if you were offered a spot on a team that has won the cup 3 out of 6 years (?)
and play on a line with the reigning Hart/Art Ross, or a line with future hall of famers in Toews and Hossa. the Hamster on the wheel starts turning
- DDM-Coga

Sure, but he hasn't been offered that because they haven't talked to him. So how can they be his #1?

Does he even have a "#1" choice right now?
Obviously he knows everything u just said and STILL wants to talk to them
So idk how u can say they're a "long shot"
But you're obviously welcome to your opinion
- jdfitz77

I have no clue. I'm not the one that labeled them a front runner.
He's going to talk to a lot of teams, like probably 10-15, they all must be front runners then if he decides to sit down with them

Sure, but he hasn't been offered that because they haven't talked to him. So how can they be his #1?
- sbroads24

no but this isn't the cold war, all the people around him all have access to all the blogs, rumours, etc. He fully knows that Hawks mgmt group have come there to watch, they don't have to talk to him to plant the seed in his head

no but this isn't the cold war, all the people around him all have access to all the blogs, rumours, etc. He fully knows that Hawks mgmt group have come there to watch, they don't have to talk to him to plant the seed in his head
- DDM-Coga

I get that, but again, kind of need reassurance from Kane, Toews or Quinnville that will be the case. Can't really get that from John Jaeckel at HockeyBuzz. If playing top 6 minutes with a star center is priority #1, then I'm confident the Sabres would be in his mind

I get that, but again, kind of need reassurance from Kane, Toews or Quinnville that will be the case. Can't really get that from John Jaeckel at HockeyBuzz. If playing top 6 minutes with a star center is priority #1, then I'm confident the Sabres would be in his mind
- sbroads24

JJ isn't Bowman?

If the leafs struggled To give Matthews a bonus what makes you think they're going to bow down to vesey and give him one .. He outperformed his draft ranking he's gonna want the max and I don't blame him

If the leafs struggled To give Matthews a bonus what makes you think they're going to bow down to vesey and give him one .. He outperformed his draft ranking he's gonna want the max and I don't blame him
- Conacher75pts

VZ is going to Boston. Everybody knows it.

If the leafs struggled To give Matthews a bonus what makes you think they're going to bow down to vesey and give him one .. He outperformed his draft ranking he's gonna want the max and I don't blame him
- Conacher75pts

Struggled? It took ten minutes to get the deal done.

No, Mike Green was special when he was in his prime. Barrie is a good defenseman, but he's not special.
- Wetbandit1

I honestly think that Mike Green had only one year (a great one at that) that was better.

For all the hop heads out there, figure I would give you guys a chance to buy some of best beer in country, cheaper than beer trading sites. Will deliver in Amherst area. Will sell fast so let me know. Available:

Treehouse:

Julius x4
Green x4
Sap x 8
Haze x 2
Very green x 2
Alter ego x 4
Green 2L growler
Lights on 2L growler
very green 750ml growler
native two x 1 bottle

Trillium:
Fort point pale ale x 4
DDH fort point pale ale x 4
Congress street x2
Cutting tiles x 4

Alchemist:
Heady topper x 8
Focal banger x 4

Lawsons:
Sip of sunshine x 8

All canned/poured within 10 days. Prices vary PM

Struggled? It took ten minutes to get the deal done.
- Canada Cup

Everyone knows you didn't want to give him the max bonus that's what the holdup was ..

VZ is going to Boston. Everybody knows it.
- mhp

Don't see that either

Don't see that either
- Conacher75pts

Wrong.

Wrong.
- mhp

Old age and going to rebuilding in 2 years
you trade your franchise center for nothing
top 4 defenseman for nothing
Trade a third round pick for a goon
You use all 3 first rounds picks for reaches lol
They publicly said that they drafted a guy that his calling is a third line center
And you could've drafted him in the fourth round but lets take him first round
This year

The front office is incompetent


And he's probably smarter then every single one of them

Old age and going to rebuilding in 2 years
you trade your franchise center for nothing
top 4 defenseman for nothing
Trade a third round pick for a goon
You use all 3 first rounds picks for reaches lol
They publicly said that they drafted a guy that his calling is a third line center
And you could've drafted him in the fourth round but lets take him first round
This year

The front office is incompetent


And he's probably smarter then every single one of them
- Conacher75pts

The one thing that could nullify all of that is he gets to be close to mommy.

Old age and going to rebuilding in 2 years
you trade your franchise center for nothing
top 4 defenseman for nothing
Trade a third round pick for a goon
You use all 3 first rounds picks for reaches lol
They publicly said that they drafted a guy that his calling is a third line center
And you could've drafted him in the fourth round but lets take him first round
This year

The front office is incompetent


And he's probably smarter then every single one of them
- Conacher75pts

All of this means nothing to him. He wants to play for his hometown team and if they offer a nice bonus package he'll sign with the Bahston Bruins. Buffalo will be a close 2nd.

The one thing that could nullify all of that is he gets to be close to mommy.
- Wetbandit1

That is True ... Knowing Terry he'll probably say hey will by your mama a house

All of this means nothing to him. He wants to play for his hometown team and if they offer a nice bonus package he'll sign with the Bahston Bruins. Buffalo will be a close 2nd.
- mhp

It does when you studied at Harvard he's going to sign a place where it's the best place for him to be successful .. This kids not stupid I guarantee you he has charts of every single team with ages stats and everything, line combinations

Don't see that either
- Conacher75pts

There's no way to see, they all have their pros and cons, even Nashville.


Boston-His hometown and his favorite team, this means something for any true fan. Their team is on the downturn. He could get his icetime there and they have two great centers. The most family and friends would be here, but also the most pressure because of that.

Toronto-Brother and Father are in the organization. Their team is on the rise. He may find it much harder to get any guarantee of icetime given the members of brass coupled with the youth within the organization at this time (they don't know what they even have yet/I don't see Babs/Lam/Shanny making many promises). He may or may not get a franchise center to play with here as well. Matthews got a bonus and he would as well methinks.

Sabres-No family ties, his hometown team's division rival (this should also mean something to him if he is a true Bruins fan). Jack is here, good LW's are not. We are a team on the rise. Jack is here. JACK IS HERE! If he signs it will be for this reason IMO.

Chicago-Different from the previous three in that we have risen already. They are there. Despite what anyone will try to argue, the Hawks will have a legitimate chance to win the Cup again this year and for probably at least 2-3 more seasons without much change. Toews and Kane CAN build Rome in a day, I played with 88...he's silly. No Northeast, no family, no friends that I've heard of, but still the franchise center. With departures they can give him icetime.

Pittsburgh-Copy Chicago, replace Toews with Crosby and Kane with Malkin...but I didn't play with the Rusky.

Nashville-Very solid team and been on the rise, starting to hit "primetime". One of the best defenses in the league if not the best now with the Suban Trade. No Northeast, no family, no friends, but a damn good team nonetheless. No "franchise" center but still a true #1. They could give him icetime.



Just a take. It's probably wrong.

It does when you studied at Harvard he's going to sign a place where it's the best place for him to be successful .. This kids not stupid I guarantee you he has charts of every single team with ages stats and everything, line combinations
- Conacher75pts

Stop this nonsense. He's gonna sign with Boston that's why he wants to go to free agency. It's pretty simple.

There's no way to see, they all have their pros and cons, even Nashville.


Boston-His hometown and his favorite team, this means something for any true fan. Their team is on the downturn. He could get his icetime there and they have two great centers. The most family and friends would be here, but also the most pressure because of that.

Toronto-Brother and Father are in the organization. Their team is on the rise. He may find it much harder to get any guarantee of icetime given the members of brass coupled with the youth within the organization at this time (they don't know what they even have yet/I don't see Babs/Lam/Shanny making many promises). He may or may not get a franchise center to play with here as well. Matthews got a bonus and he would as well methinks.

Sabres-No family ties, his hometown team's division rival (this should also mean something to him if he is a true Bruins fan). Jack is here, good LW's are not. We are a team on the rise. Jack is here. JACK IS HERE! If he signs it will be for this reason IMO.

Chicago-Different from the previous three in that we have risen already. They are there. Despite what anyone will try to argue, the Hawks will have a legitimate chance to win the Cup again this year and for probably at least 2-3 more seasons without much change. Toews and Kane CAN build Rome in a day, I played with 88...he's silly. No Northeast, no family, no friends that I've heard of, but still the franchise center. With departures they can give him icetime.

Pittsburgh-Copy Chicago, replace Toews with Crosby and Kane with Malkin...but I didn't play with the Rusky.

Nashville-Very solid team and been on the rise, starting to hit "primetime". One of the best defenses in the league if not the best now with the Suban Trade. No Northeast, no family, no friends, but a damn good team nonetheless. No "franchise" center but still a true #1. They could give him icetime.





Just a take. It's probably wrong.
- RhinoFan

Why would he go to Nashville when he refused to meet with them ?

My Darkhorse team if he doesn't sign with us is the San Jose Sharks to be with his idol Joe Thorton