I think it was a joke.
But also we need a marginal guy
lol why didn’t he negotiate a full NMC? Thats what he should have done and he knows that and regrets it. Alledgedly refusing to show up ANYWHERE he’s traded to.
I don’t know how badly I want to f*** with Dolan honestly. Yoruba may find out some things the hard way
He negotiated a NMC that ended this season. He has 2 years of term left.
NHL players aren't obligated to play for any team. I think that's what people forget. This rarely becomes a point of leverage because usually remaining in the league and receiving the remainder of their guaranteed money is enough incentive to report.
Patrik Berglund might be the most notorious example of this. He left about 10 million dollars in salary on the table when he refused to report to Buffalo. Although, after taxes and escrow, it might be closer to 5 million in real dollars. He played a few more years in Sweden, so maybe he recouped some of that, but still, that's a lot of money to walk away from which is why it usually doesn't happen.
I understand Rangers fans being annoyed because they want their team to be at the greatest competitive advantage it can be at. I don't understand people treating players like cattle. If he wants to his family to stay in New York more than he wants a few million more dollars or to continue playing in the NHL, then good for him.
You're right that if he felt this strongly at the time about being in New York, negotiating a full NMC for all 7 years of his contract (not just 5) might have avoided this, even if he took less money.