He clearly asked out of Acadie-Bathurst.
He clearly wanted out of Columbus.
Now he clearly doesn't want to commit to Winnipeg, meaning he'll get 100% out at the latest next summer.
I'm not convinced it is the kind of guy you commit to for 8 years as one of your top paid player / leader...
Anyways, if we sign him I hope AT LEAST we don't spend quality assets and get him as a free agent next year.
He wanted out of Cape Breton ? Did they ever say why?
It's again, a complicated process. He doesn't seem to be mailing it in and wanting to get out of there asap, but if he is, then the whole team is for some reason. Not wanting to commit to a team doesn't mean they don't want to be there. So many players just want to become a free agent and see how much money they want, or they prefer a city to their current one. Players can now get to where they want to play easier.
If you wait until he's a free agent and he doesn't sign with the Habs, then possibly people are right and he didn't really want to be here in the first place and Habs avoid a potential headache.
Now, what I've said a bunch and people ignore, or don't understand is you run the possibility of angering, or upsetting PLD if you wait. There haven't been bread crumbs left that indicate he wants to come here, there have been full on sandwiches left in the media.
Gorton was GM of the Rangers when Trouba wanted to go to the Rangers. Trouba was 1 year from UFA and was RFA when traded. He signed a 1 year deal, took his QO. Rangers acquired him and signed him.
PLD was RFA. Took his QO. He's 1 year away from UFA.
Now, there's a possibility the Habs do get him cheap. Probably not, but there's a chance. Winnipeg might purge some of their players, which means Winnipeg will suck. A sucky Winnipeg wouldn't be scoring as much and PLD will put up less points. A PLD on a team that is trending down (Habs are trending up, but still low) isn't going to care much to play well. Trade deadline an uninterested PLD that's likely set on joining the Habs isn't going to carry much value and they're not likely to get much for him just incase he comes to the new team and doesn't care.
An ideal world, Habs sign PLD, or wait and acquire him at the draft next season with an 8 year contract and they(habs) send over a 3rd for that extra year. However, 32 thoughts podcast said Hughes and Cheveldayoff have had discussions about PLD and the Jets will likely want to deal him and get something, than lose him for nothing next off season.
The rumours would indicate that the Habs will be going for PLD this year and the cost likely won't be that high. Would be awesome to acquire him for a 2nd and a prospect like Rohrer, or something, but time will tell.