Some fans have to stop allowing themselves to get sucked in every time, by these 4th Period type secondary media types. They’re nothing but glorified fans with access. Not only on UFAs getting traded, thinking they’re gonna get Grade A prospects in return, but especially when it’s a young player. Real life just isn’t a video game.
It’s actually very rare we see a Philly/ANA trade, because nobody is usually trading these kids, and if they are, there’s a negative reason everyone knows about. Like it or not, negative reasons equal diminished trade value. In Philly’s case, him not being signed, and them keeping his unhappiness close to the vest, allowed them to get proper value.
So the Jackets were never getting a Wallstedt or Buium in return. They likely didn’t even get a Shai Buium in return, from the prospect end of things. At some point, you’d think fans would come to terms that draft position only lasts so long, value wise.
Pure value wise, the Blue Jackets got good, raw value, but they also took a big hit here, due to such a high pick now being wasted, so soon after his draft year. Losing a prospect who was supposed to contribute very soon, hurts. So it’s not cool. It’s horrible, but it’s the way things go sometimes.
Waddell was smart to move him now though, before this deal became Hunt and a 2nd next summer.
Hopefully for the Wild, Jiricek will play the good soldier now, and players usually do… At first anyway. If he doesn’t play the good soldier, they won’t get near what they just gave up. If he’s in this same spot in 12 months, they won’t even get a 2nd in return.
It’s why most teams likely stayed away from Jiricek. Especially your managers who’ve been through a situation where a prospect and his agent are trying to dictate a prospect’s development, after he’s been signed. Once you sign that contract, you hand total control over to the teams and they’re not cool with players and their agents dictating anything.
Unfortunately as fans, we also likely won’t see anyone winning this trade anytime soon. It’ll be 2029-2030 before we’ll get a good gauge on everything. Unless Hunt blows up and Jiricek busts. Then we’ll be able to give this to Columbus much quicker. If Jiricek turns into a star, we’ll still have to wait on the 2 picks being 22-23 years old, at least. Maybe if Columbus turns these assets into NHL players, that’ll move the time frame up. As of now though, it’s gonna be years. Hunt really doesn’t have the size to be a Top 4 D, without having any high end attributes. Usually to become such, it would be a player 6’3-6’4” types, who can shut players down. We’ll see though.
I thought maybe they’d get a current, younger NHLer who can help them now, and a nice future. A big, mobile dman, who at least had a better chance to become a Top 4 player. We’ll never know but maybe Waddell was offered those types of deals, but chose the futures instead.
As for fans of other teams, ripping their own managers?? Saying they could’ve beat this deal?
The NHL is still a good old boys network in many ways. They do NOT like prospects and agents dictating development to them. It’s a big “no no”, especially if he’s under contract. Waddell comes from that Detroit line of managers. So good bet none of them would’ve touched Jiricek. The deal itself likely proves such. Teams invest a lot into their own prospects. If they have a kid who’s developing well, and hasn’t been a problem, it’s hard to justify trading him for someone who might end up an issue.
As for no lessor teams meeting the draft pick compensation, meaning a team who’s much more likely to be picking 12-17 let’s say, they too, obviously didn’t want to take the chance on a kid who’s trying to dictate his development, over what they think they can get with that pick. You also have to acknowledge, teams now have NHL tape on Jiricek, and it’s not the greatest defensively. There’s some holes. So knowing he’s pushing to play in the league prior to taking care of those holes, just leaves a bad taste with other managers.
Minnesota was willing to, and took that chance here. We’ll see if it works out for them. Anyone trying to judge a win or loss here already, is getting way ahead of themselves. Waddell has a history with Top 60 picks.
