Quoting: Caniac2000
The difference is, he's not playing in Boston right now. Players say they'll only play in this place or that place, but money talks. Tuukka would be tempted by ring chasing, if not in Edmonton, somewhere like Carolina or Florida. It's very obtuse to assume you know for certain that a player won't sign elsewhere. We heard that with Tavares and the Islanders after all.
Ya. Except he’s addressed all that. Sure, maybe he’s lying, but he’s been pretty adamant about it.
1. He’s actively said that whatever contract he signs will not be about money, and that he’ll come pretty cheap. If money is a sticking point, that would be a weird negotiation tactic.
2. He was asked point blank about ring chasing, and said that he just wouldn’t view that opportunity as something worth leaving boston for. This is why he’s said time and time again that if there’s no opportunity for him in boston, he’ll just retire, and continue living there.
3. The only reason he isn’t playing in Boston right now is because he’s recovering from surgery.
It seems as if playing for a team other than the bruins is legitimately not an option, but what really seems out of the realm of possibility is moving across a border, and across a continent.