Quoting: WhoCares_ItsAFantasyGame
If Verbeek's statement is true then fine, but the "speculations" he's talking about are not just from MTL reporters, it was all over the league. Many GMs will say things like that to throw off the sent. He also may want more than what was offered or I'm putting here.. Or like the statement says, blown out of proportions.. We'll know once the season ends and Draft day happens.. Maybe even at TDL next year if they can't come up with a satisfactory number that Zegras will want for many seasons.
But clearly he isn't worth close to even one of Slafkovsky, or Reinbacher + if the rumors were running around about him not being happy with the treatment over his contract. The value drops.
If there is no issue between him and the management then it's a clear no move situation and they'll give him his 12M$+ contract in two years.
Nylander and Marner both held out for contracts, yet they are still with the Leafs. EP40 was "on the market" because he couldn't come to terms with Vancouver, yet he stayed. Contract negotiations are always a tumultuous time between player and GM, only reason anything was mentioned was because of how high profile a player Zegras is.
And no, a contract spat and some bad blood between player and GM doesn't drive the price down, he would have to be actively acting up in the locker room or on the ice, or refusing to play, which he isn't. He's under contract two more years, and we still hold his RFA rights at the end of that. If he was really THAT pissed, he wouldn't have signed, he would have demanded a trade then and there.
And you're welcome to believe that Reinbacher +, Slafkovsky straight up, or MTLs 24 1st + aren't worth the price for Zegras, but to buy a player who's not available and of Z's status, you have to buy with Quality. Anaheim prospect system is as deep, if not deeper than Montreal's, why would we stock up on middle 6 pieces in exchange for Z when we have as many of them as MTL does? Only reason Guentzel went for a grab bag of pieces is because PITs prospect cupboards look like a great depression pantry, there's nothing of value there.
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Slafkovsky,
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