The Winnipeg Jets and Michael Frolik avoid arbitration and agree to a one year deal –
Position: LW Shoots: Left
Born: Feb. 17, 1988 Born: Kladno, Czech Republic
Height: 6’1 Weight: 198
Drafted: 2006 Team: Florida Panthers Round: 1 Overall: 10
2013-14 Stats: Games: 81 G: 15 A: 27 Pts: 42 PIM: 12 Plus/Minus: +8
Michael Frolik and the Winnipeg Jets have avoided arbitration with Frolik agreeing to a one year deal worth $3.3 million. Frolik was acquired on June 30, 2013 from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for the Jets third and fifth round picks in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
NHL Totals: Games: 430 G: 76 A: 117 Pts: 193 PIM: 137 Plus/Minus: +12
photo by Shawn Coates
Pluses and Minuses of the Michael Frolik deal:
Plus 1: Both sides have avoided the potential ugliness of the arbitration hearing.
Plus 2: Both sides take some risk in waiting.
Plus 3: It gives both sides until January 1, 2015 to negotiate a long-term contract.
Plus 4: Frolik is still an asset and if he can’t be re-signed he should be worth more than the 3rd and 5th round picks the Jets used to acquire him. Worst case scenario.
Minus 1: Michael Frolik could just wait as he will be eligible for UFA status on July 1, 2015.
Minus 2: If the Jets struggle this season Frolik might not like the direction of where the team is heading. He has tasted success and may not want to be part of “Draft and Develop”.
Minus 3: By not getting a deal done now the Jets have probably lost their best chance at a favorable deal from their point of view.
There are many more pros and cons to this one year deal but the true result won’t come to fruition until January, 2015 at the earliest. We don’t know what was offered by the Jets or what Frolik’s agent Allan Walsh were asking for. It looks like they were both interested in a five year term but weren’t close on the dollars.
My questions:
1. Am I concerned over today’s developments? Yes!
2. Is it real bad news? No, I’ve been around hockey long enough to know that hockey is a business and sometimes stuff happens.
3. Would I like to see Frolik on the Winnipeg Jets? Absolutely!
4. Am I going to lose any sleep if he doesn’t re-sign? Nope, as long as we get a good return for him at the trade deadline.
5. Where is Michael Frolik’s place on this roster in 2-3 years?
The biggest question of all:
Why wasn’t signing Michael Frolik a higher priority than Chris Thorburn, Adam Pardy, Mark Stuart, or Keaton Ellerby?
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Good post with good points. I disagree that a pending-UFA Frolik would garner better than the 3rd & 5th Jets gave up for him when he was one year away from RFA status. As a trade deadline rental, I feel that Fro would only get Jets a 5th or maybe even a 4th. Will be worse if rival GMs figure that Chevy has no chance of re-signing Frolik and is desperate for any kind of return.
I don’t know Greg, playoff rentals can actually fetch a good price … eg: Gaustad – 1st rounder …. Douglas (pylon) Murray – 2nd & a 3rd ….. Oduya – 2nd & a 3rd ….. Frolik at 27 years old and with his game would be a coveted by almost any play-off team.
My favorite excuse was they ran out of time. Did you somehow misplace the calendar? Wow. At least we have Thorbs, who had less points last year than Clitsome. Yup.