The Winnipeg Jets need to address UFA Michael Frolik-
Flashback … Winnipeg, MB … Summer of 2014 … Jets Nation is up in arms, full of angst and pessimism because Winnipeg Jets General Manager was unable to come to a long-term contract agreement with Michael Frolik’s agent Allan Walsh. Most Jets fans figured it was going to be a tough negotiation with Allan Walsh, especially after the way he had his way in the Ondrej Pavelec negotiations a couple of years earlier. Based on the one year deal it looks like the fans were right.
After a summer of speculation on Frolik’s worth, it was generally conceded that he’d probably be getting something in the range of what Anaheim Ducks center Andrew Cogliano received; four years at 3 million per year. I think most fans and pundits felt comfortable with three or four years at 3 to 3.5 million per. I know I did but Allan Walsh had other ideas. As it turns out, Mr. Walsh thought Mr. Frolik should be getting money similar to what he just negotiated for one of his other clients, Derick Brassard. Derick Brassard signed a five-year deal worth 25 million big ones with an annual cap hit of 5 million.
I’m sure Kevin Cheveldayoff choked hard when he saw that.
Pending UFA Michael Frolik
Well, we all know what happened. On July 27, 2014 the Winnipeg Jets and Michael Frolik agreed to a one year deal paying him 3.3 million. This led to a lot of apprehension in Jetsville thinking that Michael Frolik was going to bolt as a UFA come the summer of 2015. In different press conferences and interviews, Jets Nation was assured that this was the best outcome for NOW and it allows the two parties see how the next few months shape up and then get back to the table when they were allowed to resume contract negotiations in January of 2015.
Well Jets fans, January, 2015 has come and gone and nary a word has come from the offices of TNSE. The point of this article really wasn’t to debate the worth or the value of Michael Frolik. It’s pretty well conceded that he is a very good player and an integral part of this team.
I found it curious that there has been a lot of talk about the Winnipeg Jets needing to make a deal to help this roster down the stretch with the NHL trade deadline less than four weeks away.
Names like Daniel Winnik, Sean Bergenheim, Jaromir Jagr, Michael Ryder etc, etc have been bandied about as possible rentals for the stretch drive IF the price was right. It makes sense, right? The Jets have three bottom pairing defencemen to trade sitting in the press box every night and have NO extra forwards around. The team actually had to move Dustin Byfuglien back to forward versus the Vancouver Canucks after an impromptu “healthy scratching” of winger Evander Kane.
I’m guessing before the Jets start looking into acquiring playoff rentals they should get Michael Frolik signed first, right? What if he’s not signed within the next couple of weeks? Does Chevy trade him at the deadline? Can he afford to let another potential UFA expire on the shelf AGAIN?
What the heck is going on? Will somebody in Winnipeg please ask these questions?
Has everybody forgotten about Michael Frolik?
The next couple of weeks are going to be extremely, extremely interesting and the microscope is on the Winnipeg Jets G.M. like no other time in Winnipeg Jets 2.0 history.
What jersey do you think Michael Frolik will be wearing come March 2, 2015 Jets fans?
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I not sure about Frolik but when the hell is Kane going to grow up ??? I think there needs to be some stretch drive help for sure ( a shake up in the ranks wouldn’t hurt either at this point).Just sayin’
the story is Kane showed up for an afternoon team meeting in a track suit …. a violation of the team’s dress code. I have no opinion … LOL
I would love to see Frolik re-signed but not for $5M. Maybe split the difference and saw of at $4M. I would love to see Chevy package Kane and Enstrom to the Leafs for JVR and Winnik. but.. I really don’t expect any trades out of Chevy… he will probably go a bit hard to extend Frolik.
All I can say is I don’t think they can afford to stand pat … IMO the closer it is to the trade deadline, the more outrageous the asking prices will be for rentals.
The Kane situation is certainly not the end of the world. We will get much more for him with a trade this summer when he is healed and fit. Frolik is an important cog in the wheel but if he doesn’t want to sign, again not too bad. He can be traded now for a big fast body (RFA perhaps) that fits PoMo’s mold of a Winnipeg Jet. I’m happy if we make the first round of playoff’s and in the coming summer months fill a couple of holes with the cash saved on Kane and Frolik.
agree on both points …. Kane is actually easier to trade that most think … his contract is very trade friendly … Jets can’t take a chance on Frolik getting to free agency … sign or trade before the deadline is a must!