Justin Schultz

[Zee]

People are ripping the media circus in part because of the absurdity of giving quasi star status to this guy who hasn't proven himself. The fact that he turned his back on the Ducks, told them he was all anxious to play with them (according to Boudreau) and then does this, makes it look very bad on him.

The circus is 100% on the media. As for being anxious to play for them, I'll take Boudreau's word with a grain of salt. Schultz was most likely just telling them what he thought they wanted to hear to avoid an uncomfortable situation while he was around them in person. We don't know the whole story here, and we likely never will. I understand Duck fans and their players not be happy with the situation, but, really, if the media hadn't blown it up like this, very few people would really care.

I disagree. Kid seems to have a sense of entitlement.  If he was never drafted that's a totally different situation.  Earn your dues in the NHL and prove yourself before you earn the right to become a free agent. That's how 99% of other NHL players do it.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Did you care this much when both Jason Gregoire and Blake Kessel did this to the Islanders last season? Or when Tim Erixon forced a trade from Calgary to New York because he didn't want to play out West?

 

[Tigger]

People are ripping the media circus in part because of the absurdity of giving quasi star status to this guy who hasn't proven himself. The fact that he turned his back on the Ducks, told them he was all anxious to play with them (according to Boudreau) and then does this, makes it look very bad on him.

The circus is 100% on the media. As for being anxious to play for them, I'll take Boudreau's word with a grain of salt. Schultz was most likely just telling them what he thought they wanted to hear to avoid an uncomfortable situation while he was around them in person. We don't know the whole story here, and we likely never will. I understand Duck fans and their players not be happy with the situation, but, really, if the media hadn't blown it up like this, very few people would really care.

I disagree. Kid seems to have a sense of entitlement.  If he was never drafted that's a totally different situation.  Earn your dues in the NHL and prove yourself before you earn the right to become a free agent. That's how 99% of other NHL players do it.

Yeah, those darn 27 year olds and their sense of entitlement, you used to have to be a real vet and earn that at 31...

 

[bustaheims]

I disagree. Kid seems to have a sense of entitlement.  If he was never drafted that's a totally different situation.  Earn your dues in the NHL and prove yourself before you earn the right to become a free agent. That's how 99% of other NHL players do it.

I love how you've made a personality judgement against someone you've never met based on information from others that just might have an agenda.

 

[slapshot]

I'm feeling rather indifferent about this right now. Tired of the circus and over-hype surrounding this.

If the kid doesn't pick Toronto, who cares. I only want players here who want to play in the city, can take the heat and thrive under high pressure.

Before the only teams I really couldn't stand were Montreal and Ottawa, the Habs were by far my worst.

Now growing dislike for Edmonton and Vancouver, not to mention Boston.

Tambellini acts so smug because he been able to accumulate all this young talent by being door mats.

Gillis thinks Vancouver is a perennial cup favourite. Personally, I think no matter who's in goal, and whether they get Schultz or not, they are past their peak, and will continue to decline.

Boston, I'm just so sick of hearing about the Kessel deal, and even the Rask deal for that matter.

Well, that's my rant for today...enjoy your Canada Day long weekend...

 

[TML fan]

I say just ditch the draft altogether, and just let players who are eligible to enter the NHL pick who they want to play for. Just think, we could do this every year!

 

[Frank E]

If you're suggesting business decisions somehow supercede other life decisions in that executing them with selfish intentions makes them more or less acceptable...well hey, fine by me if that's your code.

I'm just saying how hilarious I find it that you of all people would say that someone making a self-interested decision would call their character into question.

I'm just saying that he found a way to abandon a team that had invested in him...and that, to me, may show some signs of questionable character to me.

Abandoned? Oh no! Do you suppose someone else will take them in?

Get real. The Ducks didn't pay Schultz one shiny red cent. None of their "investment" benefited him in any way. What the Ducks did is claim his negotiating rights under an agreement he was no party to. In your world that makes Schultz morally obligated to do business with the Ducks? Because the NHL decided his rights belonged to them?

The "way" he found was just not signing a contract and staying in school until his rights expired. He might have had no contact whatsoever with the Ducks. All Justin Schultz has done is decide that he'd rather decide for himself where to play instead of be subject to the draft which the draft allows.

Imagine you move into a neighbourhood and you get a knock on your door. It's your local pizza place here to inform you that all of the local restaurants got together and they got your exclusive delivery rights. We heard you like to order in a lot so they thought it'd a good choice for them. Sure, you lack choice in the matter but we're more than willing to sell you delicious food at a reasonable price which benefits us both. Don't like Pizza? Too bad. The Chinese place agreed to refuse you service until our rights expire. It's a system we agreed to so that no restaurant gets a big leg up over the other. Don't like it? Too bad. The previous residents agreed and your Neighbours love it.

I mean, you're beholden to them, right? Not ordering Pizza would be abandoning them, after all. They could have chosen your neighbour but they invested in you. To refuse would really betray poor character.

What's this "you of all people" stuff?

Look, when you're putting together a team, you look to build with people of character and ability.  People who lack integrity are generally weeded out because they have a detrimental effect on the culture that successful business is committed to perpetuate. 

You're trying to frame your argument around it being perfectly within his rights to do what he did.  You'll get no argument from me there.  That certainly doesn't mean though that it doesn't raise the question of character.  Because I have the right to do something doesn't necessarily make doing it a proper decision in the context of being a person of integrity. 

Neither of us know the kid, and quite frankly, I guess he could be a fantastic young man of great character.  I'm just saying that looking at the circumstances of how he found his way to being a free agent raised the question for me.

And the Ducks certainly made an investment in the kid.  They spent a 2nd round pick on him.  That asset has value, and even more so these days.

 

[Tigger]

Schultz is no more beholden to the Ducks than Brodeur is to the Devils.

 

[Zee]

I disagree. Kid seems to have a sense of entitlement.  If he was never drafted that's a totally different situation.  Earn your dues in the NHL and prove yourself before you earn the right to become a free agent. That's how 99% of other NHL players do it.

I love how you've made a personality judgement against someone you've never met based on information from others that just might have an agenda.

Why not? 18 year old kid should feel lucky he's been drafted and actually wanted.  If he had reservations about playing in Anaheim I'm sure he could have mentioned it in a pre-draft interview that every team conducts with players in the first couple of rounds.

 

[Zee]

Did you care this much when both Jason Gregoire and Blake Kessel did this to the Islanders last season? Or when Tim Erixon forced a trade from Calgary to New York because he didn't want to play out West?

We didn't have threads about those guys. I'd look unfavorably against any player who thinks they can ditch the draft and go wherever they feel like, I didn't like Lindros for the same reason. It's a primadonna attitude plain and simple.

 

[Tigger]

I disagree. Kid seems to have a sense of entitlement.  If he was never drafted that's a totally different situation.  Earn your dues in the NHL and prove yourself before you earn the right to become a free agent. That's how 99% of other NHL players do it.

I love how you've made a personality judgement against someone you've never met based on information from others that just might have an agenda.

Why not? 18 year old kid should feel lucky he's been drafted and actually wanted.  If he had reservations about playing in Anaheim I'm sure he could have mentioned it in a pre-draft interview that every team conducts with players in the first couple of rounds.

That was 4 years ago, lots has changed in Anaheim since then and the fact remains that it's his decision now. Any player in that situation owes nothing to the team regardless of their age.

Lindros wasn't a free agent.

 

[Zee]

I disagree. Kid seems to have a sense of entitlement.  If he was never drafted that's a totally different situation.  Earn your dues in the NHL and prove yourself before you earn the right to become a free agent. That's how 99% of other NHL players do it.

I love how you've made a personality judgement against someone you've never met based on information from others that just might have an agenda.

Why not? 18 year old kid should feel lucky he's been drafted and actually wanted.  If he had reservations about playing in Anaheim I'm sure he could have mentioned it in a pre-draft interview that every team conducts with players in the first couple of rounds.

That was 4 years ago, lots has changed in Anaheim since then and the fact remains that it's his decision now. Any player in that situation owes nothing to the team regardless of their age.

Lindros wasn't a free agent.

Lindros refused to play for the team that drafted him and forced a trade. Karma ensured the team he refused to play with won two cups while he got squat. I'm happy about that.

 

[caver]

Did Burke just clear a roster spot for Schultz by waiving Armstrong?

 

[Tigger]

Lindros refused to play for the team that drafted him and forced a trade. Karma ensured the team he refused to play with won two cups while he got squat. I'm happy about that.

Far be it from me to interrupt your glorious Canada Day weekend schadenfreude but they aren't really the same situations.

Isn't Lindros fat now? There, that should help.

 

[Zee]

Schultz is no more beholden to the Ducks than Brodeur is to the Devils.

You're not really comparing a kid who hasn't played a single game to a goalie who's won 3 Cups and the record for most wins all time by a goalie?  Brodeur has given his all to NJ and there should be no regrets from Devils fans if he leaves, Schultz refused to even put on a Ducks uniform after being a 2nd round draft pick. 

 

[lamajama]

I disagree. Kid seems to have a sense of entitlement.  If he was never drafted that's a totally different situation.  Earn your dues in the NHL and prove yourself before you earn the right to become a free agent. That's how 99% of other NHL players do it.

I love how you've made a personality judgement against someone you've never met based on information from others that just might have an agenda.

Why not? 18 year old kid should feel lucky he's been drafted and actually wanted.  If he had reservations about playing in Anaheim I'm sure he could have mentioned it in a pre-draft interview that every team conducts with players in the first couple of rounds.

Well if you're not sure you're going to be drafted you'd be unlikely to say anything negative - that stuff will follow you especially the way hockey management flips around.

I'm sure the kid has had more smoke blown up his behind than you can imagine - esp by his agent who's trying to max out his commission. Face it - if anyone had the opportunity to chose where they worked and still get paid millions they would choose that right. Nothing is preventing him from still signing with the Ducks. Highly highly unlikely (even prior to the babble out there) but almost all of the rhetoric has come via the agent. I don't even recall seeing this kid quoted directly and I could certainly be wrong in that.

It seems the ones who are annoyed at this kid using a loophole are the ones who realize he isn't coming to Toronto, or their favorite team. Maybe some minds would be changed if this kid was forced to play for Columbus or the Islanders.....

 

[Zee]

I disagree. Kid seems to have a sense of entitlement.  If he was never drafted that's a totally different situation.  Earn your dues in the NHL and prove yourself before you earn the right to become a free agent. That's how 99% of other NHL players do it.

I love how you've made a personality judgement against someone you've never met based on information from others that just might have an agenda.

Why not? 18 year old kid should feel lucky he's been drafted and actually wanted.  If he had reservations about playing in Anaheim I'm sure he could have mentioned it in a pre-draft interview that every team conducts with players in the first couple of rounds.

Well if you're not sure you're going to be drafted you'd be unlikely to say anything negative - that stuff will follow you especially the way hockey management flips around.

I'm sure the kid has had more smoke blown up his behind than you can imagine - esp by his agent who's trying to max out his commission. Face it - if anyone had the opportunity to chose where they worked and still get paid millions they would choose that right. Nothing is preventing him from still signing with the Ducks. Highly highly unlikely (even prior to the babble out there) but almost all of the rhetoric has come via the agent. I don't even recall seeing this kid quoted directly and I could certainly be wrong in that.

It seems the ones who are annoyed at this kid using a loophole are the ones who realize he isn't coming to Toronto, or their favorite team. Maybe some minds would be changed if this kid was forced to play for Columbus or the Islanders.....

Not really I actually don't want him on the Leafs.  This whole situation smells bad to me. Maybe it's naive of me to expect athletes in this day and age to feel fortunate to get drafted into the pro ranks. He didn't even give Anaheim a shot, that's a crappy attitude any way you look at it. If he had been undrafted and now is going to whatever team he chooses all power to him -- all teams overlooked him at 18 and now he gets to decide. The fact that someone decided to have some faith in him and pick him with a high pick, I think he owes it to that team to give it a chance.

 

[lamajama]

I totally understand what you're saying. It just appears that he wants to play for a hockey market and a good fit (not that the Ducks were not).

In my dreams, if I was able to be a UFA at my initial deal, I'd be begging the Leafs for a contract.  ;D

 

[Tigger]

Schultz is no more beholden to the Ducks than Brodeur is to the Devils.

You're not really comparing a kid who hasn't played a single game to a goalie who's won 3 Cups and the record for most wins all time by a goalie?  Brodeur has given his all to NJ and there should be no regrets from Devils fans if he leaves, Schultz refused to even put on a Ducks uniform after being a 2nd round draft pick.

I understand the emotion that evokes but the fact is they're both unrestricted. To me you can blame the system or the team but not the player here.

I mean, do we blame Martin for leveraging his position? If he bails it leaves a huge hole in New Jerseys net, the team is trying to sign Parise and is financially unstable. Isn't that more like taking advantage of a sinking ship?

Fwiw I was pretty happy when Hossa didn't win a cup his second go 'round...

In his own way Cujo did that to the Leafs and I hated it at the time but he had every right to pursue his goal, I'm not unhappy with the result there either.

 

[Kin]

You're trying to frame your argument around it being perfectly within his rights to do what he did.

No. I'm trying to frame my argument around him doing what he did being something that we're all entitled to do and something we all do every day. What I'm pointing out is the out and out ridiculousness of saying that in this particular instance Justin Schultz doing this "raises the question of his character". 

And the Ducks certainly made an investment in the kid.  They spent a 2nd round pick on him.  That asset has value, and even more so these days.

Again, the fact that a business that he may have never had a single conversation with "claimed his rights" is not an investment in him. If I invest in a company I typically have to give them something in the way of capital, right? I don't just get to unilaterally decide they're mine.