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Kotalik Update
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/01/10 at 03:43 PM ET
Comments (3)
From Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants:
Haven’t heard back from Ales Kotalik’s agent, Larry Kelly, but it’s becoming clear that one of the hold-ups to this deal, if not the main one, is Kotalik taking his time weighing his options as he has a limited no-trade clause in his three-year, $9 million deal.
Frankly, it’s a bit of a head-scratcher. If the Flames, who have been scouting the Rangers for a couple of weeks, wanted Kotalik despite his lengthy stint as a Rangers’ healthy scratch (eight out of nine after last night), why he wouldn’t want to go to a team where he’d see more playing time is a bit strange. Devil’s advocate, though, Kotalik is well within his right to exercise his contract terms, just as Dany Heatley was when he decided he didn’t want to play for the Oilers. It worked out for Heatley. Maybe Kotalik has a preferred destination but, obviously, any comparisons between Heatley and Kotalik are silly, especially considering how far Kotalik has fallen out of favor with coach John Tortorella. Kotalik’s confidence, by his own admission, is shot. From my perspective, this is not a situation that will ever resolve itself for Kotalik in New York, at least not as long as Tortorella is coaching.
Click here for more on Kotalik.
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Tags: Ales+Kotalik, New+York+Rangers,
Comments
He also has to consider whether it’s in his best interest to go to a market where he could very easily and very quickly become the universally recognized whipping boy. At least in New York there are people who don’t watch hockey. He got his cup of coffee in Edmonton - so he knows the score.
Calgary might not be a preferred destination for a player with self acknowledged confidence issues.
It could also be a geographical concern. Except for that very brief stint in Edmonton he’s been in NY state his whole career. If Calgary is on his 3 team no-go list, it’s probably a good bet that Edmonton and Vancouver are the other two.
Posted by Da lil Guy from Ottawa on 02/01/10 at 03:53 PM ET
Let me get this straight, there are only three teams that Kotalik does NOT want to go to and Sather picks one of them to negotiate a trade with?
Well I doubt that there are many teams clamoring for Kotalik’s services.
Posted by K24 from NYC on 02/01/10 at 08:04 PM ET
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Let me get this straight, there are only three teams that Kotalik does NOT want to go to and Sather picks one of them to negotiate a trade with?
Posted by Hockey1919 from Montreal on 02/01/10 at 03:53 PM ET