Latest news with #EmptyNetters
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
'You signed this motherf**ker': NHL veteran rips Carolina's $51M splurge on Nikolaj Ehlers over cheaper Jack Roslovic
The Carolina Hurricanes' $51 million signing of Nikolaj Ehlers has sparked serious backlash, with one veteran bluntly questioning the move and suggesting Jack Roslovic was the better bargain. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The controversy has reignited debate about Carolina's offseason decisions—and whether they gambled on the wrong Winnipeg Jet. James Wisniewski slams Carolina for massive contract, says Jack Roslovic offered better value The Carolina Hurricanes' six-year, $51 million deal with forward Nikolaj Ehlers has stirred strong reactions, especially from former NHL defenseman James Wisniewski. On the Empty Netters podcast, Wisniewski didn't mince words as he criticized the deal, comparing Ehlers' stats to free agent Jack Roslovic and calling the decision financially reckless. Is Quinn Hughes Tough Enough To Win A Title? w/ James Wisniewski | EP.217 'That Jack Roslovic! Fuing 22 goals? (But) you signed this motherf**ker for 49 million,' he ranted, before correcting the number to $51 million. 'You could probably re-sign Jack Roslovic with 22 goals; he had two more goals.' Ehlers posted 24 goals and 39 assists in 69 games last season—just one point shy of his career best—but missed 13 games. Roslovic, meanwhile, notched 22 goals in fewer minutes and would have likely come at a significantly lower price tag. Wisniewski estimated Roslovic would have accepted '4 years at 4M.' Playoff performance and career consistency favor Ehlers, but was the price right? Despite the heat, there's some logic to the Hurricanes' move. Ehlers has delivered 20+ goals in eight of his 10 NHL seasons—something Roslovic has only done twice. And when it came to the 2025 playoffs, Ehlers shined with five goals in just eight games, while Roslovic managed only one goal in nine. Still, Wisniewski's frustration speaks to a broader debate in NHL circles: should teams invest big in slightly more productive players, or seek budget-friendly deals with comparable upside? Nikolaj Ehlers is excited to join the Hurricanes' playoff-proven core For his part, Ehlers expressed enthusiasm about joining the Hurricanes, a team with consistent postseason success. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'Very excited about the team in Carolina,' he said via 'They've been a tough team to play against… I like all the young players that are there, and the interest that Carolina has shown… helped a lot in the decision-making.' Also Read: With seven consecutive playoff appearances, Carolina offers Ehlers a new opportunity to chase a Stanley Cup. But for critics like Wisniewski, the price tag may continue to be a point of contention long after the puck drops.
Edmonton Journal
2 days ago
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
'Edmonton would cease to exist': L.A. hockey analyst pushes for McDavid to follow Gretzky's Tinsel Town path
Connor McDavid is up for a new contract and despite assurances from the most credible NHL insiders, such as Frank Seravalli, Elliotte Friedman, and Edmonton's own Bob Stauffer, that McDavid will sign a new deal in Edmonton, the hockey world has pulsated with rumours this summer that McDavid will move on to a new franchise. Article content Most of the rumour-mongering has been wishful thinking at best, hallucinatory nonsense at worst. Article content Article content But I think today we have a winner for the summer of '25's top Connor McDavid fever dream concoction, this coming from Dan Powers of the Empty Netters podcast, based in Los Angeles. Article content Article content Said Powers: 'I have said so many times — and this is not because we live in LA. — if we saw the King's Ransom Part II and he got traded to LA, it would be the greatest thing to happen to the NHL in 50 years. It would be the greatest story of all time.' Article content We'll dig into Powers' fantasy in a moment, but I'll note he's not the first to go down this path, with the McDavid rumours hot and heavy since early June. June 2: New York Post hockey columnist Larry Brooks wrote that the McDavid free agency question was hanging over the Oilers' Cup run: 'The question is whether No. 97 would be more or less incentivized to leave Edmonton as a free agent next summer, and follow the Messier Route to Broadway with or without a championship.' Article content Article content Bruce Arthur of the Toronto Star joined in: 'One of the great quiet hopes in Toronto was always that Edmonton would be incompetent enough — or would stay incompetent enough, after one playoff series in the first six seasons of McDavid and Leon Draisaitl — that McDavid, a proud son of Thornhill, would want to come home…. That dream, of course, doesn't die. McDavid is signed through next season.' Article content June 17. Adam Gretz of Bleacher Report listed possible landing spots for McDavid as Toronto, Vegas, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Boston and the New York Rangers. Article content Said Getz: 'The Rangers have $11 million coming off the books next summer when Artemi Panarin becomes an unrestricted free agent, and they'll look to move on from Mika Zibanejad's contract at some point. They could easily create the cap flexibility to sign McDavid.' Article content June 26. Some of the uproar was fuelled by McDavid himself speaking at his post-Stanley Cup loss press conference, then adding, 'With that being said, ultimately, I still need to do what's best for me and my family. That's who you have to take care of first.'
