Southernmn Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Does not matter what they offered him, did they keep him? Uh No! There for they must not have wanted him too bad! It was Wheeler's choice not to sign, and become a free agent, had nothing with the 'Yotes 'not wanting him'. It does seem a curious choice on Wheeler's part. Can only assume he had some kind of issue with the organization, and just did not want to be a part of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siouxweet Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 out of curiosity is there anyway he could return to school or no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THETRIOUXPER Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 I'm going to feel real icky after this but I'm going to say it anyhow. Some think wheeler's college career was less than stellar. However, blake did what was aksed of him by his coaching staff for the good of the TEAM. TEAM being the key word. He may not have put up the big numbers, but keep in mind he was playing out of his natural spot as some have already pointed out. You also have to look at who he played with and ask youself "were they really the best players to compliment blake's style of play?" Let's not also forget some of the adversity the goophs faced as a team, ie. hirsch, hagemo, okposo, o'brien, carmen, stoa, ect. Trying to keep your ship righted and your team firing on all cylinders after all that is not an easy task for any coach. I believe blake has the talent to play at the next level, and will, somewhere. I've never been a wheeler basher, and refuse to be, as I think he was a victim of circumstance, put there by the Phoenix organization. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernmn Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 out of curiosity is there anyway he could return to school or no? Not to play hockey. He forfieted his amatuer status when he signed with an agent. And he already has his degree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckysieve Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 I'm going to feel real icky after this but I'm going to say it anyhow. Some think wheeler's college career was less than stellar. However, blake did what was aksed of him by his coaching staff for the good of the TEAM. TEAM being the key word. He may not have put up the big numbers, but keep in mind he was playing out of his natural spot as some have already pointed out. You also have to look at who he played with and ask youself "were they really the best players to compliment blake's style of play?" Let's not also forget some of the adversity the goophs faced as a team, ie. hirsch, hagemo, okposo, o'brien, carmen, stoa, ect. Trying to keep your ship righted and your team firing on all cylinders after all that is not an easy task for any coach. I believe blake has the talent to play at the next level, and will, somewhere. I've never been a wheeler basher, and refuse to be, as I think he was a victim of circumstance, put there by the Phoenix organization. I agree. He had no control of where he was drafted and clearly he never should have been taken where he was. Had he been taken where he should have I doubt we'd be hearing the word "bust." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sioux-cia Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 And he already has his degree. How do you know that? According to the press release when he left school, he did not graduate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopherguy33 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Does not matter what they offered him, did they keep him? Uh No! There for they must not have wanted him too bad! Please don't reproduce. Everyone in this forum is now....nevermind. WOW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopherguy33 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 If so, why did he not sign the contract? Under the terms of the CBA, no other team can offer as much as Phoenix. Looks like Blake (and/or his agent) tried to play hardball and was given a lesson in humility. He can sign a one way contract which could guarantee more money. By more money I mean an NHL contract. If they offered the MAX, how was he humiliated? HE TURNED THEM DOWN! Phoenix should be humiliated, they traded a #5 for a second round pick 4-5 years later. Just because he wore a Gopher jersey, you fail to apply logic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeauxSioux Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Please don't reproduce. Everyone in this forum is now....nevermind. WOW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sioux-per Villain Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 I agree. He had no control of where he was drafted and clearly he never should have been taken where he was. Had he been taken where he should have I doubt we'd be hearing the word "bust." I also agree. Let's face it, Wheeler was a damn dangerous player and you had to have someone on him at all times. I don't think Mn used him in the best way either which appears to be the case with a lot of their recent players. But to label him a bust? I don't think so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckysieve Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 If so, why did he not sign the contract? Under the terms of the CBA, no other team can offer as much as Phoenix. Looks like Blake (and/or his agent) tried to play hardball and was given a lesson in humility. Why are a small group of you having trouble understanding what exactly took place. Wheeler and his agent got exactly what they wanted from Phoenix, the max that could be offered. Wheeler wasn't humiliated in the least. If anything Phoenix should be embarrassed that a first round pick is willing to take less money to play somewhere else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernmn Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 How do you know that? According to the press release when he left school, he did not graduate. You are correct.......he has not graduated. He has all of the credits required for graduation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sioux canada Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Heres a thought since we don't know what goes on behind closed doors. Did Phoenix and Blake come to an aggreement to sign him after the draft. Maybe they want to wait to get that extra draft pick and then sign him. I guess only time will tell but it seemed that they offered him something good and doesn't seem right that he would turn it down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Why are a small group of you having trouble understanding what exactly took place. Wheeler and his agent got exactly what they wanted from Phoenix, the max that could be offered. Wheeler wasn't humiliated in the least. If anything Phoenix should be embarrassed that a first round pick is willing to take less money to play somewhere else. I think you're having trouble understanding what exactly took place. Yes, he got the max offer from Phoenix, but Wheeler, his agent and Phoenix all knew he wasn't going to collect on that contract. He was going to be sent to the minors and wouldn't get a sniff of the NHL contract. So, Phoenix offering him the max didn't mean anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrkac Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Blake Wheeler = Eli Manning ..? Obviously, Wheeler did not want to play for the Coyotes organization. i wonder if he pouted like Eli when he was drafted by them instead of a team like the Wings or Stars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray77 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 I think you're having trouble understanding what exactly took place. Yes, he got the max offer from Phoenix, but Wheeler, his agent and Phoenix all knew he wasn't going to collect on that contract. He was going to be sent to the minors and wouldn't get a sniff of the NHL contract. So, Phoenix offering him the max didn't mean anything. Also (and I don't know if this happened or not) but couldn't Wheeler have wanted more bonuses or something along that line that Phoenix declined to give him? True there is a "max contract" that he could get, but if I'm not mistaken there can be other bonuses or incentives, correct? I'm not saying this was the case...just saying there could be more to the story that what we all know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petey23 Posted May 30, 2008 Author Share Posted May 30, 2008 I think you're having trouble understanding what exactly took place. Yes, he got the max offer from Phoenix, but Wheeler, his agent and Phoenix all knew he wasn't going to collect on that contract. He was going to be sent to the minors and wouldn't get a sniff of the NHL contract. So, Phoenix offering him the max didn't mean anything. Ding Ding we have a winner. Wheeler can now search for a team that is not well stocked with forwards and try and sign with them. Phoenix feels they will get a better prospect at 35 in the upcoming draft than they had with Wheeler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 I agree. He had no control of where he was drafted and clearly he never should have been taken where he was. Had he been taken where he should have I doubt we'd be hearing the word "bust." Nobody has control over where they're taken. Toews had no control over where he was taken, Drew Stafford had no control over where he was taken, Brian Lee had no control over where he was taken. How do you know he shouldn't have been taken where he was? Are you smarter than Gretz and the Phoenix organization? Maybe he was taken exactly where he should have been, but he wasn't developing under Lucia just like other first rounders Okposo, Chucko, Johnson, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckysieve Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Nobody has control over where they're taken. Toews had no control over where he was taken, Drew Stafford had no control over where he was taken, Brian Lee had no control over where he was taken. How do you know he shouldn't have been taken where he was? Are you smarter than Gretz and the Phoenix organization? Maybe he was taken exactly where he should have been, but he wasn't developing under Lucia just like other first rounders Okposo, Chucko, Johnson, etc. It's not just my opinion. Jaws dropped at the draft when he was taken fifth overall. Nobody agreed with Gretzky on this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead_rabbit Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Heres a thought since we don't know what goes on behind closed doors. Did Phoenix and Blake come to an aggreement to sign him after the draft. Maybe they want to wait to get that extra draft pick and then sign him. I guess only time will tell but it seemed that they offered him something good and doesn't seem right that he would turn it down. Gretzky may have not been the sharpest knife in the drawer for drafting Wheeler at the 5 spot, but I'm pretty sure he's a little smarter than to try to pull the shenanigans stated above;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthDakotaHockey Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 A little birdie told me that Wheeler bought himself a 1997 Buick Century with only 145,000 miles on it with some of his signing bonus money . . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sioux-cia Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 A little birdie told me that Wheeler bought himself a 1997 Buick Century with only 145,000 miles on it with some of his signing bonus money . . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UND83 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Wow. Did Blake accidentally punch himself in the head while practicing doing a jersey-pop and knock some brain cells loose? Oh man, thanks for the laugh, that's funny!! I can't get the visual of that out of my head Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slap Shot Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 How do you know he shouldn't have been taken where he was? Are you smarter than Gretz and the Phoenix organization? Maybe he was taken exactly where he should have been, but he wasn't developing under Lucia just like other first rounders Okposo, Chucko, Johnson, etc. If Lucia is such a cancer for NHL development than Vanek, Kessel, Pohl, Taffe, Leopold, Ballard, Martin and others that played under him shouldn't even sniff the NHL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THETRIOUXPER Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 If Lucia is such a cancer for NHL development than Vanek, Kessel, Pohl, Taffe, Leopold, Ballard, Martin and others that played under him shouldn't even sniff the NHL. For what it is worth both vanek and kessel have been benched for being defensive liablities, which does say something about prior coaching. I'm not laying all of that on tdon, but others as well who let them be complacent in their own end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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