You’re a free agent with 31 identical offers, which 5 teams do you negotiate with?

[Porous Five Hole]

Suggested by @RochesterExpat, you’re a free agent and 31 teams (Buffalo is the only one missing) have made you identical offers. Which 5 teams do you want your agent to negotiate with? For me:

1) Tampa (I used to live there and liked it.  Ownership commitment is off the charts)

2) Vegas (I like warm temps and I love the city because I’m a degenerate)

3) Colorado (Denver is a cool town and they’re good)

4) Anaheim (California dreamin’ for young athletes seems fun)

5) Washington (committed ownership and DC region is decent winter climate)

 

And you?

Edited August 16, 2023 by Porous Five Hole

[Zamboni]

NSH

COL

PIT

CLB

DET

 

Edited August 16, 2023 by Zamboni

[Andrew Amerk]

7 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

BUF

COL

PIT

CLB

DET

 

I don’t think you read the homework assignment. 

[Zamboni]

3 minutes ago, Andrew Amerk said:

I don’t think you read the homework assignment. 

I missed the Buffalo restriction … oops. 
changing …. 

[mjd1001]

Columbus, Minnesota, Boston, Philly, Vancouver. (not in that specific order)

Simply because of all the places I ever visited in my life, they are the 5 NHL cities I'd want to live in the most.

Edited August 16, 2023 by mjd1001

[Randall Flagg]

1.) Tampa
2.) Florida
3.) Boston
4.) Minnesota
5.) Carolina

 

But really if I'm getting 31 offers, I am calling up Buffalo and demanding to know WTF the problem is, because that's where I'd want to play

San Jose would be sick too

Edited August 16, 2023 by Randall Flagg

[GASabresIUFAN]

Where is this hypothetical player from?

If American and from Minn - Colorado, Minn, Det, NSH and Dallas

If American and Mass - Colorado, Bos, TB, NSH and Pit

if American and from Mich/Wis - Colorado, Det, Minn, NSH & Dallas

if American and from NY (or other Eastern states besides Mass) - TB, NSH, Bos, Pit and Wash

If Western Canadian - LV, Colorado, Sea, Dallas and Chicago

If Eastern Canadian - NSH, TB, Boston, Pit and Det

If European - TB, Det, LV, Colorado and Dallas

If Russian - TB, Det, Wash, Dallas and Colorado

Edited August 16, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[PerreaultForever]

I don't think it's that simple. First off I think you look for friends on the rosters, then coaches you know, locations near relatives, big cities if you're young, and then you move on to their rosters and how do you fit in. I'm likely not choosing a team that has half a dozen prospects waiting at my position. My days could be numbered there. Chances of winning a cup also factor in but that's harder to judge. Tax laws as well of course. Different for everybody. 

All things being somewhat equal though,

1. Tampa

2. Florida

3. Vegas

4. L.A.

5. Probably an original six. Would have been Boston before, maybe Chicago now. Not Toronto or Montreal, too much pressure. 

Seattle, Dallas, Nashville, Colorado honourable mention. 

[French Collection]

Colorado, mountains and Stanley Cups.

Nashville, music and a great fanbase.

Tampa Bay, golf and Stanley Cups.

Vancouver, mountains and Ocean.

Edmonton, contrarian choice but it would be cool to play with McDavid and be a part of some milestone achievements 

[pi2000]

Anaheim, LAK, Tampa Bay, Florida and Carolina

[North Buffalo]

Anaheim, Buffalo, Montreal, Vancouver, Minni

[Eleven]

Montreal -- who doesn't want a chance to play with Montreal?

Vancouver -- I hear it's beautiful.

Chicago -- I don't like the idea that the Blackhawks are seventh in popularity out of six major league teams there, but I do love that city.

Minnesota--seems like St. Paul would be a cool place.  Good fans.

Colorado--Inoffensive enough.

Edited August 16, 2023 by Eleven

[oddoublee]

1. Tampa - this is by far the cream of the crop. Good climate, taxes, fan base - class organization. I could only hope they would want to sign me!

2. Carolina - Good climate, fan base - committed and savvy organization. 

3. Dallas - Good climate, decent fan base that has good passion making up for lack of knowledge (although it is better than it was 20 years ago), taxes - good organization committed to winning. 

4. St. Louis - great fan base, climate, committed organization, tax rate is solid

5. Colorado - good fan base, interesting climate, beautiful region, outside of sales tax - not to shabby. Organization is committed

I am surprised how easy this top 5 was for me...I would have loved to put Florida on here - but I lived in Ft. Lauderdale years ago - and I know how bad the fan base can be. Hockey is a lonely world when they are not on top. 

 

[SwampD]

Montreal, Vancouver, Minnesota, Seattle, Chicago.

Citing taxes is hilarious to me.

[dudacek]

16 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Montreal, Vancouver, Minnesota, Seattle, Chicago.

Citing taxes is hilarious to me.

it wouldn't even enter into my thought process.

[JohnC]

I have a tax question that has been talked about on the radio before as it pertained to money directed towards building a stadium. Do players on an opposing out of state team pay the state taxes for games in the visiting jurisdiction. Isn't it comparable to a worker for a company paying the required tax for the location he is working in? 

[North Buffalo]

5 minutes ago, dudacek said:

it wouldn't even enter into my thought process.

Exactly quality of life more important and as I age services for old farts

[SwampD]

2 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I have a tax question that has been talked about on the radio before as it pertained to money directed towards building a stadium. Do players on an opposing out of state team pay the state taxes for games in the visiting jurisdiction. Isn't it comparable to a worker for a company paying the required tax for the location he is working in? 

Yes. So it’s only half the games you are getting that tax break on. But WGAF anyway. How many NHL players are actually motivated by money? I doubt it’s many.

[sweetlou]

Tampa

Nashville

Dallas

Vegas

Columbus

[Eleven]

Just now, sweetlou said:

Tampa

Nashville

Dallas

Vegas

Columbus

Ok, I can see where different tastes might lead you to the first four on the list...but COLUMBUS?!  Do strip malls and laminated menus really excite you that much?

[sweetlou]

Just now, Eleven said:

Ok, I can see where different tastes might lead you to the first four on the list...but COLUMBUS?!  Do strip malls and laminated menus really excite you that much?

I have been to several games in Columbus and I like the passion in the fan base.  I'm not much of a big city guy, so I stayed away from NY, Chicago, and all the California teams.

[...]

In order of preferred destination:

North Carolina
Nashville
Tampa
Dallas
Florida

[JohnC]

23 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Yes. So it’s only half the games you are getting that tax break on. But WGAF anyway. How many NHL players are actually motivated by money? I doubt it’s many.

Thanks for your knowledgeable response. I agree with you that other considerations such as the issue of opportunity to play and best situation from a variety of standpoints override the money issue.

[RochesterExpat]

1 - Dallas because it's close to where I live now and I think the organization is relatively well-run with a fun mix of young and old players.

2 - Seattle because it's an opportunity to have an impact on a new franchise.

3 - Pittsburgh to play with Crosby/Malkin/Letang/Karlsson

4 - Carolina because I want to know what Rod's workout program is.

5 - Boston because team culture (even with Bergeron and Krejci leaving)

 

1 minute ago, Buffalonill said:

 My fat ass is getting a lamborghini

Which one?

[Eleven]

9 minutes ago, RochesterExpat said:

 

 

Which one?

The left one.  His left ass.