CSN Washington’s Jill Sorenson reported this afternoon that Joel Ward is one of the most popular free agents on the market, according to Joel Ward’s agent Peter Cooney.
From Sorenson’s story on CSN Washington;
Cooney said there have been nine teams expressing interest in his client. Six teams in the east and three in the west have spoken with Cooney, each with different levels of interest.
The best soundbite from Cooney is his quote: “no one has blinked at the four years” that he and Ward are seeking. A four-year pact would take Ward past his 38th birthday.
Give me a second. I’m going to go ahead and look up the definition for “blinked” here. Let’s see…
blinked – to be startled, surprised, or dismayed
Okay, so no team is surprised or dismayed that Cooney’s asking for a four-year contract. This is Wardo’s last big deal in the NHL after two career-best seasons. Of course no one’s surprised they’re trying to get as much cash and term as possible. No one can blame them for that.
The thing that does seem odd is how much information local reporters are receiving about Ward’s negotiations (in comparison to other UFAs) and the promotion of how valuable of a player Ward is.
“It would be difficult to find a player who loves winning or hates losing as much as Joel does,” Cooney told Sorenson. “He loves the game.”
Yes, but so do thousands of other players in the NHL and AHL, Peter.
Why does part of me doubt how great things sound for Wardo on the free agent market?
