The Phoenix Coyotes have been in training camp for over a week now, and you’re more likely to find a Solyndra executive teaching a class on good business practices than forward Kyle Turris anywhere inside Jobing.com Arena.
Basically, there’s been no movement in either the Turris camp or General Manager Don Maloney’s camp since word first broke that the young forward was looking for either a payday of $12 million over three years, or $6 million over two years. (No, that’s not a joke).
So, if you haven’t been keeping score at home, what you have now is nothing more then a game to see who will blink first.
Turris and his agent are standing firm (at least for now) on their contract demands, while Maloney refuses to give in. He says he won’t trade the guy just to get him off his hands (as some have speculated that this is just Turris’ way of orchestrating a trade).
“Well, that’s what makes America great, he (Turris) doesn’t have to settle (for the contract we’re offering him). He can stay at home, and watch Oprah.”- General Manager Don Maloney at Phoenix Coyotes media day on September 16
And if Turris thinks that by sitting out he’s showing the organization “how much they’ll miss him” and he’s worth his contract demands, he couldn’t be more wrong.
Tippett & Co. isn’t going to just sit back and feel sorry for themselves because the third overall selection in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft isn’t in camp. After months and months of ownership uncertainty, they never did- why start now?
And Turris should know this well. He just wasn’t drafted or brought in this past offseason. He should know that Maloney, Tippett and the leadership in the dressing room will simply move on and plug the hole on the ship another way. (Did someone just say Andy Miele?)
In other words, Turris is only hurting himself and his career by hanging out at home, playing pickup hockey with the guys and watching those Oprah episodes that Maloney spoke of.
And what might be the saddest part of all this is the fact that, by all accounts, Turris doesn’t have a reputation of being “that guy.” The guy that would sit at home, hold out and haggle over a few pennies; which can make you wonder if this contract battle is being fueled by his agent.
If that’s the case, then you know Blake Wheeler and his agent are somewhere smiling right now.
So while Turris’ reputation with Coyotes fans crumbles, the “rumour mill” is gaining steam, stating that the forward could be on his way to Toronto.
But then again, isn’t everyone rumored to be headed to the Maple Leafs?
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