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'Who'd you piss off' - Players Tribune
#1

'Who'd you piss off'
The Players Tribune
S52 Offseason

Those were the first words out of my driver's mouth when I got into an uber to go to the Jets Arena.

"Who'd you piss off."

I had just come from Buffalo where I spent the last season in the press box. Buffalo is a known Defensive team, they wanted a quality Defenseman so they drafted me. I had won a cup with them, busted my ass. When it came time to have my contract renewed, even though I was a third pairing Defenseman at the time I woke up to 4 missed called from the GM, he wanted to sign me to an extension right away. 3 years, 7 million. I felt like I had arrived.

Then came the press box, sitting, watching the boys play. There was a rookie, he was lighting it up. It wasn't permanent and it was nothing against me or my skills I remember the GM telling me. It lasted all season. The team is defensively gifted, every season without fail it drafts a hot defenseman, there is no reason for Buffalo to ever have a bad defender I remember one reporter telling me. It wasn't personal, it was just how Buffalo operates. They do it so much, that they know when its stifling development and when it isn't, which is why I wasn't surprised when my GM approached me about a change of scenery.

"Vandy, were sending you to Winnipeg. You've earned a chance to shine and Winnipeg wants you."

Sitting on the plane, I wrote the last TPT article about leaving Buffalo, about how I was excited to get to Winnipeg. So now you know why the remarks from this no named Uber Driver were so surprising. He followed it up, asked me if I had slept with someone's wife or girlfriend to be sent to the Jets. They were the event in town, really the only thing the city has going for it but had missed the playoffs lately and despite having some promising stars like breakout scorer Nick Brain, had largely languished in the bottom half of the conference for some time.

I received a handshake from the GM, got shown to my locker and that was it. I tried to get to know some of the boys in the locker room, but they seemed to be in their own world. In Buffalo, if you're quiet, you'll have 3 guys asking if you're ok, do you need to talk, etc. In Winnipeg, being quiet is just how things are run I guess. I played all 50 games, 3 G and 13 assists, my best season in the league. I felt like I had finally solidified myself as a Top 4 Defenseman. I know I'm not a Cass Darrow or a Karlsson, I am happy being a role player. I have always found a niche as being a johnny on the spot for my team.

But as the offseason has begun, I've heard little in the way of interest in re-signing me from the Jets. They don't seem interested in getting better, they traded down in the draft after just missing the playoffs. The league found an issue with their traded, voided it and they proceeded to do it again.

Simply put, the Jets aren't exactly filling me with confidence that this is somewhere I want to spend my career.

So with S53 being my contract year, I am publicly stating now that I will not be re-signing with Winnipeg.

I intend to fulfill my contract and play every game for the Jets like its my last, to continue to fill the role my coaches ask of me and my team needs of me. But I won't play S54 with a team or a franchise committed to picking in the top 3 for the next few seasons with no end in sight. I want a chance to win a cup where I can contribute and put my skills to the test, where I can feel confident that the GM is working to better the team every season, not just win lottery picks. I want a locker room that has energy, where teammates can have fun rather than just...silence as if sitting in a library before and after every game.

I want a team that knows how to be a team.

If any franchise out there is listening, if what I said above sounds like your team give me a call when free agency opens up next season.

Ill pour my heart out for you.



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#2

Aggressive AF, you go get em' Tiger!

Rawr

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#3

yo but that carpy sig is dope

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#4

win is kill

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#5

The tea is fucking boiling hot rn

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#6

can i get an F in the chat for winnipeg

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e
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#7

alrighty then

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#8
(This post was last modified: 03-10-2020, 09:43 PM by StadiumGambler.)

For the record, we are interested in re-signing Vandy, I think we were gonna wait until we had a clear idea of our cap situation post-draft first. I talked to him in DMs and we'll see what kez does.

Our LR is a bit quiet cause the S40s core had some churn and some people busy with college/work, but we're hoping the new blood can get things going again into the S50s. We'll see what happens, don't rush to conclusions, etc. I like the Jets and I like all the people we have on it, and I'm hoping we can make some noise in the transition to FHM.

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Agent of Nick Brain: Center/Right Winger - Winnipeg Aurora
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Nick Brain Update Thread: http://simulationhockey.com/showthread.php?tid=91332
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#9

Good for you Vandy. All about having fun and being in a situation that you actually enjoy where the people want you there too




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#10

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#11
(This post was last modified: 03-10-2020, 10:23 PM by JHS.)

Kez is a worse GM than Clardy prove me wrong




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thanks @suavemente !
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#12

03-10-2020, 10:22 PMJHS Wrote: Kez is a worse GM than Clardy prove me wrong
Clardy was fired

done

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#13

VANDY BB

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#14

Interview If the Jets do well this season will you reconsider your stance?

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#15

03-10-2020, 10:24 PMWannabeFinn Wrote:
03-10-2020, 10:22 PMJHS Wrote: Kez is a worse GM than Clardy prove me wrong
Clardy was fired

done


Damn you got me there

fuckin bernies really gonna lose man fuck




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thanks @suavemente !
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