Ladd saga makes for weird vibe

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This article was published 23/02/2016 (3515 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It is a story without a resolution. And Andrew Ladd, the central character, continues to play out scenes that are ultimately being written by someone else.

That someone else is Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff.

The Jets captain may or may not have played his last game on home ice in Tuesday’s 5-3 loss to the Dallas Stars, what with Monday’s NHL trade deadline on the horizon. And so it made for a weird vibe for everyone — fans, teammates and especially the man himself.

“It’s different for me because nothing is set in stone and you don’t know what’s going on,” said Ladd after the game. “You’re still out there trying to play a hockey game, but obviously you appreciate the ovation after the goal.

“The fans have always been great ever since me and my family got here to Winnipeg. We’ve loved the people in the city and they’ve treated us great.”

Those may or may not be the final words of Ladd as a member of the Jets as rumours continue to swirl about his future. He remains a prime trade target for teams looking for a veteran piece for a Stanley Cup run, but has made no secret of his desire to stay in Winnipeg — even though there has been speculation he turned down a six-year deal worth US$36 million.

Whether that offer remains on the table is unknown, with Jets management attention turning from Ladd to re-signing Dustin Byfuglien after contract talks with the captain apparently stalled. But with Byfuglien now signed and key pieces like Mark Scheifele, Jacob Trouba and Adam Lowry all becoming restricted free agents this summer, Ladd’s numbers might make for a tight squeeze under the team’s salary-cap budget.

All those numbers were secondary Tuesday night as fans looked for any opportunity to cheer the only captain Jets 2.0 have known. Ladd was heartily applauded when the starting lineup was introduced and then received a standing ovation when he scored his 17th goal, and fourth in the last three games, early in the second.

Asked what was going through his head in that moment, Ladd paused for a moment, then said:

“I don’t know… it’s kinda weird because nothing is set in stone, like I said, and you don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s always nice to feel appreciated.”

Still a Jet for now, possibly for Thursday in Dallas and Saturday in Pittsburgh, Ladd was also quizzed about his thoughts on returning to the Jets as an unrestricted free agent this summer should he be traded. His take on that scenario, for a guy whose head is already spinning:

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“I’m always open to anything, for sure. But that’s farther down the road, too, and I’ll cross that road if it happens.”

Ladd may have peeled off a Jets uniform for the last time Tuesday night. Or not. And this whole situation — dating back to last June when he was said to be close to re-signing with the team — has gone from one extreme to the other. The whole thing has him trying to live in the moment.

“When you don’t know what’s going to happen, it’s hard to think too far ahead,” he said. “You try to enjoy playing the game at this point because it’s out of your control. And whatever is going to happen is going to happen, and you deal with it as it comes.”

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait