Decision to leave Jets just business: Frolik

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/10/2015 (3653 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CALGARY — It’s clear Michael Frolik would rather just let it go than dish any details on why he went to free agency and departed the Winnipeg Jets in July.

The 27-year-old Czech Republic-born right-winger was an unrestricted free agent after last season and chose to sign a five-year, $21.5-year (all figures U.S.) deal with the Calgary Flames, the Jets’ opponents Saturday night in the final NHL pre-season contest for both teams.

Frolik made $3.3 million on a one-year bridge deal with the Jets in 2014-15 and more than a year’s worth of negotiation for a long-term contract ended up a waste of time.

Frolik got a hefty raise for his first Calgary season, to $5.5 million but the $4.3 million average-annual-value deal slides to a $3-million salary in the fifth year.

Frolik said Saturday he had 10 minutes to decide what to do July 1, and he left the ordeal with no bad feelings about the Jets.

“I think it’s a part of the hockey business,” Frolik said. “It is how it is.

“We were very close with them and it was just a couple of different numbers. In the end, that’s the hockey business and you can’t really do anything about it.”

Apart from the business, Frolik said he liked playing for the Jets.

“I’m really happy what they did for me,” he said. “The two years there were great They were good to me. The organization was great, too. I got the opportunity there to play more and have more ice time and I would have to be thankful to them.”

He said he found the free-agent process — something new to him — unsettling and admitted there was some stress.

“It was kind of interesting, the period of the week before the free agency,” he said. “So I got a chance to be in Florida (at the draft) and met with a few teams there. That was a kind of a cool experience to be in. It’s always a difficult decision in the end. You have to take the fun part of it. It happened and I’m here.

“I’m a guy who’s thinking a lot. I’m kind of hard on myself,” he said. “It was a difficult decision. You’ve got just a couple of minutes to decide. You don’t have much time there on the bottom of the line. You’ve got to make a decision quick. When I had the meeting with Calgary, I had a good feeling coming out of the meeting and I ended up here.”

Flames coach Bob Hartley said Frolik has been a major addition and was more than impressed the forward topped the team’s fitness testing to start camp.

“Great person, fun to work with,” Hartley said. “He’s adding to our depth. Defensive responsibilities. Offensive responsibilities. He’s probably one of the most under-rated two-way players in this league.

“Huge addition for us. Just watching him in camp, he’s happy to be here. He’s happy to play hockey and that is contagious. He fit in real well in our group and in our chemistry.”

‘We were very close with them and it was just a couple of different numbers. In the end, that’s the hockey business and you can’t really do anything about it’

— Michael Frolik, on his negotiations with the Winnipeg Jets

Frolik was asked what he’s learned about Hartley and the Flames since the start of camp.

“I knew that the coach is pretty hard and I didn’t mistake myself there,” he laughed. “That’s true. Here there are a couple of rules. You have to wear shot-blockers (on skates) and a couple of rules like that. That’s kind of new for me. But it’s similar like everywhere else.”

Having previously played for Florida, Chicago and the Jets, Frolik is getting better at how to change teams.

“Obviously the first (time) is the hardest one,” he said. “It’s always new guys, new faces, new city. But I think I’m getting a little bit used to it, too. It’s been fine. It’s a good organization. I’m happy so far.

“I’ve had that before, playing against my old teams. It’s going to be nothing new. I’ve got a few buddies there for sure, but I’ll play them like they’re the other team.

“And we’re going there for the third game of the season. I’ll just focus on my game.”

 

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca