“Long term, I’m not worried because the doctors have assured us he has a strong back, aside from the issue he has. Hopefully, this settles down.”
-Tambo, as quoted by Dan Barnes
There’s one other passage that caught my eye from Barnes’ story.
Tambellini had been assured of Khabibulin’s health and fitness prior to signing the deal and sees no reason to regret the decision. There were other choices at the time, including Dwayne Roloson, Craig Anderson and Martin Biron, but they liked Khabibulin enough to commit dollars and the future of their netminding to him.
Barnes doesn’t say who assured Tambo of Khabibulin’s health and fitness. Given that it took about two hours from the opening of free agency for the signing to occur and that we can be reasonably certain that the Oilers didn’t review any medical records, it seems to me that the only source of this information could have been Jay Grossman. Maybe it’s true, maybe not it’s not, but I don’t commit $15MM on the assurances of a guy who owes me no duties that everything is fine with his client’s back. Just because he’s an agent and you’re talking to him doesn’t mean that he represents you.
he has a strong back,
Which means jack-shit in the context of disc injuries.
Hot Christ, I forgot it was a FOUR year contract! WHAT THE HELL NOW I’M MAD ALL OVER AGAIN.
Well, it is possible that access to Khabibulin’s medical documentation was available prior to the open of free agency.
Otherwise, I should note that I felt the contract was an immediate bomb. We turned down Roloson who would have signed for less money and shorter term, only to sign another equally old goaltender with a much more serious history of lingering injury problems. That doesn’t even consider that maybe Tambellini should have inquired about the rates of other goalies available or the fact that there were literally no other teams bidding against him.
Idiocy.
The saddest thing is that this is completely a legit sports news story and the ‘reporters’ out of fear of access won’t actually ever delve further into it until/unless Tambo is bum rushed out of town and the team wants it painted into the picture.
Well, it is possible that access to Khabibulin’s medical documentation was available prior to the open of free agency.
Jon, that probably isn’t true unless his agent put it up on the internet for the whole world to see. If a team requests the information before July 1 you’re looking at tampering.
A minor point: I haven’t seen any evidence that this is a disc herniation rather than something else. E.g. osteoarthritis of facet joints. It’s an open question what his exact diagnosis is.
- Mustafa Hirji