Carter finally speaks
Daily News Flyers blog
Carter finally speaks
Jeff Carter has finally spoken.
After the Columbus Dispatch reported that the Blue Jackets sent an envoy that included general manager Scott Howson, coach Scott Arniel and captain Rick Nash here to speak to a radio silent Carter, the former Flyers leading scorer has finally addressed his stunning trade.
"You feel anger and betrayal and all of the emotions that go along with being traded," Carter told the Columbus Dispatch. "Sometimes it's best to just sit back and think about what you're going to say than get right out there and say things that you'll regret.
"My decision to not talk had absolutely nothing to do with being traded to Columbus. I know that it's a team that has struggled in the past but there's a great future. I'm excited to be there, to be a part of it."
The two sides reportedly met for 90 minutes on Monday at his beach house in Sea Isle City, N.J.
“It was great," Carter said. "I really appreciate them making the trip down here to come see me. It shows a lot on their part, that they’re excited to have me. We talked for a while about the team, their direction. We talked about the city.
“Just sitting down and talking with them, it got me real excited, and wishing the season would start a little earlier.”
EARLIER: (provided for perspective on how tough it was to get Carter to talk)
As of Saturday, no member of the Columbus Blue Jackets organization – save a small text message exchange with captain Rick Nash – including general manager Scott Howson had any contact with Jeff Carter.
Carter was dealt last Thursday.
On Monday, the Blue Jackets decided to take the matter into their own hands, sending an envoy of club personnel to Philadelphia to meet with the player who is supposed to be the new face of their franchise.
According to the Columbus Dispatch, team majority owner John P. McConnell, Howson, Nash, and former Flyer R.J. Umberger were flying to Philadelphia today to try and seek out Carter.
Carter has also yet to publicly address his stunning trade.
Carter’s agent, Rick Curran, who said last Friday that the Flyers had given his client re-assurance as soon as early last week that he would not be traded, said he believes Carter will play for Columbus.
“I don’t think it’s going to be an issue,” Curran told the Dispatch.
He is set to begin an 11-year, $58 million contract with Columbus on July 1.
Holmgren denied on Friday night that he had told Carter he would not be traded during their face-to-face meeting.
“I was in the room,” Holmgren said. “That’s not how I would describe the conversation.”
Here’s more from the Dispatch, with two separate stories about the vibe of Carter blowing off his new town and team, imploring the disappointed 26-year-old to “act like a grown-up:”
“It's hard for me to fathom that his agent, Rick Curran, hasn't produced some sort of press release including Carter quotes. You know, something along the lines of ‘I'm very excited for a new opportunity, and I can't wait to get settled in Columbus.’
Trust me, agents have been cranking out ‘quotes’ like this for many years now.
I've spoken to five agents about this situation. They can't believe it. One said: ‘He's got to turn off his emotions for 10 minutes and make a phone call.’
-Columbus Dispatch Blue Jackets beat reporter Aaron Portzline.
“Carter could help reverse the trend by simply doing what most traded players do in these situations - act like a grown-up. It's easy to understand why he is ticked at the Flyers; he signed an 11-year contract with the team because he wanted to be in Philadelphia, and had been told that the trade rumors were only that: rumors. But Carter's petulance is undermining Howson's efforts to improve the team that he is going to play for and if he doesn't at least act like he wants to be here, Carter might even doom it to more losing.
Early in the franchise's history, Columbus was actually a destination for some players. Many saw a bright hockey future in a clean, livable city with an underrated night life and a great family atmosphere. The city hasn't changed, but poor draft picks, bad decisions and a history of losing have made the franchise harder and harder to sell.
The Carter deal should help the team tremendously, but it only added to the team's perception problem. As unfair as it must seem to Howson, he is back at the plate with the game on the line again.” -Columbus Dispatch columnist Bob Hunter.
For the latest updates, follow Frank Seravalli on Twitter: @DNFlyers
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There were rumors toward the end of the boston series and everything being implied was that Carter was a goner,If he had shown up in the buf series and remember when he didn't practice?? He's in Cokunbus for that reason,— jimmyanon
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F Jeff Carter. he was as overrated a player as any who passed through this town. he was the classic bobby abreau type of player - puts up great numbers and from the outside looks like an allstar, but when you watch him day in and day out, his contributions are quite hollow. and now that he has reacted like a little bi#ch over the trade, i've lost even more respect for him. enjoy columbus, enjoy last place, and be careful with those freshman girls from osu - some might still only be 17.— CosmoK- The most awkward moment of the whole meeting was when the coach and GM had to step over Scottie Upshall, who was out cold on Carter's kitchen floor.— Young Baller
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- So how long before you guys start ripping on Giroux and JvR? Philly has a really ugly fan base.— MissMolly
- "Carter down the right side, over the blue line, shoots a wrister from just outside the blue-line, and WIIIIIIDE of the net, and it travels all the way back around and into Philly's zone"
Phew, glad I wont be hearing that again...— xone9 - I think you need to qualify the statement about Ed Snider being a caring owner...ask any Sixers fan. And, thats MISTER Snyder to you. I do like the way he spent pre-cap days, but the man is a bit holier than thou....— dirttracker
- Jeffy--I felt anger and betrayal after every playoff game where you didn't show up......Good Riddance, I hear they have a good tattoo parlor in Columbus where you can trade some sticks for the word "Absent" over your heart.— IdahoMoose
- Carter has some serious baggage. Why didn't we get him help? He is going nowhere without it.— LaCroix,Nolet,Gendron
- Holmgren deserves credit for finally getting rid of this dead weight. $58M sure does buy a lot of hair frosting there Cartsy!— CFA
- Carter leads the league in springing 2 on 1's for the opposing team. I swear to you that he completed less than 1 pass per game this past year.— sla6yer
- Unreal. Carter and Richie had a good thing and they screwed it up. Make no mistake about it Homer stabbed Cater in the back and had no choice but to trade Richards after that bc he knew Richards would be nothing but trouble after that. Thats great their traded and all ...I thought after they signed their big contracts they were lazy. Carter pads his stats with empty net goals and Richie I think really hates Pronger and Lavy.
The Flyers continuously trade offense and get nothing back. They will not be better this year.
Gone
Lupol
Asham
Gagne
Umberger
Upshall
Knuble
Richards
Carter
Same Drama in Flyer land
The Big E vs Clarkie
Richie/Cater vs Homer
— BringBackTheGuffaw - Off topic.
Powe was traded.. Our journalists are a little late. \
Like always.— Nitroglycerin
