My Thoughts on the Allan Walsh/Twitter Trouble

Now that we've all had a chance to breathe from Saturday night's Twitter debate (which is code for me being fashionably late), I'll throw my two-cents in and wonder what's going on over there with Allan Walsh and all that.

If you hadn't heard, Allan Walsh posted on his Twitter page a questionable stat about Carey Price. This would be all well and good just in passing, but for Walsh-- he has a vested interest. His client is Jaroslav Halak, who is battling Price for time in the net in Montreal. So, while the stat in itself, that Price is 10W-25L in his last 35, it seems to be definitely uncalled for. Walsh said it was tongue-in-cheek, but the damage was done as it caught on with CBC's Hockey Night In Canada between games one and two, thus being taken to task by the crew there-- especially Kelly Hrudey.

Of course, the ethical implications are in play in this-- because not only does it make him look bad, but it makes the target and pressure on his client to succeed in a market like Montreal that much bigger. While there would be heat in any market, you can't argue that this is making bigger news considering it has to do with Montreal and not, say, Florida. With Twitter being the immediate news source nowadays, it definitely a place where you should pick your spots and watch what you say.

Yet, at the same time, this is not the first time someone related to Walsh has been in the cross-hairs of the Twitter-verse, as the kids say. Walsh's client, Martin Havlat, made his falling out with the Chicago Blackhawks somewhat public after the team didn't offer him a contract. That made the first wave of NHLers airing their grievances on the social networking mainstream.

This begs the question-- is this all happenstances that the biggest issues when it comes to problems between players and their teams are with Walsh and his clientele or is this strategic planning by Walsh and his clique to go into business for themselves?? While I'm sure there's a bit of coincidence, you never really know because of the fact both people who have made the mainstream hockey media when it comes to the Twitter front have been linked to Walsh. I'm not saying, I'm just saying. Makes you think.

If it is calculated, then it's bloody genius in some instance because of the fact we're talking about it and making a big deal about it. However, the doubled-edge sword thing is in effect because of the fact teams may be hesitant to deal with Walsh and his clients, knowing what he is capable of saying or doing. Plus, who'd want to be teammates with guys like that-- who's agent will slap down negative stats to a teammate and create awkward issues in the locker room??

This is either extremely brilliant to bring light to situations that are development and what other journalist would say in time or it's extremely stupid by making awkward situations and creating enemies amongst teammates and front office personnel alike. While the latter is more often than not the likely response, you have to say the buzz about each player was out there in a big way at the times of the happenings. Also-- shows the power of the social networking sites in this day-in-age.