Hackett Questioned on Free Agency: "This team's success comes first... next question."

[Renomitsu 930]

Riga, Latvia - Reign defenseman Apollo Hackett faces pending free agency for the first time this off-season four games into a Finals matchup between Riga and Seattle. Though the team is clearly in the thick of an intense playoff race, post-game interviews have also yielded a number of questions surrounding the fourth-year player's fate after the series, which Hackett has generally been tight-lipped about.

 

"Free agency and the off-season are irrelevant to me," Hackett commented shortly after a Game 4 loss to Seattle, "we're in the middle of a 2-2 series and you want to ask me about what team I'll go to? My focus is on winning Riga games, not contemplating a paycheck. I've been consistent in my stance since my rookie season: as you know, Riga drafted me, and my first instinct is repaying that loyalty. The team's success comes first, and free agency has nothing to do with that. We're on to Seattle. Next question."

 

At present, Hackett is one of the league's highest-paid defensemen, and received his first All-Star Game selection towards the end of the regular season; there are no current leads suggesting whether he'll sign an extension with Riga or assess his value in free agency; rumors of suggested locations have, to this point, been entirely unsubstantiated. Since he's accrued 4 seasons of experience, he'll be an unrestricted free agent should he opt to test the waters.

[Banackock 7,682]

Great player. 

[Esso2264 772]

[Cxsquared 455]

please don't leave me