2010 NHL offseason thread

[Adria]

Blackhawks matched the offer sheet!

Now they have to really start getting creative with moving salary...

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=327374

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

Kovalchuk back with the Devils. No details announced yet.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=327880

 

[Evie]

To Philadelphia
Matt Walker
4th Round Draft Pick, 2011

To Tampa Bay
Simon Gagné

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

So it would appear that the Kovalchuk deal is...17 years. What? Has Lou Lamoriello lost his mind? Kovalchuk will be 44 years old when this deal expires.

 

[Evie]

...and will retire around 39 when his salary falls from several millions to less than one

The last several years of this contract are all about cheating out the salary cap.

 

[Adria]

17 years?? That's crazy. I thought some of the 12 year contracts were bad...

 

[downtown]

Yeah, I'm not a huge hockey fan, so forgive me...but these massive contracts seem to me like just creative accounting to get past the CBA and Salary Cap. This dude is clearly being overpaid during his most productive years, and then being paid nearly nothing near the end of the deal. I don't think anybody really expects him to play with the Devils until he's 44 right?

So what happens? Do we ask Bettman to impose some new cap hit rule on massive contracts? Does this hurt smaller market teams/the competitiveness of the league, or is it not a big deal at all? What does the Hockey community think?

Also, I like what Tampa is doing.

 

[Adria]

So what happens? Do we ask Bettman to impose some new cap hit rule on massive contracts? Does this hurt smaller market teams/the competitiveness of the league, or is it not a big deal at all? What does the Hockey community think?

I've seen a number of suggestions of ways to avoid the cap circumvention, and so far the one I like best has a retired player's remaining salary count against the cap in the same way a buyout would. If the player retires before the contract runs out, then the team pays a penalty in cap space. If the player doesn't retire before the contract expires, this rule doesn't affect anything.


And yes, Tampa Bay has made some good moves so far. But I've thought the same thing in years past, and they haven't quite been able to get it together on the ice.

 

[Evie]

How about just making it so that it's their actual salary for the year that's counted against the cap, instead of their average salary for the entire contract?

Would kind of kill that style of contract.

 

[Whomp]

The cap situation is definitely a loophole that I'm sure will be addressed. My fear is Donald Fehr could make matters worse. Hockey is ready for a big tv contract so let's hope he doesn't screw that up.

What I do like about hockey contracts is you don't have holdouts trying to renegotiate deals. It's rare where an athlete negotiates down anyhow. Obviously I'm biased but it would be nice for teams to have some benefit signing their own players.

Btw I just learned about cap cushion. You truly need a math Ph.D to figure the CBA out.

 

[Evie]

TSN says the NHL vetoed the Kovalchuk contract on ground of being TOO blatant about dodging the salary cap.

DUN DUN DUN.

 

[Adria]

No wonder Gillis said he was in no rush to move Bieksa - Salo has a damaged or torn (no confirmation on which) achilles tendon which apparently happened in June. Depending on the severity of the injury, and his age, that could take anywhere from 3 to 6-7 months for him to recover from. Yet another 'convenient' injury* to bury salary on the LTIR.

That's not to say Bieksa's completely off the market. I could still see a trade being made, and then signing a cheaper bottom pairing dman (Willie Mitchell?). Potential trade partners will have just lost leverage in that Vancouver won't be right up against the cap and won't be in a hurry to move Bieksa (or anyone, for that matter) in the off-season.


*Not that I'd ever want players to get injured for this purpose. It's just been really convenient for the Canucks recently, with Demitra last year and now Salo.

 

[Adria]

Vancouver got Mason Raymond signed for less than I was expecting. He's signed for 2 years, making 2.5/2.6 mil each year respectively. The deal was finalized 5 minutes before his arbitration hearing was set to start.

Vancouver's currently over the cap, but should get cap relief in the form of LTIR (Salo, possibly Burrows) and the possible move of a defenseman (no idea when a deal would be made - will likely depend on Salo).

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

Alexander Frolov signs 1 year/$3 million deal with the Rangers

Alexei Ponikarovsky joins the Kings

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

Flames resign D Ian White, now over the cap

Link

 

[Kadazzle]

3 mill for Ian White is a pretty good signing. Right in the price range he should get, though it's sad they only locked him up for 1 year. He's going to be in for a nice raise next season.

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

Blackhawks walk away from Antti Niemi's $2.75 million arbitration award. Chicago signs Marty Turco for $1.3 million.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=329318

 

[Evie]

Yeah, somehow I don't see the Hawks having good odds of a second run.

 

[Whomp]

Yeah, somehow I don't see the Hawks having good odds of a second run.

It would be tough to repeat but to assume otherwise also assumes their top 9 forwards and 2 D pairings aren't amongst, if not, the best in hockey. This also assumes this young core doesn't improve significantly which I would also contest. Kane may have been lazy in the off season but I doubt Toews was.

The Hawks have lost depth but also have good depth in their system. The Turco signing is not much different than the Detroit model and what Crawford brings to the table will be interesting. Remember he was the odds on favorite to be the back up last year.

So either the oddsmakers are crazy keeping them as the favorite at 5:1 (Wash and Pitt at 6:1, SJ and Det at 8:1, Van and Phil at 12:1, LA and NJ at 15:1 while everyone else is over 20:1) or they see something in this core group. I wouldn't buy those odds and Van is probably undervalued but I'm not sure I would deviate much from this group to win it.

 

[Raisin Bran]

Huet is still number 1/2 and turco number 1/4 ?

Sucks for the Hawks being caught with Huet and having to let go Niemi which look like a promising young goalie!