Definitely a summer topic for me. I wanted to know what some of you guys know/think about these things. If you find an issue in here that sticks out to you, I'd like to discuss it for awhile this offseason.
Here are things we already know:
-players hate escrow (or too much escrow anyway).
-there will always be some escrow because most teams spend close to the cap as opposed to the midpoint.
-the nhlpa escalator often contributes to the escrow problem.
-(I think) that escrow is based on actual salaries/bonuses paid (including those on LTIR), and not merely the cap hit.
-there have been many "cap-bending" front loaded contracts in the past, and this still happens to a lesser extent.
-these contracts (should) have the reverse effect in later years, unless the old players go on LTIR and then teams use the extra cap space to pay even more salary.
-the NHL appears to be happy with the existing CBA as it asked NHLPA to extend it during Olympic discussion
Here is an older but relevant link that gets into some of the issues. Maybe you guys can post other links that are informative?
http://nhlnumbers.com/2016/8/12/how-...ern-in-the-nhl
A few questions I have:
1. There are many signing bonuses (which are subject to escrow) to be paid in the year of potential lockout, which players intended to give themselves more leverage that year.
But don't you think the escrow will be extremely high that year if there is a strong possibility of a strike/lockout?
2. Which teams have been most "successful" at paying higher salaries above the cap? How many of them also the cup winning teams? Chicago/Boston/Pit/LA
3. Which players have had the highest salaries above cap hit, and when is that going to turn around?
4. How many players have gone "Hossa" where they are LTIR in the low salary years and the team escapes the recapture penalty?
5. Do you think the CBA could be extended with minor tweaks and avoid another lockout/strike? If so, what are those tweaks going to be?