Quote:
Originally Posted by bubbsy
this thread doesn't make much sense.
The backlund deal should be applauded. Paying a player for potential AND results is what good GMs do, not potential alone.
no player who believes in their ability would sign a 7 year @ 3 mill/year either....
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So Phanuef ... who was clearly the best defenseman of his generation signed a 6.5 m / year contract on Feb 6, 2008 that would run through to 2013-14
He was taking 6.5 M/ yr when if he improved 5% (or even stayed at the same level) he would win 2-3 Norris trophies within that 6 year span.
He did not believe in his ability?
He took the 7M in the first year and only 5.5M in this last year when if he did as expected he would be would be worth $10M+ the last 2-3 years of the contract.
When he signed the contract there was a believable argument that he might be a better cornerstone franchise player than Crosby or Ovechkin.... no one else entered that sort of discussion.
Turns out Phanuef was correct in taking the money at the time. If the Flames would have done the RFA contracts for 3M each he never would have gotten above 5M. 2.5, 2.5, 3.0 as RFA contracts takes us to when he became a Leaf and a 5M UFA d-man. unless he became an Oiler on an Offer sheet and the Flames get 3 #1 picks.