Players like Bouma should get no longer than three year deals. Anything longer and you can risk the player feeling like he is more important to the team than what he is. Long term deals go to the likes of Giordano and Monahan. Probably Gaudreau if he keeps it up over the next couple of years and also to Bennett if he proves to be the player we all think he'll be. 3rd and 4th line players are a lot easier to develop and/or acquire and you don't need to needlessly handcuff yourself because you gave a 3rd or 4th liner too much term. Once you start offering the guy longer term, he is going to start demanding higher pay, because as I already stated, he'll think he is a more important part of your core than he really is.
Interesting note on Bouma. He scored his 1st career NHL goal in the same game that Iginla scored his 500th career goal.
|