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Originally Posted by pseudoreality
Prepaying players big bucks on long-term contracts hoping that if the players become elites it will be a good deal is an Oilers strategy that doesn't work. There's nothing wrong with paying an elite player elite money if they earn. FYI there is exactly one defenseman in the league right now who's cap hit is $8-9MM. So does that mean the Flames strategy is based on the assumption that Hamilton will be the best defenseman in the game in 2-3 years?
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You must be in an alternate reality or something...
Prepaying a player on a big bucks deal isn't really what the Flames did. Hamilton isn't getting paid like a top pairing guy, it's not like they gave him 8-9 million now. There's nothing wrong with paying an elite player a lot but it's better if you can not pay him a lot. Contracts like these pay as much for potential as anything and the Flames aren't the only team to ever do that. Instead of giving a bridge deal that ends when Hamilton begins to be a UFA, they paid him more to buy those UFA years. It's a risk every GM takes on contracts. Hamilton is trending upwards and has looked good so far in his career, if he doesn't improve from where he's at then this contract becomes "meh" but if he improves (which most people are betting on) then this contract becomes great. The Flames aren't betting on Hamilton being the best defender in the game, but they're betting he'll be better than he is now.