Quote:
Originally Posted by the-rasta-masta
What’s the story with Marner and his bonuses? Aren’t these contracts pretty black and white? How did they screw him?
|
On Entry-Level Contracts there are two types of performance bonuses allowed.
Schedule A bonuses are for individual performance type things like scoring a minimum number of goals/assists/points. They can also be earned for finishing high (usually top-3 among forwards/defence) on their own team in other categories such as ice time or plus/minus. A player can earn up to $850,000 total in Schedule A bonuses each season ($212,500 maximum for each individual category in up to 4 different categories).
Most of the top prospects sign deals that can pay the maximum in "A" bonuses.
Schedule B bonuses are much harder to earn because they deal with top-level performance league-wide. In order to earn "B" bonuses, the player must finish top-5 in voting for one of the major league awards (top-3 for the Lady Byng and Calder); or be named to one of the end-of-season All-Star teams; or finish top-10 league-wide in one of the major scoring categories (goals, assists, points).
The individual maximum for "B" bonuses is $2 million, and depending on the player's contract, he can potentially earn the full value for meeting any one of the qualifications. Many teams will only give out B bonuses to their very top prospects.
As sixth overall picks, Monahan and Tkachuk didn't have any B bonuses on their ELCs. Even as a fourth overall, Sam Bennett didn't have a full $2 million in B bonuses on his ELC. Puljujärvi's ELC had a similar level of bonuses as Bennett. Marner was the 4th overall between Bennett and Puljujärvi and didn't get any B bonuses on his deal.
Marner finished 4th overall in forward assists last season. That means he could have earned $2 million in Schedule B bonuses had he had any B bonuses on his contract. That's why he's upset.