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					Originally Posted by  Strange Brew
					 
				 
				Contracts  definitely matter, a lot.  But the best players win.  If you’re a cap team at the bottom of the standings your contracts aren’t as good as they should be. 
 
Of all the guys you mention the only one unequivocally playing above his contract is Lindholm. 
 
And some are playing way below. 
			
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The reason the Flames are in cap trouble is James Neal.  And if you look at comparables, those other guys are actually playing at their contracts, and have exceeded them in the majority of  the term.  You really can’t take a multi-year contract and isolate a year - that’s really unfair.