Quote:
Originally Posted by GioforPM
Subject to taxes another team would have to offer 12 million to beat 10.5. JG would be crazy not to take that offer because he ain’t getting 12 elsewhere.
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Jeff Carter just signed a 3.5M contract/year for 2 years at 37. Pavelski 6M at 37 turning 38. Suter, even after being bought out, signed a 14M year (over 4 years) contract when he was 36. Elite players often are able to perform at high levels when they age. If Gaudreau wants to play in eight years, the chances of him being worth "nothing" are probably less than him still being worth a decent sized contract.
Kunitz, Filppula, they were making multiple millions as 35+ year olds. It doesn't just take the Jagrs. But Iginla signed a 6M (performance bonus laden) contract when he was 36 coming off his 7M/year contract, then another 16M contract (over 4 years) when he was 37. St.Louis was over 35 when he signed a 22M contract. Kovalchuk 35+ when he signed 6.25M/year for 3 years. Thornton's highest cap hit ever was when he was over 35+ and signed for 8M.
So an 84M, 8 year contract at 10.5M or an 11M, 7 year contract and then hoping he's still worth half that when he's 35 would still net him 82.5M if he wanted to keep playing. It's not guaranteed, he could get injured, he could decline, but it's not like he's guaranteed to become useless by 35 either and if he follows trends of many superstars before him and the cap keeps going up, he could maybe be making 8 figures still.
Inversely if he doesn't like hockey and just wants to earn as much to support a carefree life when he's in his early to mid 30s then that 8 year might not be worth chasing even.
Plus if he has a nice house in Calgary and thinks we're in a bubble that won't last 8 years, selling it now, using the money to invest, and being able to have one residence in the east is also worth something.
I think that eight year is worth more to the teams to lower cap-hit than it is to a player like Johnny.