Thornton staying in Colorado

[Abstract]

The Colorado Avalanche are delighted to announce that superstar centre Joe Thornton has agreed a new 3 year deal. Thornton joined the Avs from the Bruins last spring and has formed an impressive line with Nylander and Mogilny.

Thornton will now be taking home $5.1 a year as opposed to the $3.5 he was earning previously.

The Avalanche would also like to thank Thorntons agent, Mr Crunch, for being so wuick in tying up the details and for being open to negotiation.

[MJK]

Man what a bargain!!!

[JohnnyFlame]

Yep no kidding. One of the 3 best players in hockey signed for 5 million. Sure makes that Kariya signing look out of place bigtime. If Thornton is worth 5 million then virtually no other player is worth more. That is a benchmark signing that one.

[TheCommodoreAfro]

Classic case of the agent being bamboozled by a crafty GM, then?

Let it never happen again.

Signed,

The other agents.

[Shawnski]

Kariya was already 9x2. Thornton is only 24. I see no problems with either contract, actually.

Edit, and Kariya was part of a three player signing, not just him alone. He shouldn't be taken out of context in that regards.

[Radically Red]

Kariya was signed after having his contract had expired and he had a good year.

His salary was already 8 million at the time and the system used for signing RFA's dictated he be signed at his current Salary.

This of course was all before he had his injury problems in colorado and just after his great run during the playoffs for the Ducks.

We have a new system now its unfair to compare the 2 IMHO.

[CaptainCrunch]

Justification # 1 - Thornton is a restricted free agent. At the time of negotiation I didn't really have the options to hold him out and refuse service. I have that now or will right soon.

Justification # 2 - This is in no way a true bench mark contract, those are defined by true free agency, a Sakic or Forsberg UFA contract defines benchmark.

Justification # 3 - in the NHL Thornton would have gotten a straight qualifier, gone to arbitration and gotten anywhere between Ryan Smyth money and Iginla money.



Money Inc has generated 8 million dollars in fee's in the past 5 days, we've restructured numerous contracts and gotten some pretty good increases. you don't want to urk me too much because this agent has a long memory when slighted

[Abstract]

Its a fair contract if you ask me. Thornton and his agent acknowledged that for the Avalanche to be successful we cant afford to give a huge percentage of our cap to one player. Things are improving in Colorado and it pleases me greatly that we're keeping Joe for at least three more years and that he wants to be a part of that. I had thought that other GMs would be pleased to see a quality player like Joe sign a reasonable contract extension, rather than berating the agent involved. Its in the interest of players, GMs and agents to have balanced and competitive teams in as many cities as possible, and while i do not agree that this a benchmark deal, if it is one then it is one that everyone connected with the CPHL should be very happy with.

[MJK]

All I said is that it was a bargain and I still stand by that. There is nothing good or bad about it, the two sides were able to come to a reasonable deal based on the 'restricted FA' argument.

But I am willing to bet that there are many GM's here who would have paid much more to get a guy like Thornton. Are some GM's willing to give up the farm for a RFA like him? Probably not.

The RFA factor played a huge deal in this contract.

[Radically Red]

I agree. this is a great deal for the Avs and Joe.

afterall he only had to give him 3.5 this year but it has now been moved to 5.1. I would have hated to see a Player go from 3.5 to say 7 million in one year. In my opinion that would have been insane and could have hurt every other GM that has a young talant like Thornton. IE Heatly and Kovolchuk.

Nice work by the Agent and the GM on this one.

[flambers]

Originally posted by Radically Red@Sep 21 2004, 12:39 PM
I agree. this is a great deal for the Avs and Joe.

afterall he only had to give him 3.5 this year but it has now been moved to 5.1. I would have hated to see a Player go from 3.5 to say 7 million in one year. In my opinion that would have been insane and could have hurt every other GM that has a young talant like Thornton. IE Heatly and Kovolchuk.

Nice work by the Agent and the GM on this one.

I agree as well. CPHL obviously has a hard cap. Some of the salaries that were negiotated in the early days are way out of "wack". Its nice to see the contracts staying under control. Good Job!

[JohnnyFlame]

Yep I like the signing as well because indeed some contracts are way out of whack and if we can't sign players for more reasonable contracts how can we manage when our budget is going down another 2 million.

I think it is benchmark. We need more reasonable salaries and this is one!!!! Glad to see some sanity is prevailing among the agents and way better than blind bidding which is what drove the salaries up in the 1st place.

[TheCommodoreAfro]

Benchmark, schmenchmark.

This deal might just be the one to precipate some hold outs this year....