[Signing] Chris Higgins re-signs with Canucks (4yrs, 2.5M AAV)

[sureLoss]

per LeBrun

[HelloHockeyFans]

Too long for a player like Higgins, but that's what you give up for a reasonable AAV... similar to Glencross deal and type of player they are too.

[kyuss275]

Gotta give D Sutter credit. When he tried to resign Higgins he told him he thought he would be a good 3rd line player. Higgins did not like it, and went to Florida to try and be a top 6 player. Looks like Sutter was right.

[AR_Six]

It's a weird signing because it's neither a discounted value nor a particularly high price, but depending how the lineup shakes out, not even taking into account production, he could be anywhere from a mild steal to a mild overpay.

For example, right now, if everyone's healthy on Van I would think the 2nd line would be the AMEX line again - Booth Kesler Higgins - who were quite good last year. 2.5 for a 2nd line player, even a not terribly productive one, is good value. However, Higgins could just as easily end up playing alongside Max Lapierre on the 4th line, in which case this is too much money.

I was thinking a modest raise somewhere in the 2.2 range, but this is a roughly fair but not a great deal for Van.

[CaptainCrunch]

Meh deal, Higgins got the same as Glencross without a NMC, he's not even close to being a CG but he fills a role.

The term does seem long though

[SuperMatt18]

Canucks in some cap trouble...now have $62.5 million committed to 15 players for next year...cap is only going to be $64 million.

David Booth and Keith Ballard...welcome to buyout city.

Teams that waited on Luongo will also be in a good spot since the Canucks will pretty much be forced to move him in the offseason.

[CaptainCrunch]

With the cap going down and with Loungo's ridiculous contract length the Canucks might have to be satisfied with giving him away just to get him off of their roster.

The Canucks are looking at a rapidly closing window, a poor prospect base and a dwindling salary cap.

Might the Sedin's be the next players traded for a shot at the cup next year?

[Bertuzzied]

Gillis has gone full ######.

[FAN]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

Gotta give D Sutter credit. When he tried to resign Higgins he told him he thought he would be a good 3rd line player. Higgins did not like it, and went to Florida to try and be a top 6 player. Looks like Sutter was right.

I believe Higgins plays on the 2nd line most of the time. Injuries are a concern, but he scored 18 goals last year and he's on the same pace this year. I really liked Higgins when he was here and it looks like he's found half of his scoring touch. A good player that can move up and down the lineup with ease.

Originally Posted by AR_Six

It's a weird signing because it's neither a discounted value nor a particularly high price, but depending how the lineup shakes out, not even taking into account production, he could be anywhere from a mild steal to a mild overpay.

I don't think it's a weird signing at all. Higgins seem to fit in quite well with Canucks. Puts up around 18 goals a season, plays on the 2nd line, cycles the puck well, can kill penalties, and is defensively responsible. His takeaway to giveaway ratio is outstanding! The length is a bit long, but the cap hit is very reasonable. For comparison's sake Stempniak's cap hit is $2.5M.

[d_phaneuf]

good signing, not a great discount but Higgins is so versatile, great 3rd liner, has stretches where he can step up on the 2nd line, he's worth it.

people are overreacting to the Salary issues going forward

they have 15 players signed for 62.9m next year

Luongo/Booth/Ballard make up 14m of that

absolute worst case scenario they can buyout B and B, put Luongo on Waivers

suddenly they have 12 players signed to 48m, add in 3-4 ELCs and suddenly they have 12m to sign 6 or so players

not in danger at all

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

good signing, not a great discount but Higgins is so versatile, great 3rd liner, has stretches where he can step up on the 2nd line, he's worth it.

people are overreacting to the Salary issues going forward

they have 15 players signed for 62.9m next year

Luongo/Booth/Ballard make up 14m of that

absolute worst case scenario they can buyout B and B, put Luongo on Waivers

suddenly they have 12 players signed to 48m, add in 3-4 ELCs and suddenly they have 12m to sign 6 or so players

not in danger at all

With the cap going down would anyone pick Loungo up on Waivers? I have my doubts and you can't hide his salary in the A anymore.

The smart buyout would probably be Loungo and one of the others.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

With the cap going down would anyone pick Loungo up on Waivers? I have my doubts and you can't hide his salary in the A anymore.

The smart buyout would probably be Loungo and one of the others.

yes, it's 100% someone would pick him up on waivers

Many of the TSN/Sportsnet guys have said as much, the Canucks could have also gotten him for draft picks only at this point but have turned it down

I don't think it comes to that because so many teams will be looking for goalies in the summer, and you have potential buyouts for someone like Fluery/Bryz etc.

cap going down is a 1 year thing too, it will go back up the year after

many more UFAs coming up in 2014 than next summer, so not a huge issue

[AR_Six]

Originally Posted by FAN

I don't think it's a weird signing at all. Higgins seem to fit in quite well with Canucks. Puts up around 18 goals a season, plays on the 2nd line, cycles the puck well, can kill penalties, and is defensively responsible. His takeaway to giveaway ratio is outstanding! The length is a bit long, but the cap hit is very reasonable. For comparison's sake Stempniak's cap hit is $2.5M.

I didn't mean weird as in difficult to understand, more like difficult to analyze. If not for the Booth / Kesler injuries we'd have a better sense, but Higgins last year the "add on" part of the 2nd line there. Without those two, his place in the lineup is not as clear, and it's showed, he's bounced everywhere from first line RW to fourth line LW. If he plays top 6, it's a good deal.

As usual people talking about waiving or buying out Luongo are bloody idiots. They could trade him today if they wanted to, just put a sign outside the arena that says "perennial all star goale for sale, asking price 5th round draft pick" and it'd take 10 minutes before he was in another city.

cap going down is a 1 year thing too, it will go back up the year after

Why would the cap matter anyway? He's a #1 goaltender with a 5.3 cap hit. That's not high at all. Term is the problem with the contract, not the cap hit.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

good signing, not a great discount but Higgins is so versatile, great 3rd liner, has stretches where he can step up on the 2nd line, he's worth it.

people are overreacting to the Salary issues going forward

they have 15 players signed for 62.9m next year

Luongo/Booth/Ballard make up 14m of that

absolute worst case scenario they can buyout B and B, put Luongo on Waivers

suddenly they have 12 players signed to 48m, add in 3-4 ELCs and suddenly they have 12m to sign 6 or so players

not in danger at all

12 million to sign 6 players including a back up goalie, and likely 3 top 9 wingers is not great. Plus Tanev and Schroeder are likely in line for raises.

Not saying the Canucks will have to blow it up, but they won't be nearly as deep as years past.

[FAN]

Originally Posted by AR_Six

I didn't mean weird as in difficult to understand, more like difficult to analyze. If not for the Booth / Kesler injuries we'd have a better sense, but Higgins last year the "add on" part of the 2nd line there. Without those two, his place in the lineup is not as clear, and it's showed, he's bounced everywhere from first line RW to fourth line LW. If he plays top 6, it's a good deal.

I see. That makes sense. Anyhow, it's the way the new NHL is now. 16-20 goal scoring 2 way players who can move up and down the lineup are worth $2M-2.5M and are valuable because they are low risk in the sense that if they don't contribute in a top 6 role they will can contribute on the 3rd line. A lot of teams have 3rd lines that consist of players who have the skill to play in the top 6 but perhaps not the production.

[AR_Six]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

12 million to sign 6 players including a back up goalie, and likely 3 top 9 wingers is not great. Plus Tanev and Schroeder are likely in line for raises.

Not saying the Canucks will have to blow it up, but they won't be nearly as deep as years past.

Cap is 64.3M, not 60M, so actually 16M to sign 6 players plus a backup. Schroeder won't get much of a raise; his cap number is currently .921 and I doubt it'll go much above 1. Tanev will get 1.75 or so, given the market rate set by considerably higher-value RFA's Del Zotto and Subban earlier.

That said I am actually of the view that Booth is still on the team next year so it's more like $10M to sign a backup G and 7 players. 2 of those 7 are Schroeder and Tanev, and the backup is about 600k, so let's say 2.2M for that. Add Kassian's 800k. Now you have about 7 million left and you need 4 skaters. Not impossible, and not even necessarily that difficult, but yes, you are correct, the depth will suffer.

Raymond, for example, is probably gone, perhaps even tomorrow.

[d_phaneuf]

if they are still interested in Clowe, which everyone says they are, and Gilman was just on the radio and didn't deny

Raymond would likely be moved in another deal, because Clowe is rumored to come with an extension

[AR_Six]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

if they are still interested in Clowe, which everyone says they are, and Gilman was just on the radio and didn't deny

Raymond would likely be moved in another deal, because Clowe is rumored to come with an extension

Cannot afford him. Here is next year - the italicized players is what I expect they'll end up costing as RFA's.

F
Sedin 6.1
Sedin 6.1
Kesler 5.0
Burrows 4.5
Booth 4.25
Higgins 2.5
Hansen 1.35
Kassian 0.8
Schroeder 1.0
EMPTY
EMPTY
EMPTY
EMPTY

D
Edler 5.0
Bieksa 4.6
Garrison 4.6
Hamhuis 4.5
Tanev 1.7
EMPTY
EMPTY

G
Schneider 4.0
Backup 0.6

Total: $56.6M - 7.7 million in cap space for next year.

Missing: 1 D, 3F on the roster, and I suppose another D and F in the press box. I am guessing you could get Pinozotto and Weise back for about 600-700k per and Lapierre back for 1M. Barker and Alberts (or their equivalent 6-7 defensemen in free agency) for about 1.7M. That's problem solved for 4M to 4.5M, and leaves $3.2M to 3.7M in cap space.

[FAN]

Any cap problem the Canucks may have next season is easily solvable. The Canucks will move Luongo, and they just need to move or buy out Ballard and or Booth and they are in good shape.