[News] The Athletic releases list of worst contracts (we’re #1!)

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Robbob

What about Timo Meier, I think can make a run at it. He also has 6 years left. Last year he put up 53 points to Huberdeau's 62. His cap hit is only 1.7M less than Huberdeau's.

I don’t think so unless Meiers production falls significantly more. Meier has the benefit of being 4 years younger as well. He’ll be 34 at the end of his contract, which is close to Huberdeaus current age.

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Did you read the article? It’s a list made from Doms statistical model. The process doesn’t change year to year (except tweaks to the model). It’s not just a website making a list.

I know the OP is poor but it’s really not that outrageous.

It’s definitely outrageous. And his criteria is flawed.

[Hockey-and_stuff]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

It’s definitely outrageous. And his criteria is flawed.

What don't you like about it? What criteria is flawed?

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[Rutuu]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

It would be interesting to rank the worst contracts somehow accounting for impact to the team.
Which isn't trying to excuse away the Huberdeau contract. It's awful. Both because of term and dollars. But I appreciate the article also acknowledges no one saw such a dramatic drop in production. But it also isn't really impacting the Flames and any of their near-term objectives.

Whereas if the Oilers had more cap available perhaps they could actually address their goaltending.

The day he signed it, I figured if at least kept his production up he'd be tradeable, as stars at their production levels remain moveable...now the best I can hope for is he's a piece of our rebuild adding scoring on the 3rd line in a few years.

Woof.

As for impact, well he's 50% of the reason, probably more that we didn't rebuild 3yrs ago. Where I sit, the guy cost us 3-4yrs of being a fan of a winner...and counting. Massive impact on me personally.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

I don’t think so unless Meiers production falls significantly more. Meier has the benefit of being 4 years younger as well. He’ll be 34 at the end of his contract, which is close to Huberdeaus current age.

If he is a 50 point player again, I would argue that would be a lot worse, especially at his age.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Not sure I understand
The team had no intent of rebuilding 3 years ago
How is he responsible for that
Maybe I’m missing your point

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

It would be interesting to rank the worst contracts somehow accounting for impact to the team.
Which isn't trying to excuse away the Huberdeau contract. It's awful. Both because of term and dollars. But I appreciate the article also acknowledges no one saw such a dramatic drop in production. But it also isn't really impacting the Flames and any of their near-term objectives.

Whereas if the Oilers had more cap available perhaps they could actually address their goaltending.

That would actually be more interesting.

Yes, Huberdeau's contract, ceteris paribus is horriawful and he's never going to live up to it.

Cool. Bad contract. No argument. He's not producing, he's overly French and he likes pineapple on his pizza so...yeah, deserving winner of the prize.

But that negates a lot of the positives too! He has nearly single-handedly kept the Flames above the Cap Floor and he hasn't actively hindered the success of the team.

Its not as though the Flames aren't winning it all every year simply because Huberdeau isn't putting up the points or anything, he's just not playing as well as he's paid to, but hey, he only works a 4-day week!

[Mightyfire89]

Hahahaha Bennett on the list and Nurse not?!? Ok. Bennett brings it in spades when it matters. It has to be on the right team, but that’s exactly the situation with the Panthers. I’m paying Sam Bennett that money all day long for his playoff performance.
That Nurse Contract was awful from the second it was signed. OOOOOf.

[SilverKast]

Originally Posted by Hockey-and_stuff

It's a lot of money for the regular season production that Bennett provides. The Panthers also had one of the best value deals in the league as well in Reinhart.

The author of this article was on the Athletic podcast today and essentially said that if you take Reinhart and Bennett together it's a value overall for Florida so they aren't hurting themselves with the contract.

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But then same logic says you could add Huberdeau and Wolf together and its value overall, and we suck anyways and have tons of cap room so aren’t hurting ourselves with the contract.

I still don’t like it though lol.

[FlamesAddiction]

There might not be a cap crunch with the Flames now, but Huberdeau still has 6 years left on that deal. A lot of the prospects we have now will be coming off their entry level deal before then. Wolf and Parekh will both likely be making superstar money by then. If even a few guys like Reschny, Potter, Brz, Morin, Gridin, Basha, Battaglia, Honzek, and Suniev turn out to be how many expect or hope, that Huberdeau cap hit could become a major issue. Sure the cap will go up, but so will salaries and in 5 years, I think a $10 million cap hit will still be pretty significant.

[CalgaryFan1988]

That list has Oiler fan written all over it.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Locke

Cool. Bad contract. No argument. He's not producing, he's overly French and he likes pineapple on his pizza so...

Hey!

I like pineapple on pizza.

On other people's pizza.

Because I am a rotten bastard, and enjoy seeing them suffer.

Just wanted to let you know. Even the indefensible is sometimes useful.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Not sure I understand
The team had no intent of rebuilding 3 years ago
How is he responsible for that
Maybe I’m missing your point

I think Huberdeau is a symptom of a very poor decision by management / ownership and he’s sort of become the flagship persona of disappointment. He gave the fans hope after losing 2 of the best forwards we have seen in a decade, clearly that didn’t work.

Had management decided to go the rebuild route (which to some extent they were forced into anyways) he could have been traded the year he was acquired for a boatload. Instead the flames have the singular worst contract in the NHL, and yes it isn’t hindering the team currently, there’s also no pride in being as big of a disappointment as Huberdeau has been.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Leeman4Gilmour

My hot take is that Huberdeau's production will bounce back for 2 or 3 years, then come back down a bit. He's reinvented his game a bunch in a good way. I don't think he'll be back up to 100+, but he'll put get in the 75 to 85 range for a bit.

At 32 years old he is more likely to decline.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Hey!

I like pineapple on pizza.

On other people's pizza.

Because I am a rotten bastard, and enjoy seeing them suffer.

Just wanted to let you know. Even the indefensible is sometimes useful.

Some men just want to watch the world burn.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

I think Huberdeau is a symptom of a very poor decision by management / ownership and he’s sort of become the flagship persona of disappointment. He gave the fans hope after losing 2 of the best forwards we have seen in a decade, clearly that didn’t work.

The poor decision wasn't acquiring him. The poor decision was giving him the Brinks truck that they'd just filled up for Gaudreau. That $84 million was burning a hole in their pocket, and it seemed like they spent it all in one place out of spite.

Even if Huberdeau had played out his old contract with the Flames and then re-signed, he'd probably be making more like $7 million… which is actually reasonable for what he's bringing to the team lately, and wouldn't be crippling even towards the end of the term.

[CsInMyBlood]

Canucks Elias Pettersson had 15 goals, 45 points for 11.6 M

Flames Jonathan Huberdeau had 28 goals and 62 points for 10.5 M

Huberdeau is the worst contract in the NHL and nobody says boo about Petey buddy?

Ok then.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

The poor decision wasn't acquiring him. The poor decision was giving him the Brinks truck that they'd just filled up for Gaudreau. That $84 million was burning a hole in their pocket, and it seemed like they spent it all in one place out of spite.

Even if Huberdeau had played out his old contract with the Flames and then re-signed, he'd probably be making more like $7 million… which is actually reasonable for what he's bringing to the team lately, and wouldn't be crippling even towards the end of the term.

To some extent acquiring him had to be a poor decision. I’m assuming the team and management was spiralling and in a panic when the trade was made. It’s been talked about how his style of play in FLA doesn’t mesh with the flames style of hockey, and I would expect the flames scouts should have been able to see this.

It’s just my opinion but I believe that trade was about saving face for the flames just as much as it was about staying competitive. I think you’re bang on correct about that money burning a hole in their pockets though, kinda tying into them “saving face”.

[Saqe]

Bennett has been an essential part in two cup runs. I guess the model doesn't capture that at all and is probably based solely on the regular season.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

To some extent acquiring him had to be a poor decision. I’m assuming the team and management was spiralling and in a panic when the trade was made. It’s been talked about how his style of play in FLA doesn’t mesh with the flames style of hockey, and I would expect the flames scouts should have been able to see this.

I don't think the Flames' management expected him to be a 115-point player here. They also got Weegar, Schwindt, and a 1st in the deal, which tells me they knew perfectly well Huberdeau was much less valuable than Tkachuk. I think the panic set in when they decided to give Huberdeau the exact same contract Gaudreau turned down.

I agree with you about saving face. But it was also about trying to keep that iteration of the Flames going. Nobody goes straight into a rebuild immediately after winning their division. And certainly nobody expected Huberdeau's production to drop by 60 points from one year to the next, since it had never happened before in NHL history.