Death of the Bridge Contract and How it Affects Flames

[T@T]

Originally Posted by Itse

From the article:

Not sure how anyone can say Toronto pulled off a bridge deal with Kadri, he was terrible last year and got a raise to 4.1m

[dammage79]

I find that Bridge contracts for Monahan and Gaudreau would not be beneficial to the Flames long term. I am of the belief you lock them up for as long as you can right now and enjoy serious cap savings near the end of their respective deals.

Worry about the pay raises later when 1. their 8 years deals will run on or after the next CBA runs out/lockout.
2. Worry about their raises when the cap will be at its absolute highest.

[Vinny01]

I think going the Oiler route with Monahan, Gaudreau and likely Bennett is the right call. $6-$7M for the full 8 years

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

Watching Chicago it appears that they have the model figured out, as Ozy said, identify the core at a young age.. lock them up long term and rotate pieces around them till you find the right fit. As those supplementary players grow, you trade them out and replace them with players from your system or bargain UFA's who want to play for a winning team.

In this model guys like Bouwma are pretty valuable because they can play up and down the roster in all situations and they come at a reasonable price tag. They aren't your game breakers but they are just as essential to help keep the check book and the roster balanced. But you also need your top guys to be elite, you can't be over paying (like ROR for 7.5) because it is like building a house on a crappy foundation.

I think BT is on track to set the Flames up this way, Monahan and Gaudreau will deserve to get paid once they are set to hit RFA and I have no problem locking them up as long as possible.

This is a pretty interesting model. Pretty much explains how Chicago has been able to stay near the top every year despite having to let quality players go. Having to pay a player like Gio hurts this model somewhat if your going to pay Monahan, Johnny and Bennett unless you can fit them all in long term. At age 31 the Flames may have to look at Gio shorter term; Especially if they want to get something decent back in a trade, or high draft picks that keeps the cycle going.

[HOWITZER]

How does what Nenshi thinks about overspending on bridges affect the Flames?

Spoiler!

[RITFW]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I think going the Oiler route with Monahan, Gaudreau and likely Bennett is the right call. $6-$7M for the full 8 years

I've seen the Oilers ridiculed mercilessly on this site for their decision to sign Hall, Nuge, Eberle to 6x6M. Based on the responses to the G&M article can I assume that maybe they were ahead of the curve in avoiding the bridge contract?

But as one poster noted, the key is to identify the 'core' early and pay them. Monahan is an easy call and I think Bennett will be as well. Don't know why I'm hesitant on Gaudreau. But I think that way about Eberle too. And Hamilton should fire his agent because that deal is a steal for Calgary. It will be a bigger steal every season into it.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by RITFW

I've seen the Oilers ridiculed mercilessly on this site for their decision to sign Hall, Nuge, Eberle to 6x6M. Based on the responses to the G&M article can I assume that maybe they were ahead of the curve in avoiding the bridge contract?

But as one poster noted, the key is to identify the 'core' early and pay them. Monahan is an easy call and I think Bennett will be as well. Don't know why I'm hesitant on Gaudreau. But I think that way about Eberle too. And Hamilton should fire his agent because that deal is a steal for Calgary. It will be a bigger steal every season into it.

The ridicule was for the fact that no results were obtained before the contracts given.

[Hackey]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

The ridicule was for the fact that no results were obtained before the contracts given.

Hall had 50pts in 45 games the lockout season which was final year of his contract. Eberle had 76 pts in 78 games his 2nd season. Hopkins had 52pts in 62 games in his rookie year. I'd say those are results before the contracts were given. Hall and Eberle definitely earned their contracts. Nugent Hopkins is questionable but probably benefited from the other guys. All three are key pieces to their team so they wanted to be fair. Just like Toews and Kane. Perry and Getzlaf. I'm sure will see something similar with Gaudreau and Monahan and possibly Bennett if he performs close to their level.

[jessnuts]

Well damn, I thought I was just entering my prime and was waiting by the phone. Turns out I blew my glory years.

[saillias]

Originally Posted by RITFW

Don't know why I'm hesitant on Gaudreau.

Because you're an Oiler fan and still in denial?

Anyone still on the fence, "hesitant" about Gaudreau needs to wake up, honestly.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by RITFW

I've seen the Oilers ridiculed mercilessly on this site for their decision to sign Hall, Nuge, Eberle to 6x6M. Based on the responses to the G&M article can I assume that maybe they were ahead of the curve in avoiding the bridge contract?

But as one poster noted, the key is to identify the 'core' early and pay them. Monahan is an easy call and I think Bennett will be as well. Don't know why I'm hesitant on Gaudreau. But I think that way about Eberle too. And Hamilton should fire his agent because that deal is a steal for Calgary. It will be a bigger steal every season into it.

When it comes to collective bargaining and escalating salaries, being the one that causes the escalation doesn't make you 'ahead of the curve', it makes you the source of the problem.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by Imported_Aussie

The bridge contract is not dead per se, it just only applies when the team has enough leverage to force that hand. Columbus did it with Johansen, but couldn't with Saad as they had just acquired him for a hefty price and were up against an offer sheet possibility.

In the case of the Flames ELC crew, Monahan will have 3 full seasons of production and should get paid. Gaudreau will only have 2, but barring a major regression, it is hard to deny a Calder candidate a contract at a higher rate. Bennett will be interesting, as he will be a year later and will only have this season and next (plus his playoffs last year) under his belt.

Bridge contracts around 4M per would allow the Flames to pay more to Giordano on a short term deal (e.g. 2 years @ 9M, 3 years at 8.25M, etc.), then when he expires, change the salary structure. But with Giordano wanting term, it may make sense to forget a bridge and go for a longer deal now, as the cap hits in 2018/19 and 2019/20 may become problematic

What is better?

2 year contracts:
Giordano 9M
Monahan 4M
Gaudreau 4M
=17M
Then you have to take money from the next Giordano deal (or his replacement at that time) and give it to those two on longer deals at 7-7.5M

Longer (5-6 year) deals:
Giordano 7M
Monahan 6M
Gaudreau 5.5M
=18.5M
Pay more now, but insure against bigger raises for Monahan and Gaudreau while Giordano is still being paid

That is also contingent on Giordano being amenable to a short deal. If he wants term or nothing, then you might end up saving $$ in years 1-2, but then getting into real cap trouble in years 3 onwards.

Missing the point.... The GMs were complacent and looking for their next job by not offering Johansen a 6x6 and giving up a 1st/2nd/3rd.

Chances are Columbus would have matched as the odds of getting a player close to his quality with a 20th, 50th and 80th overall picks are extremely long.

The Flames gave up 15th overall and 26 games of Glencross to get Hamilton. no question who won that deal.

There was no possible way that the Bruins get to sign Hamilton to 4M x 3.... 6M for 3 does not help them in their current cap problem.




Buffalo gave up 3 almost 4 first round picks for RoR... they were offing much more than they would have to give up to get Johansen who IMO is much more likely to be a franchise player that they are looking for.

The 18 year old draft is a crap shoot.... Outside of the top 4-6 studs

The RFA offer sheet has become a way of playoff teams to get a top 6 draft pick at age 21-22.

The other impact will be that the playoff rentals will have to be done with prospects rather than top 3 round draft picks.

If I am a president of Hockey op or an owner my instructions to my GM is you better have our top 3 draft picks and 6M of cap space on July 1st.

as long as there is one playoff team that has their top 3 draft picks and 6M in cap space the Flames do not have a chance to sign Gaudreau or Monahan to a 3-4 M 3 year bridge contract.... Their agents would not even discuss this.

Next year the Flames have their top 3 draft picks (hopefully 15 or higher) and likely 6M in cap (Hudler not signed)... If the Avs want to mess with MacKinnon , Carolina Lindholm, or Florida Barkov the Flames will set the market for them.

Of course the Flames have to decide how much of the cap they can afford to Let Gio tie up.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by Hackey

Hall had 50pts in 45 games the lockout season which was final year of his contract. Eberle had 76 pts in 78 games his 2nd season. Hopkins had 52pts in 62 games in his rookie year. I'd say those are results before the contracts were given. Hall and Eberle definitely earned their contracts. Nugent Hopkins is questionable but probably benefited from the other guys. All three are key pieces to their team so they wanted to be fair. Just like Toews and Kane. Perry and Getzlaf. I'm sure will see something similar with Gaudreau and Monahan and possibly Bennett if he performs close to their level.

They were not good enough to get the Oilers even close to a playoff spot. They were able to put up good individual numbers in basically exhibition games as the Oilers have not played a pressure game before (or since) their 6x6 contracts were given. Would the Oilers be better with 3 more draft picks a year..... couldn't be much worse.

The Flames had Hudler, Brodie and Gio and Wideman as their core when Monahan and Gaudreau came and made them a playoff contender. Now they have put up their great individual numbers in games that mattered.

Maybe quality D-men are a better way to build than forwards.

[Jason14h]

Well Tarasenko just set the potential deal structure for Monahan.

[Fire]

Tarasenko > Monahan

[Hackey]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

They were not good enough to get the Oilers even close to a playoff spot. They were able to put up good individual numbers in basically exhibition games as the Oilers have not played a pressure game before (or since) their 6x6 contracts were given. Would the Oilers be better with 3 more draft picks a year..... couldn't be much worse.

The Flames had Hudler, Brodie and Gio and Wideman as their core when Monahan and Gaudreau came and made them a playoff contender. Now they have put up their great individual numbers in games that mattered.

Maybe quality D-men are a better way to build than forwards.

Usually players like to be paid for the most part based on their personal accomplishments. It kind of makes sense that way. Most jobs usually pay you according to what you as an individual do. So whether or not the signings were smart for the team as a whole is kind of irrelevant to did they earn what they got.

[Five-hole]

Originally Posted by Fire

Tarasenko > Monahan

Not sure I agree with you there. Monahan is three years younger, a center, and has outscored Tarasenko in each year of their ELCs (after Tarasenko played 5 seasons pro in the KHL).

At the very least, the jury is out.

I don't trade Monahan for Tarasenko straight up right now.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I think going the Oiler route with Monahan, Gaudreau and likely Bennett is the right call. $6-$7M for the full 8 years

It could backfire. Tyler Myers, Mike Richards, Jeff Skinner, are examples.

The upside is so good though that I would say its worth the risk.

Guys like Kessel, Subban, O'Reilly didn't didnt the long term deal directly after their entry level contract and are giant cap hits as a result.

I'm sure in Tampa and Columbus right now they are wishing they went longer term with Stamkos and Johansen.

[Hackey]

The bridge contract makes sense on guys who still need to prove themselves or that your not sure of. Your star players it likely hurts you because they improve and you end up spending more in the end. I suppose it could really hurt you if they regress a lot but hopefully your stars are the most consistent and continually lead your team. Back fired with Subban big time and likely will with Johansen.