[Rumour] Kopitar contract extension nearly done. (8yrs, ~$9.75mil AAV)

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

These contracts are going to catch up to the league. We already see how teams are paralyzed to make a trades due to the salary cap implications and it's only going to get worse. The Richards contract was a prime example of what happens when a player on a long term deal like this declines and it's not likely most players will afford teams a way to get out of the deal that Richards did.

Look at the Zach Parise contract. Not only are the Wild not even getting a sniff of the Stanley Cup while the player is just passed his prime he has a cap hit of $7.5 million until 2024/25. That team is going to be screwed in about 5 years as the salary cap is no longer pointing up annually like it was a few years back. US buildings are half empty and the salary cap is not longer pointing up. IMO the league could be heading back to hard times. I personally don't believe handing out compliance buyouts every new CBA is the answer to the poor spending habits of NHL GM's.

The league will not suffer.

The teams that give a 33-39 year old d-man a 6.75 cap hit will suffer.


There will be a low salary team that avoids the bad long term deals that will make the playoff instead. Last year the Flames big contracts were Wideman 3 years at 5.25, Jones and Hudler 2 years at 4 and Hiller 2 years at 4.5


They made the playoffs and the teams with the big contracts did not. Was it a bad year for the league because the Flames, Sens, Predators and Jets (way below the cap with few bad long term deals) made the playoffs and the Flyers, Kings, Leafs and Bruins (all spending to the cap and much more likely to have bad long-term deals) did not?

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by blender

I know the player will always want long-term, but why not just offer him the 70m at the max allowable for whatever it takes, 4 or 5 years, and get out from under the anchor years of the long term deal?

Because LA could never fit that under the cap.

As it is, getting this deal under their cap is going to force some serious decisions on other players.

[East Coast Flame]

Originally Posted by Locke

A 70 point centre? At best. Is now worth $10M?

Think Toews is worth $10m? Pretty much identical career numbers.

You guys are nuts, this is a great deal. Kopitar is awesome.

[Huntingwhale]

Great player. But normally no matter who the player is, contracts like that ALWAYS suck.

[locsofblu]

Have fun trying to trade that one.

[Ozy_Flame]

Didn't realize 8 years was still allowed; I thought it was capped at 6?

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Didn't realize 8 years was still allowed; I thought it was capped at 6?

Straight from the OP:

Of note is the fact that Kopitar cannot get more than seven years from any other NHL team on the open market next summer as an Unrestricted Free Agent. Per the CBA agreed upon in January 2013, NHL teams can offer their own impending UFAs eight-year extensions, while the other 29 clubs can offer a maximum term of seven years.

[Ozy_Flame]

well then, ok.

[Benched]

I love Kopistar. On a more explosive team he'd be getting way more pts. Alas he's in LA under a Sutter.

Still don't think he's 'better than Toews'.

But then Toews is pretty well #1 in the league for me....and I hate the Hawks...

[OldDutch]

1. Think he is a great player, and this is what top guys get.
2. I wonder if it is better to have a handful of really good guys, or one super elite.
3. Good luck with that re-up on McDavid there Oilers. If you think this is crazy wait a few years. $12M+ for 8 years and a reduced cap ceiling. Rebuild #4 is on the way.

[Vinny01]

This will be a problem for the next CBA but they need to do something in the league to increase trades. I can't think of a trade since the start of the regular season outside of Poulin (AHL) for futures. It sucks that there are basically 3 days to trade (deadline, draft, July 1).
I wonder if a luxury tax situation similar to the NBA would work? It would allow teams to go over the cap but pay a penalty to do so.

So many players are getting locked up in their later years to terrible money while young players are getting top dollar as well.

Let's say the Flamea sign Monahan to a 8 year $6M per deal. He comes out of that deal as a 29 year old. Do the Flames then give him 8 years again at 9M or let him walk?

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

These contracts are going to catch up to the dumb teams that hand them out. We already see how teams are paralyzed to make a trades due to the salary cap implications and it's only going to get worse. The Richards contract was a prime example of what happens when a player on a long term deal like this declines and it's not likely most players will afford teams a way to get out of the deal that Richards did.

Look at the Zach Parise contract. Not only are the Wild not even getting a sniff of the Stanley Cup while the player is just passed his prime he has a cap hit of $7.5 million until 2024/25. That team is going to be screwed in about 5 years as the salary cap is no longer pointing up annually like it was a few years back. US buildings are half empty and the salary cap is not longer pointing up. IMO the league could be heading back to hard times. I personally don't believe handing out compliance buyouts every new CBA is the answer to the poor spending habits of NHL GM's.

FYP.

Who cares if other teams want to ruin their flexibility when it comes to managing their salary cap and making trades? I only care about the Flames salary cap situation. Honestly, it's ideal if the other team's can't manage their finances and the Flames can. It puts us at an advantage, assuming the Flames can actually do that. They haven't been great at that historically but if they turn it around it could be a big benefit for the team going forward, being one of the few financially responsible teams in a league filled with drunken sailors. Prime opportunity to win trades and steal RFAs as far as I'm concerned.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

This will be a problem for the next CBA but they need to do something in the league to increase trades. I can't think of a trade since the start of the regular season outside of Poulin (AHL) for futures. It sucks that there are basically 3 days to trade (deadline, draft, July 1).
I wonder if a luxury tax situation similar to the NBA would work? It would allow teams to go over the cap but pay a penalty to do so.

So many players are getting locked up in their later years to terrible money while young players are getting top dollar as well.

Let's say the Flamea sign Monahan to a 8 year $6M per deal. He comes out of that deal as a 29 year old. Do the Flames then give him 8 years again at 9M or let him walk?

Teams should be allowed to trade cap space (for one season).

ie) Nashville trades $10m in cap space to Rangers for a 1st round pick (or whatever they agree to). Now the Rangers have a $80m cap and Nashville has a $60m cap for that season.

[Fan in Exile]

Way too much. He's a good player but not a franchise player guy. I think any team, whether the Kings or anyone else would regret that contract. So I hope Lombardi does it.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

Teams should be allowed to trade cap space (for one season).

ie) Nashville trades $10m in cap space to Rangers for a 1st round pick (or whatever they agree to). Now the Rangers have a $80m cap and Nashville has a $60m cap for that season.

Something needs to be done. I love player movement and trades and they just don't happen anymore with all the teams bumped against the cap. Eating money should have helped but it doesn't really happen all that much either and has not added to the amount of trades. Eating money is basically trading cap space.

[burn_this_city]

That's a terrrrrrrible deal.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by Fan in Exile

Way too much. He's a good player but not a franchise player guy.

Really? The guy has lead his team in playoff points in the two seasons his team won the Cup. He's lead the team in regular seasons for nearly a decade. He has more points than all but 14 players in the NHL over the last 5 years, and he's been nominated for the Selke 2 times.

If he's not a franchise player, I'd love to hear your definition.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Something needs to be done. I love player movement and trades and they just don't happen anymore with all the teams bumped against the cap. Eating money should have helped but it doesn't really happen all that much either and has not added to the amount of trades. Eating money is basically trading cap space.

If you're willing to give up a huge asset, they can be "dumped" like Nathan Horton, that crappy center that Toronto signed who's name I forgot, Chris Pronger's contract, etc... the number and term are right on, but I'm curious if there is a NMC/NTC or if he'll get a limited NMC/NTC so his contract can be shipped out if he falls off a cliff.

[Hackey]

Kopitar is an amazing player and this is probably what he deserves based on other contracts around the league but I think its a tad high.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Something needs to be done. I love player movement and trades and they just don't happen anymore with all the teams bumped against the cap. Eating money should have helped but it doesn't really happen all that much either and has not added to the amount of trades. Eating money is basically trading cap space.

Except it only allows the team trading away the player to retain salary. Something needs to be put in so that it can be a two-way street.