[Signing] Capitals extend C Backstrom on five-year, $46M deal

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

I just don't understand salaries in this day and age. 9.2 million for a guy turning 33?

20 other teams would have paid that come Jul1. and 10 to 10 teams likely would have beaten that offer.

[flamesforcup]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

I just don't understand salaries in this day and age. 9.2 million for a guy turning 33?

I feel like its more of a thank you contract for what he has done for the franchise.

[Flash Walken]

Uhm, you can afford to sign guys to contracts like this when they are amazing players and the team is still very much a contender.

Don't look now but backstrom is basically point per game top line centre on the best team in the league....

[Psytic]

This will help solidify Ovi's attempt to catch Gretzky in goals. Im excited to see if he can pull it off now that Backstrom is locked in.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by mikephoen

You would think some team would look at the New England Patriots model and try it in hockey. This is a bad contract now, and it is only going to get worse.

They know their window is now. Keep it open for as long as you can and then rebuild the time comes.

[smiggy77]

The guy is the model of consistency. I think he would have gotten more at FA.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Backstrom has been underpaid his whole career.

Even if it’s a bad contract it’s a great deal for him.

[Erick Estrada]

He has been a remarkably consistent player with six straight seasons between 70-80 points so while I'm not a fan of these kind of deals for 30 year old players I can see him remaining fairly productive to the end of it.

[Azure]

Am I the only one who thinks players should be able to preform decently well until age 36 or 37?

I don't get why people write guys off at age 33?

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Azure

Am I the only one who thinks players should be able to preform decently well until age 36 or 37?

I don't get why people write guys off at age 33?

They aren't writing him off, they are saying he probably won't perform at a level of his contract at 36. There are exceptions, but the aging curve of players is a proven thing.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

He has been a remarkably consistent player with six straight seasons between 70-80 points so while I'm not a fan of these kind of deals for 30 year old players I can see him remaining fairly productive to the end of it.

He's 33 when it kicks in. But while there are exceptions, I don't think you can take his production from 26-32 as any strong indicator of production a year or so into this contract.

He'll more likely be like Markus Naslund: PPG until 32 then hedropped to 60, the 55, then 46 points. So not useless, but not a top player. Or Corey Perry who fell similarly after 32.

I just feel like this isn't a contract like Gio's that captures most of the prime years and adds a couple weaker ones at the end. They might be paying him now right at the beginning of the slide.

I am pretty unsure he gets that same contract elsewhere.

[savardandjokinen]

I think with the excellent natural playmaking ability that he possesses, he should be able to produce for a long while still

[Bourque's Twin]

Originally Posted by Psytic

This will help solidify Ovi's attempt to catch Gretzky in goals. Im excited to see if he can pull it off now that Backstrom is locked in.

That puts it into perspective. If Ovi plays for 5 more years and averages 40 goals, he will be up against Gretzky's record.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by Bourque's Twin

That puts it into perspective. If Ovi plays for 5 more years and averages 40 goals, he will be up against Gretzky's record.

Crazy that he is only 4 goals from the top 10 all time.

[icecube]

Henrik Sedin retired at 37 and had 47 assists in his last season (but only 3 goals). I think Backstrom can produce similarly to Hank. So lets say he slides down to the 2nd line numbers of 50ish points. That might be worth it to the Caps to give them a couple more shots at the Cup and keep Ovy producing goals.

I'm of the opinion that he would be getting 9 mill for 5 year offers elsewhere no prob.

[Jacks]

Personally I think it's going to be an overpayment in a couple of years regardless if other teams would have offered the same. That being said there are a lot worse contract that have been handed out lately (Skinner, Hayes) and at least Backstrom has proven to be a winner and playoff preformer so I doubt it will end up a boat anchor contract at any point.

[Psytic]

Originally Posted by Bourque's Twin

That puts it into perspective. If Ovi plays for 5 more years and averages 40 goals, he will be up against Gretzky's record.

I mean if he can play as long as Jagr did with Backstrom setting him until hes in his 40s its possible. He is 34 now so if he plays until 44 like Jagr you never know. He has barely lost any games to injury either. So if he can keep a 20 goal pace with no lockouts not including whatever he finishes with this season he probably pulls it off.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by Psytic

I mean if he can play as long as Jagr did with Backstrom setting him until hes in his 40s its possible. He is 34 now so if he plays until 44 like Jagr you never know. He has barely lost any games to injury either. So if he can keep a 20 goal pace with no lockouts not including whatever he finishes with this season he probably pulls it off.

20 goal pace?

He has 28 goals in 47 games. a 49 Goal pace.

Here are his goals going back to 2013

51
53
50
33
49
51
49 * pace

And when 40% of his goals come on PP every year, he can literally sit in 1 spot for the rest of his career hammering 1 timers.

After this year he will need ~190 more goals. To do it by 40 he needs to average 37 goals a year.

If he plays till 44 its a sure thing.

[Winsor_Pilates]

He's exactly the kind of player who will age slow. Guys who are all size or speed, or 1 dimensional tend to fall off faster.

One of the most consistent and well rounded players in the league, he'll still be good at 33.

[Psytic]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

20 goal pace?

He has 28 goals in 47 games. a 49 Goal pace.

Here are his goals going back to 2013

51
53
50
33
49
51
49 * pace

And when 40% of his goals come on PP every year, he can literally sit in 1 spot for the rest of his career hammering 1 timers.

After this year he will need ~190 more goals. To do it by 40 he needs to average 37 goals a year.

If he plays till 44 its a sure thing.

Yes. I was highlighting that it is fairly easily attainable for him even at a modest production of 20 goals.