The NHL season is rapidly approaching. Fans are printing their team's schedule, others are already scouting for fantasy hockey, and even players are getting ready for the preseason which is just weeks away.
But in Columbus, Ohio, fans are a bit more nervous than most are during this festive time of year.
And that's because the team leader in goals and points from the previous season is still unsigned.
Ryan Johansen reportedly is still in a contract dispute with the Blue Jackets and they haven't been talking the past few weeks, having a distance of about $3 million per year to cover. The team doesn't want to hand over that kind of money so quickly to their young player but he wants the payday he thinks he deserves. It hasn't been pretty between the two camps and with training camp right around the corner, there isn't much time.
If you think this sounds familiar, you're right.
Young players often do this. After one or two breakout seasons, they go for gold for their first contract after their entry level deals. Their team, however, wants to see more. So they offer a short term/low dollar deal as a "bridge contract". The idea is that the player will stick around and if he keeps up his good play, he'll earn his big pay day once the bridge contract is up.
Bridge deals are just a clever way for teams to keep young guys for a longer period of time. Nowadays you see it happen everywhere.
No instance is as famous as the PK Subban contract from this past summer. PK was asking for 5 years for $5 million per year just two years ago. Instead, the Canadiens wanted to see how things would go with the young defenceman and ultimately signed him for 2 years worth $2.87 million per year. Now he's their best defenceman and has a Norris Trophy in his possession and lo and behold PK's new contract is 8 years and a whopping $9 million per year!
Certainly, the Canadiens look terrible for passing up his original 5 years/$5 mil deal but hindsight is always 20/20 and it's not always this clear.
The Buffalo Sabres took a risk when they signed the former Calder winner for rookie of the year, Tyler Myers, to a 7 year $5.5 million per deal. It was his first deal after his entry level contract and he performed well enough in his rookie season to earn that kind of money.
Or so we thought.
Myers is now looked on as a mistake by the Sabres, giving so much money to the young defenceman. Myers hasn't even looked marginally as good as he once looked in his 48 point rookie season back in 2010. This is a contract Buffalo would love to be able to take back.
Some players earn their first contract after their entry level deal. Nobody ever questioned the first contracts of players like Jonathan Toews (5 years, $6.3 mil), Steven Stamkos (5x7.5), John Tavares (6x5.5), and even James van Riemsdyk who's done nicely since signing his 6 years, $4.25 mil deal.
But sometimes it's just too big of a risk to take. Right now the Edmonton Oilers have three young players signed to long deals (Jordan Eberle at 6x6, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at 7x6, and Taylor Hall at 7x6) and there's literally no way of knowing how their deals are going to turn out. If they work out, good for them. But if they go sour, the Oilers will be scoffed at for rushing to sign these players for so long.
And bridge deals are all the rage nowadays. Players like Nazem Kadri (2 years, $2.9 mil) and Derek Stepan (2 years, $3.075 mil) are entering the second year of their respective bridge deals and they've performed pretty well. Sean Couturier (2 years, $1.75 mil) and Andrew Shaw (2 years, $2 mil) are about to start their bridge contracts.
Safe spending for everyone!
Any contract you give a player is a risk. You're paying for his previous achievements and for what he might accomplish. With younger players it's significantly more difficult to ascertain which way their careers will go.
Sure, Montreal's front office came up looking foolish after almost getting PK Subban for such a cheap deal. But what's wrong with taking the safe route? The Canadiens didn't want to pay too much for such young talent and in the end they got 2 seasons of one of the best defencemen in the league for just $2.87 million a year. That's remarkable.
And nobody's arguing that PK didn't earn the monster contract that came next. And once again, there's nothing wrong with that.
We're so quick to criticise teams who overpay prematurely so it's bizarre how bridge contracts can be looked down upon. Matt Duchene had a bridge contract of 2 years, $3.5 mil and earned his current 5 year/$6 mil deal. The Avalanche got two years of Matt Duchene for cheap before he earned the contract he deserved. In the meantime, the Oilers are just hoping 3 extremely talented forwards continue to excel. And that's no guarantee.
Back to Ryan Johansen
Ryan Johansen led the way as the Blue Jackets are legitimately relevant for the first time ever in Ohio. There's buzz about this team and he means a lot to this organization. But if you look at his short career so far, you'll see it's taken some time for Johansen to develop. He was a highly touted prospect but he spent his first two seasons trying to find his game. Finally, in his third season, he showed us just what he's capable of.
And now Columbus has a choice. After so many seasons of disappointment and being the punchline of the NHL, they have a respectable team with budding stars. They've had embarrassing disputes with players in the past and with the way they let Columbus hero Rick Nash leave not so long ago, still in their minds, there's pressure to get this done the right way.
And considering Ryan Johansen took so long to produce at this level, I think it's safe to say that a Bridge Contract is the way to go.
But in Columbus, Ohio, fans are a bit more nervous than most are during this festive time of year.
And that's because the team leader in goals and points from the previous season is still unsigned.
Ryan Johansen reportedly is still in a contract dispute with the Blue Jackets and they haven't been talking the past few weeks, having a distance of about $3 million per year to cover. The team doesn't want to hand over that kind of money so quickly to their young player but he wants the payday he thinks he deserves. It hasn't been pretty between the two camps and with training camp right around the corner, there isn't much time.
If you think this sounds familiar, you're right.
Young players often do this. After one or two breakout seasons, they go for gold for their first contract after their entry level deals. Their team, however, wants to see more. So they offer a short term/low dollar deal as a "bridge contract". The idea is that the player will stick around and if he keeps up his good play, he'll earn his big pay day once the bridge contract is up.
Bridge deals are just a clever way for teams to keep young guys for a longer period of time. Nowadays you see it happen everywhere.
No instance is as famous as the PK Subban contract from this past summer. PK was asking for 5 years for $5 million per year just two years ago. Instead, the Canadiens wanted to see how things would go with the young defenceman and ultimately signed him for 2 years worth $2.87 million per year. Now he's their best defenceman and has a Norris Trophy in his possession and lo and behold PK's new contract is 8 years and a whopping $9 million per year!
Certainly, the Canadiens look terrible for passing up his original 5 years/$5 mil deal but hindsight is always 20/20 and it's not always this clear.
The Buffalo Sabres took a risk when they signed the former Calder winner for rookie of the year, Tyler Myers, to a 7 year $5.5 million per deal. It was his first deal after his entry level contract and he performed well enough in his rookie season to earn that kind of money.
Or so we thought.
Myers is now looked on as a mistake by the Sabres, giving so much money to the young defenceman. Myers hasn't even looked marginally as good as he once looked in his 48 point rookie season back in 2010. This is a contract Buffalo would love to be able to take back.
 |
| Tyler Myers is #57 in blue, by the way |
But sometimes it's just too big of a risk to take. Right now the Edmonton Oilers have three young players signed to long deals (Jordan Eberle at 6x6, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at 7x6, and Taylor Hall at 7x6) and there's literally no way of knowing how their deals are going to turn out. If they work out, good for them. But if they go sour, the Oilers will be scoffed at for rushing to sign these players for so long.
And bridge deals are all the rage nowadays. Players like Nazem Kadri (2 years, $2.9 mil) and Derek Stepan (2 years, $3.075 mil) are entering the second year of their respective bridge deals and they've performed pretty well. Sean Couturier (2 years, $1.75 mil) and Andrew Shaw (2 years, $2 mil) are about to start their bridge contracts.
Safe spending for everyone!
Any contract you give a player is a risk. You're paying for his previous achievements and for what he might accomplish. With younger players it's significantly more difficult to ascertain which way their careers will go.
Sure, Montreal's front office came up looking foolish after almost getting PK Subban for such a cheap deal. But what's wrong with taking the safe route? The Canadiens didn't want to pay too much for such young talent and in the end they got 2 seasons of one of the best defencemen in the league for just $2.87 million a year. That's remarkable.
And nobody's arguing that PK didn't earn the monster contract that came next. And once again, there's nothing wrong with that.
We're so quick to criticise teams who overpay prematurely so it's bizarre how bridge contracts can be looked down upon. Matt Duchene had a bridge contract of 2 years, $3.5 mil and earned his current 5 year/$6 mil deal. The Avalanche got two years of Matt Duchene for cheap before he earned the contract he deserved. In the meantime, the Oilers are just hoping 3 extremely talented forwards continue to excel. And that's no guarantee.
Back to Ryan Johansen
Ryan Johansen led the way as the Blue Jackets are legitimately relevant for the first time ever in Ohio. There's buzz about this team and he means a lot to this organization. But if you look at his short career so far, you'll see it's taken some time for Johansen to develop. He was a highly touted prospect but he spent his first two seasons trying to find his game. Finally, in his third season, he showed us just what he's capable of.
And now Columbus has a choice. After so many seasons of disappointment and being the punchline of the NHL, they have a respectable team with budding stars. They've had embarrassing disputes with players in the past and with the way they let Columbus hero Rick Nash leave not so long ago, still in their minds, there's pressure to get this done the right way.
And considering Ryan Johansen took so long to produce at this level, I think it's safe to say that a Bridge Contract is the way to go.
No comments:
Post a Comment