Confirmed with Link: Arbitration Avoided, Bratt Signs for 1 year, $5.45 million

[britdevil]

I completely disagree

and I hate that we're even discussing this tbh because I love Nico

An 18 year old rookie, 50 point centre is less impressive than a five year NHL veteran winger at a nearly PPG season????

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I completely disagree

and I hate that we're even discussing this tbh because I love Nico

That's fine, I like Nico too, but I'm saying there's an argument for it granted he was latched to the hip of the MVP of that year. But Hall hasn't looked as good ever again without Nico as his center, so maybe there was more credit to be given there.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

An 18 year old rookie, 50 point centre is less impressive than a five year NHL veteran winger at a nearly PPG season????

What Nico did before his contract was less impressive than what Bratt did last season before these contract talks.

 

[Devils Dreamer]

Bratt betting on himself. Lets see how it plays out

 

[Its Always Sundstrom]

Name me a player with a career like Bratt’s? His situation is very unique. He’s had underlying numbers that indicated for a while that an explosion was coming and it came. But the traditional counting stats aren’t like that of a player that gets a big time extension. If he does it again, Fitz will up the offer.

I’m not going to wet my pants because a player negotiates hard. You can do that, be my guest.

The question is what kind of wetness are we talking about here? I count about twelve so far

 

[britdevil]

What Nico did before his contract was less impressive than what Bratt did last season before these contract talks.

Again...

Comparing a five year NHL veteran to a guy who just completed his ELC before signing his deal is disingenuous. You know it, I know it.

Never mind the extraneous factors like age, pedigree, position, CAPTAINCY.

 

[My3Sons]

There is still a disconnect that I am not sure about. So Fitz has specifically stated on multiple occasions, and again today, that Bratt is in the long term plans and they want him to be a NJ Devil long term. The agent and Bratt have said nothing beyond maybe Bratt the younger saying that his older brother is happy in NJ? So, either NJ doesn't really want Bratt long term unless they get him at a discount (in which case I'm thinking Fitz should not have said anything at all) or the team won't meet Bratt's asking price, or Bratt simply refuses to sign a longer term deal. If it's either of the first two then they can work something out. If it's the last one they likely can't. If Bratt's agent believes that Bratt's only path to tip top dollar is to hit the open market then if Bratt believes him there is nothing more to negotiate. I've run into that. No matter what you offer the other side will say no since they are convinced there is always more - always. At some point you have to walk away if that's the case. Even if his ask is outlandish, however, the fact he wants NJ to meet it means there is still discussion to be had. Typically that's where you can sit down and bring all your comps and numbers and figure out a decent number Bratt can live with so long as the team understands it won't be a discount. If the team insists on a discount then they have to realize they won't get him long term. Hopefully the agent isn't going to just force Bratt to UFA and hopefully the team actually values Bratt appropriately and will pay him a top AAV.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Again...

Comparing a five year NHL veteran to a guy who just completed his ELC before signing his deal is disingenuous. You know it, I know it.

Never mind the extraneous factors like age, pedigree, position, CAPTAINCY.

It isn’t a good point of comparison. But it’s just plainly true to me that Bratt reached higher highs before the contract talks than Nico did. Than Nico ever has, actually. And Bratt was a 5 year veteran at age 23, you can project that he has more to give.

 

[FooteBahl]

The question is what kind of wetness are we talking about here? I count about twelve so far

Eeeeeh….he said wet, pants and hard in the same sentence

 

[britdevil]

It isn’t a good point of comparison. But it’s just plainly true to me that Bratt reached higher highs before the contract talks than Nico did. Than Nico ever has, actually. And Bratt was a 5 year veteran at age 23, you can project that he has more to give.

Exactly, it's a pointless shitty comparison.

In fact, what even was the point? I can't be bothered to look back lmao.

EDIT: Looked back as I am a loser. If Bratt's agent is finger pointing at Hischier and Hughes' deals, then he is a complete f***ing moron. Worse, if Bratt thinks he should have been paid the same, straight off his so-so ELC performance, then the guy is as dumb as a box of rocks.

There's actually a good chance that this is the case.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

I'm confused on this. Why wouldn't Fitz just wait it out?

 

[bossram]

So well offer the 9 he will want a year from
Now?

His number wont just stay stagnant, you know

Which is why Fitz should've given him the 8x8ish deal this offseason.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I said it earlier in the offseason, but if your take is "BRATT NEEDS TO SHOW IT AGAIN!", youre cluess and havent been watching this guy. Its been clear for years that he was going to break out like he just did. He is an ELITE play driver and transition player. Among the best in the league at 5 on 5.

 

[My3Sons]

I said it earlier in the offseason, but if your take is "BRATT NEEDS TO SHOW IT AGAIN!", youre cluess and havent been watching this guy. Its been clear for years that he was going to break out like he just did. He is an ELITE play driver and transition player. Among the best in the league at 5 on 5.

that's the thing. How could the team not see that? If they did see that why not just offer him a Nico or Jack deal or close to it when they had the chance? Something doesn't add up to me.

 

[britdevil]

I said it earlier in the offseason, but if your take is "BRATT NEEDS TO SHOW IT AGAIN!", youre cluess and havent been watching this guy. Its been clear for years that he was going to break out like he just did. He is an ELITE play driver and transition player. Among the best in the league at 5 on 5.

If us morons can see it, you better believe the front office can and does. We've been told that offers were made. We were told on the last go around that Bratt was seen as a important player that they want for the long term.

Why is it so hard to admit the possibility that the player does not want to sign long term?

 

[Captain3rdLine]

This certainly isn’t the end of the world. Pushes it back a year. Another year for Bratt to really show what he is. The issue is that he’s probably looking to be paid like the ppg forward he was this past season and the Devils are hesitant to give a guy without a strong track-record as such before this season that kind of money.
Makes sense.

If he has another great season we’ll be much more comfortable with a big time AAV.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

If us morons can see it, you better believe the front office can and does. We've been told that offers were made. We were told on the last go around that Bratt was seen as a important player that they want for the long term.

Why is it so hard to admit the possibility that the player does not want to sign long term?

I have no idea what the player wants or doesnt want and I havent really claimed otherwise?

 

[britdevil]

I have no idea what the player wants or doesnt want and I havent really claimed otherwise?

Fair enough.

Lots of posters here are doing mental gymnastics to hand waive away history. Sorry if I thought you were mate.

 

[Guttersniped]

We had 22m in cap space when we offered whatever we offered Bratt on long-term. Whether that was 6-8mil, whatever it be, we offered it and he coulda signed.

And then lets just argue.. Bratt wanted more. Why on Earth would Fitzgerald go out and use up all his cap space while negotiating an 8-year, lucrative deal with Jesper?

The case is still seemingly very clear. Jesper wants short-term and its very, very likely he will want short-term again. Otherwise, why didnt Fitz just give in on a 4-5 year deal? That increases Jesper's trade value and keeps him here longer, albeit not as long as youd like.

Nothing about this situation seems like it was done to 'buy time'. You dont buy time with your most important RFA and risk losing them by doing so

Im not sure how one could have seen arbitration as a bad thing, but then this 1-year deal prior to it as sufficient. History shows 1-year deals after or right before arbitration usually spell the player being moved within a years time.

We essentially went to arbitration. The relationship has been strained, this wasnt some ultimate ploy to buy time for Jesper to increase his value.

Theres no need for the copium thats going on and trying to convince others of things that arent relevant or true. Cap space did not have any part in this as we had plenty when he said no to long-term and it isnt rising next year either, cant go up more than 2.5. And Fitzgerald willingly used up the cap space to sign Bratt with no fall-back plan if he did sign for long-term? Very doubtful and just simply illogical, to lock out your best player from being able to sign.

Jesper made his decision. He wants to get to UFA quicker. Seeing anything past this or 'maybe he wanted to prove it again this year for a bigger payday' like as if we didnt pay Hischier Jack and Siegenthaler based on less than a PPG, 70+GP season with advanced stats in the McDavid territory.

Thats just the cold hard facts of this and.. well, anyone trying to spin it as if its a non-chalant thing to happen (agreeing to a 1-year deal hours before arb) and that the next negotiations will be in any way a substantial difference.. theyre just trying to trick themselves into a good nights sleep is all.

This is the first big road block for Fitzgerald's Devils. Lets see how he handles it.

Well if Bratt wanted to be here long-term the deal would have been done already. I get that as a fan the in-thing right now is for people to believe that Fitzgerald, for some reason, low-balled Bratt with a disrespectful number like he has never done anyone else on the team...

But also youre right, Fitz wasnt supposed to sit on his thumb. But what else he wasnt gonna do? Prevent Bratt from signing long-term if he wanted to. The offseason has a 10% escalator on the cap, and we easily could have fit Bratt in at 8m a year. Even if a move was needed before the season starts, thats what Fitz would have done (or when Bernier hits LTIR at seasons start). Hell, theres enough money today without an escalator to fit Bratt at 8.5m.

We dont need press clippings or leaked audio to see whats going on here. Bratt did not want term unless at a ridiculous number, because our GM hasnt shorted anyone else yet so why would he our best scorer last year? I understand that as a fan you always side with the players.... but its really evident this is on Bratt's side and not Fitzgerald.

Theres nothing wrong with Bratt wanting to get to UFA quicker; thats his contractual right as a player. But it doesnt mean we as fans have to lie to ourselves about whats going on. This is a shitty situation that likely ends with Jesper parting ways.

Him signing a long-term extension equal to or more than 5years after this season is extremely low and almost unprecedented in arbitration cases (and ones ended right before).

The cap not being an issue is a cold hard fact. Fitzgerald not purposely blocking Jesper from a deal with other signings is a fact. Jesper having been an issue twice now in negotiations is a fact.

Most of the facts point against Bratt and I can understand why fans dont want to see it that way. But really, theres no need to begin theory-crafting other ways for it to be so.. If you cant infer whats going on here then you havent followed many arbitration cases before

Which is even more reason for Bratt to ask for even less term

Theres no getting through to the 'he is buying time for a 6-8 years deal at his dollars' crowd. They clearly havent a clue about how past cases have gone nor do they acknowledge this has been a Bratt issue since his first negotiation where he was a middling player.

Holy Crap.

There has been players who have filed for arbitration, signed a 1 or 2 year deal and then signed a longer term deal.

For instance, if was only a 3 year deal but it was Andrew Mangiapane’s second deal with Calgary after filing arbitration.

Players who signed longer deals with the same team after include:
One year deals:
Connor Hellebuyck (RFA)
William Karlsson (RFA)
Brock Nelson (UFA)

Two year deals:
Neal Pionk (RFA)
Chris Kreider (RFA)
Mattias Ekholm (RFA)
Jordan Binnington (UFA)
Ryan Pulock (UFA)

There aren’t a ton of higher paid players filing for arbitration so there isn’t one for sure scenario. Yes, their inability to get a long term deal is not a good thing, but it doesn’t mean for sure it can’t happen. It’s not like anyone here isn’t prepared for a trade now.

However, you chastise people for “theory crafting” about what did and could happen… while you “theory craft” about what did and could happen. You just call your own assumptions “cold hard facts” because I guess they feel very factual to you personally?

In fact no one knows what will happen, not even you. I don’t know a single poster who claims that a Bratt extension is remotely close to a sure thing. People are relieved they agreed to a deal instead of it getting to a hearing. It’s not like the one year deal was a surprise disappointment.

You seem to want people to be more hopeless? Is there insufficient gnashing of teeth and rending of garments? And people are foolish if they don’t agree with your exact interpretation of what happened? Am I understanding this right?

There’s actually nothing irrational about being hopeful. It’s no less productive than being upset. (Or declaring your feelings and theories are fact.)

The calls to trade Bratt immediately make the least sense to me. Teams can’t extend him until January and they aren’t shopping for rentals now. You never know, wacky shit happens, but I don’t see why the idea of assuming Fitz circling back to contract talks after January is outrageous. We’ll see how it goes. We have a couple of UFAs so Fitz already has some decisions to make before the TDL is over.

And I don’t agree with your, uh, factual reading of how Fitz likely saw the cap and Bratt’s market price. But I’m going to pass on that discussion. Actually we don’t have discuss anything, I’m just hanging with the I don’t weirdly pretend I know everything crowd. We’re cool with the “he is buying time for a 6-8 years deal at his dollars' crowd” (whatever that is).

 

[glenwo2]

Bratt betting on himself. Lets see how it plays out

Another "new" account? Hmmmmmm.....

And it's "Bratt betting on himself....AGAIN."

 

[My3Sons]

Another "new" account? Hmmmmmm.....

And it's "Bratt betting on himself....AGAIN."

Someday I’m going to do a burner account and it will be so much fun. I’d have to come up with a good theme and decide who to taunt with it. Knowing me I’d just end up mocking myself.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Someday I’m going to do a burner account and it will be so much fun. I’d have to come up with a good theme and decide who to taunt with it. Knowing me I’d just end up mocking myself.

You’d give yourself away with the Ben Lovejoy mentions

 

[My3Sons]

You’d give yourself away with the Ben Lovejoy mentions

I’d just make the account Lovejoy’s Revenge or something equally obvious and the jig would be up with the first post.

 

[Emperoreddy]

If he has a repeat season. Someone will be willing to pay him $8 million a year and I hope it's us

 

[None Shall Pass]

I like the "prove you can do it again" approach. Interested to see how it goes.