Around the NHL (Part XIII): RIP Bob Suter

[ColdSteel2]

 

[Chris Hansen]

Subban is gone in '16. At that point there should be a handful (perhaps several handfuls) of teams that can/will offer him both a better chance to win and more money than Montreal. They sure botched this one.

 

[Blue Liner]

After seeing this it makes you realize how much Bowman truly sucks in how he's dealt with two superstars re-signing/extending two different contracts without any fuss or issue. What a hack.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Yeah, much prefer to give Toews and Kane what they want than to have Bowman play hardball like Montreal is doing.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

A good GM would've spent the entire Toews/Kane negotiation process reminding them of all the seasons where they didn't win Cups (5 out of 7 wrong? That's an F to me!) and countering with lower offers at each turn.

Could've gotten them for league minimum for a decade if you played hardball, Stan!

But yeah, don't get what the Habs are doing. He's their most important skater and seems to be the heart of the team. Why mess with that?

 

[Cullksinikers]

The whole point of the bridge deal was for him to earn a big deal. Either Bergy is retracting from that thought process/promise or they don't think he's earned it. Well, he's earned it.

 

[ColdSteel2]

The whole point of the bridge deal was for him to earn a big deal. Either Bergy is retracting from that thought process/promise or they don't think he's earned it. Well, he's earned it.

I think the main boards had it right. He's taken a position and believes in it to a fault. It's ****ed.

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

I think the main boards had it right. He's taken a position and believes in it to a fault. It's ****ed.

I think part of it is that he's staring at the downside of the bridge contract that many people saw back when he was forcing it on Subban...that by not signing him long term two years ago, the team would be staring at a large pay cheque right now...which is exactly what has happened. To an extent, handing Subban that huge contract (that imo he'll get one way or the other) is Bergevin admitting he was wrong.

 

[ColdSteel2]

I think part of it is that he's staring at the downside of the bridge contract that many people saw back when he was forcing it on Subban...that by not signing him long term two years ago, the team would be staring at a large pay cheque right now...which is exactly what has happened. To an extent, handing Subban that huge contract (that imo he'll get one way or the other) is Bergevin admitting he was wrong.

Agreed, this is not a time to have too much pride. This is a career defining moment for him. Even if he gave 12M for 8 years, NOBODY would want him fired for it or anything like that. It would eventually blow over. I wonder if this maybe comes from ownership?? It just doesn't make sense. They has to be something else or MB is not fit for that job at all.

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

Agreed, this is not a time to have too much pride. This is a career defining moment for him. Even if he gave 12M for 8 years, NOBODY would want him fired for it or anything like that. It would eventually blow over. I wonder if this maybe comes from ownership?? It just doesn't make sense. They has to be something else or MB is not fit for that job at all.

Honestly, I think he just has an ego...at least that's the impression I've gotten by him since he got hired (never really paid attention to him when he was with Chicago). He wants to be able to say he 'won' the negotiation.

I've read elsewhere on the boards that the Habs seen Price as their most important player and don't want to go higher than that with Subban...if so, that's ridiculous.

 

[ColdSteel2]

Honestly, when Price got drafted, I thought he was the dream goalie. I thought this was Roy 2.0 but even better in the regular season. I'm still waiting and pretty much have given up on it. I don't know why; he's big and can make all of the moves and then some. He just gives up more goals than he should.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Someone backed down

Subban signs 8 yr deal with Habs

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Someone backed down

Subban signs 8 yr deal with Habs

 

[Cullksinikers]

Honestly, when Price got drafted, I thought he was the dream goalie. I thought this was Roy 2.0 but even better in the regular season. I'm still waiting and pretty much have given up on it. I don't know why; he's big and can make all of the moves and then some. He just gives up more goals than he should.

There will never be another Patrick Roy, as Roy brought several different elements to the table. He was unique.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Bob McKenzie ‏@TSNBobMcKenzie 23s
Subban's eight year deal with MTL has an AAV of $9M. #TSN

 

[No Fun Shogun]

$9 million aav, apparently.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Montreal had to do it. Good on them.

 

[Cullksinikers]

That Duncan Keith contract looks good, and I think the PK Subban deal is fair. It's the nature of the new salary cap. But yeah, that Keith deal is a monster steal.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Montreal had to do it. Good on them.

Should have gave him 5 yr / 5-5.5M deal he wanted 2 years ago

The bridge contract demand of Marc B came back to haunt him a bit

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Yup. Could've gotten three more years of cheap and exceptional play. I don't think anyone expected him to blow up like he's done, but at the very least I still remember people thinking he was likely going to be worth more than that.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Yup. Could've gotten three more years of cheap and exceptional play. I don't think anyone expected him to blow up like he's done, but at the very least I still remember people thinking he was likely going to be worth more than that.

It wasn't that risky of a gamble and most other good young players were getting 5-6M range at time

Marc B was demanding the bridge deal and now it stings a bit for them

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

The bridge contract was always a dumb idea. I guess the only benefit is that with a 5 year term he would have been cashing in again in his 20s while with this it won't be until he's in his 30s.

The contract is decent, though...about what i would have expected. Some of that Habs fans thought that Kane/Toews were his comparable...but this was never the case.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Hot damn.

 

[x Tame Impala]

I think that's a great, and fair contract. People see the cap hit and freak out but fail to account for the difference between old and new CBA contracts.

Good on Montreal for pulling their heads out of their poutine eating ***** and good on Subban for getting paid.

 

[Cullksinikers]

You take the money now.

Instead of two years at bridge money, he is getting $18 million in AAV value (probably more in actual dollar value). This sets him up for a nice three or four-year deal toward the end with the cap who knows where going into the 2022-2023 season. He could have gotten $10+ million per if he waited, but waiting is risky when someone is ready to shell out $9 million (roughly) per year.