I follow what you are pointing out but the numbers when combined with those already signed will not work. The team cap can not afford a 11% signing in three years and keep any resemblance of the defense McDonagh and Hedman are the only two signed thru that point.
Stamkos is no longer making 11%. Kucherov and Vasy won't be making 11% by 2022. Point will get something in that range because that's the low end for a star player. But, with the new TV deal, the cap could be up significantly be then. And if it's not, Point gets 9 - 9.5, which really isn't that much more than he's likely to sign on a bridge deal.
Currently after those two the highest defensemans salary is 1.75 mil. The defense portion of the cap will have to increase. At the current cap most teams are struggling to fit in three salaries above 8 mil we have three now and Hedman pushing that mark.
That's actually pretty low, considering the quality. Both Hedman and McDonagh outplayed their contracts last year.
Even so, as the cap rises, their percentage gets lower, opening up money. The year we really have to worry about losing players is next year. But it's also important to remember that every year, money comes off the books. And, every year, more NTCs loosen, and become moveable. Next year it's Killorn. Then it's Johnson and Palat. We won't always be in a position where we can't free up money.
Now U really think Point wants to play here long term or he would have signed an offer sheet. My point at the 8 mil would required him to make a concession for the team players are known to do that usually over shorter term but Point has to understand that if he wishes to stay here there is a number he can not exceed. a 64 mil contract sets him up for the rest of his life At age 23.
It also leaves tens of millions on the table. That's not an easy thing to do, regardless how much money they're talking. We can fit Point under the cap, short-term now, long-term later. It's impossible to know exactly where the cap will be, but if Point keeps playing like he did last year, he'll be a 26 year-old 1C, and Stamkos by then will be 32. Keeping Point will be Priority #1, unless some other magical prospect pops up between now and then.
After the contract he will have probably one more contract for three years taking him to 34 that contract would be say 9 mil giving him a lifetime earning from hockey of right at 77 million dollars. So and kids he has will never have to work either. This is the NHL not the NFL or MLB there is so many dollars to go around. And while he is a upper tier player he must understand where he fits into the organization $ wise if he wants to play here. Otherwise he could bridge and cash in in New Jersey or Arizona or Perhaps Vancouver where they will have the cap in three years without leaving holes elsewhere The Defense in Tampa is where the shortage will be.
Part of the beauty of a 3 year deal is he'll still be an RFA. But Stamkos's contract will be in it's last couple of years by then, and he's unlikely to be the #1C, and even more unlikely to get another raise when the current contract expires. Point's main value is he gives us a #1C beyond Stamkos's prime, which extends our window.
Reguardless the guy deserves to be paid now rather than later if the bridge deal was the only thing on the table it would be done. IMO if he is not signed by Friday I doubt he will be signed before Dec 1st. After which he will not be able to play this season. If his agent has this much influence on him I can see him setting out a year. If the season starts without him he has little incentive to sign quickly and if he waits until November to sign and accepts a bridge then what has he gained? As I said before sign him and waive players to get under the cap then make the decision who to move when the time comes to give the defensemen raises.
Friday seems like an arbitrary date. They'll keep hammering away at a deal. It probably gets done.
We don't have the money to sign him long-term. It's just not realistic to ask him to sign through his prime for 2-3m less, per year, than players he might well be better than.
But, if we bridge him now, we should have some money available in 2022. At the very least, it gives us three years to plan a way toward signing Point long-term.
