Confirmed with Link: Canucks sign RW Loui Eriksson to 6-year, $36m deal ($6m AAV w/ NMC)

[Johnny Canucker]

Crossing my fingers there isn't a NMC attached to the deal. That's a big factor... as Eriksson could be a valuable trading chip in a year or two once the Sedins retire if he has a few big years with the twins.

Not a factor at all. If he declines to the point where we want to move him, nobody is going to take Jin with that contract. So the NMC means nothing

 

[Shareefruck]

I love the way Eriksson plays and he's the best and best fit winger the Sedins have ever had. In isolation, it's a better deal than most of the others thrown around, but it's still a bad deal overall in the context of hurting/helping this team's long term success.

Also, people saying "Well, given that Benning was inevitably going to do this, it's a good deal" is kind of stupid. The fact that a GM sets poor conditions surrounding a deal doesn't excuse them of those poor conditions. They're every bit as big of a factor as if they came by surprise.

 

[Nuckles]

Sick of all this negativity .

I'm sorry that I can look beyond the next couple of seasons?

 

[tantalum]

Everyone who likes this deal is extremely short sighted. Can you explain to be how this deal gets us closer to winning a cup? When the drafts rolls around next season and we're drafting in that 13-17 range just remmeber it's move like this that are the reason why. Just a stupid pointless signing.

It doesn't but I think you have to assess the signing based on the stated goals of the organization which is make the playoffs and re-build on the fly. You have the discussion of whether that is the correct goal to have (it isn't IMO) and you a second discussion on whether or not the acquisition helps meet the stated goal. In this case it likely does. He can put up some points. No youth or picks walked out the door to make it happen. For many of the other moves Benning has made the asset bleed means he is not fulfilling at least half of the stated goal (re-build on the fly) and even the first part (giving up superior players for lesser ones). But I don't think that is the case on this one.

It will be an albatross contract a few years down the road though.

 

[rune74]

Sick of all this negativity .

Oh come on, you knew this was coming the group have been working up to it all week...we didn't sign this player we would have got the same thing...either way this would have been the result and has been every time something happens.

 

[y2kcanucks]

Sick of all this negativity .

Me too. I wish the GM did something smart for once. People have a reason to be negative about this abomination of a contract.

 

[thepuckmonster]

Bleh. I don't want to, but in Sept I'll probably say "Hey, it's hockey! And it's September!"

god damn you, animal hockey brain that loves hockey

I know right? I don't want to do it but I know by September I'll be having the withdrawal shakes for real.

 

[Snatcher Demko]

Eriksson only averaged 19 goals and 49 points per 82 games the three seasons prior to last.

Last year, his 30 goals was driven by a SH% spike that probably added ~5 goals to his goal totals.

He's still a good player, but his play last season shouldn't be reflective even of what to expect for this upcoming season (stripping out the Sedin bonus).

Well he did have the concussion issues.

I would expect that he'll be a 50 point player who contributes well at both ends of the ice for the next 4 years, and then a buyout candidate thereafter.

 

[AwesomeInTheory]

I love this I can't wait to see how well he meshes with the Sedins again

If that's all it takes to get you excited, you should've pushed for Mattias Weinhandl or Anson Carter.

They'd be way cheaper.

 

[LeftCoast]

Short sighted is not factoring in the soul sucking effect of perpetual losing. Short sighted is not considering the impact on the fan base, season ticket holders, brand degradation, of being a bottom feeder for multiple years. How bad can it get? Really bad when the veteran players don't believe the team wants to win.

The team had to try to the best of its ability to put a competitive product on the ice. This year that mean some FA help.

 

[Scholarships]

Signing Eriksson til he is 37 isn't the greatest, but if this is Bennings only big move of FA I'll be happy

 

[rune74]

I'm sorry that I can look beyond the next couple of seasons?

I think i can too...but bare with me, I see the sedins retiring in two years then the canucks will be forced to rebuild. They will not go full scorched earth while we own those players and we won't trade them.

I don't think they want to give up on giving them a chance no matter how slim it is.

 

[AwesomeInTheory]

Oh come on, you knew this was coming the group have been working up to it all week...we didn't sign this player we would have got the same thing...either way this would have been the result and has been every time something happens.

 

[thenextone]

The tank is overrated, especially since we know that we will get screwed out of a top pick "when the balls fall" even if we finish 30th.

Loui will likely prevent us from last overall but he won't get us to 9th in the West either...we will still be a bad team but at least we won't be losing every game embarrassingly. We will still be drafting in the top 10.

 

[hellstick]

Would have liked four or five years at the most, but signing Eriksson makes us better, so I'm content.

 

[sting101]

Well it'd be nice if we had any sort of reason for optimism. I guess you can be blindly positive and follow Benning off this cliff.

Horvat Baertschi Eriksson Hutton Gudbranson Markstrom
Sutter Virtanen Boeser Juolevi Tryamkin Demko

Reason for optimism

 

[JuniorNelson]

I think this signals a Sedin extension.

 

[Bobby Digital]

It doesn't but I think you have to assess the signing based on the stated goals of the organization which is make the playoffs and re-build on the fly. You have the discussion of whether that is the correct goal to have (it isn't IMO) and you a second discussion on whether or not the acquisition helps meet the stated goal. In this case it likely does. He can put up some points. No youth or picks walked out the door to make it happen. For many of the other moves Benning has made the asset bleed means he is not fulfilling at least half of the stated goal (re-build on the fly) and even the first part (giving up superior players for lesser ones). But I don't think that is the case on this one.

It will be an albatross contract a few years down the road though.

Fair enough. But I will continue to not watch any games nor spend any $$ on this team until they commit to a rebuild. It's insulting thay they would rather chase playoff revenue than a Stanley Cup.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

Yes, taking business classes will make my opinion on hockey more valid

say that out loud and see how arrogant you sound.

Why would I think I was competent enough to run a hockey team?

I'm saying you learn a few business applications and you'll understand why I hate your logic. It's a pay at any cost to get what you want with no regard for long term plan philosophy. And it hinders our chances at what I want - a Cup.

You can be the greatest hockey mind that ever lived, if you didn't understand the first thing about running a business, you'd be a **** GM.

 

[y2kcanucks]

Oh come on, you knew this was coming the group have been working up to it all week...we didn't sign this player we would have got the same thing...either way this would have been the result and has been every time something happens.

No, if we didn't sign this player I'd be happy. Instead we got an albatross of a contract to deal with. Very much hoping for another lockout soon so we can get another compliance buyout.

 

[Jimson Hogarth*]

If that's all it takes to get you excited, you should've pushed for Mattias Weinhandl or Anson Carter.

They'd be way cheaper.

Or sturm or Booth

 

[Quinning]

The tank is overrated, especially since we know that we will get screwed out of a top pick "when the balls fall" even if we finish 30th.

Loui will likely prevent us from last overall but he won't get us to 9th in the West either...we will still be a bad team but at least we won't be losing every game embarrassingly. We will still be drafting in the top 10.

Yeah there's no point in tanking anymore. The new system is ****ed and resulted in us getting hosed despite tanking.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

I love the way Eriksson plays and he's the best and best fit winger the Sedins have ever had. In isolation, it's a better deal than most of the others thrown around, but it's still a bad deal overall in the context of hurting/helping this team's long term success.

Also, people saying "Well, given that Benning was inevitably going to do this, it's a good deal" is kind of stupid. The fact that a GM sets poor conditions surrounding a deal doesn't excuse them of those poor conditions. They're every bit as big of a factor as if they came by surprise.

If the owner wants the team in the playoffs and the available cap space spent on marketable players, the owner is going to get what he wants. He's the owner. Let's not pretend a rogue GM snuck into the organization and is pursuing a playoffs-first philosophy over the express desires of the owner to do a rebuild via the draft.

That cap space was going to be used by significant/high profile assets, and we were going to get those either through UFA or through trade. I think a "market value" signing of a player who at least has a 50/50 chance of playing the contract out without collapsing from wear and tear after the first two years is about the best anyone could have hoped for.

 

[Canucks LB]

Lol outside of hf people on here people are calling this the best deal so far in FA.

We are not rebuilding, its never happening. Embrace the retool or find a different team.

This ownership is dictating everything

 

[mrmyheadhurts]

Honestly, that is the minimum deal that I expected him to sign for so I'm not all that upset. Should be full value for the next 3-4 seasons barring injuries. You always overpay for UFAs but this is a very good player, more of a positive than a negative in my mind.

So I get if you just didn't want the player, but the deal itself is fair in the UFA market.

Canucks got the best free agent of the day, so that's something to hang your hat on, especially after the terrible season they had.