Columbus Blue Jackets Contract Conundrum
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EspenK
Registered User
- Sep 25, 2011
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I think the article is misleading. I don't see any real cap problems relative to the guys he mentions. They all will probably be bridged. Wennberg I see in the 3-4 mill range probably an aav of 3.5. Anderson and Sedlak are probably destined for 1.5 territory. Gagner, if he is signed won't be a problem because JK isn't going to go to 5 mill or more for him, more likely 3-ish if he has a decent finish to the season. Subtract out the dollars going to LV and I think we're ok for next year.
Of course if the cap doesn't rise then we have a problem. Gagner then is gone imo.
Of course if the cap doesn't rise then we have a problem. Gagner then is gone imo.
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There is no way I sign Gagner. Not with the contracts we already have and the young guys we have in the AHL. If there was no cap, you keep Gagner, but there is a cap.
I agree with EspenK, there's no serious short term problem. The nearest crunch where we could lose a core player is summer 2019, assuming Cam is given a healthy raise in the meantime, JJ going, and all the other standard assumptions. That summer Werenski hits RFA, Bobrovsky UFA, and if we do two year bridge deals for guys like Wennberg, Sedlak, and Anderson, they'll all be due again for raises.
So there is a potential advantage in not bridging Wennberg at 3.5 - if we can bring the long term price down by doing the long term deal earlier, it will spare us trouble when the real crunch hits in 2019.
That said, the article's assumptions about Wennberg's long term price are way off. Backstrom and Gaudreau were more established as top liners when they signed. We can probably get Wennberg signed long term for less than, and perhaps much less than $6m per, if we go long term this year.
So there is a potential advantage in not bridging Wennberg at 3.5 - if we can bring the long term price down by doing the long term deal earlier, it will spare us trouble when the real crunch hits in 2019.
That said, the article's assumptions about Wennberg's long term price are way off. Backstrom and Gaudreau were more established as top liners when they signed. We can probably get Wennberg signed long term for less than, and perhaps much less than $6m per, if we go long term this year.
I'd be shocked if Wenneberg gets anywhere near the $6.75M speculated in the article. I think Espen is more inline with $3.5M bridge deal.
Gagner is likely gone unless no one else can find a top 6 role for him. He's a unique player that he plays on 4th line but plays a lot on PP. But I would assume someone will see him as a top 6 winger (or top 9) which means we can't afford him. he's been great this year but no use in overpaying.
All that being said I don't think we'll have issues resigning our current players (except Gagner) but doesn't leave us much room for free agents. But that's fine with as young as team as we have.
Gagner is likely gone unless no one else can find a top 6 role for him. He's a unique player that he plays on 4th line but plays a lot on PP. But I would assume someone will see him as a top 6 winger (or top 9) which means we can't afford him. he's been great this year but no use in overpaying.
All that being said I don't think we'll have issues resigning our current players (except Gagner) but doesn't leave us much room for free agents. But that's fine with as young as team as we have.
spintheblackcircle
incoming!!!
- Mar 1, 2002
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Depends on how highly we regard Wennberg. Sean Monahan was the 6th pick the same year Wennberg was the 14th pick.
Monahan-289 games 190 pts .66 ppg 31 points this year
Wennberg-185 games-100 pts .54 ppg 40 points this year.
Monahan's contract is 7 yrs @ $6.375 per year
He's getting paid.
Monahan-289 games 190 pts .66 ppg 31 points this year
Wennberg-185 games-100 pts .54 ppg 40 points this year.
Monahan's contract is 7 yrs @ $6.375 per year
He's getting paid.
I'd rather play one of the young guys and I doubt he has any interest in that short of a contract.
If we can sign Wennberg to a 7 yr 6M deal I'd jump on it.
Having Wennberg, Jones and Saad locked in long term establishes our core for the next 5+ years. Hopefully we can add Werenski and PLD to that core when it comes time to get them locked up.
I still think folks are too cavalier about this two year bridge thing, and haven't thought through how tough it could be in 2019.
That kind of money is reserved for guys who have a couple great years on their resume. He'll have one. I think we can get him long term for less than 6. If 6.3m is what he wants then we're better off bridging him. Don't worry so much about locking him up. There's not so much a risk of losing him as a risk of that kind of money crowding out others.
That kind of money is reserved for guys who have a couple great years on their resume. He'll have one. I think we can get him long term for less than 6. If 6.3m is what he wants then we're better off bridging him. Don't worry so much about locking him up. There's not so much a risk of losing him as a risk of that kind of money crowding out others.
I think if it's long term, it'll be roughly 5MM AAV. He doesn't have the goal production that some of these other young centers have (Scheif, Monahan, MacKinnon, Barkov). It'll be somewhere between Victor Rask and Sasha Barkov's AAV.
I understand that. I just think we need to give Milano and or Bjorkstrand a chance next year.
Bjorkstrand should be ready to contribute in a significant way next season, as long as he actually gets a full offseason to properly train and prepare for camp. Didn't Torts talk about him recently?
EspenK
Registered User
- Sep 25, 2011
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Are you the same guy who used to strongly advocate making the young guys earn their space?
If they appear to be ready in the eyes of mgt then I think that will influence their thinking in terms of trying to sign Gagner.
Are you the same guy who used to strongly advocate making the young guys earn their space?
If they appear to be ready in the eyes of mgt then I think that will influence their thinking in terms of trying to sign Gagner.
Yes, and they are ready, IMO. This, I don't think it's smart to spend what little money we have on Gagner.
That's what Torts said. He expected him to make it, but because of his lack of time off/prep for camp he was behind the curve.
Last Spring Bjork had the body of a high schooler. After a short summer he showed up in camp with. .. the body of a high schooler.
WannabeFinn
Beloved One
I get what you're trying to convey, but there's a ton of high schoolers out there with pro-size "measurables".
