News Article: News from Around the League - Part XXXVI

[CerebralGenesis]

So did Bernier but he isn't making 7% of our paid salary cap number.

 

[onefatsurfer]

we're under the cap

who is better that you're going to replace him with?

 

[AfroThunder396]

Jesus Christ

Our highest paid d-men is playing less then 18 minutes per game. Can you give me the name of a d-men that is earning over 4M$ per who isn't earning top pairing or second pairing minutes outside of Kaberle and other losers no one wants on their team?

Keith Ballard - $4.2 cap hit, 15:33 per game
Robyn Regher - $4.02 cap hit, 18:37 per game
Ed Jovanovski - $4.125 cap hit, 16:41 per game
Jaroslav Spacek - $3.833 cap hit, 16:05 per game
Luke Schenn - $3.6 cap hit, 16:02 per game
Nicklas Grossman - $3.5 cap hit, 18:48 per game
Jonathan Ericsson - $3.25 cap hit, 17:05 per game

Now you can argue the merits of each of those players as much as you want, or point out examples of similar players making less money. But guys like Regehr, Schenn, and Grossmann are all very comparable to Volchenkov in terms of what they bring to the table.

Volchenkov is maybe 20-25% overpaid, but he's not breaking the bank or putting us in cap jeopardy, and he's still a competent NHL-caliber player. You don't buy out those kinds of guys.

This isn't NHL13, where you can have teams of 6 Mark Fayne's making peanuts. Sometimes, you have to pay money, especially when signing a UFA. Sometimes, your most most expensive player ISN'T your best player. That doesn't mean they're a bad player, or not important to the team. And clearly our formula is working, since we made it to Game 6 of the Cup Finals. Who gives a **** if Volchenkov makes $1M than you'd like him to make?

 

[DEVILS ALL THE WAY*]

we should definitely get rid of him. god what a waste of a player. nevermind that we made the finals

Yeah, he was such a important factor in our playoff run. We'll probably finish dead last now since we lost Parise, right?

Our PK was fantastic, no question about it and A-Train played a big part in that... but that still doesn't warrant his salary IMO.

PP specialists, ala M-A Bergeron, earn a little more then a 1M$ per and the argument that Volch was a #1 PK'er while earning minimal 5 on 5 play is kind of the same thing, no? Bergeron rarelly sees the ice when playing at even strenght and most of his minutes are on the PP.

I'm not comparing both players, just the minutes they are used for Vs their salaries.

 

[onefatsurfer]

Does it matter? Where are we going to spend that $?

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

yea he was bad the first half of the playoffs but the 2nd half he was actually quite good if I recall

 

[Nick0930]

Why buy him out? I'm sure some teams that really need a solid D-Man would be interested in him. Get some value out of Volch.

 

[onefatsurfer]

Why buy him out? I'm sure some teams that really need a solid D-Man would be interested in him. Get some value out of Volch.

like.. us. we could use a solid d-man.

 

[onefatsurfer]

yea he was bad the first half of the playoffs but the 2nd half he was actually quite good if I recall

nope, terrible.

 

[DEVILS ALL THE WAY*]

Keith Ballard - $4.2 cap hit, 15:33 per game
Robyn Regher - $4.02 cap hit, 18:37 per game
Ed Jovanovski - $4.125 cap hit, 16:41 per game
Jaroslav Spacek - $3.833 cap hit, 16:05 per game
Luke Schenn - $3.6 cap hit, 16:02 per game
Nicklas Grossman - $3.5 cap hit, 18:48 per game
Jonathan Ericsson - $3.25 cap hit, 17:05 per game

Now you can argue the merits of each of those players as much as you want, or point out examples of similar players making less money. But guys like Regehr, Schenn, and Grossmann are all very comparable to Volchenkov in terms of what they bring to the table.

Volchenkov is maybe 20-25% overpaid, but he's not breaking the bank or putting us in cap jeopardy, and he's still a competent NHL-caliber player. You don't buy out those kinds of guys.

This isn't NHL13, where you can have teams of 6 Mark Fayne's making peanuts. Sometimes, you have to pay money, especially when signing a UFA. Sometimes, your most most expensive player ISN'T your best player. That doesn't mean they're a bad player, or not important to the team. And clearly our formula is working, since we made it to Game 6 of the Cup Finals. Who gives a **** if Volchenkov makes $1M than you'd like him to make?

The players you wrote down are comparable, I can't deny that.... but they also have guys eating big minutes as well, true #1 d-men's, wich we don't have.

The point I and CG are trying to make, correct me if I'm wrong CG, is that we need forwards, most importantly top #6 forwards and with the surplus of d-men we already have and Anton playing minimal minutes while eating 4.25M$ per, wouldn't it be smarter if we invested that salary in a forward rather then a bottom pairing d-men?

 

[onefatsurfer]

what we really need is another PMD.

 

[CerebralGenesis]

ooo yay #1 dman discussion time.

And it's looking like a deal won't get done til the last minute. Union seems to be playing their tricks again this afternoon.

 

[Classic Devil]

Take. The. Volchenkov. Conversation. To. Another. Thread.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

Take. The. Volchenkov. Conversation. To. Another. Thread.

Serenity Now!

 

[Saugus]

So you have a problem looking at the NFL playoff brackets?

As the league has found out many times before now, what works for the NFL does not always work for the NHL. I like the playoff system as it is right now, and I think most of the core fans do too. Don't **** with it.

Michael Grange ‏@michaelgrange
A couple of encouraging details: #NHL has agreed to two compliance buyouts/team in 2013-14; and variance on contracts in 20% range now

2 buyouts? The Flyers must be pushing hard for that one. They want to dump Pronger and Bryz.

 

[NJDevs26]

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Deal-in-days-or-its-over-source-185620012.html

The governor said owners and league personnel believe Fehr is trying to blow up the process and is no longer interested in making a deal.
They say Bettman is prepared for such an eventuality and will be supported should he elect to cancel the season on Thursday if no deal is done. Bettman will then take off what is currently on the table.
Bettman will be willing to listen and talk with Fehr after he cancels the season but it will be on the basis of doing a deal for the 2013-14 season. Once the commissioner cancels this season, a 50-50 share will no longer be offered and the league will pursue a much revamped package because the owners will have no incentive to make the deal that was on the table.

Wonderful, here come the threats. Typical NHL workweek, optomistic Tuesday followed by iffy Wednesday and breakdown Thursday.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

Ugh...

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

It'd be pretty hilarious to see the league pull its "concessions" off the table only to slowly watch them all trickle back between now and next October or something. Yes I'm SURE this is the players' ONLY CHANCE for a 50-50 split.

 

[NJDevs26]

The funny part is last time the deal did actually get better for the players after the season got canceled. The owners would die for a $49 million de-linked cap now.

 

[apice3*]

I don't understand why the owners would be so hard pressed and strict about a low cap. Aren't they the ones who dictate who gets paid what? Are they just trying to cover their immaturity when it comes to their wallet? If you want a 60 million dollar cap and the players refuse to budge, then give them their 65 mil cap and set a 60 mil internal cap.

 

[Desert Devil]

Well it's probably the teams that don't make as much that are pushing for it. I'm guessing teams who are able to spend to the cap will do so. Just the other teams who don't want to want a level playing field.

 

[Bleedred]

I just spoke with a buddy of mine from Jersey earlier this evening. He was contacted by a former bandmate to play in a band he hasn't been a member of in about 6 or 7 years. He said he'd get back to him next late next week to see what happens with NHL lockout. He says if the season is called he'll go back to the band. He left this band years ago because he did not really like the music they played anyway, and only joined in the first place at a friends request. LOL that's what this lockout has come to.

#Lockoutproblems!

 

[Saugus]

I don't understand why the owners would be so hard pressed and strict about a low cap. Aren't they the ones who dictate who gets paid what? Are they just trying to cover their immaturity when it comes to their wallet? If you want a 60 million dollar cap and the players refuse to budge, then give them their 65 mil cap and set a 60 mil internal cap.

Yes, much of it is the owners and GMs trying to protect themselves from themselves. There's always going to be an arms race that leads to absurd contracts, they're just trying to limit the amount they'll inevitably overpay.

 

[NJDevs26]

I don't understand why the owners would be so hard pressed and strict about a low cap. Aren't they the ones who dictate who gets paid what? Are they just trying to cover their immaturity when it comes to their wallet? If you want a 60 million dollar cap and the players refuse to budge, then give them their 65 mil cap and set a 60 mil internal cap.

Again, this is the only time owners can legally collude to keep costs down. Not every team is going to have an internal budget below the cap. And the PA will be so fast to file collusion charges if 'every' team was magically at 60 million or under when at least half are over that this year.

Besides, the cap is normally based on revenues...the $70 million cap was based on last year's revenues. They can't really base the cap next year on this year's revenues cause it would be about 2/3 at best with a 48-game season (which would result in a sub-$50 million cap number if it was linked). So the owners are already paying out a much higher percentage of HRR next year between a higher cap and Make Whole, that's why they don't want to move an inch higher than $60.

I do think $60 is a bit draconian though considering the # of teams over it, and the # of FA's this offseason. They need to inch a little higher, maybe not to $65 but there's gotta be a $62-63 number in the end imo.

 

[CerebralGenesis]

I don't understand why the owners would be so hard pressed and strict about a low cap. Aren't they the ones who dictate who gets paid what? Are they just trying to cover their immaturity when it comes to their wallet? If you want a 60 million dollar cap and the players refuse to budge, then give them their 65 mil cap and set a 60 mil internal cap.

It is illegal to agree to pay players less during the matter. This is their opportunity to keep costs down and years low.