Confirmed with Link: Norris signs [8 years, 7.95M AAV]

[Mark Stones Spleen]

personally i prefer playmakers to goal scorers.

and imo Suzuki elevates his linemates more than Norris.

I also like watching playmakers, but if point totals are equal, you take the one with more goals.

 

[Sting]

See how this off-season plays out but if Matthew Tkachuk hits UFA next summer, maybe you lock him up long term and deal DeBrincat. Or maybe you just deal DeBrincat for Matthew this summer if Matthew will sign long term.

Assen na yo!

Two things: First, Matthew wouldn't go to a team led by Brady. I feel like he'd want his own thing.

Second is we couldn't afford him at the 10-11 mill price tag he'll command.

 

[h2]

Just digging into the contracts a little bit.. I really don't know how we keep our core together. We really can't afford to go on a slight overpayment on Norris, still believe this should have been bridged.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

I also like watching playmakers, but if point totals are equal, you take the one with more goals.

Heatley scored more goals and had similar points as Spezza and Alfredsson.

You really taking Heatley over Spezza and Alfredsson even if we pretend they all have an equal defensive game?

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Remember when San Jose offered Tavares $13 mil in 2018 and he turned it down? That Karlsson trade doesn't happen if he signs that. What a difference that would have made.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

Remember when San Jose offered Tavares $13 mil in 2018 and he turned it down? That Karlsson trade doesn't happen if he signs that. What a difference that would have made.

Also, if the Sharks didn't trade for Kane, we would have gotten their 2019 1st instead of their 2020 1st, so no Stutzle.

 

[DaveMatthew]

Just digging into the contracts a little bit.. I really don't know how we keep our core together. We really can't afford to go on a slight overpayment on Norris, still believe this should have been bridged.

How does bridging Norris help us keep our core together? It probably means we'd have to trade him in 2-3 seasons because his next contract would be even more expensive. So our core wouldn't be kept together.

I wouldn't be too concerned.

The cap will start going up after next season. And we have, reportedly, a $74M budget after two COVID years where the rink was empty. Based on the excitement in the city right now, I don't expect the rink to be empty in October. We're going to be back to 18k+ in the seats, and might (hopefully) get playoff revenue. So the internal budget will go up too.

 

[aragorn]

How does bridging Norris help us keep our core together? It probably means we'd have to trade him in 2-3 seasons because his next contract would be even more expensive. So our core wouldn't be kept together.

And if Norris goes, it's likely Brady follows.

 

[Answer]

Easy. He is going to have to produce alot of offense to get anywhere close to that. People need to calm their expectations in regards to Sanderson.

As for Norris this is alot of money. I thought it would he closer to 7 million. Glad it's done but am a little nervous. He doesn't create alot on his own. However he really can snipe and seems like a great guy to have in the room. They really need to get Stutzle in this range right now.

He can really one-time it. I don't know if he actually has a lethal wrister. He hardly uses it

 

[Neil Patrick Harris]

And if Norris goes, it's likely Brady follows.

And Tim, for that matter, when the time comes.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

For next year we need to extend Debrincat (8.5), Stutzle (8.5) and Zub (5).

Stutzle is a no brainer .. we want him on an 8 year deal.
Did we get Debrincat for 1 year?
Our D needs Zub and another one like him.

We are lucky Batherson agreed to such a low deal.

We may need to blow the budget.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

For next year we need to extend Debrincat (8.5), Stutzle (8.5) and Zub (5).

Stutzle is a no brainer .. we want him on an 8 year deal.
Did we get Debrincat for 1 year?
Our D needs Zub and another one like him.

We are lucky Batherson agreed to such a low deal.

We may need to blow the budget.

Maybe they will increase the budget as time goes on.

 

[jake1]

So many insightful points on both sides. At its most basic, it's a bet the player is good. If they're wrong, it's another mess to clean up. If right, a bargain. It's their job to make these bets, but the job will be changing dramatically in the next few years. It was easy before: suck, gather assets, try not to lose money. Now they're going to have to augment the roster cheaply, with ELCs or older workers.

There will be tough decisions. Some up and comers will either need to be paid, pushing out a core piece, or managed out of the organization. This includes some beloved prospect names. This is not a problem, it's just part of the real job.

I do love that they're getting the best years of the players' careers.

 

[Bevans]

To me, the biggest concern of this contract is Norris's shoulder.

If he stays healthy, Im confident he lives up to at least 3/4 of this contract. If he under performs a little in season 7 and 8 that will be the price we pay to be paying him 5 mil this year.

With the way this contract is structured it's effectively a bridge sandwiched in with a FA contract.

Clearly the team is hoping the budget will increase over time with the new arena. Right now they are sacrificing a resource they don't need (inflated cap hit) for a resource they do need (low real salary this year).

Presumably in the future these flip. The team will benefit from a depressed cap hit when the real salary balloons to 9.5 mil.

In exchange for asking Norris to wait for his money (unlike Suzuki, Hughes, and thomas) he got a few extra dollars.

This contract, much like Brady's, is a great example of balancing cap and real dollars.

There are certain patterns you see in these deals, and you can tell which parties drove them.

For example, all signing bonus early: player is demanding money right now, driving the bus.
High signing bonus late in contract, buy out protection, again from player.
A pyramid contract: cap v dollars. Team driven.

 

[Ice-Tray]

For those who are concerned, obviously PD, Bowness, Mann, have all considered the budget situation now and going forward when they discussed, negotiated, and offered the deal.

If anything folks should be less concerned about the budget and finances right now than more. The guys making the deals have all of the info, and we have none of the info.

I suspect that management has the expectation that they can/will get both Stu and Cat signed to extensions, and that includes the contract offered to Norris.

I think fans are starting to be allowed to let their guards down a little bit and start enjoying things. The team finances have so obviously changed, and now fan support is already ramping up financially. We look to have cash; it’s a brave new world for Sens budgets.

Lay down the burdens of future financial concerns for the time being, and let’s argue over whether Norris is worth 6.5 or 7.9 like good little fans! Hahaha

 

[Sweatred]

See how this off-season plays out but if Matthew Tkachuk hits UFA next summer, maybe you lock him up long term and deal DeBrincat. Or maybe you just deal DeBrincat for Matthew this summer if Matthew will sign long term.

Assen na yo!

This org can catapult its talent oil forward if they take advantage of some of these UFA’s that may show interest in playing here like Matthew, Giroux etc.

It’s a previously untouched talent pool and it may let us move
cat or whoever to restock our system.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

See how this off-season plays out but if Matthew Tkachuk hits UFA next summer, maybe you lock him up long term and deal DeBrincat. Or maybe you just deal DeBrincat for Matthew this summer if Matthew will sign long term.

Assen na yo!

Debrincat for tkatchuk something I see

 

[DueDiligence]

For next year we need to extend Debrincat (8.5), Stutzle (8.5) and Zub (5).

Stutzle is a no brainer .. we want him on an 8 year deal.
Did we get Debrincat for 1 year?
Our D needs Zub and another one like him.

We are lucky Batherson agreed to such a low deal.

We may need to blow the budget.

The Senators have $5 million tied up buyouts/salary retention over the next 2 years. That alone pays for 2 mid level players.

 

[DylanSensFan]

personally i prefer playmakers to goal scorers.

and imo Suzuki elevates his linemates more than Norris.

I prefer Stützle over both of them, but am sure glad to have Norris locked up, to play with Timmy, DeBrincat, Giroux and the rest of our beautiful top-6.

 

[SlapJack]

Also, if the Sharks didn't trade for Kane, we would have gotten their 2019 1st instead of their 2020 1st, so no Stutzle.

Also if the Sharks beat the Blues in the conference final, Ottawa would've had their 2021 1st as well, so we could have drafted Boucher even earlier

 

[JD1]

The Senators have $5 million tied up buyouts/salary retention over the next 2 years. That alone pays for 2 mid level players.

5 m can get you 2 3rd liners, which we don't need or it can get you a lower end top 6 which we also don't need.

We do need an extra D. 5m gets you a solid D.

But if we extend Stuetzle and DeBrincat in their expected salary bands, we're not likely ever looking at having 4 top 4 D on top 4 D salaries. Something will have to give, and it's likely to be an ELC D playing top 4 or a grizzled vet on a end if career deal playing top 4.

 

[DueDiligence]

5 m can get you 2 3rd liners, which we don't need or it can get you a lower end top 6 which we also don't need.

We do need an extra D. 5m gets you a solid D.

But if we extend Stuetzle and DeBrincat in their expected salary bands, we're not likely ever looking at having 4 top 4 D on top 4 D salaries. Something will have to give, and it's likely to be an ELC D playing top 4 or a grizzled vet on a end if career deal playing top 4.

I was just pointing out that $5 million will be freed up in 2024 and can be allocated in any way the Sens want. No player moves needed; just "free" cash to use.

 

[Ice-Tray]

5 m can get you 2 3rd liners, which we don't need or it can get you a lower end top 6 which we also don't need.

We do need an extra D. 5m gets you a solid D.

But if we extend Stuetzle and DeBrincat in their expected salary bands, we're not likely ever looking at having 4 top 4 D on top 4 D salaries. Something will have to give, and it's likely to be an ELC D playing top 4 or a grizzled vet on a end if career deal playing top 4.

That’s why the more defensive guys in the top 4 are good targets, because they cost less. Zub will cost less despite his defence because he doesn’t have the points. Those guys are perfect partners for the high priced guys.

We think Sanderson will be expensive, but if only his stellar D translates to the NHL he will be cheaper than we think.