Confirmed with Link: Oilers sign Connor Brown to 1-year incentive laden deal ($775K caphit, potentially $3.25M in bonuses)

[brentashton]

Connor Brown accepting this contract means that Connor Brown is betting on himself this season.

That's a good thing. Means his knee must feel great and he will be very motivated.

And teams may have hedged their bets on his readiness. I think it’s a bit of both. He has big upside if he’s healthy and that’s in the Oilers favour. When you are in their spot it’s what you do. Fingers crossed.

 

[brentashton]

The CBA is confusing as hell and I don't know, but I would assume the bonus is paid upon reaching it.

My understanding is the payment is due to him when achieved, however, ( and I got crapped on for this earlier but did some more reading, so should edit my earlier edit ) his performance bonuses are able to be moved to the 2024-25 salary cap year, so he’s basically a 775 hit this year and another 3M next whether he’s on the roster or not, but achieved the 10 games played this year.

 

[FunkyChicken]

The CBA is confusing as hell and I don't know, but I would assume the bonus is paid upon reaching it.

Trade watch 9 games in then?

 

[McDoused]

The CBA is confusing as hell and I don't know, but I would assume the bonus is paid upon reaching it.

Pretty sure bonuses arent paid until the end of the year.

Its cap remaining - bonuses = overage applied to next years cap.

So in theory if Edmonton accrues cap and has 2M remaining it would be 2M - 3.25M = 1.25M overage to next year.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Pretty sure bonuses arent paid until the end of the year.

Its cap remaining - bonuses = overage applied to next years cap.

So in theory if Edmonton accrues cap and has 2M remaining it would be 2M - 3.25M = 1.25M overage to next year.

Accruing cap doesnt cover the bonus'.

 

[McDNicks17]

Pretty sure bonuses arent paid until the end of the year.

Its cap remaining - bonuses = overage applied to next years cap.

So in theory if Edmonton accrues cap and has 2M remaining it would be 2M - 3.25M = 1.25M overage to next year.

The cap is settled at the end of the year, but I think the actual bonus is paid immediately upon hitting it, so they wouldn't be able to trade Brown before the bonus is applied.

 

[tiger_80]

I can't wait until you guys see how slow this player is. Not only that, but watching him fumble in the same way Hyman does. Hyman is a way better version of this player. I bet Bourgault is a better player than Connor Brown at the moment and he'll be relegated to the bottom six while we have two anchors in Hyman and Brown fumbling pucks from McDrai all season long once again.

Hyman was good on the cycle and on the PP, did ok in the defensive zone too. Not an ideal player, but he's also making 5 million per year, not 8 or 9.

Hypothetically we trade Brown after our season is done. Would we not be off the hook for the cap overages for the following year?

Maybe that's our future considerations we get from Detroit lol.

Detroit will get sloppy seconds.

 

[Fourier]

The cap is settled at the end of the year, but I think the actual bonus is paid immediately upon hitting it, so they wouldn't be able to trade Brown before the bonus is applied.

I don't know where this is explicitly covered in the CBA but it is likely that if he was traded the Oilers would be on the hook for the same fraction of the bonus as they would be for his salary namely

days on roster/days in season.

That said I suspect that the only way his is traded would be if he has a season ending injury.

 

[McDNicks17]

I don't know where this is explicitly covered in the CBA but it is likely that if he was traded the Oilers would be on the hook for the same fraction of the bonus as they would be for his salary namely

days on roster/days in season.

That said I suspect that the only way his is traded would be if he has a season ending injury.

That would make sense. Wish there was more information out there on it.

I doubt there's really any example of guys who hit their bonus really early on and who were traded.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Connor Brown accepting this contract means that Connor Brown is betting on himself this season.

That's a good thing. Means his knee must feel great and he will be very motivated.

Yep, and good for Holland zeroing on a guy looking to prove something. Personally I think that's one reason why Foegele was kept: he's in a similar situation.

Kane-McDavid-______
RNH-Draisaitl-Hyman

That's a juicy spot next to McDavid and Kane. Plus you don't need to be a true top 6 to succeed there: we've seen Pulju and Yams had a lot of success being the 3rd wheel that just hounded the puck up and down the ice (just so long as they kept up that honeybadger-like energy); Same as Maroon, Chiasson, and Kassian before them. It's a role I can see Foegele and Brown having a lot of success in, and the potential payday at the end of the year should be a good carrot for them.

I mean, if there was ever a time to set yourself up for life by focusing and having a career year in the middle of your prime, this is it.




Also one other point on Brown. We know come the playoffs the Oil are going to run the hero line of McDrai and Kane. But a big problem they had this year was RNH-Hyman with Bjugstad (or anyone else) wasn't good enough to shut down top opposition. It was their biggest weakness and Brown goes a long way to fixing that issue. Outside of ROR, there wasn't anyone else available in the UFA market whom you could confidently say that about.

 

[Soundwave]

Accruing cap doesnt cover the bonus'.

I asked this in the other thread but what happens if say Nurse goes on the LTIR at the trade deadline (as an example) to come back during the playoffs and the Oilers end the season under the cap technically?

What part of Brown's cap penalty goes forward to the next year?

 

[McDNicks17]

I asked this in the other thread but what happens if say Nurse goes on the LTIR at the trade deadline (as an example) to come back during the playoffs and the Oilers end the season under the cap technically?

What part of Brown's cap penalty goes forward to the next year?

You don't accrue cap space while on LTIR.

 

[Soundwave]

You don't accrue cap space while on LTIR.

OK so what would happen if the Oilers traded Kulak without taking salary back at say the mid point of the season?

That frees up cap room, can that cap room apply to Brown's bonuses?

 

[McDNicks17]

OK so what would happen if the Oilers traded Kulak without taking salary back at say the mid point of the season?

That frees up cap room, can that cap room apply to Brown's bonuses?

Yeah. Brown's bonus only carries over to next season if it puts them over the cap.

e.g. if they have $2M in cap space, the cap overage for next season is only $1.25M.

 

[duul]

Connor Brown accepting this contract means that Connor Brown is betting on himself this season.

That's a good thing. Means his knee must feel great and he will be very motivated.

In what way? He is being paid 4 million dollars. Unless you are implying that him taking a multi year deal for less dollars would have been him being insecure or stable.

Even if he plays to his standard of play, he will get 3 million next year regardless. A season playing with McDrai should earn him a ton more next year.

He took advantage of a helpless team and a helpless GM who doesn't care about what happens here next year. Connor Brown knows he is not playing for Edmonton next year. It's a one year deal only, not only can we not afford him, he is using us to boost his points with McDrai and then bounce.

There will be no loyalty from either side on such a deal. He is the definition of a mercenary. Coming in being paid more for a years work than any other team was willing to give him, gets to play with the best players on earth to stat pad and sign one more big deal to close out his career. Nothing about what he is doing is admirable.

 

[Soundwave]

In what way? He is being paid 4 million dollars. Unless you are implying that him taking a multi year deal for less dollars would have been him being insecure or stable.

Even if he plays to his standard of play, he will get 3 million next year regardless. A season playing with McDrai should earn him a ton more next year.

He took advantage of a helpless team and a helpless GM who doesn't care about what happens here next year. Connor Brown knows he is not playing for Edmonton next year. It's a one year deal only, not only can we not afford him, he is using us to boost his points with McDrai and then bounce.

There will be no loyalty from either side on such a deal. He is the definition of a mercenary. Coming in being paid more for a years work than any other team was willing to give him, gets to play with the best players on earth to stat pad and sign one more big deal to close out his career. Nothing about what he is doing is admirable.

I'm kind of baffled as to how Holland caved on giving the guy a pay raise after not playing an entire season. He was making 3.6 million before.

 

[duul]

I'm kind of baffled as to how Holland caved on giving the guy a pay raise after not playing an entire season. He was making 3.6 million before.

Probably because he has been linked to us for years. Looking at it rationally there was no good reason to bring him in here. Putting Bourgault or Lavoie there instead would be 10-20 less points max in an entire season and saves us from having to deal with the repurcussions.

It's situations like this where any rational GM would have looked at his farm, seen he has two great young RW prospects ready to go, along with Holloway as well, and figured one of them has to step up and play. You don't solve that problem by throwing 4 million at it for a season. Total failure.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Probably because he has been linked to us for years. Looking at it rationally there was no good reason to bring him in here. Putting Bourgault or Lavoie there instead would be 10-20 less points max in an entire season and saves us from having to deal with the repurcussions.

It's situations like this where any rational GM would have looked at his farm, seen he has two great young RW prospects ready to go, along with Holloway as well, and figured one of them has to step up and play. You don't solve that problem by throwing 4 million at it for a season. Total failure.

Lol just replace him with Lavoie no biggie.

 

[duul]

Lol just replace him with Lavoie no biggie.

No, I am not claiming they are the same player. Don't be silly. There is a difference in quality between the two, and with Bourgault and Holloway. The point is that concessions must be made, and they have to be carefully calculated. Brown at 4 million for THIS team is dumb. Simply dumb. It's the least important position in the sport.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

No, I am not claiming they are the same player. Don't be silly. There is a difference in quality between the two, and with Bourgault and Holloway. The point is that concessions must be made, and they have to be carefully calculated. Brown at 4 million for THIS team is dumb. Simply dumb. It's the least important position in the sport.

Why don’t we just replace Nurse with Broberg? Probably gets 10 less points.

Point is players aren’t paid to just get points. Brown was brought in to play top 6, PK and be on the ice late in games. All things a rookie would get caved on.

 

[KMart27]

I'm kind of baffled as to how Holland caved on giving the guy a pay raise after not playing an entire season. He was making 3.6 million before.

He was making 4 million each of the past two seasons.

 

[bucks_oil]

OK so what would happen if the Oilers traded Kulak without taking salary back at say the mid point of the season?

That frees up cap room, can that cap room apply to Brown's bonuses?

Yeah. Brown's bonus only carries over to next season if it puts them over the cap.

e.g. if they have $2M in cap space, the cap overage for next season is only $1.25M.

Guys, it's best to just forget it.

We want max cap this year. If we somehow have cap at the deadline, I want it spent. It's worth 4.7X more this year at the deadline than it will be next season.

Next season's cap issues can be dealt with then. This year we must win.

(not to mention: 1.9M comes off the cap from Neal next year + the cap is rising $3M++, plus if McLeod and Bouchard are 2 year bridges, we have zero cap concerns unless Broberg or Holloway both go crazy)

 

[Beerfish]

I'm kind of baffled as to how Holland caved on giving the guy a pay raise after not playing an entire season. He was making 3.6 million before.

Baffled by Holland caving in to an agent or other gm?....Dude

 

[bone]

Connor Brown accepting this contract means that Connor Brown is betting on himself this season.

That's a good thing. Means his knee must feel great and he will be very motivated.

I don't see it this way at all. He only needs to play 10 games to get the full amount even if he has zero points. If he was "betting on himself", the bonus' would have a much harder trigger point either tied to results or at least a higher number of games played.

With a 10 game bonus this is as close to a guaranteed contract as they were likely legally able to as I doubt the trigger could have been 1 game.

 

[bone]

I don't know where this is explicitly covered in the CBA but it is likely that if he was traded the Oilers would be on the hook for the same fraction of the bonus as they would be for his salary namely

days on roster/days in season.

That said I suspect that the only way his is traded would be if he has a season ending injury.

That's my thoughts as well. It certainly could get convoluted if it's simply a days on/total days calculation, but with the bonus potentially carrying over for only one of the teams.

I'd agree he isn't getting traded unless there was a season ending injury beyond the ten game mark and some team was wanting to buy cap space for a quarter on the dollar. It's just an interesting scenario that I'm trying to play out the what ifs.