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

[Drivesaitl]

I guess where I get frustrated with is why does this seem to be an Oiler or should I say. A crap organization issue?

I don't know what to believe. Players take x months just to find their game again.

Then I watch Mark stone miss a shit load of time for Vegas. Come back.. and absolutely nail it out of the park. How come he didn't have this 6 months period to remember how to play hockey? How come Kucherov missed a whole season and kicked playoff ass.

I know I know.. All players heal and blah blah blah differently. Good players find their game faster? It just seems the Oilers always get the players that take forever or remain broken.

I'm done with this excuse from Brown. I don't believe it's a physical thing at all anymore. It's mental.

So now I'm going to the lay the blame on Brown for not being able to find the mental space to return to form. And I'm also going to blame the Oilers for not finding a way to get brown to that mental space. Other teams and players do it. Like all things it's likely a combination.

And the combination of Brown and Oilers recovering from injury = FAIL

You can't compare talented players to Connor Brown. Brown is essentially a Foegele type dough brain that would maybe score 20 if planets align and the red sea parts...He's not a bonafide talent or patented goal scorer. This is why the total season missed, and the declining production was a huge concern. That a player that was never really a goal scorer in anycase lost even any sharp on puck ability he might have had. First thing to leave a player after extended absence is hands. Its hard to get the dexterity back to make plays at the highest level of hockey there is.

People mentioned that Kane here did that. Brown doesn't have an ounce of Skill that Kane has. Brown is just that pretty average player that finds some nuts once in awhile.

Strikes me as well that Brown lacks imagination, has slow reads, and isn't at all as sharp to plays as say Hyman. Hyman is a bright individual that can figure out a lot. I really don't think Brown is that.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

lol. Kostin is in a numbers game in Detroit on a deep team not getting the promised toi. Still at least he's scored a couple in limited minutes and hash't been a blackhole there like Brown.

But heres a point. People were describing Kostin as a good greasy player here for bottomsix that could punch donkeys and hit like a truck. He makes a team better for his truculence provided he's used.

Another player that people are now allergic to mentioning, Bjugstad, who I also wanted retained has 19pts in Arizona and playing the game the right way and being effective. But sure nobody bringing that up after several people suggested he was "no loss"

ironically the player that we could only hope Brown would be, we already had in Bjugstad.

Kostin had a hot 50 games stretch where his shooting % was off the charts...I like the player, I don't give him a MULTI-YEAR overpay based on 50 games...it's insane

Brown was being touted here as a shoe in Topsix player that was going to be Hyman part 2. That was the hyperbole. its not the same.

Brown was a better risk on a much shorter deal at the time for a known 20 goal-40 point player who had a good chance to put up 15-20 goals playing with top talent

it's been a disaster

 

[Drivesaitl]

Kostin had a hot 50 games stretch where his shooting % was off the charts...I like the player, I don't give him a MULTI-YEAR overpay based on 50 games...it's insane


Brown was a better risk on a much shorter deal at the time for a known 20 goal-40 point player who had a good chance to put up 15-20 goals playing with top talent

it's been a disaster

Like I'd mentioned though Kostin was the younger player with potential upside. Bjugstad was actually the one that was most likely to continue to be decent. Brown was not and hadn't been for multiple years.

Had Brown NOT missed an entire season there would be better chance of him recovering some touch. But one can't have a poor 10 goal season and then miss an entire season, and still have the hope that some scoring magic comes back. Brown just wasn't gonna be a goal scorer here. Clock is ticking too.

The point is when we get Brown it wasn't at all at the bolded. We weren't getting that. Not sure why you would think so.

 

[Sheikyerbouti]

all Brown needs to score is to go to the net and quit playing on the perimeter.


Smyth's last season he was also behind the play but he still played hard. Brown has not been in those dirty area's to get rewarded.

 

[foshizzle]

Sure, it was just a creative way of getting around the cap.

Not really creative way. It’s just a bonus paid out which can either hit your cap in the current year or can carry over as overages. Best bet is the Oilers move him at the deadline and get rid of the cap hit next year.

 

[McDNicks17]

Not really creative way. It’s just a bonus paid out which can either hit your cap in the current year or can carry over as overages. Best bet is the Oilers move him at the deadline and get rid of the cap hit next year.

The bonus is applied right when it's met, so the Oilers are stuck with it now with or without Brown.

 

[Heavy Dee]

He just lost his spot to Adam Bertn Erne

 

[MoontoScott]

Not really creative way. It’s just a bonus paid out which can either hit your cap in the current year or can carry over as overages. Best bet is the Oilers move him at the deadline and get rid of the cap hit next year.

I think that even if they move him they still get stuck with the bonus portion (the vast majority) and since they are close to the cap it will have be applied to next year's cap. It was a gamble that didn't pay off.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Really just disappear Connor Brown. Adam Erne is a way better option than you and scored in first game back. I can't stop laughing. Gagner elevated, played great, got 2pts, Mcleod elevated, played great got 2 goals including a feed from Gagner that you would never make, and Erne scored. All these events due to your healthy scratch. I guess thats a contribution of sorts. Browns biggest contribution of the season is getting healthy scratched. haha

 

[FlameChampion]

I haven’t read much on this thread but has there been much information on how his actual contract and bonuses work?

Like have the Oilers already paid the 3.25m bonus in cash, now that he has played 10g? Or does it get paid at the end of the season?

If he gets traded does the potential cap hit go with him?

Guess I am just wondering if the Oilers have already paid the money bonus, is there a chance we can just unload him to a team like Chicago that has has cap space? They wouldn’t be penalized because the Oilers have paid the actual money bonus and they aren’t using their cap space anyway.

But if they have to pay him at end of the year or the cap hit doesn’t move with him than the above paragraph is moot.

 

[Stoneman89]

I haven’t read much on this thread but has there been much information on how his actual contract and bonuses work?

Like have the Oilers already paid the 3.25m bonus in cash, now that he has played 10g? Or does it get paid at the end of the season?

If he gets traded does the potential cap hit go with him?

Guess I am just wondering if the Oilers have already paid the money bonus, is there a chance we can just unload him to a team like Chicago that has has cap space? They wouldn’t be penalized because the Oilers have paid the actual money bonus and they aren’t using their cap space anyway.

But if they have to pay him at end of the year or the cap hit doesn’t move with him than the above paragraph is moot.

I think with the 10 games played, the bonus is deferred to next seasons salary.

 

[FlameChampion]

Rereading the first several pages of this thread was an eye opener. I can’t remember a thread with so many bad takes. Closest to this was probably when Mac T was announced as GM.

Soon as I read his bonus was based on 10 gp and not performance based, I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. I tried to be somewhat positive about it.

I didn’t think Brown would be this bad though. But I personally don’t think Holland should of took the risk based on 10gp. It was a terrible decision.

I think with the 10 games played, the bonus is deferred to next seasons salary.

Well I am pretty sure the bonus is applied to this year’s cap and then any overrage gets applied to next years cap. But who knows honestly.

 

[foshizzle]

The bonus is applied right when it's met, so the Oilers are stuck with it now with or without Brown.

The bonus of actual cash is- not the cap implications- that’s added to your AAV. No different than when we traded Lucic who had already been paid his bonuses. You move the entire cap.

Soon as I read his bonus was based on 10 gp and not performance based, I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. I tried to be somewhat positive about it.

I didn’t think Brown would be this bad though. But I personally don’t think Holland should of took the risk based on 10gp. It was a terrible decision.


Well I am pretty sure the bonus is applied to this year’s cap and then any overrage gets applied to next years cap. But who knows honestly.

The bonus is deferred because the Oilers are at max cap. If they had space- it would hit this year. The team has the option of deferring overages. If they trade him- they move his entire cap.

 

[KCC]

Kostin had a hot 50 games stretch where his shooting % was off the charts...I like the player, I don't give him a MULTI-YEAR overpay based on 50 games...it's insane


Brown was a better risk on a much shorter deal at the time for a known 20 goal-40 point player who had a good chance to put up 15-20 goals playing with top talent

it's been a disaster

mcleod got the same deal and it’s not like he’s proven much better in his time in Edm. Losing kostin hurt this team. He was a great bottom 6 player. high shooting percentage or not he was big, fast, strong, physical and was just what edm needs. It wasn’t like it was a huge overpay either. Maybe a million too much. instead it went to McLeod and brown. But, that’s in the past. Team is stuck with what they’ve got for now.

 

[McDNicks17]

The bonus of actual cash is- not the cap implications- that’s added to your AAV. No different than when we traded Lucic who had already been paid his bonuses. You move the entire cap.



The bonus is deferred because the Oilers are at max cap. If they had space- it would hit this year. The team has the option of deferring overages. If they trade him- they move his entire cap.

Performance bonuses are different than signing bonuses like Lucic's.

The cap implication is added at the end of the year, but it's tied to when it was met and not to the player.

Trading him at the deadline would open a few hundred thousand. Trading him at the end of the year wouldn't do anything.

 

[brentashton]

I hope Gagner and Ryan are ok to play tonight. Neither one looked too seriously injured but one never knows.

I fear that Browne pencils back in to the lineup because of injuries to either one. It would be unfortunate for that to occur. The team needs to reel off a second game and keep him in the press box to watch again..

But if so, I’d play him on the 4th and probably double shift other wingers in his place throughout, keeping his playing minutes in the 5-7 minute range.

Tough love.

 

[SaltNPeca]

Kostin had a hot 50 games stretch where his shooting % was off the charts...I like the player, I don't give him a MULTI-YEAR overpay based on 50 games...it's insane


Brown was a better risk on a much shorter deal at the time for a known 20 goal-40 point player who had a good chance to put up 15-20 goals playing with top talent

it's been a disaster

absolutely.

I'm confused why he didn't start in the AHL or do a conditioning stint? Some handshake deal that the guy could "get up to speed" in the NHL? I'm legit confused why he's treated like Patty Kane or some kind of legend.

 

[Fourier]

The bonus is deferred because the Oilers are at max cap. If they had space- it would hit this year. The team has the option of deferring overages. If they trade him- they move his entire cap.

I asked @mouser about this. We both agreed that the bonus is fully on the team that pays it. That is almost surely the Oilers unless the payment is delayed. I don't believe they can avoid it by trading Brown.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

At this point we really should just call him Connor Shit

 

[foshizzle]

Performance bonuses are different than signing bonuses like Lucic's.

The cap implication is added at the end of the year, but it's tied to when it was met and not to the player.

Trading him at the deadline would open a few hundred thousand. Trading him at the end of the year wouldn't do anything.

Interesting. I have never heard of bonuses staying with the team that signed them. Do you have any examples? Not doubting you just would like to see how that worked out.

 

[FlameChampion]

I asked @mouser about this. We both agreed that the bonus is fully on the team that pays it. That is almost surely the Oilers unless the payment is delayed. I don't believe they can avoid it by trading Brown.

Is it possible that the bonus (real dollars) could be paid by the Oilers but the potential cap hit could be traded to a team that has cap space like Chicago?

 

[CupofOil]

I should be banned from HFOil for having put my full support behind this signing (the player not the contract) and telling everybody like a dingus that I guarantee they'll love him when they watch him play much like Hyman albeit a lite version of Hyman. This guy is a lite version of The Belanger Triangle at this point ffs.

The worst part of this is the $3.25m of dead cap next season, obviously. This would have been a bad signing at league minimum but at that salary structure it's pretty much a fireable offense. A more proactive and forward thinking GM would have cut ties after 9 games and find another way to plug that forward spot.

 

[guymez]

mcleod got the same deal and it’s not like he’s proven much better in his time in Edm. Losing kostin hurt this team. He was a great bottom 6 player. high shooting percentage or not he was big, fast, strong, physical and was just what edm needs. It wasn’t like it was a huge overpay either. Maybe a million too much. instead it went to McLeod and brown. But, that’s in the past. Team is stuck with what they’ve got for now.

Kostins game was very limited.
Both Mcleod and Brown are solid penalty killers. Kostin isnt and that makes him less valuable to this team especially at that price. $2M for aplayer that only playes botton 6 minutes at 5x5 is a dumb contract.
Brown was paid for what he has done. I know that posters on here want to use 30 games to define this player but thats a very myopic view. Based on the player i watched in the past I see a player in Brown that is playing tentatively. He is definitly in his head way too much. His very good PK work obviously doesnt create enough value for his contract but I totally understand why Knoblauch was reluctant to sit him until yesterday. If he can become the 20 goal man he was (even 15 goals) coupled with his solid PK work he then becoems a very valuable player for this team.
He has had a strong all around game. Provide offence at 5x5 and he is a borderline elite PK'er. There is a lot of value in that. Especially in the playoffs.
I like Kostin as a player but I am not going to overlook his limitations. He is a banger who shows flashes of offensive skill and can score occasionally. Thats good but he cant play anything but 5x5 bottom 6 minutes...thats not good if the price starts to exceed $1.5M.

 

[Soundwave]

Kostins game was very limited.
Both Mcleod and Brown are solid penalty killers. Kostin isnt and that makes him less valuable to this team especially at that price. $2M for aplayer that only playes botton 6 minutes at 5x5 is a dumb contract.
Brown was paid for what he has done. I know that posters on here want to use 30 games to define this player but thats a very myopic view. Based on the player i watched in the past I see a player in Brown that is playing tentatively. He is definitly in his head way too much. His very good PK work obviously doesnt create enough value for his contract but I totally understand why Knoblauch was reluctant to sit him until yesterday. If he can become the 20 goal man he was (even 15 goals) coupled with his solid PK work he then becoems a very valuable player for this team.
He has had a strong all around game. Provide offence at 5x5 and he is a borderline elite PK'er. There is a lot of value in that. Especially in the playoffs.
I like Kostin as a player but I am not going to overlook his limitations. He is a banger who shows flashes of offensive skill and can score occasionally. Thats good but he cant play anything but 5x5 bottom 6 minutes...thats not good if the price starts to exceed $1.5M.

I love how some people exert so much energy on pinching pennies on players like Kostin that helped us win the only playoff round we won last season, but having a massive cap penalty on Brown to the tune of $3+ million in cap spent on air next year is just "well that's how it goes".

This team's cap management is awful.

 

[Fourier]

Is it possible that the bonus (real dollars) could be paid by the Oilers but the potential cap hit could be traded to a team that has cap space like Chicago?

The answer is no with about 99% certainty. It's not like a signing bonus.

That said this is not explicitly covered in the CBA.