Quick question - if Jones was a UFA today, what do you think the AAV would be on a 6 year contract?
I don't think he would get 4 years at 9.5M with a NMC and 5M per season in signing bonuses.
I think he would be more coveted than people here expect, but the reason his contract is a bad contract isn't just the AAV. I would have answered this question more directly two months ago, but with Capfriendly dead it's too annoying to deep dive into cap hits because the other sites aren't as intuitive. My gut says someone might sign him to a 6 5M-6M type contract without signing bonuses and with a much smaller limited NTC.
With that in mind, I don't think there is an efficient way for Chicago to trade him. Even if they retained will retain money on him, his NMC is going to get in the way of most trades. Additionally, I don't think there is an equilibrium where there is an amount that makes sense to retain, where assets actually come back to Chicago. It's almost like the Karlsson trade to Pittsburgh, where it was so much work just to figure out a way to do that where it worked for all sides, and it took so many different moving parts. Also keep in mind, Karlsson had a major bounce back season.
I don't think he is as bad as people make him out to be. Same with Nurse. It's just contract and role that exaggerates their short comings. Still, that doesn't change that they are untradeable because the terms of their contract make it so difficult.
I don’t see how Jones and Nurse really fit. Yes they’re a million or two overpaid, but Utah, Anaheim, Detroit, Montreal, San Jose, etc can all fit them under their cap and either would immediately slot in as their best or second best dman. I can’t see a scenario where you can’t move either pretty easily, especially considering they’re in their prime. Compared to say Kadri who has 5 years left and is 34 going into this year, or Tanev who is also 34 and has 6 years left. How many teams are taking a gamble of Tom Wilson at 30, coming off a 35 point season, with 7 years at 6.5 per to go? You can even make a case for a guy like Letang who’s signed into his 40s
The article isn't "these are the worst contracts", it is what are the most untradeable contracts.
I think contracts like Nurse, Huberdeau, Jones, they all fit that. The only way those contracts are getting moved is for each other, or in a very convoluted deal where everything goes right to make it happen, like the Karlsson to PIT deal was.