The NHL players need a reality check...I think

[metaldude26]

You know how on LOST there was that theory that everyone really died in the plane crash and that the show was just someone's made up universe in their comatose mind?

What if this whole Lockout scenario is really just an alternate "worst case scenario" made up by Crosby's crippled concussion-riddled mind?

That's a scenario where I'd say a reality check is in order.

[ericdaoust]

What if this whole Lockout scenario is really just an alternate "worst case scenario" made up by Crosby's crippled concussion-riddled mind?

That would explain the long delays of nothing...

[newfcollins]

That would explain the long delays of nothing...

And the dull quotes.

[doulos]

Yeah I looked, but couldn't find any stats. Maybe CapGeek?

I think if you can demonstrate a non-standard dist. among NHL salaries you have an argument for salaries being "too high" or "too low". Otherwise, it's just opinion.

Which is fine...I'm not saying giving an opinion is bad, but it is what it is - arbitrary.

Totally agree with you.

You've opened up a can of worms here that I have to intentionally not research at the moment, or I will get NOTHING done at work today.

[letangerang58]

If those AHL and Euro players were viable options then they would be the ones signed to NHL deals over the "mediocre" NHL players. The reason most of these guys will play where they do is that once they are put into an NHL game their abilities turn out to be less than mediocre in the NHL platform, hence the reason they are not NHLers.

Exactly. Most of the players outside of the NHL couldn't even come close to being competitive in the NHL. In reality those "middle tier" players are among the best players in the world. Sure they don't wow and amaze like Crosby, Malkin, Lundqvist, etc but they are still very skilled players who help lead teams to championships. Do you think the Kings would have won the cup without guys like Mitchell, Stoll, Williams and Scuderi? Probably not. The Blackhawks lost all of their "middle tier" players after their cup win and they struggled to make the playoffs the next 2 years. Meanwhile we see teams made up entirely of "middle tier" players such as the Blues, Preds and Coyotes make the playoffs every year. The fact is teams that are deep with "middle tier" players such as the Flyers and Bruins will continue to be consistently dominant while teams that are top heavy in talent like the Pens will fluctuate between seasons.

Also Kulemin is a very poor example of an overpaid player. He only gets $2.8M (cap hit). For someone who can score like he has in the past that's a very good deal. I think Leino, Carle and Wideman are better examples. Leino being the worst of them. But the reason they got paid the way they did is because of the scarcity of talent available in free agency as well the fact that teams just needed to improve their team whatever the cost. Just a little measure to see where how Kulemin's salary compares to Malkin's in terms of production last year. I took Kulemin's production from last year (28 pts) and divided it by Malkin's production from last year (since he had the most points scored) (109 pts) to get .257 Kpts/Mpts. I then multiplied that number by Malkin's cap hit ($8.7M) and got $2.2M for the amount that Kulemin should have been paid based on Malkin's salary and point production. That's pretty close to what Kulemin got in his deal but we know the Leafs paid a little more because Kulemin scored twice as many points the year before and its reasonable to assume that he will score more than 28 pts in future seasons.

[grindin griers]

What letangerang said right here:

The fact is teams that are deep with "middle tier" players such as the Flyers and Bruins will continue to be consistently dominant while teams that are top heavy in talent like the Pens will fluctuate between seasons.

contains a hint of the main reason why I think a cap on contract length will not affect the middle class as much as people are saying.

GMs know that it takes a well balanced roster to consistently win, and spending too much on just a couple players could be devastating to their depth unless those players are a Crosby or Malkin who can make up that difference.

So while the Crosbys and Stamkos will definitely have a higher cap; I have a hard time seeing Parise and Suter getting deals that would be much higher cap hits than the ones they just signed because they are just not worth it to take up that much more cap allocation in order for a team to fill out a more balanced roster. I like to think that most GMs see this, but as we all know there are a few nuts out there that will do anything even if it hurts their teams ability to win.

On top of that, if we go with that Parise's and Suter's contracts wouldn't have a higher cap hit, then it would be a positive for the rest of the players in the league because those front loaded deals wouldn't screw up the escrow stuff for them.

That's just how I see it. The players that are important to winning will always get paid the majority of time, and there will always be some that are "overpaid or underpaid" in our eyes.

[Dakkster]

I pay to go see my team play. I don't go to see a specific player.

Aside from that, it's interesting to see someone take the anti-perspective on everything, like eyemissgilmour.

[MXHockey]

I pay to go see my team play. I don't go to see a specific player.

Lots of fans go to games to see a specific player from the opposing team. For many, it's the only reason they go to a game during the season.

[metaldude26]

Lots of fans go to games to see a specific player from the opposing team. For many, it's the only reason they go to a game during the season.

Hockey has to be the single worst sport for "star gazing". The best players might only skate for 20 minutes a night and may never even get a remotely decent chance at doing something exciting. Depth makes for exciting hockey not stars. Not that this stops people from "star gazing", I just think it's a fairly stupid strategy for ticket purchasing.

[Big Ev]

By the way, for anyone sick of me being too pro-owner you should check out Larry Brooks - throughout this whole process, I don't think he has made a negative remark about the players once. Not once. He despises the owners, and Bettman in particular.

Isn't he supposed to at least TRY to maintain objectivity as a journalist? I mean, I'm biased, but reporting to the public is not my job.

I think the constant owner bashing by Brooks is bordering on unethical.

Brooks is the PA's spokesman through the media, and I'm pretty sure he is on their payroll as well.

[Mr. Guru]

Hockey has to be the single worst sport for "star gazing". The best players might only skate for 20 minutes a night and may never even get a remotely decent chance at doing something exciting. Depth makes for exciting hockey not stars. Not that this stops people from "star gazing", I just think it's a fairly stupid strategy for ticket purchasing.

While I agree, it's also nice to see generational superstars play live, no?

[blayze]

Actually, I would say the majority of NHL fans who attend live games are "star gazers" and I'm guilty of this myself. Even the remote chance of seeing someone like Crosby, Stamkos or Ovie do something special is better than no chance at all.

Through my company I'm fortunate enough to have access to front row season tickets, and Pens, Caps, Blackhawks, Wings games are always the first to go.

Tickets for games like Florida, NYI, Buffalo (ie: teams with no marquee players) are always available.

It's just human nature.

[sparrowtrini]

Lots of fans go to games to see a specific player from the opposing team. For many, it's the only reason they go to a game during the season.

Especially in alot of US markets

[newfcollins]

Actually, I would say the majority of NHL fans who attend live games are "star gazers" and I'm guilty of this myself. Even the remote chance of seeing someone like Crosby, Stamkos or Ovie do something special is better than no chance at all.

Yeah, I know people like this. If they have a choice of seeing Crosby, Letang and Malkin, or Weiss, Versteeg and Campbell, they'll take the former.

[blayze]

Yeah, I know people like this. If they have a choice of seeing Crosby, Letang and Malkin, or Weiss, Versteeg and Campbell, they'll take the former.

I can't tell if you're being facetious.

I think even the most die-hard Panther fans would choose the former lol