66 replies to this topic

[sundstrom]

According to TSN.CA, TB gave Brad Richards a 5 year, $39MM deal that pays him $7.8/year. Of course this is ridiculous, but it just put Elias' number right at $8MM and gomez well over $5MM.

It only takes one guy to wreck the whole thing and Jay Feaster just did it.

[Risky]

Who the fvck is Brad Richards?

[langs15]

Who the fvck is Brad Richards?

a greedy bastad......I can't see Lou goiong that high in $..

[sundstrom]

FYI, this is official. It's even on TB's website. If Feaster has a job in two years, i'll eat my hat. he has killed TB's future unless they deal St. Louis or Lecavailler.

Chara, Redden, Lidstrom, and Elias have all started their new number at $8MM as they're all better than Richards and they're all more important to their own teams (or any other).

Feaster says F-U to the entire league with this deal. Betteman must want him dead.

[RolandNJD]

It only takes one guy to wreck the whole thing and Jay Feaster just did it.

Well said.

I went to NHL.com to see what time the Carolina-Buffalo game is on at, instead I get blown away. That's unreal and Brad Richards just doesn't command THAT much in my opinion.

Cheers,
- Roland

[Devils731]

Richards is good but that contract is silly.

[overtime98]

Players Like Elias will see this and think "if he can get a contract like that I want it or more!" Not good for us. if Lou doesnt take care of Elais like TB took care of Richards.

[MantaRay]

That means St. Louis is done in Tampa. What a stupid move by Feaster, who has started to demolish a former Cup winning team. Right, now it looks like they will not make the playoffs next season. St. Louis was their franchise.

[Default]

This signing is going to be like the Sakic deal a few years back.
This is really going to hurt the whole league.

[martin7]

if elias doesn't sign will they lower ticket prices?

[sundstrom]

the more that i think about this, the more sick i feel.

why did we go through a lockout?

[RowdyFan42]

Gee, I thought the salary cap was supposed to PREVENT one guy from ruining it for the rest of the league...

[Devils731]

The salary cap should and probably will prevent stuff like this but it'll take a few offseasons for some people to realize the mistakes they're making.

[Triumph]

I don't think this ruins the rest of the market - here's why:

1. Brad Richards is only 26. Patrik Elias is 30. Big difference. Tampa Bay will be getting these five years in his absolute prime.

2. Brad Richards has a Conn Smythe Trophy. This raises his price by a significant portion - just ask anyone who's won one over the last 10 years. Players who win a Conn Smythe are overpaid by at least 10% generally.

Here's why it does:

Brad Richards' first year can be used in arbitration because he was not yet a UFA. Something has to be done about this - the Leafs did the same thing with Mats Sundin. Players often get this year at a higher salary so that they give up some UFA years.

One thing that Tampa did not do was let the market set a price for Richards. I think he would've gotten in the high 6s.

Remember, the salary cap still dictates market price more than comparable salaries.

[MantaRay]

There is no way that Richards is worth more than St. Louis, Conn Smyth or not.

Richards is a good player, but Tampa gave him more than double his worth in my view, which is going to hurt them in getting a goalie and also re-signing their blueline. I think they will have too deal St.Louis (who was league MVP).

[Triumph]

There is no way that Richards is worth more than St. Louis, Conn Smyth or not.

Richards is a good player, but Tampa gave him more than double his worth in my view, which is going to hurt them in getting a goalie and also re-signing their blueline. I think they will have too deal St.Louis (who was league MVP).

St. Louis was pretty average this year. 61 points - he wasn't even close to his form of 2004. He did play hurt for some of the season, but I'm not sure we will see him score 94 points again. 75-80 is the range I would put him in now. Brad Richards is now a better player than St. Louis for sure, and especially since Richards is 26 and St. Louis will be 31 when the season starts.

[coldply123]

I like Richards. Is he getting overpaid with this deal......Absolutely


Is Elias worth that money........Hell No.

[sundstrom]

I don't think this ruins the rest of the market - here's why:

1. Brad Richards is only 26. Patrik Elias is 30. Big difference. Tampa Bay will be getting these five years in his absolute prime.

2. Brad Richards has a Conn Smythe Trophy. This raises his price by a significant portion - just ask anyone who's won one over the last 10 years. Players who win a Conn Smythe are overpaid by at least 10% generally.

Here's why it does:

Brad Richards' first year can be used in arbitration because he was not yet a UFA. Something has to be done about this - the Leafs did the same thing with Mats Sundin. Players often get this year at a higher salary so that they give up some UFA years.

One thing that Tampa did not do was let the market set a price for Richards. I think he would've gotten in the high 6s.

Remember, the salary cap still dictates market price more than comparable salaries.

it's bad triumph. richards' age isn't going to factor as much as the best player on the team argument and people looking at points. Elias has been the better player than Richards EVERY year except 02/03, but elias was very good in the playoffs that year. Richards' contract virtually guarantees that elias gets AT LEAST $7.5 and more than likely, the same if not more than Richards. The same will be true for Redden, Chara, and Lidstrom. it's not like everyone is going to be making crazy money, but what we'll see is teams with 3-5 guys making 25%-35% of the team's cap and lots of other guys making $750k. take care of the stars and screw everyone else. gomez can also go to arbitration with this and get around $4.5 for this year.

this will go down as a sakic/holik/guerin type contract that the league will have to deal with.

just bad bad stuff. Feaster will be shunned by the rest of the NHL community for this.

[Triumph]

You mean the NHL community will love Tampa Bay because they will have to get rid of Lecavalier or St. Louis for cheap, right? They've got 20 million tied up in 3 players, that's just unsustainable under the salary cap. St. Louis is going to be the guy they're going to want to deal - he's not getting younger and if he loses a step he's only a good, not great player. Look for someone very stupid to acquire him.

Look, if someone's going to kill themselves for Elias, let them. The FA class of 06-07 is way better than that of this year - that's why Tampa's move is foolish, because the market would've dictated that Richards' salary go down by virtue of the fact that there were several equivalent players out there. That Conn Smythe definitely contributed, but Richards should be making high 6s at best. I just don't think the market can bear centers of Richards' ability being paid 7.9 million a year.

The 'stratified' NHL scenario just doesn't make any sense because of the way markets work. Players get mandatory RFA raises, and then they are dumped on to the open market - their salary is unlikely to go down since there will be several teams bidding for their services.

Edited by Triumph, 22 May 2006 - 12:04 PM.

[RowdyFan42]

How many teams are going to completely screw themselves over like this? In the past, a deal like this was certainly bad news, but the cap forces GMs to have at least some common sense. This scenario will likely not be repeated.

Edited by RowdyFan42, 22 May 2006 - 11:57 AM.