Paul Martin re-signed!!

[Jeff Allen]

sigh - Parise has nothing to do with what Martin will receive.

You're right, sorry for making that initial connection. I think it has to slightly in the eyes of fans since it was both Parise and Martin's RFA year and fans spectulated that Martin didn't want a contract like Parise's because of money or length when he didn't sign right away.

His salary has been be compared to our other d men by Lou. I'd say he gets Colin White money of around 3 mill per, but it's anyones guess.

[halfsharkalligatorhalfman]

Martin's played 20+ minutes the past 2-3 years. He'll be expected to be on the top d pair for the foreseable future. He will get paid.

[thefiestygoat]

Awesome news, though I was never worried it wouldn't get done. I'll guess it is 4 years at $4 million per, give or take a couple hundred thousands.

[Devils731]

It took so long because Lou kept forcing Kool Aid down his throat. Martin then signed a 10 year deal at 300k per.

[CMONPETEYD]

he is not worth 4 million. At most he is worth White money.

We weren't willing to give Rafalski more then 4.4 so what makes you think we are giving Martin -- a lesser player 4.0

[Devils731]

he is not worth 4 million. At most he is worth White money.

We weren't willing to give Rafalski more then 4.4 so what makes you think we are giving Martin -- a lesser player 4.0

[MantaRay]

Because Martin will probably get better every season of his contract while Rafalaski will probably get worse every year of his contract. White's contract is a bargain so to expect Martin, who is more valuable due to age and growth than White, to sign a contract that is an even bigger bargain isn't expected by me.

[njskaguy33]

Personally I don't think White is worth the 3 million he got, but if you use that as a benchmark, Martin should get at most the same...not more. White's been on this team since 1999...I'm adjusting my guess to 4 years at 2.5 mil...IMO, Martin still has to prove he can be our number 1 d-man...if he does, his next contract will be the payday.

Edited August 16, 2007 by Bulletproof

[thefiestygoat]

Because Martin will probably get better every season of his contract while Rafalaski will probably get worse every year of his contract. White's contract is a bargain so to expect Martin, who is more valuable due to age and growth than White, to sign a contract that is an even bigger bargain isn't expected by me.

[squishyx]

I like how we should be throwing a ton of money at players who "should get better" instead of players who have earned it. Same argument with parise.. they both have done next to nothing for this club other then show potential and people want to throw around these inflated contracts that are going to hamstring us in a few years when the cap doesnt continue to increase.

They are both good young players but until they have actually lived up to their potential i see no reason to pay them as such. 3-4m is a total joke and based on what parise got (all salaries are comparisons, leave that argument at the door) and other defensemen his age and talent level I bet its around 3m when he never really earned the 2m he made last year.

[maltieri]

Not even gonna try to Kreskin the $$--just glad he's signed

[Devils731]

Squish, you have to pay for future performance, not for past performance. If you pay for past performance you end up overpaying guys who are getting worse and losing all your guys that are getting better because other teams would step up for the young guys and let the old guys walk to you.

Also, how are the Devils going to get cap hamstrung when they are locking most of the guys up long term at these amounts and are well under the cap at the moment?

Edited August 16, 2007 by Devils731

[PeteyNice]

I like how we should be throwing a ton of money at players who "should get better" instead of players who have earned it. Same argument with parise.. they both have done next to nothing for this club other then show potential and people want to throw around these inflated contracts that are going to hamstring us in a few years when the cap doesnt continue to increase.

They are both good young players but until they have actually lived up to their potential i see no reason to pay them as such. 3-4m is a total joke and based on what parise got (all salaries are comparisons, leave that argument at the door) and other defensemen his age and talent level I bet its around 3m when he never really earned the 2m he made last year.

[Triumph]

I like how we should be throwing a ton of money at players who "should get better" instead of players who have earned it. Same argument with parise.. they both have done next to nothing for this club other then show potential and people want to throw around these inflated contracts that are going to hamstring us in a few years when the cap doesnt continue to increase.

[Devilish34]

Sorry, folks. I just talked to a mall security guard in Woodbridge who talked to a guy named Martin Paul who heard from a caller to WFAN that Martin hasn't signed, and that we're trading him and Patrik Elias to the Sharks for Joe Thornton, all four "Jaws" DVDs and the rights to Pat Falloon.

<JESTER>

[BlueSkirt]

Because Martin will probably get better every season of his contract while Rafalaski will probably get worse every year of his contract. White's contract is a bargain so to expect Martin, who is more valuable due to age and growth than White, to sign a contract that is an even bigger bargain isn't expected by me.

ding, ding, ding !! ^^ 731 gets it !

[squishyx]

Stats

Year Team GP G A Pts +/- PIM PPG PPA SHG SHA GW GT SOG Pct

2003-04 NJ 70 6 18 24 12 4 2 8 0 0 2 0 82 .073

2005-06 NJ 80 5 32 37 1 32 3 17 0 0 0 0 97 .052

2006-07 NJ 82 3 23 26 -9 18 1 5 0 0 0 0 84 .036

yup. this player is clearly worth 4mil when compared to this player:

1999-00 NJ 75 5 27 32 21 28 1 6 0 0 1 0 128 .039

2000-01 NJ 78 9 43 52 36 26 6 16 0 0 1 1 142 .063

2001-02 NJ 76 7 40 47 15 18 2 17 0 0 4 1 125 .056

2002-03 NJ 79 3 37 40 18 14 2 14 0 0 0 0 178 .017

2003-04 NJ 69 6 30 36 6 24 2 16 0 1 1 0 130 .046

2005-06 NJ 82 6 43 49 0 36 3 24 0 1 2 0 126 .048

2006-07 NJ 82 8 47 55 4 34 3 27 1 0 4 0 148 .054

Idk what martin got yet, but if its anything like the insane 4m people are suggesting I would have much rather given Rafi a nice little raise seeing as how he was twice as productive. Numbers don't tell all, especially with defenseman but he is a player who *earned* his contract and not someone who "eh maybe he will live up to it or maybe not".

And please, Parise leading the team in goal scoring has no relevance what so ever to his contract. He scored 31 goals great for our team which sucks at scoring but its hardly the most impressive numbers to put up. I hope he does live up to what he is making, I hope his contract ends up looking like a steal in several years, but I find the notion that we are supposed to just ante up and pay medium length high end contracts for on the chance that they will be great just a little upsetting.

[Devils731]

What the 2 players did in the past really have no meaning for what they'll be paid in say, 3 seasons from now. GMs have to predict how valuable a player will be over a life of a contract and comparing Raffy and Martin's careers to decided what they'll be like in the future doesn't make much sense since their careers are in completely different stages.

[squishyx]

Paul Martin is 26 years old - he's not that young. Furthermore, all salaries are not comparisons. Furthermore, LOL that Paul Martin didn't earn 2 million last year - yeah all the defenders who played 25 minutes a game on division-leading teams who made less than that were jealous at the last Paul Martin contract - they'll probably lose their minds over this one. Oh wait, those guys don't exist.

So, because the devils are weak in depth department for defense and played Martin more..and the team as a whole was succesful martin should be paid more because he was the sole reason for that productivity? why didnt the other 19 roster players get their contracts doubled?

[Triumph]

Stats

Year Team GP G A Pts +/- PIM PPG PPA SHG SHA GW GT SOG Pct

2003-04 NJ 70 6 18 24 12 4 2 8 0 0 2 0 82 .073

2005-06 NJ 80 5 32 37 1 32 3 17 0 0 0 0 97 .052

2006-07 NJ 82 3 23 26 -9 18 1 5 0 0 0 0 84 .036

yup. this player is clearly worth 4mil when compared to this player:

1999-00 NJ 75 5 27 32 21 28 1 6 0 0 1 0 128 .039

2000-01 NJ 78 9 43 52 36 26 6 16 0 0 1 1 142 .063

2001-02 NJ 76 7 40 47 15 18 2 17 0 0 4 1 125 .056

2002-03 NJ 79 3 37 40 18 14 2 14 0 0 0 0 178 .017

2003-04 NJ 69 6 30 36 6 24 2 16 0 1 1 0 130 .046

2005-06 NJ 82 6 43 49 0 36 3 24 0 1 2 0 126 .048

2006-07 NJ 82 8 47 55 4 34 3 27 1 0 4 0 148 .054

The second player didn't get 4 million. He got 6 million, and he got it over 5 years. It's nice to live in Candyland where you can just pull numbers out of thin air that players would've signed for - but in reality, Rafalski signed a 30 million, 5 year deal where he will certainly decline, and there's a fairly good chance that the Red Wings will have to buy him out of that deal.

Idk what martin got yet, but if its anything like the insane 4m people are suggesting I would have much rather given Rafi a nice little raise seeing as how he was twice as productive. Numbers don't tell all, especially with defenseman but he is a player who *earned* his contract and not someone who "eh maybe he will live up to it or maybe not".

The problem is that Rafalski will decline, and quickly IMO. The Wings can afford to give him less ice time, but if he got the ice time he was getting with New Jersey, he would be a liability/power play specialist in 3 years. I'd love to sign Rafalski to a 11 million/2 year deal. The fact that Brian got 5 years is simply insane.

And please, Parise leading the team in goal scoring has no relevance what so ever to his contract. He scored 31 goals great for our team which sucks at scoring but its hardly the most impressive numbers to put up. I hope he does live up to what he is making, I hope his contract ends up looking like a steal in several years, but I find the notion that we are supposed to just ante up and pay medium length high end contracts for on the chance that they will be great just a little upsetting.

His contract is unquestionably a steal. Like anything involving future events and thus probabilities, it could go sour, but from this chair, it's a terrific deal - Parise is already worth that kind of money and he figures to get better over the course of the contract. Instead of being paid $1M this year and possibly 4 or 5 million down the road, Parise opted for a contract that's better for him and the team.

If you think 31 goals in a second NHL season is 'hardly the most impressive numbers to put up' - well, terrific. I guess it's fitting that 3.2 million a season is 'hardly the biggest contract'.

[squishyx]

What the 2 players did in the past really have no meaning for what they'll be paid in say, 3 seasons from now. GMs have to predict how valuable a player will be over a life of a contract and comparing Raffy and Martin's careers to decided what they'll be like in the future doesn't make much sense since their careers are in completely different stages.

And at the same time he might be a total bust and a waste of money. Under the same logic why wasnt oduya given 3m a year?

[BlueSkirt]

TSN.ca Staff

8/16/2007 12:38:16 PM

The New Jersey Devils have re-signed defenseman Paul Martin to a multi-year contract, financial terms of the deal were not released.

The Minneapolis native scored three goals and collected 23 assists while playing in all 82 games last season. He also had four assists in 11 playoff games.

''Paul Martin is an all-situations type of defenceman, and has developed into one of the more talented young players in the National Hockey League,'' Devils CEO, President and General Manager Lou Lamoriello told the Canadian Press.

In 232 career games, the 26-year old Martin has tallied 14 goals and 73 assists, all with the Devils. He was selected 62nd overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft by New Jersey.

[squishyx]

The second player didn't get 4 million. He got 6 million, and he got it over 5 years. It's nice to live in Candyland where you can just pull numbers out of thin air that players would've signed for - but in reality, Rafalski signed a 30 million, 5 year deal where he will certainly decline, and there's a fairly good chance that the Red Wings will have to buy him out of that deal.

The problem is that Rafalski will decline, and quickly IMO. The Wings can afford to give him less ice time, but if he got the ice time he was getting with New Jersey, he would be a liability/power play specialist in 3 years. I'd love to sign Rafalski to a 11 million/2 year deal. The fact that Brian got 5 years is simply insane.

His contract is unquestionably a steal. Like anything involving future events and thus probabilities, it could go sour, but from this chair, it's a terrific deal - Parise is already worth that kind of money and he figures to get better over the course of the contract. Instead of being paid $1M this year and possibly 4 or 5 million down the road, Parise opted for a contract that's better for him and the team.

If you think 31 goals in a second NHL season is 'hardly the most impressive numbers to put up' - well, terrific. I guess it's fitting that 3.2 million a season is 'hardly the biggest contract'.

Read closer, i wasnt suggestiong Rafi was going to sign for 4mil. I would much rather take Martins supposed 2mil raise that he "earned" and given it to Rafalski who I feel has "earned" and paid him a total of 6m a year. which is eaxactly what he got. Honestly tho considering he said he wanted to stay I bet Lou could have gotten him for even less then that, but a 10% raise was pretty insulting if those rumours were true.

And again, its all speculation that raflaski is going to decline and martin is going to be some magical player. Rafi started late in the NHL which means he has a lot less wear and tear. That doesnt mean he has another 10 years left, but it certainly gives him an advatdage over players his age who have another 4-5 years of NHL time kicking into them.

Parise at 3.2 is just slightly more then I wanted him signed for. Im not really upset with it because its in the ballpark. However im not really talking about the contract he got, rather the contract people here wanted to offer him, 4m, 4.5m a year which, imo for a 31g with 2 years experiance is nuts. Just as people here are suggestiong Martin be paid similar numbers for a much more mediocre preformance the parise put up.

[njskaguy33]

Everyone is making really good points but I think I have to eat a little crow and agree with Tri...given his example, a 3-4 mil contract is more likely....I just don't like it. If Martin was a proven number 1 d-man, I would no problem with 4+. The problem is that we just don't know how effective he will be with that responsibility. I would like to see that 2.5 mil 4 year contract and if he steps up, reward him in a few years when he is in his prime. But if he is going to be our number 1 d-man, then we need to pay him accordingly.

Also, comparing Falski 6 years ago and Martin this year is wacky...two different players on two different teams. Signing a player to a contract is an inherant gamble...if he's good, it's a steal...if he stinks, we got screwed.

[Devils731]

And at the same time he might be a total bust and a waste of money. Under the same logic why wasnt oduya given 3m a year?

Because Oduya is nowhere near as good as Martin already is and they are at similar points to their career.

It's obvious you're not going to change your mind but I think it's incredibly short sighted if you want the Devils to sign players based on what they did last season and not try to project their future.