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Welcome to another edition of the Hockeybuzz hotstove.
Monday it was announced that T.J. Brodie signed a long-term contract extension to remain with the Calgary Flames. Brodie's new deal is for five years and worth $4.65 million per season.
Is that too much for Brodie? Not enough? Just right? In this edition the hotstove will answer just that.
Todd Cordell: Win for Calgary
I think the Flames hit it out of the park with this one. T.J. Brodie has quietly developed into a legitimate 1st pairing defenseman and at 24 he is just entering his prime.
His possession numbers with Mark Giordano have been elite the last couple seasons, and their ability to log huge minutes gives the Flames a chance every night.
Brodie's excellent defensively, makes good outlets and can also skate the puck out of trouble. He's potent offensively, too, as he recorded 31 points last season, and is off to an exceptional start with seven points in seven games this season.
I think Brodie is well on his way to becoming one of the best defenseman in hockey, and with the cap expected to rise quite a bit in future years the deal will only look better as time passes.
James Tanner: Great contract
I think it's a great contract. You don't really have to be all that good to be good value for less than five million per season, and if he continues to be a top pairing defensman that is a great contract that takes him through what are probably his best years. I think it's a good idea to pay guys for their potential rather than the past, which is what happens every year on UFA day. Great deal by the Flames.
Adam French: Just right
I suppose I ought to say that this is just right for the Flames and not Brodie, but he agreed to it so...profit? If you had asked me this last year I would have scoffed. I'm not really all that into the Flames and I don't really follow them, but one name I kept hearing about from Alberta was Brodie (aside from Giordano obviously). Then you look up how well he is playing, the minutes, the competition and...who is this guy? Brodie might not be the ideal top-pairing defender, but he has been a surprisingly serviceable number 2 for the past season and a half.
I suspect Giordano-Brodie is the biggest difference between the Alberta rebuilds. When I see Gardiner getting near that money for half the play or Brooks Orpik Jedi Mind Tricking the Capitals into thinking it was 2008 again and they still had Gonchar in his prime for some reason, I can't help but feel this is a solid, if not amazing compromise contract.
Tim Chiasson: Just right
Based on Brodie's body of work, the dollar amount and the success of the Flames it would be easy to look at this deal in a negative way. The $4M-$5M range is considered a good cap number right now for potential 1st/2nd pairing defenders coming out of ELC. The cap isn't going down any time soon. The Flames are paying Brodie for what they think he can do, not what he's already done, similar to the Jake Gardiner contract in Toronto. If that pans out then the Flames will have come away on top by a wide margin. The cost of defenders is rising and Brodie's new deal is comparable, in dollars, to Vlasic, Shattenkirk, Bieksa, Garrison and McDonagh. That's a solid list of of blueliners to be grouped with. While I don't think Brodie is on their level of value right now that doesn't mean I don't think he can get there.
Had the two sides agreed to a two year bridge deal and Brodie puts up what Calgary thinks he will then the Flames would have been taken to the bank at the end of the bridge deal. The Flames have to pay someone with all that cap space so they might as well take a little risk and invest in a young player they believe in. Both camps are happy and Brodie doesn't have to worry about playing in a contract year for a long time and Calgary eats up some UFA years. For a team in transition like the Flames this is a good deal to start building some stability with. By the time this contract reaches year five it will look like pennies in comparison to what players will be making when the cap rises again and again.
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What do you think of Brodie's extension with the Flames? As always, we'd love to hear your thoughts.
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