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Bridge Over Troubled Waters?

August 24, 2013, 7:37 AM ET [25 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
NHL news by Garth • RSSArchiveCONTACT
For the past couple of months, I've been keeping you updated on the RFA status of four young centers: Cody Hodgson, Derek Stepan, Nazem Kadri, and Adam Henrique.

Whats the hold up in re-signing these four dynamic players?

Darcy Regier and the Sabres would surely like to get Hodgson's name on a deal contract before camp starts. Regier and CoHo's agent Ritch Winter have been working to that end all summer.

Earlier this week, Kadri spoke of his desire to re-sign with the Maple Leafs. They are in cap Hell right now and barely have enough cap space to sign Kadri, let alone fellow RFA D Cody Franson.

Devils GM Lou Lamoriello has expressed an interest to re-sign Henrique before camp opens in two and a half weeks.

NY Rangers GM Glen Sather said late Friday night that he will not be signing Stepan to a long term contract. Therefore, the player will have to accept his "bridge contract" and smile, or, he'll have to hold out in order to get the term and annual dollars that he and his agent feel that he deserves.


Derek Stepan
of the New York Rangers remains an unsigned RFA, and his GM Glen Sather told Edmonton Sports Radio 1260, that he's not prepared to sign Stepan to a long-term contract. The 23-year old center will have to earn his big pay day.

Derek is in one of those positions where he's coming off an entry level contract. What we've done historically with all the players we've signed is we've put them into that gap contract where they have two years then after the first year then you negotiate an extention of that contract. That's pretty much what we're going to do with Derek. I'm not going to give him a long term contract at this stage. He's a good player. He's a smart player. He's a good team guy. There's certainly nothing wrong with him. But you got to wait a little while before you get the big bucks.


Stepan was drafted in the second round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft (51st overall). He scored 18 goals and 26 assists in 48 games for the Rangers during the 2013 season. He has registered 56 goals and 84 assists in 212 career games

If Stepan signs a two-year "bridge" deal, it will have a profound effect on the negotiating position of his fellow RFA Hodgson, Kadri, and Henrique since all four players are being used as comps of one another.

In 139 NHL games played, Hodgson has scored 35 goals and has added 42 assists for 77 points.

In 99 NHL games, Kadri has produced 26 goals and 37 assists for 63 points.

In 117 career NHL games, Henrique has scored 27 goals and has added 40 assists for 67 points.


This situation is very similar to the one that PK Subban and Y Ranger Michael Del Zotto encountered after the lockout had ended in January. Each player was at the end of his entry level contracts. Each was looking for a new, long term deal. Each signed a two year "bridge contract". Subban and Del Zotto will get their big pay days in their next contracts.

It appears that the market conditions will dictate a similar scenario for Stepan, Hodgson, Kadri, and Henrique.

If Stepan holds out, it may improve his chances of getting his long term deal sooner rather than later.

In Buffalo, the Sabres are no doubt watching the Stepan, Kadri and Henrique negotiations very closely as it appears that management is leaning towards the "bridge contract" in all four players cases. Darcy Regier will likely play follow the leader. If Sather, Lamoriello, and Nonis sign their respective RFAs to "bridge contracts", then that what Regier will do with Hodgson.

Hodgson has options. He can sign a Tyler Ennis style "bridge contract", or, he can hold out of training camp. Ennis signed his two year deal hours before the lockout began last September. He signed for two years and $2,812,500 per season. Not a bad piece of change.

Riddle me this:

Is Hodgson worth more to the Sabres right now than Ennis is?

I dare say yes, he is. He's the top line center. Thomas Vanek raves about playing alongside of him. He can be a point a game producer. Its still a question mark as to who will play RW on the top line this season. This much we know: Hodgson-Vanek is a productive, at-times lethal combination. If the Sabres have any plans of re-signing Vanek to a long term deal, they better hope that Vanek gets off to a torrid start to the season like he did after the lockout. What if Hodgson holds out? Rolston would have to play Steve Ott or Mikhail Grigorenko at the #1 center position. Ott can shoulder the load. Ditto Grigo. My thought process is that Regier will look to quell any possible distractions heading into training camp. It might be in the best interest of all parties for Regier to offer Hodgson a two year, $7 million deal ($3.5 AAV). The Sabres may be sold on Hodgson's offensive abilities, which he's more than adequately proven in his season and a half in Buffalo. However, they may be holding off investing the heavy cheddar in the Markham native until he cleans up his play in his own end. A "bridge contract" would give CoHo two years to perfect his defensive craft. The Sabres must be telling him: If you want to be paid like Giroux, Stamkos, Tavares and the other young centers in the NHL , you have to play the 200 foot game like they do.

Ron Rolston will be expecting a lot from his young kids in September and beyond. The last thing the Sabres need right now is their #1 center holding out for a more favorable contract.

Sabres training camp opens on September 12.

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