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Brown contract is a coup for Leafs, Lamoriello |
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One of the signature accomplishments of Hall-of-Fame GM Lou Lamoriello’s long tenure with the New Jersey Devils was his ability to get players (secondary and star alike) to sign deals with reasonable salaries.
Future Hall-of-Famers Martin Brodeur or Patrik Elias were well compensated throughout their careers, but they were never the top earners at their respective positions. The same went for key contributors like Brian Rafalski, Scott Niedermayer, Scott Gomez and Bobby Holik, who made modest income with the Devils through their prime and left for the big bucks in unrestricted free agency after they turned 30.
The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to be the beneficiary of Lamoriello’s frugality, as the club re-signed winger Connor Brown to a three-year, $6.3 Million contract on Saturday.
“(I’m) excited for the next 3 years in Blue and White.” Brown said via Twitter after the Leafs announced the deal. “Living out a childhood dream.”
Brown scored 36 points (20 goals and 16 assists) in 82 games in his rookie season. Although he has played just 89 NHL games, it was expected that the 23-year-old Toronto native would get closer to $3 Million per season on a new contract, but the winger’s bridge deal will average $2.1 Million per season.
One reason for Toronto being able to get Brown re-signed to a team-friendly amount and for less than teammate Zach Hyman was the leverage the Leafs had in negotiations.
The former OHL scoring champ was a restricted free agent coming off a three-year entry-level contract and is four years away from unrestricted free agency. Hyman was also an RFA, but was eligible for arbitration and two years away from unrestricted free agency.
Hyman’s four-year, $9 Million contract signed in July extended into years of unrestricted free agency. Even after the completion of the three-year deal, Brown will have another year before being free to test the free agent market and will be arbitration-eligible.
With the use of long-term injured reserve during the summer and their ability to get Brown signed for a less than expected amount, the Leafs may have room to add a veteran defenseman before the start of training camp.
Over the last week, veterans such as Francois Beauchemin, Drew Stafford and Matt Hendricks have signed one-year deals for $1 Million or less.
With the departure of Alexei Marchenko to the KHL, it would not be out of the realm of possibility for Lamoriello to add a bit of insurance in the form of Roman Polak or Cody Franson on a professional tryout or a guaranteed one-way contract.
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Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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