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From yesterday's blog...
The arbitration hearing for Viktor Arvidsson is scheduled for today, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the two sides were almost two million and a year apart in their asks. Arvidsson asked for a year at $4.5 million, the Predators are coming in with a two year offer with an AAV of 2.75 million.
It’s a tough call… Arvy had a break out year last season… 31 goals in the regular season after never breaking double digits previously. Was this past year a fluke? Wondering if a “prove it” contract comes out of the situation… two years maybe… 3.5 million each? With the hearing scheduled today, news may break if they avoid it… it can also be settled any time before the announcement of the decision.
News broke indeed… the Nashville Predators’ GM David Poile announced a seven year deal for the young Swede… seven years at $29.75 million. The wizard strikes again as Poile has locked up solid young talent for good term... and for a reasonable price. Arvidsson’s cap hit is 4.25 million. I will be curious to see the financial details of the contract, we don’t know how that $29.5 million breaks down as of yet, but any way you cut it… it’s a solid deal for both sides. Obviously Arvidsson traded a salary for term, this contract keeps him in Smashville until he is 31 and keeps the JOFA line together for the foreseeable future pending Ryan Johansen's status.
Look at it this way… David Poile locked up Roman Josi early, the Preds have him under contract for three more years at an AAV of $4 million, Ekholm is locked in for five more years with a $3.75 million cap hit and Ryan Ellis is signed for two more years with a cap hit of $2.5 million. Three of the better defensemen in the league for just over $10 million.
Go to the forwards and you have Filip Forsberg, Arvy and Calle Jarnkrok nailed down for at least five years together for a simply silly $12.25 million cap hit. Two 30 goal scorers and a Swedish Army Knife for $12.25 million… David Poile is certainly staking his claim as the early front runner for next year’s GM of the Year right now.
Two more RFA’s to go.
Austin Watson is scheduled for his arbitration hearing on Tuesday, the two sides are not far apart on dollars and I do not anticipate that hearing to happen. Watson finally came into his own last season and definitely earned a raise. I will be curious on term here... bridge contract or long term lockup? If I was a betting man, I'm betting bridge.
The other RFA is a critical one… Ryan Johansen.
Johansen did not elect to go to arbitration and is reported for be asking for $8.5 million a year. That is not what I would call an unreasonable dollar amount, last season he earned $6 million and a raise is definitely in order. RyJo proved his mettle as a 1C, especially in the playoffs before going down in the Anaheim series, his recovery from the Acute Compartment Syndrome that hit him late in the Western Conference Final is ahead of schedule by all accounts. I can only assume that the bargaining now is over term. Let’s look at that.
Johansen turns 25 on July 31st. The 4th overall pick in 2010 has already posted 433 career games. A career 52.5% face off win percentage (last season’s was 54.6%) with a 10.5% shooting percentage. His JOFA line was dominant last season and the chemistry Ryan has shown with Forsberg and Arvidsson is worthy of consideration in this process.
I know I would be happy with a five year for 42.5 million.
If you assume that RyJo gets what he wants from a cap hit… that would leave Nashville with about $6 million remaining against the cap. Getting Watson signed may take a million or so, leaving some to re-sign Mike Fisher if he decides to come back for one final crack at a cup and a little cushion for dealing around deadline time.
Stay tuned folks… more drama to come.
54 days until training camp opens
58 days until the first preseason game
73 days until the season opener
78 days until the home opener.
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