Bah at a 5,3 cap hit with a rising cap it,s not bad, besides when he plays he's pretty effective, as shown last year.
- Alexzanki

So shouldn't the same be said for RJ?

Because Kane and Toews proved they were exceptional during their rookie contract years, RJ had one good season.
- Alexzanki

If he is no good and a one time wonder, then trade him , we would love to have him on our team.

There's no way this kid starts the season as a Blue Jacket. This is more or less his way of saying "I dont want to play here".
- mochoson

I think so too. A small market team that doesn't want to pay a very good player. Don't blame him.

So shouldn't the same be said for RJ?
- Lahey

If he plays well during his bridge then he could make way more, then he has a case at that point, Kekka paid for what Horton has proven he can bring, meaning a physical presence (yes he's injury prone) but again , Horton is set to make 5,3 and that's it, RJ will be looking at 8m perhaps 9m in 2 years if he keeps showing he's an elite talent, and not a one year phenom.

What is ridiculous is CB paid 810 k last year for a guy to score 30 goals and make the owner a few mil extra in the playoffs, and now they wat to pay him 3.5 mil for his efforts.

They already had their bargain year.

They owner has 14 mil in space with one player left to sign , the franchise player. Time to put up or shut up. RJ has already given them their discount year.
- VANTEL

He made almost 2 million last year. The kid had 33 points in his first 107 NHL games and 63 in his next 82. Do you know how many bad contracts and how different the financial landscape of the NHL would look if every player got paid after one good season?

You don't have an arguement, period. I can give you a plethora of names of players that scored 30 goals and/or 60 some odd points only to never do it again. The kid made almost 2 million. A 2 year bridge deal at 3.5 or even 4 per is a huge raise, which wouldn't include any bonuses he may hit in those two years where he could earn additional money.

If he wants 6.5-7 mill on a bridge deal, his agent is a greedy douchebag. NHL team's need consistency if their going to pay you 5+ mill a season. He's had 3 seasons to show some consistency, and only did it for one. He'd be smart to sign a bridge deal soon before this get's to heated. If he has 2 seasons of roughly the same production or greater, he'll be looking at 8+ mill a season on a long term deal with the rising cap.

To say the Blue Jackets are wrong here is just asinine. This kid is younger then me, and I turned 23 less than a month ago. He's proved nothing.

If he plays well during his bridge then he could make way more, then he has a case at that point, Kekka paid for what Horton has proven he can bring, meaning a physical presence (yes he's injury prone) but again , Horton is set to make 5,3 and that's it, RJ will be looking at 8m perhaps 9m in 2 years if he keeps showing he's an elite talent, and not a one year phenom.
- Alexzanki

And somehow if that day comes I have a feeling we will be having a similar blog at this time of year about how RJ wants 8-9mil and JD and Kekka don't want to pay it.

And somehow if that day comes I have a feeling we will be having a similar blog at this time of year about how RJ wants 8-9mil and JD and Kekka don't want to pay it.
- Lahey

Except that if that day comes then I will side with RJ and call JD and Kekka a bunch of cheap scums.

The CBJ have never lost a player over money. In fact, the list of players they have overpaid is long and depressing, and part of their lousy history. The roster is in better shape (by far) then it has ever been, with cap room to pay players like Calvert, Atkinson, Murray, Prout, Savard, Bob, as they come up for more expensive deals. For all the "small market" crap-they were almost a cap team last year, that made room for the kids over the past 12 months. Davidson is 100% right to say that RJ is not Stamkos, Kane or Toews. The contracts given to Subban, Duchesne, Giroux and Stepan are fair comparables, and RJ has been offered more than all of those players. The "risk" the team is taking is that RJ puts up 100 points a year for 2 years, and they have to pay him 10 mil per year. They will live with that risk-and yes they will pay it. Rick Nash got top dollars in Columbus, even though he never performed at an elite level.

JD has always been a cheap bastard , that is why he is a career GM/ Pres to the teams of smaller markets.
- VANTEL

Evander Kane and Yakupov. I would even throw in there Brad Marchand. They were given what I would say is a slight above average bridge/medium term contracts and have underperformed thus far.......

With logic of paying players based on one good year the NHL will go bankrupt in a couple years.

I agree fully with there GM, you CAN NOT pay this unproven kid the same money that Krejic and Stastny and Bergeron and Duchene are making.......

If you think you can look at those names and say he deserves there money you are delusional in my book......!

So JD wants to pay a 6'3 first line centre that will score 30 goals this year 4 mil.


If I am RJ I sit patiently in the comforts of his new Port Coquitlam home and wait until CBJ start missing his 30 goals and losing games because they are missing that big centre.

When they do come calling ask for a signing bonus to pro rate his salary up to 6 mil for time missed.
- VANTEL

Thanks Kurt.

The team does have it's own financial limits, beyond the cap. Which may allow them to eventually be profitable. I don't blame them, they are not in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, etc. (who all have signed big name players to bridge deals).

Really this is the undoing of another lockout, that will eventually end in ......another lockout.

Thanks Kurt.

The team does have it's own financial limits, beyond the cap. Which may allow them to eventually be profitable. I don't blame them, they are not in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, etc. (who all have signed big name players to bridge deals).

Really this is the undoing of another lockout, that will eventually end in ......another lockout.
- moondawg

Thank god.....a reasonable Vancouver fan.

Matt Duchene Years 1-3: 219 Games, 65 Goals, 85 Assists, 150 Points, 0.69 ppg, -18
Ryan Johansen Years 1-3: 189 Games, 47 Goals, 49 Assists, 96 Points, 0.51 ppg, -6

Explain why Johansen is worth more than Duchene was after 3 years? Sure he hit 33 goals last year but that was the only year he made it past 10. At least Duchene was consistent in his 3 years. Hell PK Subban signed a bridge deal under 3M and he outscored Johansen as a defenceman in his first 2 years full time in the NHL.

6.5M my ass, take the 3.5M for 2 years, throw in a couple more 30/30 seasons and then sign a 7M deal, higher cap by then also.

If he is no good and a one time wonder, then trade him , we would love to have him on our team.
- VANTEL

No team will trade for or pay him 6.5 if he is a one hit wonder, and the Jackets would be stuck with him for the duration, or have to buy him out. There are many examples of this. Jackets sticking to their fair offer is the best thing for them and for the league. I'm thinking the Johansen camp is hoping to be given an offer sheet like Ryan O'reilly got a couple years ago.

Evander Kane and Yakupov. I would even throw in there Brad Marchand. They were given what I would say is a slight above average bridge/medium term contracts and have underperformed thus far.......

With logic of paying players based on one good year the NHL will go bankrupt in a couple years.

I agree fully with there GM, you CAN NOT pay this unproven kid the same money that Krejic and Stastny and Bergeron and Duchene are making.......

If you think you can look at those names and say he deserves there money you are delusional in my book......!
- JIwasinskiJr

Yakupov?

Hes still on his elc

I gotta agree that it seems like he's either a ROR-type greedy bastard holding out for the highest amount possible or he simply isn't interested in playing in Columbus long-term.


What I wonder is if the "ridiculous" part is that he and his agent will only accept a deal that will take him to his first year of possible UFA eligibility while also asking for more money than a typical " bridge deal" at the same time, basically a double whammy for the Jackets that would indeed make them look foolish.

Or again, he's willing to stay long-term, but just wants big time money.



Either way, this is getting really serious now. All along I assumed that both sides were just posturing and would eventually get a bridge deal done.

What is ridiculous is CB paid 810 k last year for a guy to score 30 goals and make the owner a few mil extra in the playoffs, and now they wat to pay him 3.5 mil for his efforts.

They already had their bargain year.

They owner has 14 mil in space with one player left to sign , the franchise player. Time to put up or shut up. RJ has already given them their discount year.
- VANTEL

Sorry, but if GMs can't use their salary cap standing in negotiations with players then players and agents can't turn around and use it when it works conveniently for them...

per JD:

"Contract offers of 6m/2yrs, 32m/6yrs, 46m/8"

"When you're talking about contracts close to 50m, I think our group has been very fair and its nowhere near what they want"

"(Johansen) is just not here. Period. We've been told if we don't give them what they want they'll be leaving town"

edit:

So, like I said on the 1st page of this blog

There's no way this kid starts the season as a Blue Jacket. This is more or less his way of saying "I dont want to play here".
- mochoson

per JD:

"Contract offers of 6m/2yrs, 32m/6yrs, 46m/8"

"When you're talking about contracts close to 50m, I think our group has been very fair and its nowhere near what they want"

"(Johansen) is just not here. Period. We've been told if we don't give them what they want they'll be leaving town"

edit:

So, like I said on the 1st page of this blog
- mochoson

Wow, rarely do you see management just spit out the offers they've made during a negotiation. I think you're right, he wants out.

Wow, rarely do you see management just spit out the offers they've made during a negotiation. I think you're right, he wants out.
- Nucker101

i cant understand why he'd want out.

a young, well rounded team on the rise. a perfect fit for him to be the number 1 center/attraction for years to come.

i really hope he gets a deal done instead of being moved somewhere more 'desirable'.
need these cbj type franchises to prosper and attract star power. good for the league.

that said; im a little surprised they dont wanna sign him long term. bridge deals certainly have as many cons as they do pros and he seems pretty close to cant miss. maybe they know something we dont.

im sure therrien wish's he coulda went back and given subban $5+ for 6 or 7 years instead of the bridge

I have to sympathize with the Jackets Fans...Avs went through messy negotiations with ROR, as your team, management, and players get tossed in the mud by media and outside fans bases.

However if it works out and RJ is still around, all that goes away. No one cares about how the deal was done, as long as it gets done

I have to sympathize with the Jackets Fans...Avs went through messy negotiations with ROR, as your team, management, and players get tossed in the mud by media and outside fans bases.

However if it works out and RJ is still around, all that goes away. No one cares about how the deal was done, as long as it gets done
- DDM-Coga

As they say, winning makes it all better.

edit;

just read they did offer him 5.5 over 6 years and 5.8 over 8 years.

my bad.


i can see why he wouldnt take the 8 years....

i cant understand why he'd want out.

a young, well rounded team on the rise. a perfect fit for him to be the number 1 center/attraction for years to come.

i really hope he gets a deal done instead of being moved somewhere more 'desirable'.
need these cbj type franchises to prosper and attract star power. good for the league.

that said; im a little surprised they dont wanna sign him long term. bridge deals certainly have as many cons as they do pros and he seems pretty close to cant miss. maybe they know something we dont.

im sure therrien wish's he coulda went back and given subban $5+ for 6 or 7 years instead of the bridge
- hugefemale dog77

Been saying this everytime a young star is a RFA. That's how you build long-term winners in this league. Bridge deals are for conservative GM's(when it comes to star players).

edit;

just read they did offer him 5.5 over 6 years and 5.8 over 8 years.

my bad.


i can see why he wouldnt take the 8 years....
- hugefemale dog77

Probably because he knows he'll get way more than that later. As I speculated above, I suspect Davidson is pissed because he wants the same money they're offering to him long-term on a short-term deal instead that takes him to his first year UFA status. So the Jackets don't save any money short or long-term. Or he wants big time money for signing long-term because he's afraid that he'll be underpaid in 3-4 years.

Been saying this everytime a young star is a RFA. That's how you build long-term winners in this league. Bridge deals are for conservative GM's(when it comes to star players).
- Nucker101

i dont understand the constant push for the bridge from gm's nowadays.

if the dude is a total question mark, then yeah of course it makes sense.
otherwise, lock this future superstar up and save yourself a few bucks long term. even if it less than you hoped.
6.-6.5 is so much better than the 8+ he'll ask for in 2 years.
overpay for a year, maybe two. and then save money for the next 5 years.

as i said; they must know something we dont (obviously) and look at him as more of a question mark than i do.


i look at the oilers and see the gamble and the payoff of locking them up early.

taylor hall's contract is an absolute beauty already.
eberle's is abit of a question mark at present. but far from an egregious mistake and could still be great value.
nuge's contract starts this season and he'll need a big jump in output to earn those dollars....gamble