As the arbitration date looms for the New York Islanders and restricted free agent Calvin de Haan, Elliotte Friedman reported today the salary that both the team is offering, and the player is asking. The Islanders are offering de Haan a rather modest 1.95 million dollars and de Haan's ask is ummmmm a modest 5 million per year.
Honestly, both offers are outrageous. While de Haan had his best year as an Islander he is not a 5 million dollar a year defenseman, and the team's offer... I don't know if I should laugh or cry.. maybe a bit of both.
When you sign Adam Pelech to a deal with an annual salary of 1.6 you can't even offer de Haan 2 million? This is a low ball offer of low ball offers. It's frankly awful. I get what Isles General Manager Garth Snow is doing, he went low so if they meet in the middle then it's a steal. However is it really necessary to put the player through this process?
Noel said it best to me this afternoon, "Is Garth trying to continue the streak of making players cry during arbitration?" It's silly and not needed. de Haan's market value is somewhere between 3.5 and 4 million and that's what he should be signed to.
As we leave the teeter totter ride at the circus we head right over to the Isles arena merry-go-round. Today in Long Island requests for proposals opened for the development of Belmont Park. Developers have two months to submit their bid on the 43 acres of land.
While the Isles did not comment on the situation, they will be placing a bid and are considered the front runners on the project. Once all the bids are gathered we will hear more about details. Considering this is happening in Long Island, the chain of events that could lead to an Isles new arena is actually moving on schedule. However, nothing comes easy to this franchise and if we know anything about this team, nothing can be trusted until there is a shovel in the ground.
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