Call me crazy. I don't get it.
Dave Bolland's best year as a professional was 6 YEARS AGO, when he accumulated 47 points in 76 games.
Today, he is the highest paid Panther forward and second on the team behind Brian Campbell. On face value he is a 2nd or 3rd line player, and it is yet to be determined what position he would play.
But the contract is perplexing.
Yes GM Dale Tallon has money to burn has he tries to solidify a lineup with tons of youth. But it's as if Bolland landed this monster $5.5 million per year over 5 years for his intangibles more than his on-ice production. Certainly that has value, but if you sign Dave Bolland to $5.5 million, what are Huberdeau, Bjugstad, and Barkov going to ask for when their first contracts are up?
I feel a dangerous precedent was set here.
To be fair, Bolland's name is on the Cup and he is still recovering from a severed ankle tendon injury suffered last year. When he returned for the Leafs last season he played 23 games, accumulating 8 goals and 4 assists. For what it's worth, if you extend that over 82 games, not a bad season. But $5.5 million? On projections?
The last time he played 82 games? Never.
What happens when we're 30 games in next year and Bolland has 13 points and is nursing some sort of injury? Should we be surprised?
Florida Panthers fans obviously want this to work out for the best. They want him healthy. They want him productive. Hell they desperately NEED that. For 28 years old he is very experienced, and can bring a lot of good things to the locker room, but man this deal smells like pain. Yes, that's a smell when it's acute enough.
As the day and summer rolls on there will be many more changes to this Florida roster, but if this is the "blockbuster" addition Cats fans were hoping for, there has to be a lot of nervousness amongst the masses.
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