A bottler is a term for someone or a team who always lets you down. I’ll use simpler terms next time
The current NHL salary structure is unsustainable. Every team has or will soon have players who they seemingly cannot sign. The Leafs resurgence coincided with this change.
I think the lack of signings of top end RFAs is an indicator of this dilemma. Success should not be punished.
I believe this will all lead up to another work stoppage in a year or two
- BernardShakey

wow, congrats on being the king of obscure terms.........it certainly shows how intelligent you are, and clearly indicates that your argument is valid.

you really put me in my place

I’m actually ok with this deal. Definite risk right now but could be a great bargain (sorta like what we had with turris). He’s got the tools to be a solid two way player who could play center or the wing.

Gotta also consider with the cap going up every year and players getting top $$ off their entries...looks solid.

I really like this contract.

I think it compares favourable to Kyle Turris's 1st deal with Ottawa, which was often held up as among the best in the league.

When Turris signed, he was 24 with 4 years of NHL experience and averaged 0.466PPG (103 points in 225 games). He signed 3.5 million for 5 years, starting with 2013-14, which represents 5.4% of the cap that season. He would go on to average 56 points per 82 games over that contract and his salary only represented 4.6% of the salary cap in his final season under this deal.

White signed at 22 years old with 2 years of NHL experience, having averaged 0.5PPG (47 points in 94 games). He signed for 4.75 million for 6 years, starting in 2019-20, which represents 5.8% of the cap that season.

If he can develop even just a little bit more of an offensive game and consistently put up 20 goals and 45-55 points as two-way 2nd line center, this deal will be a big win for the Senators.

Looking at the structure of this contract, with 4M paid the first two years, it definitely looks like Eugene is hedging bets, possibly to sell after the expansion windfall. No way will he pay White 6.25 in that last year. This doesn't offer much of the hope articulated in the post. We need to see a true star signing with Chabot in order to even begin contemplating restored confidence in this team.

- jmatchett383

I haven't checked CapFriendly just yet, but I believe I believe you're right that White will be paid in dollars.

Looking at the structure of this contract, with 4M paid the first two years, it definitely looks like Eugene is hedging bets, possibly to sell after the expansion windfall. No way will he pay White 6.25 in that last year. This doesn't offer much of the hope articulated in the post. We need to see a true star signing with Chabot in order to even begin contemplating restored confidence in this team.
- Bartacus

Escalating the dollar value in successive years of a long-term contract is absolutely standard practice. In fact, I would suggest that the contract is actually more balanced across years than I would have thought, which is likely the result of having no signing bonus dollars. Now, I agree that Chabot/Tkachuk are the players they really need to lock-down in the long-term, but this is certainly the first sign of hope that Dorion is on the case in terms of securing the team's best young players.

wow, congrats on being the king of obscure terms.........it certainly shows how intelligent you are, and clearly indicates that your argument is valid.

you really put me in my place
- sensarmy_11

Not going to get into a pi$$ing match with you. You win
I It does appear the Leafs are in quite a bind. We shall see. The problem is every team with a few great young players will be in the same bind shortly.

I do find it mildly amusing to see the Senators picked up 1/2 of the leafs top four D men from last season AND made the former Leafs assistant coach (responsible for their D) the new Sens HEAD coach. Even after old Eugene slagged the Leafs D. Strange?

Bonne Chance!

Escalating the dollar value in successive years of a long-term contract is absolutely standard practice. In fact, I would suggest that the contract is actually more balanced across years than I would have thought, which is likely the result of having no signing bonus dollars. Now, I agree that Chabot/Tkachuk are the players they really need to lock-down in the long-term, but this is certainly the first sign of hope that Dorion is on the case in terms of securing the team's best young players.
- khawk

I'm not saying it isn't standard practice, I'm just saying that the way this is structured, plus the aforementioned zero bonuses still says 'cheap in the now', and when you look at actual dollars out, even with this signing, Ottawa is almost 10M below the salary floor. I might be eating my words in three or four years, all's saying though I'm not convinced I should be overly optimistic about this.

So, do you actually believe the chronic Leaf choking syndrome can be directly correlated with excess cash flow? Perhaps. I think it has more to do with figure skaters. This is a team of dancers, no heart, no grit, no character.
- spatso

choking like going to the cup final vs anaheim and not winning it choking or....

I do find it mildly amusing to see the Senators picked up 1/2 of the leafs top four D men from last season AND made the former Leafs assistant coach (responsible for their D) the new Sens HEAD coach. Even after old Eugene slagged the Leafs D. Strange?
- BernardShakey

What's even more amusing are people who seem incapable of processing that the blue line needs of a supposed 'contender' team might be slightly different than a team in the midst of a complete tear-down. Helping to insulate a few inexperienced kids from tough NHL minutes in a draft lottery season is really not the same as trying to contain teams like BOS/TB in the playoffs.

The final laugh may well come from the addition of Ceci to a blue line that was already not well-regarded defensively.

choking like going to the cup final vs anaheim and not winning it choking or....
- LeafnsNxt2Godlyns

Honest question......being a leafs fan who’s likely under the age of 60, did you have to get a friend to explain to you what the cup finals were? I’m assuming anything beyond the 1st rd of the playoffs is a big mystery to you

What's even more amusing are people who seem incapable of processing that the blue line needs of a supposed 'contender' team might be slightly different than a team in the midst of a complete tear-down. Helping to insulate a few inexperienced kids from tough NHL minutes in a draft lottery season is really not the same as trying to contain teams like BOS/TB in the playoffs.

The final laugh may well come from the addition of Ceci to a blue line that was already not well-regarded defensively.
- khawk

Probably not that different since the 2 worst dmen from our blue line last year, the D that set records for futility in shots against, will be sure n their starting lineup this year.

Honest question......being a leafs fan who’s likely under the age of 60, did you have to get a friend to explain to you what the cup finals were? I’m assuming anything beyond the 1st rd of the playoffs is a big mystery to you
- sensarmy_11

how old are you?

Honest question......being a leafs fan who’s likely under the age of 60, did you have to get a friend to explain to you what the cup finals were? I’m assuming anything beyond the 1st rd of the playoffs is a big mystery to you
- sensarmy_11

Did you know the Leafs haven't won a playoff series since HD TV was invented?

I really like this contract.

I think it compares favourable to Kyle Turris's 1st deal with Ottawa, which was often held up as among the best in the league.

When Turris signed, he was 24 with 4 years of NHL experience and averaged 0.466PPG (103 points in 225 games). He signed 3.5 million for 5 years, starting with 2013-14, which represents 5.4% of the cap that season. He would go on to average 56 points per 82 games over that contract and his salary only represented 4.6% of the salary cap in his final season under this deal.

White signed at 22 years old with 2 years of NHL experience, having averaged 0.5PPG (47 points in 94 games). He signed for 4.75 million for 6 years, starting in 2019-20, which represents 5.8% of the cap that season.

If he can develop even just a little bit more of an offensive game and consistently put up 20 goals and 45-55 pointsas two-way 2nd line center , this deal will be a big win for the Senators.
- ATrainTwentyFour

white should be sending a commission cheque to stone for the next 6 years for helping get that contract:


w/Stone TOI 429 min CF% 53.47 GF 23 GA 17 High Danger GF% 69.57
w/o Stone TOI 519 min CF% 42.94 GF 18 GA 35 High Danger GF% 40.63

Did you know the Leafs haven't won a playoff series since HD TV was invented?
- GPHawksfan

how many leaf fans do you think still care?

how many leaf fans do you think still care?
- LeafnsNxt2Godlyns

I'd say all of them.

The Senators haven’t given out a contract this big since Bobby Ryan’s 7-year deal in 2014.

Fahq I hate Melnyk.

I'd say all of them.
- golfingsince

i think you should go out and conduct a poll on that one, internet and on the street. you will probably be surprised by how many that used to care and don't give a single (frank) anymore about this team after the last 15 years especially of futility and embarrassment.

i think you should go out and conduct a poll on that one, internet and on the street. you will probably be surprised by how many that used to care and don't give a single (frank) anymore about this team after the last 15 years especially of futility and embarrassment.
- LeafnsNxt2Godlyns

Most of the guys that gave up 3 years ago are totally back on the bandwagon.

Are you trying to tell me a guy that's been a Leafs fan for 50 years isn't excited now? It's one of the top most exciting times to be a Leafs fan since I was born.

Most of the guys that gave up 3 years ago are totally back on the bandwagon.

Are you trying to tell me a guy that's been a Leafs fan for 50 years isn't excited now? It's one of the top most exciting times to be a Leafs fan since I was born.
- golfingsince

how many are putting money down on tickets that don't get corporate ones free or have family hand me down through the generations season tickets?

i would never pay what it costs to go to a game now. ever. i barely watch them on tv anymore because every game is the same boring crap, year after year. even the playoffs are boring, win, lose. snooze.

Honest question......being a leafs fan who’s likely under the age of 60, did you have to get a friend to explain to you what the cup finals were? I’m assuming anything beyond the 1st rd of the playoffs is a big mystery to you
- sensarmy_11

Dude, Just stop with the idiocy. Everyone knows the playoffs are only one round.