Alan Bass: The Crazy, Wild Finances! By now, everyone has seen the quote from Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold from April 11, 2012 regarding the need to decrease their expenses.

By now, everyone has also seen that he signed Zach Parise and Ryan Suter to deals that would make Rick DiPietro feel inadequate. Forgetting the cap hit of the respective players, each is receiving $12 million in each of their first two seasons (combining salary and signing bonus) - $48 million over two years.

So start the uproar, right? How dare Leipold claim that he needs to cut back his expenses, and then go dish out this kind of money! It’s an outrage! It’s a scandal! It’s…financially smart, in actuality.

Who cares ? Buffalo didn't get Parise OR Suter !!

If we assume they sell out every game in 2013, with a 10% ticket price increase, the gate receipts should jump to around $52 million.
- Alan Bass

Actually, they did not increase the season ticket holder prices. Those prices were held at 2011-2012 levels at renewal time. They may increase their public sale tickets a bit. I'm not sure what the season ticket holder base is but I heard before the signings it was around 11,000, so now it's likely in the 13,000-13,500 range.

Who cares ? Buffalo didn't get Parise OR Suter !!


- Pairo11

Well 2 people care!!

At the Parise/Suter presser, he called the contracts "investment spending".

(Paruter? Sarise? We gotta find a way to shorten this.)How bout just referring to them as SuPa

Don't forget that they would also need to contribute to revenue sharing as well

(Paruter? Sarise? We gotta find a way to shorten this.)How bout just referring to them as SuPa
- MnGump

ZP. RS. Zippers.

Actually, they did not increase the season ticket holder prices. Those prices were held at 2011-2012 levels at renewal time. They may increase their public sale tickets a bit. I'm not sure what the season ticket holder base is but I heard before the signings it was around 11,000, so now it's likely in the 13,000-13,500 range.
- Chinaski

I think it is safe to say the ticket prices will be reevaluated starting next year.

I understand how happy Wild fans by getting Parise. The only thing is I am not sure he will lead your team anywhere.Do not get me wrong,Zach is a great player playing his style but 1 player can not do everything by himself.Just because he had a success in NJ there could be totally different story in Mini.
I do not know if any of you watched him play on the regular basis,but he is not a game changer.He never was and probably never will be.
And no I am not jealous you guys got him. In my opinion 7.5 mil its just to much.You will see what I am talking about it when season starts.
Good luck to you!

First, this completely ignored that Wild would be on the giving end instead of the receiving of revenue sharing if everything else was true. Second, it listed them as increasing season tickets prices... which didn't happen. Finally, it's only smart if you think those two players turn the Wild into Cup contenders, because them being so is the only way they realistically get the 12 playoff home games posited here. If they fail to make the playoffs, or even get knocked out in the first round... it's a poor investment. The bump in season ticket sales is likely a one year thing unless the team actually improves from the signings. The team is now handcuffed financially, meaning if they aren't contenders, there is little else they can do to become them.

Ultimately, imo, the question is... do you think the Wild were two players away from being cup contenders last year? If not... it was probably stupid to sign both players. The bump in tickets might have happened just from signing one of the two.

If I had my time back, I would have quit school after grade 1, and concentrated on hockey instead of wasting 6-8 hours a day in school.

First, this completely ignored that Wild would be on the giving end instead of the receiving of revenue sharing if everything else was true. Second, it listed them as increasing season tickets prices... which didn't happen. Finally, it's only smart if you think those two players turn the Wild into Cup contenders, because them being so is the only way they realistically get the 12 playoff home games posited here. If they fail to make the playoffs, or even get knocked out in the first round... it's a poor investment. The bump in season ticket sales is likely a one year thing unless the team actually improves from the signings. The team is now handcuffed financially, meaning if they aren't contenders, there is little else they can do to become them.

Ultimately, imo, the question is... do you think the Wild were two players away from being cup contenders last year? If not... it was probably stupid to sign both players. The bump in tickets might have happened just from signing one of the two.
- Antilles

I don't understand that last logic. They don't think they are cup contenders and they did not sign them for an 'all in' year for next year. This is about the next 5-8 years. It is undeniable that the Wild have about more talent in the pipeline than any other team. That talent starts making its' way onto the roster this season, and progressively over the next five years. Will all the prospects pan out? No, but that's why there are so many solid ones. Next, Parise and Suter give the Wild a reason for other UFA's to come to MN.

Tell me again why it was stupid to sign both of the top free agents? One, who is by MANY ranked in the top 5 defensemen, and other other a top 10 LW in the league. 15(ish) million is coming off the books next season.

What im getting at is the Wild WILL be a Cup contender in the next four years. I think they are a playoff team already, not a Cup team. Same with next season unless something drastically changes on the defense. I think two years from now and on is where the Wild see something special start happening.

In the next two years leading up to that, Leipold will get his money back and be on the + side.

I understand how happy Wild fans by getting Parise. The only thing is I am not sure he will lead your team anywhere.Do not get me wrong,Zach is a great player playing his style but 1 player can not do everything by himself.Just because he had a success in NJ there could be totally different story in Mini.
I do not know if any of you watched him play on the regular basis,but he is not a game changer.He never was and probably never will be.
And no I am not jealous you guys got him. In my opinion 7.5 mil its just to much.You will see what I am talking about it when season starts.
Good luck to you!
- NJD

There may be Wild fans that expect big things on the scoresheet from Parise but I don't think that's what everyone is counting on. This team, when healthy last year, played a pretty solid team game, made few mistakes, and got great goaltending, which translated into a lot of success. What Parise does for them is gives them a much more skilled winger that fits the style Fletcher and Yeo want to play and gives them a much better chance to improve their scoring than any other free agent or prospect could have. Essentially, it dramatically improves their depth. The guys they do have can be slotted into roles that are more suited to their skills.

In addition, Parise will be very instrumental in setting a great example for these young prospects for years to come. I also think the same thing goes for Suter - with a couple of nice blue chip defensive prospects, he will be important to helping these guys develop.

But Parise is a marketing machine in this market. The reason he may be worth the $98 million here is that he instantly sells tickets and likely has a very positive impact on corporate sponsorship and advertising. I'm not sure he does that to the same degree in any other market. Minnesotans love their own and Leipold and the Wild are well aware of it. When Leipold says this was an investment, I totally believe him. He's not only looking at how much this accelerates their plan to become a contender, he sees the money a guy like Parise will generate in this market in all revenue streams and it actually becomes kind of a no-brainer to spend that money.

If this whole thing doesn't work out in Minnesota, Parise will still get a fairly long honeymoon period with the fans.

What im getting at is the Wild WILL be a Cup contender in the next four years. I think they are a playoff team already, not a Cup team. Same with next season unless something drastically changes on the defense. I think two years from now and on is where the Wild see something special start happening.

In the next two years leading up to that, Leipold will get his money back and be on the + side.
- Nsjohn130

Agreed. This was not a long-term investment for short-term gains. The on-ice product may not be where it needs to be to be a Cup contender right away, but the off-ice impact these signings have financially is fairly dramatic. How different is the job of the Sales & Marketing staff on July 4th as compared to June 4th? I don't think anyone, including the fans, could have been more ecstatic about these signings.

If I had my time back, I would have quit school after grade 1, and concentrated on hockey instead of wasting 6-8 hours a day in school.
- laughs2907

With a statement like that, look like you skipped hockey AND school dude.

I don't understand that last logic. They don't think they are cup contenders and they did not sign them for an 'all in' year for next year. This is about the next 5-8 years. It is undeniable that the Wild have about more talent in the pipeline than any other team. That talent starts making its' way onto the roster this season, and progressively over the next five years. Will all the prospects pan out? No, but that's why there are so many solid ones. Next, Parise and Suter give the Wild a reason for other UFA's to come to MN.

Tell me again why it was stupid to sign both of the top free agents? One, who is by MANY ranked in the top 5 defensemen, and other other a top 10 LW in the league. 15(ish) million is coming off the books next season.

What im getting at is the Wild WILL be a Cup contender in the next four years. I think they are a playoff team already, not a Cup team. Same with next season unless something drastically changes on the defense. I think two years from now and on is where the Wild see something special start happening.

In the next two years leading up to that, Leipold will get his money back and be on the + side.
- Nsjohn130

For the same reason that Weber is arguably in the top 2 or 3 D men in the league. Weber had Suter. Suter had Weber. Without each, the other is not quite as good. The big difference is, you can find players that are similar to Suter. Ryan Ellis might become as good as Suter. If he was 2 inches taller, he would be better then Suter. However, there is no replacement for Weber. No matter who the Wild bring in or have in their pipeline, there is nobody that will make Suter look as good as Weber did.

For the same reason that Weber is arguably in the top 2 or 3 D men in the league. Weber had Suter. Suter had Weber. Without each, the other is not quite as good. The big difference is, you can find players that are similar to Suter. Ryan Ellis might become as good as Suter. If he was 2 inches taller, he would be better then Suter. However, there is no replacement for Weber. No matter who the Wild bring in or have in their pipeline, there is nobody that will make Suter look as good as Weber did.
- dgutzman

Is it the consensus in Nashville that Weber made Suter better or the other way around? In a radio interview with Michael Russo, I heard Russo say that he has talked to hockey people that think Suter was more instrumental in making Weber better than the other way around, but quite a few see it the opposite way. It really sounds like the jury is still out on this. There's no doubt Suter will be taking on quite a bit more responsibility here.

Is it the consensus in Nashville that Weber made Suter better or the other way around? In a radio interview with Michael Russo, I heard Russo say that he has talked to hockey people that think Suter was more instrumental in making Weber better than the other way around, but quite a few see it the opposite way. It really sounds like the jury is still out on this. There's no doubt Suter will be taking on quite a bit more responsibility here.
- Chinaski

Without the other, Suter appeared to play better then Weber. But looks can be deceiving. Suter was out at the beginning of the year and Weber had Ellis, Josi, Ekholm and Hillen backing him up. That is 4 guys under 22 at the time. Bouillon was also in there. Ellis and Josi were eventually back in Milwaukee for more development until they were called up later in the year. Ekholm was back in Sweden. So it is unfair to suggest Weber did poorly without Suter as he was trying to do everything by himself, double shifting every time, averaging 29 minutes a game. When Weber was out, our D had settled a bit, Klein was back, and the forwards were healthy, so Suter had a better supporting cast. Time will tell

Without the other, Suter appeared to play better then Weber. But looks can be deceiving. Suter was out at the beginning of the year and Weber had Ellis, Josi, Ekholm and Hillen backing him up. That is 4 guys under 22 at the time. Bouillon was also in there. Ellis and Josi were eventually back in Milwaukee for more development until they were called up later in the year. Ekholm was back in Sweden. So it is unfair to suggest Weber did poorly without Suter as he was trying to do everything by himself, double shifting every time, averaging 29 minutes a game. When Weber was out, our D had settled a bit, Klein was back, and the forwards were healthy, so Suter had a better supporting cast. Time will tell
- dgutzman

No doubt. It sounds like some around the league believe Suter has more to offer than what was on display in Nashville and he didn't show it because, with Weber there, there was just no reason to.

15(ish) million is coming off the books next season.

- Nsjohn130

Actually, 20 million is going off the books. My guess is that Backstrom will be traded at the deadline and Harding given the keys to the kingdom. They will either obtain a backup via trade or call up Hackett as the backup. So your goalie tandom for next year will cost about 3-4 million in cap space. Gilbert,Stoner, and Prosser are signed through the end of next year..Don't know much about either, but neither is anymore then at best a 2nd liner on most teams at best. Minny would be advised to trade for or sign a FA next year in the 5-6 million range who is a known quantity defenseman. Even with prospects coming up, there is major holes in D, especially when you are going to rely on a good, but not great goaltender. Suter needs someone to pass the puck too. Someone who will shoot the puck. Suter is not a shooter and never will be. Of the young forwards on the roster and the younger prospects, I see nobody with over 5 goals a year. That won't cut it. You have passers and shut down D men, but no offensive D.
So say that you have 15- 20 million allocated to D next year. That bring your total to 18-21 million from the blue line back.

Forwards you are 1 top 6 forward and a good depth forward from being a top offensive team this year. Clutter buck will cost 3-4 million next year to resign. The real question is PMB and his health. You might resign Cullen for 2 or 3 years if he stays healthy. But the bottom 6 is questionable. Right now, I'd say that Minny is sitting at about 60 million going into next year by just signing 1/2 of your free agents and using prospects to fill in the rest. Not much room for improvement next year, especially if the cap comes down to 62-64 million as expected.

No doubt. It sounds like some around the league believe Suter has more to offer than what was on display in Nashville and he didn't show it because, with Weber there, there was just no reason to.
- Chinaski

I wouldn't go as far as saying he has more to offer. I think with Suter, what you see is what you get. A top 5 true defenseman in the league, and a top 10 offensive defenseman when he has a partner who can tee up a snapshot. He will battle on the boards and is strong enough to hold his own. He isn't fast, but he skates well and has great positioning. One thing that is proven. His effectiveness diminishes more and more when he gets into the 27, 28, 29, and 30 minute range. He can play those minutes all year long, but isn't quite as sharp. If you can keep him under 27, he is at his best. BUT, the one thing he does need is a partner with size. If you are going to play him on the first line against some of the bigger 1st line forwards in the league, he needs a hulk of a partner to work over the big guys.

I think the Wild will be a good team in the West for the next 7-10 years and expect to make the playoffs and at least win a round or two every season... The bar will be set high and it should be. They did get two great UFAs this summer and I am happy for them. Their prospect pool is sick as well and if they end up trading Backstrom (I am looking at TO for this trade for Franson, and a 2nd) they can give the ball to Harding who seems ready.

But Minni better not ask for revenue sharing money because they can't afford their player salaries!

this blog does not justify anything. Purely speculative.

The Wild only did what every other team other than the Leafs have done. Sign long contracts for high money to get players support players.

All the long contracts have turned out bad. Injuries make these contracts go bad. In the new NHL injuries happen all to often.

But Minni better not ask for revenue sharing money because they can't afford their player salaries!
- riceroni

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know what qualifies a team for receiving money from the revenue sharing pool?