Matt Ross: Ekblad and Marchand Staying in FLA!

Matt Ross: Ekblad and Marchand Staying in FLA!
- Matt Ross

Marchand's contract should be rejected, he doesn't have 6 years remaining in the tank at 37 years old.

Marchand's contract should be rejected, he doesn't have 6 years remaining in the tank at 37 years old.
- SPIDEROCKSTAR

After seeing how many times the Panthers burnt Evan Bouchard in the finals, I say the league should reject his contract for fear of what his D zone defense will do to the health of Edmonton goalies. REJECT!!!!

Crazy….

Zito looks like a genius right now.  We'll see how that holds up when he can't use the playoff salary cap loophole at the 2026 deadline.  Not to mention they'll probably have to move some big contributor/depth guys because of these 3 big name signings.  I dunno, if they can stay healthy and older guys like Marchand and Bobrosky don't fall off too much they'll still be fun to watch next year.  Beyond 26-27 this team may look like every other modern Dynasty that fell hard after a couple of cups (i.e. Pittsburgh & Chicago)

Zito looks like a genius right now.  We'll see how that holds up when he can't use the playoff salary cap loophole at the 2026 deadline.  Not to mention they'll probably have to move some big contributor/depth guys because of these 3 big name signings.  I dunno, if they can stay healthy and older guys like Marchand and Bobrosky don't fall off too much they'll still be fun to watch next year.  Beyond 26-27 this team may look like every other modern Dynasty that fell hard after a couple of cups (i.e. Pittsburgh & Chicago)
- greenyone

6 years is crazy.

Marchand had a hell of a playoff but to me that was him emptying the tank. He is a great leader but his game has been eroding after his surgeries. Good for him. I would be absolutely shocked if he's still played at 43.

Can't root for him anymore

6 years is crazy.

Marchand had a hell of a playoff but to me that was him emptying the tank. He is a great leader but his game has been eroding after his surgeries. Good for him. I would be absolutely shocked if he's still played at 43.

Can't root for him anymore
- Mahewman

I'd be shocked if he's still playing at 43. Zito is conceding to taking on that cap hit for a few years after he retires. Although I wouldn't be surprised if 'The Rat" keeps lacing them up for the easy money or hopes he's offered a buyout when both parties conclude that he's too far over the hill. Maybe he and Rick Dipietro can sip margaritas on a beach somewhere together and laugh about it while they count thier cash.

I'd be shocked if he's still playing at 43. Zito is conceding to taking on that cap hit for a few years after he retires. Although I wouldn't be surprised if 'The Rat" keeps lacing them up for the easy money or hopes he's offered a buyout when both parties conclude that he's too far over the hill. Maybe he and Rick Dipietro can sip margaritas on a beach somewhere together and laugh about it while they count thier cash.
- greenyone

These guys stay conditioned much better these days.

Marchand's contract should be rejected, he doesn't have 6 years remaining in the tank at 37 years old.
- SPIDEROCKSTAR

Ok Nostradamus

It’s not entirely impossible
He recently had surgeries to fix things, he’s now the bionic rat

I expected 4, at the most, but we’ll see....

I'd be shocked if he's still playing at 43. Zito is conceding to taking on that cap hit for a few years after he retires. Although I wouldn't be surprised if 'The Rat" keeps lacing them up for the easy money or hopes he's offered a buyout when both parties conclude that he's too far over the hill. Maybe he and Rick Dipietro can sip margaritas on a beach somewhere together and laugh about it while they count thier cash.
- greenyone

They’d have to eat it, wouldn’t they? Can’t buy out contracts signed when player over 35.

8 years for Ekblad is also concerning with his history of leg injuries.
Zito going for the gusto over the next several seasons. The core is all locked up. Just wonder how long Bob goes on, and what deal they offer him next summer.
Win now mode activated

Ok Nostradamus

It’s not entirely impossible
He recently had surgeries to fix things, he’s now the bionic rat

I expected 4, at the most, but we’ll see....
- Ratsreign

Nah, bro. It's a contract designed for LTIR, even with how the pay is structured. It should be rejected for circumventing the cap.

They’d have to eat it, wouldn’t they? Can’t buy out contracts signed when player over 35.
- Ratsreign

The way I understand the rules are....if they buy him out or he retires, they don't really 'eat it'....But they can't use that 5.25 million they promised him until the end of the term. So if he only plays 3 of the 6 years and Florida buys him out or he retires they have 5.25 million charged against thier team cap for those additional 3 years. The CBA rules are supposed to discourage this from happening....but GM's don't care if they think it's going to keep them in the playoffs or win them another championship. The deeper teams get into the playoffs the more money they make with ticket sales, concessions, revenue sharing & etc. Oh, and they don't pay the players during playoffs. So it's lucrative to go deep.

Reply to Mentalo5...

The league approved it. I guess Zito’s lawyer crew kept it within the “rules”.
We’ll just have to wait and see how it plays out, I guess. He looked pretty rejuvenated as a Panther down the stretch and especially in the playoffs. We’ll see how he is during the long regular season grind. I think he’ll be good for at least 4 years, barring further injuries.
Is the part of contract you’re saying is shady the signing bonuses? Most of the Panthers top players’ deals are structured that way. V V is writing numerous big bonus checks every off season.

The way I understand the rules are....if they buy him out or he retires, they don't really 'eat it'....But they can't use that 5.25 million they promised him until the end of the term. So if he only plays 3 of the 6 years and Florida buys him out or he retires they have 5.25 million charged against thier team cap for those additional 3 years. The CBA rules are supposed to discourage this from happening....but GM's don't care if they think it's going to keep them in the playoffs or win them another championship. The deeper teams get into the playoffs the more money they make with ticket sales, concessions, revenue sharing & etc. Oh, and they don't pay the players during playoffs. So it's lucrative to go deep.
- greenyone

Wouldn’t not being able to use that cap space be “eating it”?

Wouldn’t not being able to use that cap space be “eating it”?
- Ratsreign

No. They don't actually cut the check if he retires. But they do have to carry that cap hit. So if the cap is 95.5 million per team, Florida is forced to spend 5.25 million less as a yearly penalty for signing an old guy that doesn't play out his contract term.

That’s what I meant by eat it. That they would have that amount of dead cap space.
I didn’t even consider if they actually paid the money or not.

I imagine the league will pay close attention if the contract’s term doesn’t play out

HOW IN THE HELL DOES JIM NILL GET THE GM OF THE YR ? WHAT DID HE DO TO DESERVE THIS AWARD ? COMPARE HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS YEAR TO BILL ZITO'S. JIM YOU DON'T DESERVE THIS. MAN UP AND DO NOT ACCEPT THIS YOU DON'T DESERVE IT !!!!

These guys stay conditioned much better these days.
- PanthersGoal

Conditioned or not. The body doesn't heal as fast at his age and he has had 4-5 surgeries in the last couple years. He played great after his Sam Bennett induced concussion but I don't see him playing 6 more years. Guess we shall see. Good for him getting the contract.

8 years for Ekblad is also concerning with his history of leg injuries.
Zito going for the gusto over the next several seasons. The core is all locked up. Just wonder how long Bob goes on, and what deal they offer him next summer.
Win now mode activated
- Ratsreign

All they need is one more year of Bob and then they get all of the money available. If he's not dead, sign him to a cheaper deal or if he is, you can find goaltending with 10mil of cap.

HOW IN THE HELL DOES JIM NILL GET THE GM OF THE YR ? WHAT DID HE DO TO DESERVE THIS AWARD ? COMPARE HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS YEAR TO BILL ZITO'S. JIM YOU DON'T DESERVE THIS. MAN UP AND DO NOT ACCEPT THIS YOU DON'T DESERVE IT !!!!


- akwa1

No need to yell. He should have at least one GM award by now, but
Zito will gladly take the two Cups instead

HOW IN THE HELL DOES JIM NILL GET THE GM OF THE YR ? WHAT DID HE DO TO DESERVE THIS AWARD ? COMPARE HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS YEAR TO BILL ZITO'S. JIM YOU DON'T DESERVE THIS. MAN UP AND DO NOT ACCEPT THIS YOU DON'T DESERVE IT !!!!


- akwa1

They vote for that award at the end of the 2nd round.

Edit - My bad, fair enough. I guess they thought Dallas beating the President's Trophy winners on the backs of Rantanen and Granlund (both acquisitions) and Rantanen putting up like 20 points was too much to go against.

All they need is one more year of Bob and then they get all of the money available. If he's not dead, sign him to a cheaper deal or if he is, you can find goaltending with 10mil of cap.
- AdamFrench

Bob definitely has more left than one year in him. Will be interesting to see what kind of deal Bob will be looking for after next season.