The Puck Stops Here
Next entry: Combining Zone Starts, Team Effects And Corsi Number
Previous entry: Worst 20 Zone Start Adjusted Corsi Numbers
A Battle They Cannot Afford To Fight
by PuckStopsHere on 09/15/09 at 11:14 AM ET
Comments (6)
Every year, one or two promising restricted free agents have not signed new contracts when training camp opens up. This is a very poor method to run a hockey team. These young players are the future of the franchise and potential future stars who are being alienated because they have very little leverage in contract negotiations. Last year, the Los Angeles Kings did this with Patrick O’Sullivan. It is a logical consequence of the move that O’Sullivan has since been traded to the Edmonton Oilers (where he is a very promising young player) and all they have to show for it is Justin Williams, who struggled through injuries last year scoring only 14 points (O’Sullivan is younger and scored 44 points). The ill-will created by the tough contract negotiation usually ends badly and forces a trade down the line or else the player leaves as a restricted free agent as soon as he can.
This year, two talented young players find themselves as restricted free agents without contracts as training camp opens. They are Phil Kessel of the Boston Bruins and Brandon Dubinsky of the New York Rangers. This tough contract negotiation is forced in part by the stagnating salary cap and in part by bad salary cap management, which didn’t leave room for these players.
It seems that Boston is going to trade Kessel. Kessel at age 21 scored 60 points and looks like he will be an NHL star. It will be nearly impossible to trade him and get a similar talent back. Trading Kessel is almost certainly a deal that weakens the Boston Bruins. It is poor asset management to take a top pick in the 2006 draft (5th overall) and pick a player who is working out - only to drive him out of town.
The New York Rangers are doing the same with Dubinsky, except they seem to hope that he will sign for well below his value. Dubinsky has scored 40 or more points each of the last two seasons. Last season his 41 points made him the second highest scorer of the returning New York Ranger players (behind Chris Drury). The low scoring Ranger team needs to find offence somewhere and a young player like Dubinsky might be able to take a big step forward and provide it. The problem is they lack salary cap space to sign him at a reasonable price and are forcing him to take a much smaller contract. Likely this means Brandon Dubinsky’s days as a New York Ranger are numbered.
The most important asset a team has is young talented players who are becoming stars. The NHL CBA allows teams to be very tough on them in negotiations and force them into contracts that have them well under value. This may lead to a short term savings, but it inevitably leads to the team losing the player. The Los Angeles Kings tried last year with Patrick O’Sullivan and he is gone from LA now. Likely, Boston will soon get rid of Kessel and the Rangers will part with Dubinsky. Boston and New York will be worse off for this exercize. Although the CBA allows you to strong-arm your top young stars in contract negotiations, you cannot afford to do it when it costs you the services of the player.
Filed in: | The Puck Stops Here | Permalink
Tags: Boston+Bruins, Brandon+Dubinsky, Los+Angeles+Kings, New+York+Rangers, Patrick+O'Sullivan, Phil+Kessel,
Comments
It is poor asset management to take a top pick in the 2006 draft (5th overall) and pick a player who is working out - only to drive him out of town.
Or is it good management to not overpay one player and risk losing other talented players? How very one sided of you…
NYR seems to be a bit ridiculous with their offer though.
Posted by moore00 from Columbus, OH/Grand Rapids, MI on 09/15/09 at 12:15 PM ET
Or is it good management to not overpay one player and risk losing other talented players?
OK let’s assume this premise might be correct. Which talented player might Boston have to give up for Kessel or the Rangers for Dubinsky? It seems clear either or those players is more important than the “other talented player”.
Posted by PuckStopsHere on 09/15/09 at 12:27 PM ET
So were Oiler fans drooling over O’Sullivan’s 6 points in 19 games last year? You really cherry pick with the stats that you choose to illustrate your arguments. POS has potential, but he really plays a meek game and wasn’t the right fit on a team that lacked heart last year.
I’m not saying that teams shouldn’t foster their own talent, but if anything, Dean Lombardi’s Kings have gone overboard with that approach (look at all their defensive prospects that might not crack the roster… Hickey, Voinov, Teubert, not to mention Jonathon Bernier in goal).
Posted by shazam88 from SoCal on 09/15/09 at 12:40 PM ET
This is a good argument. How do you think Dubinsky feels that Gaborik will be paid well above market value not to play when Dubinsky is asked to take near league minimum, though he’s earned well more? Is he really going to forget this down the road?
Posted by steve on 09/15/09 at 09:38 PM ET
1) These players need to bide their time, continue to perform and they will get their ‘pay day’. The owners have very little leverage over most star players so they need to use what little they have when they can.
2) In the case of kessel, iIts not like the B’s were offereing Kessel minimum wage. They supposedly offered the kid like 3 million. If we were he we’d take the deal and have another great season THEN he’ll be arbitatiion eligiable and set to get his ‘pay day’
3) As for Dubinsky your argument has more merit. from what we have read the NYR are really squeezing the kid, offering barely more than minimum and LESS than what he made last season(adjusting for bonuses)
Posted by Faux Rumors from Globally- Here, there, Everywhere on 09/17/09 at 08:35 AM ET
Add a Comment
Please limit embedded image or media size to 575 pixels wide.
Add your own avatar by joining Kukla's Korner, or logging in and uploading one in your member control panel.
Captchas bug you? Join KK or log in and you won't have to bother.
Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.
Most Recent Blog Posts
Missing Other League All Star Games
Top Defenceman So Far This Season
About The Puck Stops Here
The Puck Stops Here was founded during the 2004/05 lockout as a place to rant about hockey. The original site contains over 1000 posts, some of which were also published on FoxSports.com.
Who am I?
A diehard hockey fan.
Why am I blogging?
I want to.
Why are you reading it?
???
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
When learning from experts it’s best to learn personally from them, or from their blog. We can provide that with poker lessons blog, your home to learn poker personally.
Do you get shocked from the luck in the game of poker? Stop getting shocked and start being a Poker Shoker
Donate to Kukla’s Korner
There’s no mention of Corsi ratings. This is an oversight, confirm or deny?
Posted by Alan from Atlanta on 09/15/09 at 12:06 PM ET