Dudley takes it one year at a time…maybe two
The Atlanta Thrashers came to terms with RFA Andrew Ladd on a 1-year $2.35 million deal Thursday. This signing takes care of the one remaining player of the three that had filed for arbitration this summer. Just the evening prior it was announced that Ben Eager had accepted a 1-year $965K deal and last week the Thrashers balked at the $2.4 mil salary that was awarded to Clarke MacArthur.
Also last week they signed goalie Ondrej Pavelec to a two-year contract worth a total of $2.3 million. Earlier in the month we learned that Eric Boulton had accepted a one-year deal worth $650,000 while Jimmy Slater signed for two years at $1 mil per. The big UFA acquisition so far this summer came on July 1 when Chris Mason was inked to a contract that will dish out $3.7 million over two seasons to the netminder.
Are you sensing a pattern here?
Every Thrashers player that has come to terms on a new contract this summer has done so for either one or two years. New Thrashers general manager Rick Dudley has yet to commit more than that to any player since taking over the job last spring.
I use the word “yet” because it’s still yet to be determined what terms RFAs Bryan Little and Nic Bergfors will accept…plus there is still plenty of time left for another UFA signing or two. But don’t be stunned if any future deals follow the same path as the ones we’ve seen so far…one or two years, nothing more…as Dudley and Co. seem very leery of committing long term to anyone as they move forward with the latest Thrasherville reconstruction project.
So if Maxim Afinogenov is looking for a long-term contract, this would explain why he’s found all offers from the Thrashers “unsatisfactory”.
Now, this bucks the trend of the last few offseasons in which the Thrashers did indeed commit to long-term free agent signings…each one generating mixed results.
Last summer it was forward Nik Antropov agreeing to a four-year contract that hit the cap at just over $ 4 mil per season. I think it’s safe to say that his 24 goals, 67 points +13 showing more than justified his salary and terms.
The year prior had defenseman Ron Hainsey riding in to town thanks to a deal that will pay him $4.2 million through the 2012-13 season. In the two seasons he’s already spent here he’s only missed one game and is a –22 in that time while contributing 11 goals and 54 assists. While he has been a good addition to the blueline, there is still a debate as to whether or not his play equates to his pay. I’ve read comments about Hainsey that range from “trade his butt outa here” to “slap a C on his jersey”.
And then there is the much discussed, much debated and much maligned signing of center Todd White in 2007. His 4-year contract that will pay him a total of $9.5 million will end after this coming season. And unless I havegrossly misread the mood of Thrasherville, that day cannot come soon enough for most.
So, maybe Dudley is just a tad gun-shy to over-commit to anyone for fear of tying another Todd White-esque anchor around the organization’s neck.
Another reason for all these short-term deals may also circle around the notion that it allows both the Thrashers and the player try each other out…get a feel for each other…before deciding one way or the other. Also… and let’s just be honest with each other here…it isn’t as though star players are beating down the door to grab their share of the great Thrashers’ winning history. And unless and until a string of playoff runs are actually put together, the Thrashers are going to have to overpay for talent and/or accept players that are only willing to commit to one season here. It’s an “it is what it is” situation.
That being said however, I think what we are seeing has more to do with Rick Dudley’s stated strategy of not bogging the system down with veteran players to the point where prospects are not able to find an opening on the roster once they have ben properly seasoned. That logic seems fairly sound when you have such promising youngsters that are in the pipeline like Patrice Cormier, Arturs Kulda, Paul Postma, Carl Klingberg, Fredrik Pettersson, Alexander Burmistrov, etc.
The flip side of this one/two-year strategy, though, is that the Thrashers could be looking at quite a turnover in personnel over the next 24 months. Of the players currently on the Thrashers payroll, five are slated to become UFAs next summer and another four will be RFAs, including Zach Bogosian. In 2012 Evander Kane and Ondrej Pavelec will become RFAs while Rich Peverley, Jim Slater, Johnny Oduya and Mason will become UFAs. This means that until we learn the terms and duration of the Little and Bergfors deals only Antropov, Hainsey and Toby Enstrom have contracts past the next two seasons.
As for the most recent signings, consider Ben Eager will only be 27-years of age next summer and if he proves himself worthy of re-signing Dudley will be competing with others to keep him. And if a pending RFA like, say, Andrew Ladd has the type of season many feel he can, what is it then going to cost Dudley to re-sign him next year as a 25-year old RFA?
Given that, the Thrashers current course of action naturally causes concern given the Retention Deficit Disorder that has plagued them for the past decade. Obtaining talent around here hasn’t been a problem. Keeping it… well that’s a different story.
Regardless of the rhyme, reason or ramifications, when it comes to player contracts it looks like the Thrashers and their new GM are content to take things one year at a time…maybe two.
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194 comments Add your comment
kracker
August 2nd, 2010
9:21 am
Rissmiller was apparently a buy-out cnadidate also so….we basically took an AHLer to get rid of White?
GaVaHokie
August 2nd, 2010
9:23 am
Re: Brashear buyout, Yes, that makes sense… Rissmiller for White though? Not so much. I’m not as keen as most for dumping White so quickly.
hip czech
August 2nd, 2010
9:27 am
wow…Eager, Brashear, Boulton, Thorburn…maybe Tiger Williams is next.
I like the direction…bigger and tougher, but wonder whether Brashear even plays here.
Red Light
August 2nd, 2010
9:43 am
It’s easy math: White, $2,375,000 for Rissmiller and Brashear, $2.4 million. Rissmiller becomes the 13th or 14th forward (5th center) who sits in the press box for $1 million, rather than White at $2.375 million. He’s an insurance policy for injuries or if Cormier gets off to a bad start or can’t handle the NHL just yet. Perfectly logical.
Denny
August 2nd, 2010
9:46 am
Gettin to Know Patrick Rissmiller:
6-4 220LBS and 32 years old with 5 years of NHL experience. His best years 2006 and 2007 with 23 points and 17 points respectively. Here is what one hockey writer wtiter wrote after his only 2 goal game in Janruary, 2008:
Rissmiller, an undrafted 29-year-old who has made himself indispensable as a checking forward, played 138 mostly thankless games over four seasons with San Jose before his first multigoal game. “My role is more defensive here, checking and killing penalties,” Rissmiller said. “This was one of those nights where the puck was following me around, I guess.” Rissmiller has three of his nine points in his last four games, but despite the sudden outburst, he is still far more valuable to the Sharks than Fantasy owners.
kracker
August 2nd, 2010
9:50 am
Agree, Red Light. Though I read Brashear is one year remaining at $1.4M cap hit. So if we buy Brashear out that’s about $.35M for the next 3 seasons. Do I have that about right, folks? Or not?
Joe Friday
August 2nd, 2010
9:50 am
The report of us waiving Brashear better be true, that guy is an maroon. I guess keeping Rissmiller instead of just buying out White and being left with nothing is a win.
kracker
August 2nd, 2010
9:52 am
So Rissmiller = competition in camp and injury insurance. He played a lot of AHL the last two seasons so I assume he’s on a two-way.
rob
August 2nd, 2010
9:57 am
Now this trade is just funny. Thrashers:”we don’t want to take him you keep him”. Rangers:”we don’t want him either, you take him”. Thrashers:”OK we’ll take him. Hey Brashear, they didn’t want you, and we don’t want you either, but we need this other guy gone, so while we just traded for you, we also just waived you. It was nice not needing your services here.”
rob
August 2nd, 2010
10:02 am
It would seem that we are about due a shopping trip with as much room as we have cleared. Of course if they would just give our RFA a nice upgrade that would be nice too.
World Be Free
August 2nd, 2010
10:03 am
I.D.W.T.
Smoothie
August 2nd, 2010
10:04 am
Good move by Duds to effectively buy-out White, but for much less money. I think we end up saving about $800 k over two years if Brashear doesn’t get claimed…and I doubt he will.
Now does this mean we go out and sign Matthew Lombardi? We can now afford to sign him for $3-3.5 M or bring Max back for mid $2s.
Looks like Rismiller is insurance for Cormier, leadership on the farm and added penalty killing depth in the event of an injury. Heck, I would not be surprised if Rismiller ended up on the 4th line and Cormier playing with Slater & Laddy on the 3rd. That’s how much Dudley seems to like Patrice.
Red Light
August 2nd, 2010
10:07 am
Lombardi is in Nashville now Smoothie. Where ya playing Eager in your above scenario?
Rissmiller is not on a two-way deal according to CapGeek.com. Straight $1 million deal. I think it costs $938k to buyout Brash, 67 percent of $1.4 million. So, the savings is $437,000 if it all works out the way it is supposedly planned, because if you bought out Todd White, it would have cost a total of $1.503 million over two seasons.
kracker
August 2nd, 2010
10:07 am
Oh, I see what you were probably saying, Red Light. The $2.4M figure is adding Brashear and Rissmiller’s salarys. Well, it seems that Brashear’s 1.4 will be either gone or greatly reduced via waivers or a buyout.
Smoothie
August 2nd, 2010
10:15 am
R/L – oh yeah! Duh. Forgot about that. Oh well, bring back Max for a year or commit to letting Little play top line minutes to boost his confidence and productivity. There are still a bunch of 2nd / 3rd line tweeners out there such as a Raffi Torres.
As for Eager in my scenario, I had him on the 4th line RW with Rismiller at LW and Thorburn at C, his natural position. Slater on the LW with Cormier at C and Laddy playing the off wing on the right side.
Red Light
August 2nd, 2010
10:27 am
Here’s the question of the day?
If you were coach, would Byfuglien or Ladd get the chance to play on one of the top 2 lines? I see where Smoothie is leaning, but what about the rest of you?
R. Stroz
August 2nd, 2010
10:38 am
The Thrashers now have to spend about 8 million spread over 4 roster spots to insure meeting the payroll floor.
When you’re calculating payroll, remember to remove the contract bonus numbers.
Smoothie
August 2nd, 2010
10:40 am
Stroz – at least $5 M will got to Bergfors and Little combined.
Who would you like to get with the remaining $2.5 – 3.5 M?
rob
August 2nd, 2010
11:00 am
R/L,
If Buff comes here with drive and motivation I say him, but if he wants to mope then go Ladd. Which Buff will show may well be a tell tale for us.
kracker
August 2nd, 2010
11:03 am
Per C Viv on Brashear cap hit:
ajcthrashers Brashear salary $1.3 million. Thrashers $866,000 over two years. Including signing bonus (paid by Rangers) cap hit is $533,000 and $433,000.
Not as bad as I was thinking, only two years.
Tom
August 2nd, 2010
11:05 am
Sign Neimi —- TODAY — Then we have a true 1st Goalie, Pavelic can head to Chicago to season, and Mason can be a backup. I like the idea of being Chicago south.
Thrashers27
August 2nd, 2010
11:10 am
Somewhere Zach Bogosian had to clear the lump out of his throat when he first heard “Brashear” in return for White. I’m sure he then breathed a sigh of relief to find out that his friend Donald would not be in camp this fall to remind him of the drubbing he took in his first ever NHL fight.
I’ll never understand why Zach took it upon himself to fight that big goon. I will miss seeing Boults pound on that giant noggin though. (Look at it, it’s like Sputnik, I tell ya! It’s got it’s own solar system! Heed, pants now!!!)
Smoothie
August 2nd, 2010
11:15 am
Thrashers27 – “look at the size of that heed! It’s a veritable planetoid! Heed! Get down!”
Awesome SIMAAM reference! Love it!
glovesave29
August 2nd, 2010
11:18 am
I thought about Niemi / Mason – but I cannot see the Thrashers spending that kind of money on two starting goalies. But it’d be nice…give each 41 games and be rested come playoff time
R. Stroz
August 2nd, 2010
11:26 am
If the Thrashers bring in another Finnish goaltender, stendec will crap his pants.
R. Stroz
August 2nd, 2010
11:27 am
Smoothie – I’d like to see Max signed for two years.
Hokey Clisters
August 2nd, 2010
11:28 am
Sorry guys for not commenting earlier but I got stuck in the restroom. Seems that someone has removed the Charmin???
UPDATE: Toys R Us is communicating interest in buying the Thrashers. With Brashier and Cormier they like our new image: Goons R Us.
I know Brashier will probably not play….I just wanted to say Goons R Us. The excitement of the day has messed up my head.
Midfield
August 2nd, 2010
11:30 am
It’s like reading a newspaper report on one’s mother-in-law shopping at K-Mart.
Badger Bob
August 2nd, 2010
11:33 am
I was intrigued by the trade Pavs for Niemi idea floated by one of you posters last week. Now that Niemi is a UFA, signing him and having an incredibly well priced Pavs as trade bait is intriguing.
And if the next poll is “How many games will Brashear play here”, my vote is “hopefully zero”. The NHL is better without idiods like him.
Badger Bob
August 2nd, 2010
11:34 am
idiots… yes, I’m an idiod too when it comes to spelling…
Hockey Biltong
August 2nd, 2010
11:46 am
I think Ladd plays ahead of Buf…
Smoothie
August 2nd, 2010
11:48 am
Brashear will be bought out but as Falconer pointed out, his B/O does not give us CAP relief, simply frees up some actual cash. While we only have to pay Brashear $866 (NY picks up the signing bonus) in cash, his $1.4 M cap hit remains as he’s over 35. So that will help us get to the floor along with the RFA deals for Litts and Bergie. We may still need to make another move as we may still be $1.5 M or so under the floor even if Cormier and Pettersson make the team.
lynx
August 2nd, 2010
11:49 am
“That logic seems fairly sound when you have such promising youngsters that are in the pipeline like Patrice Cormier, Arturs Kulda, Paul Postma, Carl Klingberg, Fredrik Pettersson, Alexander Burmistrov, etc”
That’s right, Cormier, Kulda, Postma can blay good in Thrashers this season. Specially I prefere to see Kulda as sixth blueliner, but not these sucker Valabik.
glovesave29
August 2nd, 2010
11:54 am
The Hawks would be smart to sign Niemi and trade him for Pavs…sure beats watching him walk for nothing. My gut says he ends up in Philly.
rob
August 2nd, 2010
11:55 am
Smoothie,
Did you use the idea of the Thrashers and CAP relief together?!?!?!
glovesave29
August 2nd, 2010
11:55 am
Hawks just signed Marty Turco
TableHockey
August 2nd, 2010
11:58 am
Whoa – just heard Chicago signed Turco and let Niemi walk. This is a busy Monday in the NHL…
Rawhide
August 2nd, 2010
11:58 am
Tough coming up with a header for today’s new blog. I though of things like “Thrasherville White Sale” and “Thrasherville goes through a White Out”.
But in the end I settled on….
schroeder
August 2nd, 2010
11:59 am
Guys, this is getting fun! Watching Dudley go about this is nothing short of fantastic. Getting rid of #12 and lowering the buyout in the process.That is what a veteran GM does,he is creative and still betters this team. Based on what has transpired to this point all I can say is I am going to sit back and watch, I have every confidence that our goal production needs will be addressed at exactly the right time and in a way that will satisfy most all on this blog. Personally as a former goaltender I would love to see Niemi signed and dangle Pavs for a top 6 forward ………… I can dream can’t I
Smoothie
August 2nd, 2010
12:00 pm
rob – some were thinking Brashear’s B/O would give us Cap relief compared to White’s B/O were he healthy to be B/O.
But yes, that’s kind of funny putting those two things in a sentence together. Chuckle, chuckle.
World Be Free
August 2nd, 2010
12:03 pm
The White trade was the best we could hope for, both teams kinda emptied their dumspters. I guess having a small budget made it impossible to take Rosival or Redden. Duds is smart enough to stay away from both players under any conditions.
During the playoffs, we talked about the impact Brian Campbell’s contract would have on the Hawks. Soupie’s commitment is like and elephant on Stan Bowman’s back and he’s only the 4th best defensenman on the team. Campbell’s deal is the worst contract in the game and the Bowman, the deal will last for several more years. At least they have a place for Huet-in the minors!
Tom
August 2nd, 2010
12:04 pm
A shellshocked goaltender typically does not have a very good go of it. That is why I think the Thrashers would be a good fit for Niemi right now.
– They have a coach and 4 teamates that he played with on the STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONSHIP team to make him feel comfortable.
– He would get as much or as little playing time needed to get back into shape mentally for the playoffs as the team would be very deep.
– The team would be able to pay him well as we need to get to the cap minimum.
– He even knows the GM of the team as they worked together in Chicago.
All in all it would be a good fit for the young goaltender even on a 1 year deal.
Badger Bob
August 2nd, 2010
12:05 pm
Smoothie, those numbers make this deal look like it has DWs fingerprints all over it. I see him telling Octo%$^&@ how he can save money AND artificially get us closer to the cap floor, and them high fiving him.
The optimists view on Les Thrash this summer is that we are doing more than almost every other team to keep payrolls down (Pavs, Eager and Ladd all with annual salaries below what I’d guessed, plus the CMac snub). Makes me feel less guilty about getting money from the rich teams when we are doing them all that great service. But certainly cements our image as the cheapskates. And here I had hoped the $101M Kovy offer would start to erase that image.
Denny
August 2nd, 2010
12:36 pm
Badger Bob – you dishonor the Wisconsin tradition of prudent player contract management as exemplified by their two professional franchises, Brewers and Packers. I am happy to see the Thrashers taking the same path of developing from within, smart trades and spending FA money wisely.
They are building the Thrashers the RIGHT way FINALLY!