More Class and Less Cash
Posted 4:12 PM ET | Comments 10
Since when does a 13 goal, 60 point season merit a player to get a 7 year contract, the first year of which will pay 10 million dollars? How about 18 million in salary going out to 2 centers who combined, barley have more points than 19 year old MVP, Sidney Crosby did? Scott Gomez and Chris Drury were both signed by the New York Rangers to a very large, and equivalently long contract. Don’t get me wrong, I think they are both very skilled players and can be an asset to any team. But when players like Jarome Iginla and Joe Thornton sign contract extensions for about 7 million each, one really gains perspective on how lucky Gomez and Drury really are. If they can get contracts equivalent to that of a former 1st overall pick/ Hart trophy winner in Thornton, and the face of a franchise in Iginla, I am beginning to think the lockout was a waste of time.
Both of these players are arguably among the top 10 in the league right now, and are undoubtedly both better overall players than Drury or Gomez. Not only does this show certain team’s ability to overpay, but it also shows class and loyalty by players such as Iggy and Thornton. They could have easily tested the free market in the same way Gomez and Drury did, and probably could have fetched a larger contract. But they both stayed true to their teams who made them who they are. They put winning, friendship and loyalty in front of money.
I know there are many more examples of overpaying and pay cuts, but these are the most relevant in my mind right now. The only problem is that while the contracts signed by Iginla and Thornton are a step forward, unfortunately the Drury and Gomez signings are two giant steps backwards in the business of hockey.
*EDIT:
This is not a blog to complain about high salaries, but rather to recognize the class and character of individuals who CLEARLY take less money than they could get in the open market.
Both of these players are arguably among the top 10 in the league right now, and are undoubtedly both better overall players than Drury or Gomez. Not only does this show certain team’s ability to overpay, but it also shows class and loyalty by players such as Iggy and Thornton. They could have easily tested the free market in the same way Gomez and Drury did, and probably could have fetched a larger contract. But they both stayed true to their teams who made them who they are. They put winning, friendship and loyalty in front of money.
I know there are many more examples of overpaying and pay cuts, but these are the most relevant in my mind right now. The only problem is that while the contracts signed by Iginla and Thornton are a step forward, unfortunately the Drury and Gomez signings are two giant steps backwards in the business of hockey.
*EDIT:
This is not a blog to complain about high salaries, but rather to recognize the class and character of individuals who CLEARLY take less money than they could get in the open market.
Could not agree more ted but this is the Rangers who are desperate to win the big one.
The Rangers overpay because they can. Individual clubs need not be concerned about the "business of hockey," whatever that is. They only seek to better themselves. If that offends small market, small time GM's, well...there you have it.
Honestly, I think its comical that the Rangers would pay that kind of money for Drury and Gomez, but they probably HAD to overpay in order to get Drury to come there, considering Drury has a house out west. The Gomez contract is just a complete joke and will do nothing more but drive up the price of players who are far and away better than him. In 3 years the Rangers will have to buy out both of these players or trade them away because the statistics they reel in will be well short of the contracts they were given. Nice job Rangers!
lets give it some time. if your theory( and comments) are correct then salary cap hell will surely come and the market will again work.
I'm hoping preds is right here... we suffered a lot during the lockout.. and now we have the same b.s. with the Rangers. The key thing to making sure that history doesn't repeat itself is to make sure the cap doesn't rise anymore than it already is (which is too high).
I do agree with everything you stated except for one little misstep: Chris Drury WAS the face of the Sabres. He WAS the true leader of the Sabres. That being said, I think you are right in that he got WAY too much money.
I don't understand why the cap is "too high?" It's a cap. The players are capped out at 55%. They can't make anymore than that. It's the number the owners fought for and cost us a season. Why would a fan be unhappy that the cap is going up? It's a percentage of the leagues earnings that the owners said they needed to make money for every team. They got their cap. As a fan why would you whine about how high the cap is going? You think the owners deserve more than the 45% of the profits they're pocketing, because I'll tell you I've never and will never pay a dime to watch Ed Snider own the Flyers. If I'm a Wild fan I'd be hoping the cap would go up. Your team is printing money. The problem is they need to spend it correctly and to the cap to build a championship team. You need to put some pressure on you team to do the right thing by voicing your opinion to them. The salary cap isn't keeping your team down. Don't feel sorry for yourself, feel sorry for Caps fans who have have watch Jagr play in NY while their team pays his check and takes the bulk of the cap hit.
that is the benefit of being an UFA. as far as the cap going up, I do have a right not to be happy about the cap going up when I feel as tho a part of it is due to the owners, once again, raising ticket prices.
Well said... at the end of the day, however... It's not just the players, but also desperate GM's that inflate the salaries... It's a catch-22... Teams want to win NOW... and in order to do that they'll overpay to get what they think they'll need... Sadly, that inflates the salaries of any player that put up similar stats... As long as Owners want to win (which they should) There really isn't a simple solution to the problem.
if the rangers want to over pay and get little in return let them i mean the leafs just signed battaglia that had similar numbers as gomez with less ice time and weaker line mates!