Oilers sign RFA Vanek to 7-yr, $50M Offer Sheet

[poolerman 0]

Does anyone know how long Buffalo has to respond to the offer?

buffalo has 7 day to accept or lose vanek and get 4 1st round picks

[Mighty Wings 0]

Wow. Its not like the oilers are going to make the playoffs even with vanek. Buffalo should think about letting him go and choose to pick up the 4 1st rounders, including 1 or 2 in the lottery.

Edited July 6, 2007 by Mighty Wings

[Dominator2005 558]

This deal is crazy . Vanek is a good player but is he worth over 7 million??....In the era of the salary cap when team's are supposed to be watching their money , there seem's to be far to much cash being thrown at indevidual player's.

I totaly agree with you... Lowe is *******... hope no one will trade with him again...

He's way to frustrate with Smyth, Nylander situation... Kevin Lowe is biggest joke as GM IN NHL...

Edited July 6, 2007 by Dominator2005

[Opie 308]

He is becoming the Matt Millen of the NHL, instead of drafting WR's every year he is now going to go after everyone's RFA's for the next 5 years!!!

[superstarsingh 23]

Let him walk!

[Manoir 70]

I would take the 1st round picks. Edmonton will not be that good, and neither will Buffalo even if they have Vanek. You're looking at potentiallty two top 10 picks next year in a very strong draft. Edmonton is basically mortgaging the future for Vanek.

[Hank 0]

$5 mill signing bonus each of the first two years? I didn't know you could do signing bonuses anymore under the cap.

I think SB's still count under the Cap. The Oilers probably had some capital in the bank and figured to pay out a large sum now rather than later.

I have a feeling the Sabres will match this offer. It's very close to what they offered Drury so I'm sure it's financially feasible for them. Although, they probably figured they could have signed him between $4-5M per year. Oops.

I would take the 1st round picks. Edmonton will not be that good, and neither will Buffalo even if they have Vanek. You're looking at potentiallty two top 10 picks next year in a very strong draft. Edmonton is basically mortgaging the future for Vanek.

I wouldn't. A guy like Vanek only comes around now and then. There have been WAY more first round busts or half-ass players than good ones.

Remember guys like Rob Neidermayer, Chris Gratton, Alexandre Daigle, Jason Bonsignore, Hugh Jessiman, Manny Mahaltra, Pavel Brendl? All of them were top 10 picks. And all of them did not live up to expectations. Vanek is a 23 year old 40 goal scorer. I'd give up 5 1st rounders for him without batting an eye.

[Matt 1,049]

Wow!

I would think Buffalo will match this.

[Mighty Wings 0]

Offer sheets will soon become standard practice in the NHL, just as it is in other leagues. I can already imagine Dave Tallon making a huge offer sheet to Getzlaf or Perry next yr.

Edited July 6, 2007 by Mighty Wings

[Manoir 70]

Sabres general manager Darcy Regier called a media conference on Friday afternoon to announce that the team would match the offer

[Hank 0]

And it's official. The Sabres have matched the offer.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/Default.aspx

[glasgowcelticwing 18]

Sabres general manager Darcy Regier called a media conference on Friday afternoon to announce that the team would match the offer

I'm thinking that this is their only option , they've been weakened so much the Sabres can't afford to lose anymore of their good player's.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Wow, that's crazy. Over $7 million per season. He's incredible, but that's one heck of a deal.

Buffalo won't be happy if they are to lose him, that's an understatement.

[StevieY9802 6]

Sabres general manager Darcy Regier called a media conference on Friday afternoon to announce that the team would match the offer

Good for them. Hurts that its 7mil for 7 years but you have to take it and you've lost so much you can't hope you get a player like him back sometime with those 4 picks. Hope he keeps scoring 40 goals a year.

[Matt 1,049]

And it's official. The Sabres have matched the offer.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/Default.aspx

Not surprising at all.

[FinWing 26]

Well, in 5 years or so this deal should look pretty good. Unless Vanek somehow tanks it, which I don't see happening.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Good for them. Hurts that its 7mil for 7 years but you have to take it and you've lost so much you can't hope you get a player like him back sometime with those 4 picks. Hope he keeps scoring 40 goals a year.

Exactly.

This hurts now, but hopefully the kid will be great and it'll be a bargain in a couple years.

[Hank 0]

Not surprising at all.

Nope. Buffalo's actually getting a pretty good deal. He'll be on the fringe of his prime and only making $4M a year. Regher should send Lowe a thank-you card.

[StevieY9802 6]

Nope. Buffalo's actually getting a pretty good deal. He'll be on the fringe of his prime and only making $4M a year. Regher should send Lowe a thank-you card.

What do you mean $4m a year? Even without the signing bonuses hes averages out at 6mil a year.

So does anyone know since hes getting 5mil bonus one year and a 3mil another is his cap number 7.1 since thats his average of 50mil of 7 years or is it different?

[Hank 0]

What do you mean $4m a year? Even without the signing bonuses hes averages out at 6mil a year.

So does anyone know since hes getting 5mil bonus one year and a 3mil another is his cap number 7.1 since thats his average of 50mil of 7 years or is it different?

Yes, he averages $6M a year. But they will have paid most of it upfront so by the end of the contract he's only a $4M player. Considering that the Sabres have raked in a butt-load of cash the last two seasons with their long playoff runs, paying $8M over 2 years in signing-bonus cash is nothing to them right now. If he's scoring 50+ goals 4 years from now, he'll be the bargain of the NHL.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

What do you mean $4m a year? Even without the signing bonuses hes averages out at 6mil a year.

So does anyone know since hes getting 5mil bonus one year and a 3mil another is his cap number 7.1 since thats his average of 50mil of 7 years or is it different?

Okay, I thought the out of work Bobby Clarke was a surefire example of why this is such a stupid move. First of all, giving up 4 first round picks is horrible. There is no justification if the player you're getting isn't named Crosby. Secondly, Vanek making more than guys like Iginla after what, 2 seasons in the league? Over 7 mil? The Oilers paid this b/c they could. Not because it was a wise move. Who will Vanek play with? Who is the #1 center in Edmonton, s*** I can't even think of who is on their roster anymore. No Smyth, no Smith, no Lupul....what, they got Pitkanen?

I seriously thought Clarke's gaffe of last year and the subsequent outrage by other GM's would be enough to quell this issue and keep any other GM's from trying to follow this idiotic plan of action.

If this all turns out to be true, what a monumental blunder by Lowe, one of many he's perpetuated in recent years.

He overpaid by 2x what a player of Vanek's calibre is likely worth at this point. He looks to be a great player but let us not forget he had Drury, Briere and a great Buffalo lineup around him last season. Vanek will not carry this horrific Edmonton team anywhere. Fantasy owners take note: If you take Vanek with your 1st or 2nd round pick, you're a sucker.

Disasterous move by Lowe and perhaps the impending doom of the NHL, as if it weren't bad enough at times. Like UFA's aren't getting overpaid as it is, now we have to worry about overapying RFA's too. All this does is force the hand of GM's to lock up their RFA's before they reach that status and to lock them up longer term for fear of them getting plucked. This is a fear that didn't exist really in years past. All this does is play into the players hands to allow them the upper hand in negotiating even when they're RFA's. Now there's no reason to sign on with your current team unless you get the years you want and the money you want. You can always test your RFA status on the open market and see if a GM will give you a Vanek like offer. This is a terrible day for the NHL and for GM's.

[toby91_ca 620]

Yes, he averages $6M a year. But they will have paid most of it upfront so by the end of the contract he's only a $4M player. Considering that the Sabres have raked in a butt-load of cash the last two seasons with their long playoff runs, paying $8M over 2 years in signing-bonus cash is nothing to them right now. If he's scoring 50+ goals 4 years from now, he'll be the bargain of the NHL.

I don't understand where you are getting $4 million by the end of his contract, this is what he will be paid in cash:

yr. 1 - $10 million

yr. 2 - $8 million

yr. 3 - $6.4 million

yr. 4 - $6.4 million

yr. 5 - $6.4 million

yr. 6 - $6.4 million

yr. 7 - $6.4 million

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Imagine having 4 first rounders, that's insane. But would’ve the picks been protected incase the Oilers crashed and burned this season?

Vanek is a proven young superstar though, Buffalo did the right thing.

And another thing, the contracts are getting out of hand again...

[slapshot_34 0]

If they have that kind of money, why didnt they give it to smyth??. Vanek Does Not Deserve Tht money yet.

[StevieY9802 6]

Yes, he averages $6M a year. But they will have paid most of it upfront so by the end of the contract he's only a $4M player. Considering that the Sabres have raked in a butt-load of cash the last two seasons with their long playoff runs, paying $8M over 2 years in signing-bonus cash is nothing to them right now. If he's scoring 50+ goals 4 years from now, he'll be the bargain of the NHL.

ok I got ya. but at the same time his cap # is still going to be $6-7 million for the next 7 years. Out of pocket yes he could be a great deal at the end of his contract. but I still think it kinda sucks that Lowe did this. All this does is drive up prices of the RFA's now. Like some GM's around the league weren't being dumb enough signing 69 pt scorers to $7mil deals.