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

[FUUFNF 1]

Heck, not using it or GMs having some kind of loose agreement not to exploit it is borderline collusion.

I do think it will help quell any ridiculously wild expenditures around July 1st on UFAs -- but someone has to get hit hard first. The Rangers, for example. If Lundqvist would sign a large offer sheet with another club the Rangers could be paying dearly for nabbing Drury and Gomez early on. It won't affect all big-spenders, but it will make some teams think twice.

I wonder how hard the Buffalo front office is kicking themselves for not wrapping up Vanek in a nice $4-5M deal recently? Ouch.

exactly. offer sheets should be used as weapons in the new cap era.

and i say we drop a bomb on the ducks.

[Hemmers 0]

Honestly though, I couldn't think of anyone else in Edmonton that's a young, and is a good player right now. As you said, I have never seen a team draft as bad as Edmonton does. Drafting guys like Niinimakii and Mike Henrich make me wonder why you even bother having a scouting staff.

Stoll is probably the other good example of a young player who would be a good RFA target.

As for drafting, we actually do hit gold sometimes. Look at Gilbert, for example; he looks to pan out quite well for us. Same with Stoll, and a few others. For the most part, though, you're correct. I'm fairly certain our drafting policy involves a dartboard. Most of our good prospects (Smid, NIlsson, O'Mara) were drafted by other teams.

[Kp-Wings 3]

Stoll is probably the other good example of a young player who would be a good RFA target.

As for drafting, we actually do hit gold sometimes. Look at Gilbert, for example; he looks to pan out quite well for us. Same with Stoll, and a few others. For the most part, though, you're correct. I'm fairly certain our drafting policy involves a dartboard. Most of our good prospects (Smid, NIlsson, O'Mara) were drafted by other teams.

I just remembered Marc Pouliot is still there. If he hasn't been considered a bust yet.

The Oilers later round drafting hasn't been too bad, but their first round has been awful. I can't imagine why they haven't just gone on to trading their first round picks, because with the small exception of guys like Hemsky, very few of the Oilers first round picks ever make it.

[Hemmers 0]

I just remembered Marc Pouliot is still there. If he hasn't been considered a bust yet.

The Oilers later round drafting hasn't been too bad, but their first round has been awful. I can't imagine why they haven't just gone on to trading their first round picks, because with the small exception of guys like Hemsky, very few of the Oilers first round picks ever make it.

Why do we keep our first round draft picks?

Because occasionally, even a blind squirrel will find a nut.

As for the suggestion of the Wings dropping an offer sheet on the Ducks, I'm all for it. Give 'em hell, I hate those smug bastards.

[WingsZR2 1]

The Sabres matched the Oil's offer.

[scotzman 29]

I'll never understand why this is so taboo. Many other pro sports do it. Lowe made a brilliant move here... he is making it known that this is a weapon that a small market team can use to compete with the "Big Boys" (not exactly against a big bad giant, but it made a statement).

Kenny should grow a pair and fire back at the Ducks for pillaging our UFA's... Locking up Penner would be a great move for this organization.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

He is a great player, but I think this is an overpayment once again. This has been an awfully weird offseason.

But I love how TSN read "Nice Try" haha towards the Oilers.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

I'll never understand why this is so taboo. Many other pro sports do it. Lowe made a brilliant move here... he is making it known that this is a weapon that a small market team can use to compete with the "Big Boys" (not exactly against a big bad giant, but it made a statement).

Kenny should grow a pair and fire back at the Ducks for pillaging our UFA's... Locking up Penner would be a great move for this organization.

Weapon? How so? Clarke didn't get Kesler and Lowe didn't get Vanek. You mean a weapon like in the cartoons where they fire the gun and a little sign rolls out that says "bang". Think about the RFA offer sheet concept for a second.

1. Who would you offer a contract to? Generally a young, gifted player. That being the case you have to, i repeat, HAVE TO, overpay for him to even have a shot. When was overpaying for a player considered wise general management?

2. If you are to obtain said player with an undoubtedly steep contract, the compensation costs you as many as 4 first round picks. Sounds groovy now until you watch the next 4 drafts roll by and you don't pick a first rounder. I can see the screaming at Kenny already. s***, how much abuse did Kenny take in the early years for dealing 1st rounders at the trade deadline? Think about not having a 1st for 4 years. If that's appealing to you then you're a truly different breed.

In the end you don't get the player, you accomplish nothing but piss off another GM that you may have to work with in the future. And the shoe often finds a way of being on the other foot. What if GM's start offering deals to RFA's left and right? What happens is you artificially inflate the salary structure of the entire league by overpaying players. Once again this is not my idea of strong general managing.

The entire idea of doing it is ridiculous. So in the end who did Philadelphia hurt? Vancouver? Vancouver made the playoffs, played well and kept Kesler. Philly stunk and did nothing. What has Lowe accomplished? He made a Buffalo team with cap space available due to the departure of 3 key players overpay to retain Vanek. How does jacking up the payroll of the Eastern Sabres help the Western Oilers? And Lowe doesn't get his player and all he does get is a pissed of Darcy Regier.

Oh yes, the RFA offer sheet, what a weapon it has proven to be. tthrhrrrjjpppppp.....that's the sound of me farting on the notion that the RFA offer is a shrewd and smart move. That fart I just let out is more of a weapon than the RFA offer will ever be. It's like having Nukes. When everybody has them and can use them where's the effectiveness of it?

RFA offer=stupidest thing ever

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

The entire idea of doing it is ridiculous. So in the end who did Philadelphia hurt? Vancouver? Vancouver made the playoffs, played well and kept Kesler. Philly stunk and did nothing. What has Lowe accomplished? He made a Buffalo team with cap space available due to the departure of 3 key players overpay to retain Vanek. How does jacking up the payroll of the Eastern Sabres help the Western Oilers? And Lowe doesn't get his player and all he does get is a pissed of Darcy Regier.

Oh yes, the RFA offer sheet, what a weapon it has proven to be. tthrhrrrjjpppppp.....that's the sound of me farting on the notion that the RFA offer is a shrewd and smart move. That fart I just let out is more of a weapon than the RFA offer will ever be. It's like having Nukes. When everybody has them and can use them where's the effectiveness of it?

RFA offer=stupidest thing ever

Vanek was never the target. Oils were aware that they would match. Lowe just did this for them to overpay to set a benchmark for other rfa ( Parise, penner, ect) Many of these players will now expect more and will not be able to get it from there current teams, thus making teams with tons of cap space more markatable. If i were dustin penner and saw Vanek making more than he's worth I would increase my demands to an equal proportion. Simple economics.

Also another intresting situation could be to pressure teams into trading rfa rights to the oilers. Kinda like a well if you dont agree were gonna be a pain in the ass mentatlity. Very Very Sherd mr. Lowe

Edited July 6, 2007 by EZBAKETHAGANGSTA

[Hemmers 0]

Weapon? How so? Clarke didn't get Kesler and Lowe didn't get Vanek. You mean a weapon like in the cartoons where they fire the gun and a little sign rolls out that says "bang". Think about the RFA offer sheet concept for a second.

1. Who would you offer a contract to? Generally a young, gifted player. That being the case you have to, i repeat, HAVE TO, overpay for him to even have a shot. When was overpaying for a player considered wise general management?

2. If you are to obtain said player with an undoubtedly steep contract, the compensation costs you as many as 4 first round picks. Sounds groovy now until you watch the next 4 drafts roll by and you don't pick a first rounder. I can see the screaming at Kenny already. s***, how much abuse did Kenny take in the early years for dealing 1st rounders at the trade deadline? Think about not having a 1st for 4 years. If that's appealing to you then you're a truly different breed.

In the end you don't get the player, you accomplish nothing but piss off another GM that you may have to work with in the future. And the shoe often finds a way of being on the other foot. What if GM's start offering deals to RFA's left and right? What happens is you artificially inflate the salary structure of the entire league by overpaying players. Once again this is not my idea of strong general managing.

The entire idea of doing it is ridiculous. So in the end who did Philadelphia hurt? Vancouver? Vancouver made the playoffs, played well and kept Kesler. Philly stunk and did nothing. What has Lowe accomplished? He made a Buffalo team with cap space available due to the departure of 3 key players overpay to retain Vanek. How does jacking up the payroll of the Eastern Sabres help the Western Oilers? And Lowe doesn't get his player and all he does get is a pissed of Darcy Regier.

Oh yes, the RFA offer sheet, what a weapon it has proven to be. tthrhrrrjjpppppp.....that's the sound of me farting on the notion that the RFA offer is a shrewd and smart move. That fart I just let out is more of a weapon than the RFA offer will ever be. It's like having Nukes. When everybody has them and can use them where's the effectiveness of it?

RFA offer=stupidest thing ever

Right. Let me tell you what an RFA offer sheet actually accomplishes.

Suddenly, teams can't go hog-wild on UFA season, spend a ton of money and come perilously close to the cap when their RFAs are sitting unsigned. If you blow your load without signing your RFAs, you'll have to be cognizant of the fact that your players can and possibly WILL get snagged by other teams. This lowers the average salaries across the board as teams will be less likely to go off and spend stupid amounts of money on players like Drury or Gomez.

You think it inflates the salary structure of the league? Hardly. Look at the contracts offered to people like Drury and Gomez this off-season. They're making more per point than Vanek is going to, and Vanek is a kid with a ton of potential upside. What it does is it keeps GMs from paying good players more than great players because now RFA actually means something. If a kid is a potential superstar, you pay them accordingly. Vanek had 43 goals, 41 assists and was +47 last season. Drury had 37 and 32 for a total of 69 points and was +1 on the season. Yeah, I can really see why he's worth almost as much as Vanek.

This is good for the NHL as a whole, and good for the players. Everyone being willing to use them means that you can't just go crazy and spend almost 20 million on two players anymore. Yeah, I see that as a really bad thing.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

It is a ton of money for one 40 goal season, but he's 23 yrs old an in his second season in the NHL. He also had 6 goals and 4 assists in 16 playoff games. There's a lot of upside on the kid.

EDIT: he was also highest in the NHL at +47

Agreed- he's an investment at this point. Odds are pretty low that it was a lucky season. I can only really see him getting better. 50 mill and 7 years though? Jesus, they better be dead on correct about his future, or they'll be yet another club with a Yashin-Islanders situation.

That's what I see coming out of all these insanely long contracts- waaayyy Yashin situations 5 years down the road. Will all the big names that were signed for huge money over 5-8 years this summer be worth that yearly rate in 4 years? I'll bet we'll see lots of them end up untradeable like Brad Richards is now.

I was just reading on TSN , hes gonna get 10 million next season. And no , Briere nor Vanek is worth 10 million , not even close. But thats what this new NHL is.

If those two are $10 milion players then WTF are Sid and Ovetchkin worth!?!

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

.

If those two are $10 milion players then WTF are Sid and Ovetchkin worth!?!

20 million?

[ladybugblue 0]

According to comments from his agent on the fourth period, there was more than one team that were talking with Vanek...this could have any number of teams and I think fans need to start to expect this going forward.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

Right. Let me tell you what an RFA offer sheet actually accomplishes.

Suddenly, teams can't go hog-wild on UFA season, spend a ton of money and come perilously close to the cap when their RFAs are sitting unsigned. If you blow your load without signing your RFAs, you'll have to be cognizant of the fact that your players can and possibly WILL get snagged by other teams. This lowers the average salaries across the board as teams will be less likely to go off and spend stupid amounts of money on players like Drury or Gomez.

You think it inflates the salary structure of the league? Hardly. Look at the contracts offered to people like Drury and Gomez this off-season. They're making more per point than Vanek is going to, and Vanek is a kid with a ton of potential upside. What it does is it keeps GMs from paying good players more than great players because now RFA actually means something. If a kid is a potential superstar, you pay them accordingly. Vanek had 43 goals, 41 assists and was +47 last season. Drury had 37 and 32 for a total of 69 points and was +1 on the season. Yeah, I can really see why he's worth almost as much as Vanek.

This is good for the NHL as a whole, and good for the players. Everyone being willing to use them means that you can't just go crazy and spend almost 20 million on two players anymore. Yeah, I see that as a really bad thing.

So the argument you have is that instead of overpaying for UFA's teams will simply overpay for RFA's? I find it hard to figure how that argument works to make the NHL any better. Would seem to be a lateral move at best IMO.

As for it being better for the NHL versus my opinion, we'll see. It hasn't accomplised anything thus far has it?

Vanek was never the target. Oils were aware that they would match. Lowe just did this for them to overpay to set a benchmark for other rfa ( Parise, penner, ect) Many of these players will now expect more and will not be able to get it from there current teams, thus making teams with tons of cap space more markatable. Simple economics.

Also another intresting situation could be to pressure teams into trading rfa rights to the oilers. Very Very Sherd mr Lowe

I guess if this is the road we're headed down and its such a grand idea, then what the hell is the difference between being a UFA or an RFA? Simply compensation? Sounds completely f***ed imo. So now, not only do we get to ***** and moan that UFA's jump ship to often and nobody has any loyalty anymore, now we get to see young players like Vanek have the opportunity to jump ship 2 years into the league. What an awesome concept.

Man, it sure would be awesome if somebody had plucked away Datsyuk and Zetterberg. Yeah, this RFA thing kicks ass!

[Yzerfan1999 81]

Nice try Oilers...I like the move though, they took a chance and unfortunately for them the Sabres matched.

For those of you hoping Holland offers out one of these...dream on. I really can't see Holland dishing out big cash for anyone if he's not even able to sign Bertuzzi, Markov or Schnieder. Going after RFA's is a move that desperate teams, like Edmonton make. Holland is in no position to do this.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Awesome move by Edmonton. Is it kosher? Not exactly, but can you blame the guy? The cap was supposed to help his team.

[GiantRobot 0]

If those two are $10 milion players then WTF are Sid and Ovetchkin worth!?!

They arent $10 million players, theyre $7 million players, the contracts are just front loaded.

Vanek has too much to prove to justify being a $7 million guy yet after one good season...Im curious how effective he will be without Briere or Drury to center him...

For the record, Sid the Kid and AO will be $9-10 million players soon enough.

[vangvace 12]

Nice try Oilers...I like the move though, they took a chance and unfortunately for them the Sabres matched.

For those of you hoping Holland offers out one of these...dream on. I really can't see Holland dishing out big cash for anyone if he's not even able to sign Bertuzzi, Markov or Schnieder. Going after RFA's is a move that desperate teams, like Edmonton make. Holland is in no position to do this.

I don't know... it's intriguing how this may all play out over the next couple seasons. It could be a nice tool to set a lower than true cap ceiling, or it could be a way to get a up and comer on the cheap. For instance Penner is sitting there and since Neidermayer hasn't put his paperwork in yet. A low offer could still pick him up.

I expect that it'll be a few years still before most of the GMs have truly learned the game of the current cba. (Just in time for another strike YAY!)

Found a good site explaining compensation don't know if it was posted yet or not.

Nutshell

RFA Offer Sheet* .......... Req. Compensation**

_,660,000 or less ......... none

_,660,000 - 1,000,000 ..... 3rd round pick

1,000,000 - 2,000,000 ..... 2nd round pick

2,000,000 - 3,000,000 ..... 1st and 3rd etc.

3,000,000 - 4,000,000 ..... 1st, 2nd and 3rd

4,000,000 - 5,000,000 ..... 1st x2, 2nd & 3rd

5,000,000 or more ......... 1st x4

* Amounts increase in lock-step with Average League salary

** Picks acquired from other teams cannot be used as compensation

Edited July 7, 2007 by vangvace

[Guest Crymson]

exactly. offer sheets should be used as weapons in the new cap era.

and i say we drop a bomb on the ducks.

That bomb, regrettably, very much has the potential to explode in our faces.

[Zion 93]

exactly. offer sheets should be used as weapons in the new cap era.

and i say we drop a bomb on the ducks.

Now that's what I'm talking about.

Sign Penner, Kenny!

[Lilja 0]

I would easily change him for 4 future bad 1st round choices, and I would not hesitate signing him that contract. Born 84 and with numbers like that.. it can only get better.

[StevieY9802 6]

Weapon? How so? Clarke didn't get Kesler and Lowe didn't get Vanek. You mean a weapon like in the cartoons where they fire the gun and a little sign rolls out that says "bang". Think about the RFA offer sheet concept for a second.

1. Who would you offer a contract to? Generally a young, gifted player. That being the case you have to, i repeat, HAVE TO, overpay for him to even have a shot. When was overpaying for a player considered wise general management?

2. If you are to obtain said player with an undoubtedly steep contract, the compensation costs you as many as 4 first round picks. Sounds groovy now until you watch the next 4 drafts roll by and you don't pick a first rounder. I can see the screaming at Kenny already. s***, how much abuse did Kenny take in the early years for dealing 1st rounders at the trade deadline? Think about not having a 1st for 4 years. If that's appealing to you then you're a truly different breed.

In the end you don't get the player, you accomplish nothing but piss off another GM that you may have to work with in the future. And the shoe often finds a way of being on the other foot. What if GM's start offering deals to RFA's left and right? What happens is you artificially inflate the salary structure of the entire league by overpaying players. Once again this is not my idea of strong general managing.

The entire idea of doing it is ridiculous. So in the end who did Philadelphia hurt? Vancouver? Vancouver made the playoffs, played well and kept Kesler. Philly stunk and did nothing. What has Lowe accomplished? He made a Buffalo team with cap space available due to the departure of 3 key players overpay to retain Vanek. How does jacking up the payroll of the Eastern Sabres help the Western Oilers? And Lowe doesn't get his player and all he does get is a pissed of Darcy Regier.

Oh yes, the RFA offer sheet, what a weapon it has proven to be. tthrhrrrjjpppppp.....that's the sound of me farting on the notion that the RFA offer is a shrewd and smart move. That fart I just let out is more of a weapon than the RFA offer will ever be. It's like having Nukes. When everybody has them and can use them where's the effectiveness of it?

RFA offer=stupidest thing ever

Very nice argument. I agree with pretty much everything. And to the person who said a bunch of teams were talking to Vanek.... yeah no kidding. I am sure teams always talk to RFA's they just don't do anything usually because they know that it usually won't work out for them. It was dumb by the oilers when they knew the Sabres were gonna gonna match it and they did it anyways. Lowe said its juvenile for Buf to say they will do the same to the Oilers I think its juvenile for him to do what he did. Its like a child testing his parents to see if they will actually do what they say. I have lost respect for Lowe as a GM. It did nothing for his team and he knew he wasn't going to get it. I would have tried it if I wasn't sure if they were going to match it but when you know they are then why do it? What does that get you? Exactly what he got.... nothing. And to say Vanek wasn't the target then why do it? I find that stupid. We are going to drive up the price of someone we don't want and then go after someone else? ok. I could see if you made that public saying we are going to do it and then don't just to show people that you are getting serious but what happens if they don't match it and that wasn't the guy you wanted? You pay 7mil for a guy you really didn't want? yeah ok. I know Vanek would stil be a good player there but come on.

[MacK_Attack 108]

It was dumb by the oilers when they knew the Sabres were gonna gonna match it and they did it anyways. Lowe said its juvenile for Buf to say they will do the same to the Oilers I think its juvenile for him to do what he did. Its like a child testing his parents to see if they will actually do what they say. I have lost respect for Lowe as a GM. It did nothing for his team and he knew he wasn't going to get it. I would have tried it if I wasn't sure if they were going to match it but when you know they are then why do it? What does that get you? Exactly what he got.... nothing.

Lowe accomplished what he wanted to do here. He knew there was no chance that Buffalo was going to let this kid walk.

The point was to drive up salaries for restricted free agents, forcing teams to eat up large amounts of payroll on long-term deals. This was to set a benchmark for guys like Penner, Parise, Emery, Lundqvist, Ryder etc.

Kevin Lowe knows he's not going to spend anywhere near as much as he had planned. That means he's going to have huge amounts to spend next summer (unless he makes a big trade taking on a large salary or two in the meantime) and he's taking a few teams out of the running by forcing them to chew up large amounts of payroll on RFA's that normally would not cost as much.

Kevin Lowe did this with next summer in mind. He also did it as a statement to Oilers fans that he's still trying to improve the club.

Edited July 7, 2007 by MacK_Attack

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

Lowe accomplished what he wanted to do here. He knew there was no chance that Buffalo was going to let this kid walk.

The point was to drive up salaries for restricted free agents, forcing teams to eat up large amounts of payroll on long-term deals. This was to set a benchmark for guys like Penner, Parise, Emery, Lundqvist, Ryder etc.

Kevin Lowe knows he's not going to spend anywhere near as much as he had planned. That means he's going to have huge amounts to spend next summer (unless he makes a big trade taking on a large salary or two in the meantime) and he's taking a few teams out of the running by forcing them to chew up large amounts of payroll on RFA's that normally would not cost as much.

Kevin Lowe did this with next summer in mind. He also did it as a statement to Oilers fans that he's still trying to improve the club.

My thoughts exactly. Read above for my comments. You and me have the same idea

[FUUFNF 1]

That bomb, regrettably, very much has the potential to explode in our faces.

i'm saying that if it could be done, drop an offer sheet for penner and force anaheim's hand. if they match the offer, that pushes neids into retirement for sure. if they don't, we get that power forward we've been looking for.

if by "exploding in our faces", you mean that other teams may go after our RFA's... well, they could always do that anyway. it's still legal after all.