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Din758

Lidstrom Signs 1-Year Contract Extension

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I think NeverForgetMac has brought a lot of proper perspective to this duscussion. Allow me to expanded upon his original retorts.

What is honestly fueling this argument? The fans that are upset regarding the terms of Lidstrom's contract prescribe primarily into 1 of 3 possible ideologies - or some combination thereof.

1) "He should have taken less for the betterment of the team" - The Hometown Discount Clause

Okay, certainly there has been some precedence of this. However, lets shape this argument in a more appropriate context. Lets say you are a factory line worker for General Motors. You've worked and dedicated the prime years of your life to the betterment of the company at the sacrifice of your physical health and meaningful time with your family. You are the most senior member of your assembly team and have the added responsibility of leadership which is rightfully deserved and are considered one of the finest, if not the very best at what you do. You are the receipient of countless company commendations and your pension is securly set for retirement. At this point in your career, you have nothing left to prove and look forward to a life of leisure that is well deserved.

Now, you have worked yourself to the point where you gross $70,000.00 a year. You plan to retire but the company and management at General Motors has asked you to return because they respect you and the quality of the work that you produce. And ask you to come back for another year at $60,0000 - or roughly a 14% pay cut. A person of your quality is not easily replaced, and you are rewarded for you years of dedicated, unfallable service by taking a reduced salary to do everything that you were asked to do for the last 40 years.

Basic Labor Economics states - The Marginal Utility of Free Time Expontentially Increases the Less You Have Time you Have. That is, as each additional hour you work - your free time becomes more valuable because you have less of it - and thus more money is needed to incentivize you to sacrifice your free time. Hence, the concept of Overtime. If you only have 10 hours of free time a week - you protect those hours pretty fiercly and it would take an increase in rate to convince you to work.

So, if you were this Assembly line worker - would you take a 14% pay cut when the value of your free time (your retirement) dictates that an increase in salary is needed for you to sacrifice an additional year?

The obvious response is "Well, it's different for the every day worker because he's a Millionaire! He doesn't need the money!"

Yes, it's true - he is not hurting financially. But he also doesn't have any additional skills besides hockey. He had no trade or schooling to speak of - so what we does now is the money that he receives for the rest of his life unless he takes some type of organizational position in hockey. Assuming he lives to the mid 80's - that means he must live for the next 45 years off the money that he has accumulated - that is a massively long retirement horizon. As your retirement horizon increases - so does uncertainty. Take for instance the crisis of 2007 - Sergei Federov lost over $43M to fraudlent investment and market fluctuations. Or the average American who had their savings and pensions crushed by overextending debt by the financials or the liquidity crunch that followed?

What's Lidstrom going to do? Car commercials? Puck Signings? Lidstrom's decision to take a couple of million more may seem "greedy" to someone who doesn't have a net worth of $10M - but he is also doing his best to secure his and his family's financial future for the next four decades and every cent counts.

Like NeverForgetMac says - It's easy to tell someone else to take less money when it's not you.

Lidstrom's decision - and I don't believe it was monetarily motivated (even though he would be very justified in doing so) - is because he loves Detroit and respects the organization. Concurrently, the Detroit Red Wings value his contribution and all that he had done for them and rewarded him with his salary request - because of all that he has done for them and not insult him with petty contract negotiations. What is tragic, is that despite all this man has done for this organization and how much he has contributed to the joy for being a Red Wing fans - there are those who question his motivations and unfairly accuse him of being selfish for not "sacrficing" more.

To be continued...

Don't bother continuing... your analogy sucks. You don't win the greatest trophy known to man by working on an assembly line.

6.whatever

Meh... glad he's back but I was hoping for a little more wiggle room for a free agent. I hope his slapshot that was largely missing from last season returns for that kind of money.

Edited by Broken 16

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Pretty disappointing if it's that high IMO. But obviously he's worth anything he's paid.

True say to that, I also think we all know that the "discount" thing has been overplayed here for a while now. No body is playing for much less then they are worth anywhere in the NHL anymore, but Nick certainly came for less he could get out on the market.

Edited by 13dangledangle

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Sorry - I missed the subtleties; I'm used to the "Emoticons" ;)

Very reasonable indeed...Like others have said - if Nick were greedy he could've gone elsewhere, and have gotten $7 million plus - however he's a good guy, a class act, and thankfully a Detroit Red Wing for life.

Another thing Kenny can cross of on his offseason to-do list.Now for that tough guy...

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Lidstrom making as much money as Rafalski? Now that's some funny s***.

I hope Holland considers getting Rafalski to waive that no-trade clause at some point this season. He's taking up too much salary on the blue line.

If he would I'd be down but Rafi blue my mind at the Olympics this year! He showed he could be #1 on any team...any team without Lidstrom that is lol. But I think he should Quarter back the 2nd pp, that was his forte in Van.

Edited by 13dangledangle

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If he would I'd be down but Rafi blue my mind at the Olympics this year! He showed he could be #1 on any team...any team with Lidstrom that is lol. But I think he should Quarter back the 2nd pp, that was his forte in Van.

Too bad he didn't play like for the Wings...I'm so sick of the damn turnover machine.

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Guest mindfly

It's funny though, on every other board/hockey related website, they say something like "he's still a very good d man but 6million+ at 40years old, i thought he would take a discount"

Only on LGW most approve this contract and embrace it with open arms... but maybe that's because ya'll see something in him that others don't...

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It's funny though, on every other board/hockey related website, they say something like "he's still a very good d man but 6million+ at 40years old, i thought he would take a discount"

Only on LGW most approve this contract and embrace it with open arms... but maybe that's because ya'll see something in him that others don't...

Yeah, we don't have to be jealous that arguably the best Dman in the league continues to sign with Detroit for large hometown discounts.

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just like to share something someone wrote on TSN's website in the Lidstrom headline

"detroit isn't going to win the cup next year, so why pay a has-been 6m when you can start putting in some young guys. retire already, just another favre in the making.... "

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Guest Lidstromboli

well now that lidstrom has signed we have a lot more insight into cap space and how the roster might look next year :)

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Meh when it comes to the deal.

Lidstrom is worth a lot but I was hoping for like a 4 mil deal.

I can dream, can't I?

I was hoping Lidstrom would actually pay the team to play next season.

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just like to share something someone wrote on TSN's website in the Lidstrom headline

"detroit isn't going to win the cup next year, so why pay a has-been 6m when you can start putting in some young guys. retire already, just another favre in the making.... "

That's officially the worst analogy I've heard in my entire life.

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just like to share something someone wrote on TSN's website in the Lidstrom headline

"detroit isn't going to win the cup next year, so why pay a has-been 6m when you can start putting in some young guys. retire already, just another favre in the making.... "

Yeah.. Or let's try one that people actually agreed with:

"Wade Redden, Brian Cambell, Bouwmeester, Timonen, Vishnosky and Phaneuf all made more money last year than Lidstrom will make this coming season.

Pretty sure I'd rather have Lidstrom on my squad if I were making a serious run at the cup over most of the players on this list. Lidstrom is a legend and is amongst the hockey elite of all time. All players would look up to him and this is a massive element to any team.

This is a good signing. Lidstrom deserves to get paid. "

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The implication being that Nick has no character? Well isn't that a nice thing to say about our captain and future Hall of Famer. "f*** that Lidstrom, he's a greedy prick."

I love how I say I'm rooting for the Hawks to win the Stanley Cup because it would mean something to my dad and that means I'm a traitor but saying Nick Lidstrom has no character and is essentially a money-hungry ******* is the mark of a "true" fan.

If I tell my girlfriend that I think Angelina Jolie is beautiful, does that mean that I think my girlfriend is not beautiful? Way to twist my words.

I'm going to tell you all a secret right now, and I hope that it won't crush all of your dreams. Nicklas Lidstrom is not a deity. Nicklas Lidstrom is not a perfect human being. Nicklas Lidstrom is not the best thing to ever happen to mankind ever ever ever. Sorry I had to tell someone, it was eating me up inside.

Personally, I think that Nick is one of the most intelligent players in the game. He exemplifies what it means to be a professional. He exudes class and sportmanship. He might be the greatest player to ever wear the Winged Wheel. However, all of those things do not = Jesus in a hockey sweater. What if Duncan Keith signed his new contract for a 7.340 million dollar cap hit (200k more than Brian Campbell) Would that cause you to question his character just a little? Doesn't that seem as though someone has a bit of an ego?

None of us will ever know exactly what goes on during these kinds of negotiations. Maybe Holland refused to offer anything less. Maybe Nick owes 6.2 million dollars to the mob. Maybe his wife would've beat him for accepting less than Rafalski makes. Maybe Ilitch got into a hot tub time machine and thought he was stuck in 1999. Who knows. But based on the limited information available to me, I've come to the conclusion that Lidstrom decided receiving his fair market value (6-6.5mil) outweighed the benefits of making a significant sacrifice for the good of his team (4-5mil). Is that his right? Yes. Does that make him a bad person? No. Does that mean he doesn't care about the team or winning or the fans or Detroit? NO. It just would have been ******* sweet.

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If I tell my girlfriend that I think Angelina Jolie is beautiful, does that mean that I think my girlfriend is not beautiful? Way to twist my words.

I'm going to tell you all a secret right now, and I hope that it won't crush all of your dreams. Nicklas Lidstrom is not a deity. Nicklas Lidstrom is not a perfect human being. Nicklas Lidstrom is not the best thing to ever happen to mankind ever ever ever. Sorry I had to tell someone, it was eating me up inside.

Personally, I think that Nick is one of the most intelligent players in the game. He exemplifies what it means to be a professional. He exudes class and sportmanship. He might be the greatest player to ever wear the Winged Wheel. However, all of those things do not = Jesus in a hockey sweater. What if Duncan Keith signed his new contract for a 7.340 million dollar cap hit (200k more than Brian Campbell) Would that cause you to question his character just a little? Doesn't that seem as though someone has a bit of an ego?

None of us will ever know exactly what goes on during these kinds of negotiations. Maybe Holland refused to offer anything less. Maybe Nick owes 6.2 million dollars to the mob. Maybe his wife would've beat him for accepting less than Rafalski makes. Maybe Ilitch got into a hot tub time machine and thought he was stuck in 1999. Who knows. But based on the limited information available to me, I've come to the conclusion that Lidstrom decided receiving his fair market value (6-6.5mil) outweighed the benefits of making a significant sacrifice for the good of his team (4-5mil). Is that his right? Yes. Does that make him a bad person? No. Does that mean he doesn't care about the team or winning or the fans or Detroit? NO. It just would have been ******* sweet.

Maybe he didn't want to kick the guy most responsible for the Wings' success the past 15 years in the balls.

$6.2 is beyond fair for the organization and its something Lids can live with. That's most likely where that number came from....not some personal need to be the highest paid. It never was. Besides, if that were the case he'd be making $6.7+ next season given Datsyuk's salary. The "Lidstrom Cap" was awarded to him from Kenny for his financial sacrifices, not something Lids enforced.

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If I tell my girlfriend that I think Angelina Jolie is beautiful, does that mean that I think my girlfriend is not beautiful? Way to twist my words.

I'm going to tell you all a secret right now, and I hope that it won't crush all of your dreams. Nicklas Lidstrom is not a deity. Nicklas Lidstrom is not a perfect human being. Nicklas Lidstrom is not the best thing to ever happen to mankind ever ever ever. Sorry I had to tell someone, it was eating me up inside.

Personally, I think that Nick is one of the most intelligent players in the game. He exemplifies what it means to be a professional. He exudes class and sportmanship. He might be the greatest player to ever wear the Winged Wheel. However, all of those things do not = Jesus in a hockey sweater. What if Duncan Keith signed his new contract for a 7.340 million dollar cap hit (200k more than Brian Campbell) Would that cause you to question his character just a little? Doesn't that seem as though someone has a bit of an ego?

None of us will ever know exactly what goes on during these kinds of negotiations. Maybe Holland refused to offer anything less. Maybe Nick owes 6.2 million dollars to the mob. Maybe his wife would've beat him for accepting less than Rafalski makes. Maybe Ilitch got into a hot tub time machine and thought he was stuck in 1999. Who knows. But based on the limited information available to me, I've come to the conclusion that Lidstrom decided receiving his fair market value (6-6.5mil) outweighed the benefits of making a significant sacrifice for the good of his team (4-5mil). Is that his right? Yes. Does that make him a bad person? No. Does that mean he doesn't care about the team or winning or the fans or Detroit? NO. It just would have been ******* sweet.

Exactly... and I love how everyone piles on Crosby (oh god... now I did it) and Malkin and others for getting their 'fair market value' because it handcuffs their team... but with Lids it's ok. Lots of hypocrites around here.

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Words from Ken Himself...

..."I get to watch him every day," general manager Ken Holland told the team's official Web site. "I still think that Nick is the premier two-way defenseman in the world. There might be some players maybe a little bit more productive, offensively, but I think when you factor in how good Nick is defensively, how he played the last half of the year, certainly the last 30 games … I still think we have one -- if not the -- best defensemen in the world. It's a great day for Red Wings' fans."....

....Sounds accurate to me :thumbup:

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Maybe he didn't want to kick the guy most responsible for the Wings' success the past 15 years in the balls.

Why does money have to be the only way that the organization can show its immense gratitude and respect for this particular person? Haven't the fans of Detroit demonstrated just how much they do in fact appreciate his balls over the past 18 seasons? It just seems like in these troubled financial times, especially in the state of Michigan, it would be incredibly uplifting for the fans to see another championship before the darkness comes. I know that there are no guarantees when it comes to the Stanley Cup, but it couldn't have hurt to have another million in cap available.

$6.2 is beyond fair for the organization and its something Lids can live with. That's most likely where that number came from....not some personal need to be the highest paid. It never was. Besides, if that were the case he'd be making $6.7+ next season given Datsyuk's salary. The "Lidstrom Cap" was awarded to him from Kenny for his financial sacrifices, not something Lids enforced.

How do you know that? I don't doubt it, it just seems like an unsubstantiated statement.

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One of them will have a Norris Trophy and a one of them will most likely have a Stanley Cup ring. The most recent Norris Trophy and most recent Stanley Cup, which are the most important in determining their current value.

If you think that Lidstrom is still worth over 10 million dollars a year, fine. I won't ever be able to change your mind. But from where I'm sitting, the best defenseman this year and probably most years from this point forward, a 25 year old kid, just signed a contract that will take him into and throughout the prime of his career for a 5.5 million dollar cap hit. He did it because he loves the city and his team and because he wants to compete for the championship as often as is possible with the current salary cap. Duncan Keith will undoubtedly sacrifice more salary throughout his career than Lidstrom has. That's called character.

Keith is not and will never be more valuable than Lidstrom is in his career. That's called being one of the best defenseman to ever play the game.

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