Brooks Laich

[kipwinger 8,772]

Cap hit is the only thing that matters to a wealthy team like Detroit. Salary is still very easily modulated through graduated contracts even after the Kovalchuk mess, there's just a bit more limitations and a bit more expectation to use caution. The primary concern with the Kovalchuk type contracts was large tails of small salary that extended well past the veterancy age. Avoid that, peachy. They didn't change the structure rules, just an age modifier (40+ tails don't count towards cap hit). Something legal but ridiculous like 11, 11, 11, 11 5.5, 1, 1, 1 (with 1, 1, 1) occuring at ages 37, 38, and 39) might face scrutiny as well. 31 year old signed to a salary worth 9.9/year over the first 5 years, but a cap hit of just over 6.

Listing salary of already signed players is pointless in a discussion about caphits unless you're talking about a brokeass team, period. Using salary was an attempt to inflate numbers for the sake of your argument, which would have been perfectly valid without said inflation. You were talking worth, worth is all about cap hit to competing teams. Don't try to jerk me around.

Damn dude, don't be so touchy (especially considering I'm the argumentative one). Cap hit IS the only thing that matters to the TEAM. But when you're talking about free agency, the TEAM has to make a deal with a PLAYER. Presumably, the team wants to keep the cap hit low, while the player probably cares less about the cap hit and more about how much is actually going to go into their bank account per year. The point is valid either way, you're right. But when it comes down to it, when you're trying to entice a free agent to come to your team, usually the biggest draw is how much you're going to pay them per year, not how much of a cap hit the team is going to take.

The point I was trying to make about structured contracts was that sometimes you can have it both ways. Depending on how you structure the contract sometimes a guy can take home seven and a half million in a year (worthwhile to the player) while his cap hit is only six million for the same year (worth more to the management). This is roughly what happened with Zetterberg in 2010-2011.

The player doesn't give a s*** about the cap hit in most cases. He cares about what he makes per year. When you're talking about a player leaving one team to go to another you think that salary figure doesn't factor into the decision making? You think Johan Franzen agreed to his deal because the team would have a 4 million dollar cap hit, or because he would make 5 million dollars the same year.

Edited June 8, 2011 by kipwinger

[eva unit zero 271]

Would like it to be Bieksa, don't think he's leaving the Nucks. That leaves Wiz or Babchuk. Either way, Pitkanen + Wiz/Babchuk = goodbye defense, though at least some grit and puck movement will be there.

I actually don't mind Babchuk. Here's an interview from him a handful of years ago when he said "lol no u" to the Canes putting him back in the AHL. Rather insightful fellow, actually. Seems rather ambitious. Not a bad thing... if it's focused well.

http://www.russianpr...?article_id=525

Pitkanen and Babchuk gets us two of the league's better shot blockers; better than anyone we have right now. I'd take that pair. Especially hoping Kindl learns from them.