Kane & Toews Sign Identical 8-year, $10.5M AAV Extensions

[wings4thecup06 504]

The salary cap system as it is right now would be ok if the ceiling and the floor weren't tied to league revenues. It's so stupid and I don't see how anyone isn't pointing it out. Think about it. The league has gradually expanded its income since the first lockout of this generation in 2004 and as a result the cap goes up every single year on both ends. This forces the small market teams (like Florida) to do exactly what they did this offseason just to reach the floor - give out ridiculous contracts to mid/lower level players who end up getting vastly overpaid.

The contracts being given out are frankly, a joke in my mind and all that has been lost from 2 lockouts has been wasted. The problem I think I find is that even though I hate the NHL for doing all of this and the stupidity involved, I truly love the game too much to walk away.

These contracts though are not just as a result of the salary cap being tied to league revenues. It also has to do with how there is more parity throughout the league which means that everyone is clamouring to improve and spend. Thus, bidding wars for free agents are more intense (it feels that way), which drives the price up. Another reason is clever marketing by agents, and owners who are forcing their GMs to do something to get their team better. It's also why we're seeing a lot of buyouts.

The whole system is frankly, a joke. It won't change either until the league actually starts losing money.

[Wing Across The Pond 196]

This whole situation is loyalty. We have the game half right, we're loyal to our players wholeheartedly, 100%, and that will never change. But the 21st Century sports loyal is reciprocal. I don't think this is really a case of an organisation shelling out over the top cash and handcuffing themselves, they really wouldn't do that to the detriment of their long term future, but it more a show of "we're loyal to them, they're loyal to us".

Like I said, we've got it half right. We love being loyal to our players, helping them out at every opportunity and often giving them good money. Yet where it falls down in the modern game is that the players we re/sign can't guarantee 100% loyalty to us, either through health/fitness, or lack of game or drive or motivation. My soccer team over here in Britain, Brentford FC, was taken over a few seasons ago and have improved year on year until they achieved their initial goal of promotion to the next tier of competition. The main thing that was stated throughout those years was "we shall only sign players who are 100% committed to Brentford FC". This year we offered contracts to a few of our free agents that we were committed to, they accepted, yet also entered talks with other teams. We chose not to pursue these players further, despite their past with the club, because they weren't committed. I see a lot of that here.

They wanted $12m, Hawks showed their loyalty by offering them increased terms, but asked theirs by offering them $1.5m less than they asked for. Full term as well, just confirms that. If they can keep that going with the rest of the roster I don't see it being any issue for them. They may ask players to stay at the same, or potentially less, money and if they say no then goodbye. They'll find someone loyal to the cause. That way it won't matter if they cap rises, they just need to find the right pieces and go hard at them.

This is what we should be doing. Reciprocal loyalty. Unfortunately we show loyalty to people who can't reciprocate - Cleary with his health, Franzen with his spotty play, to name some whipping boys. Ericsson showed vast improvements and was rewarded, Quincey showed none yet was rewarded also. That's the problem. The fear we now have at losing the people we've got is leaving us behind. Good on Chicago.

(P.S. Kane isn't worth $10.5m... jeeeeez! I'd take Toews for that though. He's their Stevie... blasphemy I know)

Edited July 11, 2014 by Wing Across The Pond

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Looks like Kane needed some extra help in buying booze for his college "visits".

[number9 3,297]

Glad our 2 best forwards are like an entire Allstar cheaper

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

[Barrie 900]

The downside of winning is thinking you have to keep guys instead of moving forward. Since there's a cap, and at that price, if I was Chicago I would have signed Toews, but let Kane become a UFA. Having $21 Million tied up in 2 players is insane! Looking at Chicago's cap situation, they better win this year, because a fire sale will happen next off season.

Those contracts have just increased and already over inflated UFA market. Drafting and developing your own players just became even more important!

Edited July 16, 2014 by Barrie

[toby91_ca 620]

From what I have seen from some people talking about how the owners are stupid and just driving salaries up again and again and tying the cap to revenues creates a problem, etc......It might be you guys that don't fully understand how it works. In terms of the cap and floor, I'd leave that to the owner's to figure out amongst themselves (I.e. some teams doing really well and some teams losing money....they need to figure out how to share revenues effectively).

At the player cost level, it really doesn't matter what contracts are signed, the players will always get 50% (or whatever the number is) of league revenues. As an example, if everyone in the league signed a contract for $500,000 a year and league revenues came in at $3B...every player in the league would actually earn about $4.3M ($3B / 30 teams / 23 players per team). The same is true if every player in the league signed for $10 million....they'd all be giving money back to the league (that is what the escrow system is meant to take care of). A particular player's contracted salary is simply used as a measure against all other player contracts to determine how much of the pie (revenues allocated to players) that he gets. I think this notation of salaries being driven up is a bit on the false side.

The bigger problem I have with these contracts though is that I would find it extremely difficult trying to argue why these 2 guys should be the highest paid players in the league.

[SaCkaveli20 275]

Im guessing we'll get Hossa back when he's.........41?

[frankgrimes 1,836]

From what I have seen from some people talking about how the owners are stupid and just driving salaries up again and again and tying the cap to revenues creates a problem, etc......It might be you guys that don't fully understand how it works. In terms of the cap and floor, I'd leave that to the owner's to figure out amongst themselves (I.e. some teams doing really well and some teams losing money....they need to figure out how to share revenues effectively).

At the player cost level, it really doesn't matter what contracts are signed, the players will always get 50% (or whatever the number is) of league revenues. As an example, if everyone in the league signed a contract for $500,000 a year and league revenues came in at $3B...every player in the league would actually earn about $4.3M ($3B / 30 teams / 23 players per team). The same is true if every player in the league signed for $10 million....they'd all be giving money back to the league (that is what the escrow system is meant to take care of). A particular player's contracted salary is simply used as a measure against all other player contracts to determine how much of the pie (revenues allocated to players) that he gets. I think this notation of salaries being driven up is a bit on the false side.

The bigger problem I have with these contracts though is that I would find it extremely difficult trying to argue why these 2 guys should be the highest paid players in the league.

Toews is easily a top 5 player in the league, also Weber and Crosby are making more than him for the next few years. In 2 years Stamkos is going to shatter their caphit and might even break the 12 aav. There was absolutely no way the Blackhawks would have let either one of them go, both would have gotten maximum deals for their hometown teams and Toews also took less as crazy as that sounds, Kane may be a bit overpaid but whatever.

Edited July 17, 2014 by frankgrimes

[Euro_Twins 4,475]

Toews is easily a top 5 player in the league, also Weber and Crosby are making more than him for the next few years. In 2 years Stamkos is going to shatter their caphit and might even break the 12 aav. There was absolutely no way the Blackhawks would have let either one of them go, both would have gotten maximum deals for their hometown teams and Toews also took less as crazy as that sounds, Kane may be a bit overpaid but whatever.

Maybe he is making more in terms of real dollars. But I could care less about real dollars. Toews and Kane have the highest cap hit in the league.

[toby91_ca 620]

Frankgrimes....sorry, my quote button isn't working for some reason.

I can see arguing Toews as being top 5 (a lot of people have him pretty high). Looking at his offensive numbers, he's nowhere near that, but he brings much more to the table than offense and he provides good offense as well. I don't see Kane as bring too much beyond offense though and his offense is not at the very top of the league, so I have more of a problem stomaching him as highest paid player in the league.

In terms of Toews being top 5....that's fine, won't argue there, but he's being paid more than anyone else....by a good margin too.

Crosby making more in the next few years is irrelevant, it is cap hit that matters. Would you rather a contract that paid you $10 million every year for the next 5 years or a contract that paid you $12 million for the next 2 years and then $6 million for the remaining 3 years. Crosby makes more for a few years, but over the term, Toews will earn significantly more than Crosby.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Frankgrimes....sorry, my quote button isn't working for some reason.

I can see arguing Toews as being top 5 (a lot of people have him pretty high). Looking at his offensive numbers, he's nowhere near that, but he brings much more to the table than offense and he provides good offense as well. I don't see Kane as bring too much beyond offense though and his offense is not at the very top of the league, so I have more of a problem stomaching him as highest paid player in the league.

In terms of Toews being top 5....that's fine, won't argue there, but he's being paid more than anyone else....by a good margin too.

Crosby making more in the next few years is irrelevant, it is cap hit that matters. Would you rather a contract that paid you $10 million every year for the next 5 years or a contract that paid you $12 million for the next 2 years and then $6 million for the remaining 3 years. Crosby makes more for a few years, but over the term, Toews will earn significantly more than Crosby.

No worries for whatever reason paragraphs aren't working for me, when I'm using tapatalk so I know some problems as well :-)

I also agree with you about Kane, he is not 10,5 aav good and I don't think he has the intangibles that Toews brings to the table. My personal theory is, Toews took less so Kane could get an equal deal..As much as it pains to admit it, but this guy is their version of our former #19

The problem with Toews is even if he wanted he can't sign a Crosbylike deal because of the stupid new CBA. Personally speaking I would easily take Crosbys contract over the Toews one because it's hard to argue with 104 million over 12 years, I'm a pretty conservative guy so I value security more than shorter term money. If Rocky Wirtz would have prefered a lower caphit guess what ? Speak up about a certain player hating weasel or even better can him. Also Crosbys contruct struture is now also limited, so Toews can't even take something like 14,14, 14, 14, 3, 3, 3, 3 with all these limitations it is almost impossible to create a lower caphit. The only way to do it is to pay a significant weberlike signings bonus. That being said if I'm Brisson I'm meeting with Toews and Bowman in Switzerland and don't disclose all the details about both contracts.

The best part to me is reading how some Blackhawk "fans" would have rather seen him go to UFA then re-sign him to that caphit, they were expecting something like 8 aav *lol*

[Guest DeGraa55]

People are comparing toews and Kane really?

It's quite simple toews is a leader like frank said just like yzerman in many ways.

But Kane is a much better player. He does more with less.

Toews has hossa and sharpe on his line Kane has who? Toews was just more dedicated and commuted since day one whereas Kane wasnt. But it's been a few years since Kane's last incident so it might be safe to say he has finally grown up.

[achildr1 255]

That was so aweful...makes Ozzy and Draper look like Daniel-Day Lewis clones. I seriously cant stand Kane in any sense...such a serious wiener.

Edited July 18, 2014 by achildr1

[Spongewingredpants 75]

That was so aweful...makes Ozzy and Draper look like Daniel-Day Lewis clones. I seriously cant stand Kane in any sense...such a serious wiener.

wow, what an idiotic commercial

[Jersey Wing 1,521]

A haiku to our friends Patty and Pigface

Two cups for The Core

Quote the raven nevermore

Kane the Sochi ghost

[Euro_Twins 4,475]

A haiku to our friends Patty and Pigface

Two cups for The Core

Quote the raven nevermore

Kane the Sochi ghost

A haiku isn't supposed to rhyme lol. But I'll let it slide

[FifeHockeyNut 57]

What is this?

[frankgrimes 1,836]

I love Haikus so

Kane and Toews are paid

Blackhawks are on the decline soon enough

That's not just worthless stuff

As for the dream of Seabrook forget it, Bowman would be incredible stupid to destroy their top pairing and a big reason why Keith can be that offensive weapon is the steady defensive play of Seabrook. In my mind he is one of the top defenders in the game just gets underrated because he doesn't wow you with a lot of points but I'd rather have him on the ice during the last minute of the game than the "gamebreaker" Keith who is an unbelievable defenseman too.