Devils re-sign Adam Larsson, Alex Chiasson awarded a new contract, plus updates on Derek Stepan, Ryan Getzlaf and more.
Devils re-sign defenseman Adam Larsson to a five-year deal.
NORTHJERSEY.COM: The New Jersey Devils avoided salary arbitration with defenseman Adam Larsson by re-signing him to a six-year, $25 million contract. “The deal, which carries an annual salary cap hit of $4,166,666, pays Larsson $2.5 million in 2015-16, $3 million in 2016-17, $4.5 million in 2017-18, $4.85 million in 2018-19, $5.05 million in 2019-20 and $5.1 million in 2020-21. It also includes a limited no-trade clause for the last three seasons that allows Larsson to submit a list of eight teams to which he cannot be traded.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: After struggling to establish himself as an NHL regular since his promising debut in 2011-12, Larsson tallied 24 points in 64 games last season. Twenty of those points came in his final 40 games, during which he skated on the top defense pairing with Andy Greene. Now 22, Larsson has matured into a steady NHL defenseman. With confidence renewed, he could blossom into a star for the Devils.
OTTAWA SENATORS: announced an arbiter has awarded winger Alex Chiasson a one-year, $1.2 million contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Chiasson camp sought $2.475 million while the Senators pitched $1 million. Chiasson earned an average cap hit of $900K on his last contract. He tallied 26 points in 76 games last season. He got a fair reward from the arbiter. He’s eligible next summer for RFA status with arbitration rights. Chiasson must step up his play if he hopes for a more lucrative deal from the Senators.
SPORTSNET’s Elliotte Friedman took to Twitter yesterday to report the New York Rangers and Derek Stepan submitted their respective salary proposals heading into arbitration on Monday. The Rangers are offering $5.2 million while Stepan seeks $7.25 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I still expect the two sides will settle on a multi-year deal around $6.5 million.
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: If you’ve got $4.9 million burning a hole in your pocket, you can buy Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf’s ranch house.
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets have invested heavily in next season’s roster, but will it pay off?
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If they can stay healthy, absolutely. Injuries walloped the Jackets last season and was the main reason they missed the 2015 playoffs. And with Brandon Saad joining their roster, I expect they’ll be even better.
THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Promising defenseman Noah Hanafin hopes to crack the Carolina Hurricanes roster, but the team doesn’t want to rush him.
NBC SPORTS: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says the shootout to decide tied regular-season games isn’t going anywhere.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: There are some players, coaches and GMs who hate the shootout and want it gone, but the majority of hockey fans love it. That’s why it’s here to stay.
TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins assistant GM Tom Fitzgerald has left the team to join the New Jersey Devils in a similar role.
TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning CEO Tod Leiweke steps down to become chief operating officer of the NFL.
The majority of fans love shoot outs to decide games???…news to me. I am not sure many if anyone I know loves the idea of a shoot out to decide a game, particularly late in the season…its ridiculous, imagine a punt pass or kick competion deciding an NFL game. Guess me and most people I know are the minority, the same small minority who accordingto Bettman were the only ones interested in a Capgeek type site.
Go to the games, check out the crowd reaction. Even Don Cherry, no fan of the shootout, admits it’s here to stay because the fans loves.
Of course there is a great crowd reaction because the shootout decides the game but I don’t know one fan over 14 years old that likes it. 3 on 3 overtime will be equally embarrassing to the game but we now live in a world where everyone has to get an award just for showing up so they will never get rid of the loser point.
I live in Kingston I have 3 NHL teams with in 3 hours of me 4 teams with in a 4 and a half hour drive….I do go to games quite a few actually. People pay hundreds of dollars for tickets, of course for the most part they are not going to get up and walk out when a game isstill tied after OT, but you do see a few leave. I wonder if they would leave if there was another period of 3 on 3 or 4 on 4? I somehow doubt it. If its such a fan favorite whyeven bother going to OT or take it away in the playoffs? Its an excuse to end a game in a more prompt way is why its going no where it has nothing to do with the fans. People talk about great overtime games and get excited about it, I cant recall anyone Ive ever talked to getting excited about a possible shoot out. Don Cherry also thinks the majority of fans love guys like Colton Orr.
Shticky, that’s a good point. Fans will remember classic OT games for years but I can’t name one “classic” shootout. Nobody remembers lenghty shootouts because they generally suck because nobody scored but the longer OT goes the longer the game will be remembered. Obviously the lenghty OT games are post season games but you remember the regular season games where your team wins with under 10 seconds to go.
Consider yourselves in a minority. The shootout is popular among NHL fans for regular-season games. Of course, no one wants to see the shootout in the playoffs, but most don’t mind it to settle regular season games after a period of overtime.
Some shoot outs have been epic. WJC for example.
I don’t mind the shoot out, I’d be a lot happier if the NHL went to the 3 point for a win in regulation system as the shoot out does take away the team part of the game. Still I enjoy watching it.
Hate OT and shootouts as do my friends. Never understood why one team has to get an extra point, I was perfectly happy with the old way one point each for a tie. I can see why the NHL likes it, longer games = more commercials which = more revenue. Games go on way to long now.
I think the crowd response to shootouts is just the crowd going along with the program- making the best of it. I’d rather they consider the length of time it takes for a regular shootout and add it to the OT. and if it still ends tied, it is a tied game.
If the shootout is good enough for the regular season, it should be good enough for the playoffs. (I don’t think it is good enough for either)
On a separate topic I can’t understand why the majority of players seem to get 5 or 6 year deals. Larsson has accomplished ZERO in the NHL. Even Lyle points out that he was basically paid based on a good 40 game stretch. So many teams are sticking themselves with with lenghty contracts for middle of the road players. Stepan has scored 20 goals once in his career, like 5 seasons ago, and he is a 6.5 million dollar player? The guy had 15 goals on the top line last year. Get ready for another lockout boys.
Also have to consider the health of the players. A long OT isnt good.
Not seeing much if any of a majority here either, not the greatest of sample sizes granted but overall I am not sure its not closer to a wash then some think. The reason the shoot out is here to stay is so hockey games fit in a TV time slot, not to apease some massive majoroty. Funny how they came about at the same time as the new TV deal…
So you guys would rather end the game in a tie?
I always hated leaving the stadium when the game ended tied.. You invest all that time and money get super pumped up and nothing happens in overtime
You leave feeling not satisfied, not devistated just meh
We need to have a winner and a loser and we can’t play the game all night.. The shootout is how this gets accomplished.
You have another option that will provide the same outcome?