Updates on Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Mikkel Boedker and Mike Richards in your NHL rumor mill.
Latest on Stamkos, Kucherov and Boedker.
ESPN.COM: Craig Custance reports the decision by Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper to shift captain Steven Stamkos from center to left wing is another consideration to add to Stamkos “very complicated” contract debate. Custance believes Stamkos wants to win a Stanley Cup, but wonders if there “may be some convincing to do that his best route to win one long term is away from his natural position — and in Tampa Bay.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Stamkos remains unsigned in January, expect his name to appear more frequently in trade speculation. Unless the Bolts fall completely out of playoff contention or Stamkos demands a trade (two thing I don’t foresee happening), I don’t believe he’ll be traded. The Lightning hope to push for another run to the Cup Final. Their chances of doing so are better with Stamkos in the lineup.
Steven Stamkos’ contract status is affect the Lightning’s efforts to re-sign Nikita Kucherov.
Custance adds Stamkos’ contract situation is holding up other deals, like re-signing winger Nikita Kucherov, who’s due to become a restricted free agent at season’s end. There’s been no contract talks between the Lightning and Kucherov, though that’s expected to change once Stamkos’ contract situation is sorted out.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Everything’s pretty much on hold until the Stamkos situation is sorted out. Kucherov is a restricted free agent so there’s no rush to re-sign him right now.
If the Arizona Coyotes decline to the point where they’re eligible for a lottery pick in the 2016 NHL draft, Custance speculates right wing and pending UFA Mikkel Boedker could be shopped by the Feb. 29 NHL trade deadline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s certainly possible, perhaps another situation like Antoine Vermette last season, where they traded him before the deadline for a good return and then brought him back months later via free agency. Then again, Vermette’s Boedker’s still a young player (he turns 26 this month) and is blossoming into a reliable offensive forward. They could be inclined to keep him instead of losing him to the UFA market. Still, it’ll depend upon his salary demands. I’m guessing it’ll take around $5.5 million annually on a long-term deal to re-sign him.
An update on Mike Richards.
SPORTSNET: Damien Cox reports former Los Angeles Kings center Mike Richards has a court date this week regarding an incident last June at a U.S.-Canada border checkpoint. Once it’s completed, Richards will have a meeting with the NHL brass and could face suspension. If he isn’t, several NHL clubs could be interested in signing him.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the outcome of Richards’ trial for possession of a controlled substance doesn’t effect his efforts to work in Canada or the US, and if the league doesn’t suspend it, it wouldn’t surprise me if a playoff contender inked him to a very cheap one-year deal. While his play is obviously in decline, someone is bound to take a chance on him.
Lyle, you may want to amend the above “Then again, Vermette’s still a young player (he turns 26 this month) and is blossoming into a reliable offensive forward” to Boedker as ol’ Antoine is 33.
Re Richards … maybe the Habs will be the team to sign him to a 1-year cheap deal since they decided to dump Semin.
I would be surprised to see the Habs sign Richards. They are already reasonably strong at center. They need to beef up on RW, and since Richards shoots left he may not be the best option.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Stamkos remains unsigned in January, expect his name to appear more frequently in trade speculation.
lol You going to start running twice a day come Jan Lyle? Hes been on your page every day this week 😉
Wow, $5.5 million on a long term contract for Boedker? He’s hit 50 points once in 6 years, after that his highest is 28. He’s brittle, missing over 30 games in 2 of the last 3 years and his plus/minus has always been negative. If Boedker is the type of player GM’s are shelling out big bucks for, it’s no wonder so many teams are in cap Hell.
Yeah, I felt the same way. I also have a hard time seeing Boedker getting that much. MAYBE on the open market as UFA if there’s a bidding war. But economics is not red hot, even though leaked info that NHL projects new cap at $74.5M…sounds a little high to me. We’ll see where the cap lands at…
As a quick comparable from memory; Kyle Turris is also born 1989, is a center (more valuable), has put up more points than Boedker since 2012, and is signed for 5 x $3.5M. Granted this was in 2012 and he was still a RFA at the time – but his signing was after his 2-year bridge deal so it was his first legit money contract. Should really a slightly worse winger cost 57% more than Turris when the cap increase is just 19% in the same time frame? (There might be better comparables than Turris of course)
IMHO the proposed $5.5M is probably the high range for Boedker. If there’s not a Tim Murray opening the big wallet, he might find the market pretty equal when it comes to money.
The Stamkos camp may have missed the window for their client.
If they were thinking Kane/Toews money for the deal, they need to re-examine the economic picture. The Canadian dollar is now at 73 cents and in free fall – in 2014 when those deals were signed it was 95 cents.
It could go to 65 cents or possibly 60 cents and with one third of revenues from Canadian clubs, we could be looking at a salary cap that declines significantly next year never mind just being flat.
At the bog meetings they accounted for that (supposedly) and are still saying a .08 increase…bout 4 mill is what’s forecast I believe
Schticky, they always claim to have accounted for things when they have not in fact done so. I remember last year, the cap was initially projected at 74 only to eventually fall to 71 through I think a few revisions.
There is no way they have accounted for a 73c dollar, because it has only just gotten here. And, of course, if the recent trend continues, it could fall further still.
I agree with your assessment of Stamkos at $9, but I would say even that could prove to be an over-payment depending on how the cap evolves.
I’m with you. I’m on the cautious side of economics. This current cap is with a decent canadian dollar exchange rate, low energy prices (stimulating consumption, market catalyst), lots of added financial stimulants plus low interest rates. Anything happening in the financial markets that is contrary to that will put a damper on the spending for NHL products = in essence: Worse canadian dollar exchange rate, higher energy prices (markets slow down), less financial stimulants, increased interest rate.
There are lots of problems on the horizon and even though the cap could increase by $3M next year, the cap could very well lie still or go backwards the coming years…barring the league expands of course, then new revenue gets added and cap could increase again slowly.
The rumored/leaked new NHL cap number is $74.5M. An anonymous NHL team executive then commented that they didn’t think the cap would rise that much but was internally working from projections of a $73M cap.
The thing I don’t understand about the comparison on some of the contracts is if you look at others who are getting that kinda money aside is the fact that the majority have cups and in Toews and Kane Conn Smythes… looking at Stamkos playoff numbers and performances to this point its not even close
Around 9 is the most I see no matter how I look at it
No I’m saying I value guys who have proven performance when it counts most..not like I’m saying Stamkos doesn’t deserve a big contract 9 mill is a lot of dough but is he worth Toews Crosby Malkin Kane…no
So in your mind Crosby and Malkin, who play on the same team, and got bounced by lower seeds like 4 years in a row and blew a 3-1 series lead are worth more than Stamkos because they won one Cup? The team has Crosby, Malkin, Kessel, Letang and even Fleury playing well and the Penguins are close to a dumpster fire. You can’t give me a better an example of a team that doesn’t perform in the playoffs than the Penguins. Thanks for proving my point that it’s a team sport.
I’m just curious to see what you think Kopitar is worth then?
He has proven himself time and time again, and has multiple cups and is one of the best two way centers in the game.
So you believe that Malkin and Crosby, who play on the same team and consistently get eliminated by lower seeds and blew a 3-1 lead against the Rangers should make more money than Stamkos just because they won a Cup in 2009? You can’t give me a better example of non playoff performers than the Penguins recent history.
Ive said it before King I think Kopitar is more valueable than Stamkos and if anyone is worth that type of money to a franchise its Kopitar to the Kings…little older but..
For that very reason 2 cups consistently leads the team despite the time of year…proven
Schticky, I wasn’t trying to troll your conversation, it was a legit question. I appreciate the answer and I completely agree. Way too many people on here thinking Kopitar is lucky to $8 million per.
As for Stamkos, again I agree with you, I wouldn’t pay him anywhere near Toews/Kane money. $9 million per sounds right to me.
King, I also agree that, player for player, Kopitar is worth more to the Kings than Stamkos is to Tampa. The only problem is the Kings will likely enter a downturn within 2 years so would you want to pay one guy that much money in the cap era when you may be better served in 2-3 guys filling 2 or 2 and a half roster spots with that money? It’s a tough decision to make. Now more than ever GMs need to be looking ahead 2-3 years everytime they sign a player. I am not saying I would give Stamkos 10 million either. I am just saying that I don’t value Stamkos, Jamie Benn or John Tavares any less because they don’t have Cups.
Im talking playoff performances which yes generally results in championships yes…do you honestly think you are tsking Stamkos over Crosby based on a 25 game sample so far this year? Youre not paying attention Stamkos would have a higher csp hit than Crosby at 9 million bucks…I dont love Sid but to say he has not been the best plsyer in the game for some time now is nuts, Taveres Benn Seguin sll have produced st about the same rate as Stamkos what sets the others apart are championships…I think giys who can take a team to a chsmpionships are better players…yes its a team game but the best players on a team or a league are the ones who perform under the most pressure.
In your mind your giving a guy a 70 million dollar contract based on a 25 game sample of the best player in the sport? I think Sid and Malkin are eorth more than Stamkos….Im probably not alone in this lol
If you were making a team or of I was (to win not a fantasy team) Stamkos would not be the first player I would pick…be probably be the third or 4th center on the list so why on earth would it make sense to pay him th most…if its a team sport? Toews Crosby Kopitar Taveres….
Shticky, are you trying to compare playoff numbers for one of the best pure goal scorers in the NHL to guys that are part of a dynasty? You think Ovie would take a paycut because he doesn’t have a Cup? Do you think Jamie Benn’s value is less because he doesn’t have a Cup? John Tavares hasn’t been out of the first round. It’s a team sport. Stop the Cup nonsense.
Football is a team game…Brady or Marino who do you choose? Nonsense is looking at a team sport looking at 1player who performs great till it matters and then blaming the team when they fall short despite their best player not showing up. Stamkos doesn’t have very good playoff numbers…again 9 moll is a lot of money I’m not saying he is a dime a dozen or anything of the sort
Last year’s Tampa team had scoring from everywhere. Stamkos didn’t tear it up and they made it to the finals because it is a team sport. Look at the difference adding a couple guys have made to Washington. When you can’t just key on one guy the game changes.
Ovechkin’s is off last year’s goal total pace by a wide margin. Do you really think anybody in Washington cares right now with them one point out of first place in the Metro and 3 points out of first in the conference with 3 games in hand? It’s a team sport. I love this nonsense that you are nothing without a championship. As for you Brady/Marino comparision that is just ridiculous because there isn’t many QBs to take over Brady. But by your reasoning you would take Eli Manning, Jim Plunkett and Trent Dilfer over Marino.
Lol I’d take the guy who has 2 championships and an MVP ..without question that’s what I’m getting at. Big game big stage players are more valuable in my eyes proven 9 mill gives him the 5th highest hit in the league, if he had a cup or at least decent playoff numbers I agree he should be in the top couple players but he doesn’t.
I’d take Brady. He comes with Bellichick, and HE comes with every opposing teams playbook.
Shticky what do you consider good playoff numbers. I looked up Stamkos from last year.
He had 26GP, 7G, 11A, 18Pts, +2, 20PIMs, 8 PPP, 51.1% FWs
Seems pretty good to me.
I then went to look up Kopitar. He had 0 across the board as his value to the kings wasn’t enough to get them to the playoffs.
Yet in 2013-2015 Kopitar had
26gp, 5g, 21a, 26 pts, +9, 14PIM, 7PP and 55.1% FW’s.
The two seem pretty comparable to me.
One could argue Tampa has more offensive forwards allowing the offense to spread out (no I don’t no the guy personally). One could argue that the Kings stellar goaltending and defense buoyed Kopitars +/- over Stamokos’s.
Stamkos did score 2 more goals than Kopitar.
Lets compare to Toes last playoffs
Toews had
23gp 10g 11a 21pts, +7, 8PIM, 7pp and 56.1% FW
So yeah we see where toews value is he seems better all over the ice, yet he played with Kane who had
23gp 11g, 12a 23 pts, +7 0pims, 7pp. no faceoffs.
So toews had a star quality help.
I have to think they all are quite comparable.
does Stamkos lower numbers really make him that less valuable to you guys than Kopitar, toews or Kane? He seems to equate quite well to my eyes.
Kopitar .85 ppg kills penalties, franchise record holder for short handed goals in the playoffs 2 and or 3rd for game winning goals in the playoffs
Kane ppg over 100 points in the playoffs 2cups an MVP… Toews 102 points in the playoffs 2 cups anVP Kills penalties… Stamkos .72 ppg is the lowest of the 3 considerably lower than the pure goal scoring Kane and Stamkos is no where near as good defensively as Kopitar or Toews… no I don’t think Stamkos = 10 mill
Since Tavares was brought up he is a .85 ppg guy in the playoffs (better than Stamkos) and close to the same out put in the regular season.. what’s he worth 11-12 mill? No not in my eyes Benn has won an Art Ross and produces at a similar rate as stamkos I don’t think he is a 10 mill player either…
how can you say benn isn’t worth as much as kopitar shticky? both kill penalties benn is better by a fair bit offensively and younger no way kopitar should get a bigger contract than benn! even by your logic
I think Stamkos’ playoff numbers are a clear reflection that, being a scorer who gets most of his goals during the season off the rush – much like Nash – that he has trouble scoring when the tight checking takes over in the playoffs. That’s to take absolutely nothing away from his scoring ability – or Nash’s for that matter – as a team needs those kind of stars to get them INTO the play offs. But once there, they have trouble adjusting to the stifling play.
I think Biscuit maybe bloqing this a Lil outta peolortion 9 mill would put Stamkos tied for 5th highest cap hit in the league with Subban
I’m with you on that. Over his first 7 years Stamkos has averaged 1.6 pts a game during regular season play. In 48 playoff games that drops to 0.7 pts a game, the same average, by the way, for his first 28 games this year. I still think he’s an elite player – but not at a cap hit of $9 or $10 mil per. Not until he shows he can match the consistent performance of players like Crosby and Malkin (1.2 pts per game both season and playoffs), Ovechkin (1.2 pts per game season – 1.1 pts per game playoffs, Kane (1.0 pts per game both season and playoffs), Toews (0.9 pts per game both season and playoffs. As I say earlier, Stamkos is a lot like Nash whose 0.8 pts per game for seasonal play drops to 0.5 in the play offs. There has to be a valid reason the coach is switching him to the wing (as he did in last year’s playoffs) and not just out of spite. Why would he do something stupid like that?
Amd just to add to tje insanity…today on HC at noon Kypreoss was speculating he could see the Leafs giving Stamkos A max deal that would have a hit of over 10 but in reality the first year or 2 eould be in the neighborhood of 15 mill and add in endorsements Stamkos could be looking at over 20 miller for the first few years of a contract in Toronto.,,,,baseball money
If hockey goes in the direction of baseball that will be it for me and, I think, many others. Insanity indeed.
do you really think stamkos would sign with the leafs where they stand now? it would be stupidity on both sides to sign in Toronto! unless stamkos is just in it for the money he wont go to Toronto he will go to a team that isn’t years away from making the playoffs let alone the cup. he will get his money where ever he goes
You guys are thinking to short term. Stamkos will sign an 8 year deal. yes the dollar may drop but I and most don’t believe it will fall deep into the 60 cent range. Yet if it does it will rebound and rise up again the years following and as long as it is in the 70 cent range comparable the US dollar the cap will continue to increase and 5 years from now it is rightfully projected to be in the 90 mill range. Of coarse the next CBA may restructure the Cap and change everything but we can’t speculate to what that new structure may be to any certainty.
The cap will rise along with inflation. There is little chance of it declining unless the NHL suddenly starts bleeding money and nothing suggest that will happen. The addition of new franchises rumoured to be coming and/or relocation will only increase revenues. A sold out arena in Quebec where tickets are sold in Canadian dollars will still generate more money than a stadium only filled a third and sold at a fraction of the cost. even if the two currencies are drastically different in value.
Yes knowing what the cap will be next year is important to decide on how much Tampa can give to Stamkos but by the end of his contract there will be many players making 10+ mil.
Unless the structure in the CBA changes of coarse.
You and “most” don’t believe the Cdn $ will drop in the .60 range?? I don’t know where you came up with “most” but I’m not among ’em. It hit a record low in 2002 at 61.98 cents (U.S.) on Jan. 18. I’ve seen economist s who say it will go even lower in this latest downward spiral.
“The addition of new franchises rumoured to be coming and/or relocation will only increase revenues.”
Hold it right there…YOU are thinking short term, hehe.
The 1990-2000 period, where NHL expanded from 21 teams to 30, was VERY difficult in economic hindsight. The league had to pay handsomely for that experiment for approx 15 years (!!!) before it all finally started to look ok. This expansion endeavor is by NO means a slam dunk.
The teams that’s introduced by expansion will probably be pretty weak (contingent on expansion draft rules) and could have trouble selling tickets at first (historical precedence exist). There’s NO guarantee expansion teams won’t find themselves being one of the revenue sharing teams in the difficult first era of the new club. An era like that can last for 10+ years. Like I mentioned, the era from 1990-2000 tells us that expansion can be financially difficult. If having a hard time starting up a new NHL franchise, that team could weigh down the rest of the league by being eligible for revenue sharing money. If that scenario played out over the first 10 years, that could significantly eat into the $500M initial buying fee the league collected. In such a scenario, an expansion team is not adding much at all to the league cap until it has built its own viable market. To simplify; The buyers fee and revenue sharing over time even each other out.
Just giving an alternative viewpoint here.
I see, we are comparing an era pre cap and one post cap.
Well I guess we shall have to wait and see if the cap goes down or up shall we.
Just hold the thought and the I told you so when the cap drops and shout it out to me.
Yes, I actually agree with much what you said, but I presented an alternative viewpoint to expansion. Especially your thoughts on Quebec I find valid. It’s better for the fans and translates better to TV to have an expansion team with capacity crowds all the time than a new US team with sparse following for the longest time.
Even with the cap rising next year it will be tough to sign Stamkos at what he is earning even now. Coburn comes off after this year but they also have Brown, Kucherov, Namestnikov, Marchessault and Nesterov who are on entry level deals right now to resign. Not to mention Killorn who will be looking for a raise. If Yzerman manages to do all that and still sign Stamkos, the year after that, 2017-18 he also needs to re-up Johnson, Drouin, Hedman and Bishop, without much (Boyle at 2.2)coming off the books . I do not see enough money drop off to see how they can go ahead with another long term deal for Stamkos. Their best decision might be to trade him for picks at the deadline, and a depth player for the playoffs if they make it.I cannot see how they would let him go for nothing obviously.
I’m actually agreeing with what you say to many degrees, but GMs go about it the opposite way. They sign the franchise players first and then the rest of the roster players get caught in the salary squeeze. There has been a development like that for a number of years now.
For a GM, a guy like Stamkos may hold worth beyond his play on the ice. If that is the case, he’ll be resigned and the rest of the team will be fleshed out as they go along. TB won’t avoid a Stamkos signing because of any upcoming Killorn contracts in 2017-18 or whatever…if they sign Stamkos, it’s because they find it financially worthwhile long term and also find the money/stats ratio palatable. A signing like that is as much economics as performance.
You’re mentioning a lot of role players (granted they might be in the salary discussion) but TB won’t be affected greatly by any one of them. Hedman will of course be resigned. Kucherov and Drouin is probably considered keepers going forward. The rest…well, role players come and go. Some will stay, some won’t. And Bishop – since they have Vasilievsky in the system, he’s as good as gone, he won’t be resigned long term IMHO.
How about Buff for Boedker and Stone? Would be great to see Boedker and Ehlers on a line. Then trade Ladd for a left handed d-man.
And why would Buff want to go to Arizona, He wouldn’t Florida might be a better fit for him.
Stamkos won’t re-sign with Tampa.That dog wont hunt. He will become a UFA and I doubt anybody on Feb.29, will give Tampa any version of the equivalent value for a guy who they likely perceive as walking into free agency in June of 2016.
Stamkos will then sign with whomever will pay him the most and allow him to play centre while allowing him to grow and prosper as a player on a team who he believes have many of the right pieces or direction in place that he feels works best for him