I agree with Newsguyone and NYR469.
There's an awful lot of doublespeak around here regarding rookie salaries. Most seem so blinded by their own personal financial circumstances that they fail to reason on the principal of the matter.
If a player, EVEN a rookie, makes a significant contribution to his team [whether it be by point production, defensive ability or whatever], he damn well should be compensated for it accordingly in harmony with the cap system.
As for WC Handy's comment: "
The rookie cap is important in a capped league because the demands of a player could prevent the team from being able to fit his contract under the cap at all. Plus, we don't want what is happening in baseball to happen in the NHL where teams don't draft the best players because their salary demands are so outrageous".
Honestly, isn't that the idea behind a cap? Why should rookies be even further stymied? I think a rookie cap, on top of a team salary cap, is totally bogus. And to propose that not only should they be boxed in to a mere pittance of the team cap allowance, but to lock them in for an ADDITIONAL year??? Jesus....that pisses me off.
All the people claiming that the rookies will be able to make up for it "later" in their career...I ask you, WHEN? It sure as hell won't be under the "new NHL". Whatever the new CBA terms will be, the days of players earning 5-6 million a year are OVER.
I'm certainly not suggesting that an unproven player should be handed the keys to the kingdom. But for God's sake....a rookie who succeeds in proving himself within the first 3 [or 4] years of his pro career has every right to expect to be compensated fairly.
It's clear to me that the NHL is, most definitely, "prepared to eat their young". Not only are they going to "eat them", but they are suggesting that it's for their own good as well.
The business idiocy of the GM's and owners has allowed the veteran players' gluttony for money to suck the game dry. And now they're going to make the young guys pay for their mistakes.
It sickens me. What a bunch of bastards. I puke on all of them. And I hope they burn in hell.