R.J. Umberger signs with Flyers

[Teezax]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=87614

Looks like the Flyers will be very deep at center now with RJ, Jeff Carter and Mike Richards all waiting in the wings..

Click to read more...

 

[Russian_fanatic]

Good riddance I hope he does awfull . Never been a fan of hold outs ! $1.5 million for someone who has yet to make an impact in the nhl .

 

[BLACKBURN]

who has yet to make an impact in the nhl .

Yet to play an NHL game even. If the Flyers have money to burn then its great. I wonder how the year of holding out will effect his game.

 

[Russian_fanatic]

Yet to play an NHL game even. If the Flyers have money to burn then its great. I wonder how the year of holding out will effect his game.

Well he was still playing in Ohio I think . So I guess it only slipped a bit . This is ridiculous , I'll laugh the day th Umberger turns into a bust .

 

[NYIschremp44]

i dont think he skated with ohio...i know he skated with the US NTDP in Michigan though

 

[fan mao rong]

For all the blockheads on here, $1.5 million is below the current league average, and Umberger only gets that on the NHL roster. Current rookies signing would get about $1.2 million for that, so there are about $300,000 in bonuses. And that's if he makes 'em all. Maybe that would include rookie of the year, and the like. It's a very reasonable contract by today's standards. If people don't know any perspective why don't they learn something.

 

[Legionnaire]

The point is, 1.2 million is a ton of money for a player of Umbergers calibur. That is why the league is in trouble right now.

 

[Sammy*]

The point is, 1.2 million is a ton of money for a player of Umbergers calibur. That is why the league is in trouble right now.

Its particularly stupid when the expectation is that guys like Umberger (ie 1st rounders & worse) are going to get pounded under the new CBA.

 

[Teezax]

well he'll do a hell of a lot more than Leclair, which = 7.5 million dollars saved, as afr as I'm concerned, that's smart management

 

[mazmin]

I guess Pittsburgh didn't have the money. I guess Phili is the next closest thing. Anyway I hope he's the next Jason Bonsignore. I hate hold outs and Philly has never, ever been a likeable franchise IMO

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Umberger may risk burying himself in Philly's relatively deep talent pool. $1.5 million is an awful lot for a guy who didn't play a lick of hockey last year...

~Canucklehead~

 

[Big McLargehuge]

I guess Pittsburgh didn't have the money. I guess Phili is the next closest thing. Anyway I hope he's the next Jason Bonsignore. I hate hold outs and Philly has never, ever been a likeable franchise IMO

Pittsburgh offered what Vancouver offered him. Which, in his hometown should have been enough you'd think.

The Penguins never got a reponse.

Classy.

 

[FlyHigh]

Can anyone give a good talent evaluation of him?

I've read everything from 30-goal scorer to complete bust.

 

[Jacob]

For all the blockheads on here, $1.5 million is below the current league average, and Umberger only gets that on the NHL roster. Current rookies signing would get about $1.2 million for that, so there are about $300,000 in bonuses. And that's if he makes 'em all. Maybe that would include rookie of the year, and the like. It's a very reasonable contract by today's standards. If people don't know any perspective why don't they learn something.

I think the point is that Umberger initially said "it wasn't about the money", then signs with the highest bidder and goes to a team that is knee deep in centers. Umberger is what, #6 on their depth chart?

He may have gotten offered less from a team like Columbus, but would have had a much better opportunity of playing in the NHL than in Philadelphia.

 

[Gags1288]

It's not like he signed a one way contract. He will likely play for the Phantoms next season and not make too much money and if the flyers feel he is an NHL player than he will make the money. I happen to like the signing a lot. He's a decent prospect, he's pretty close to being NHL ready, and the flyers do not have a 1st or 2nd round pick this season that they have to pay. He's worth the risk, IMO.

 

[Jeff Goldblum]

Yeah, it obviously wasn't about the money...


He goes to his hometown's longtime rival city while not responding to his hometown's contract offer.

I think its very classless to not even respond to a teams offer, regardless of what team or how off it is.

 

[mazmin]

It's not like he signed a one way contract. He will likely play for the Phantoms next season and not make too much money and if the flyers feel he is an NHL player than he will make the money. I happen to like the signing a lot. He's a decent prospect, he's pretty close to being NHL ready, and the flyers do not have a 1st or 2nd round pick this season that they have to pay. He's worth the risk, IMO.

What have you got to lose? Well nothing.

The only problem is that in todays NHL, contracts in the millions shouldn't be offered to teenagers. It's just another precedent for other players to follow in order to get what they want. It's not right.

 

[Firefly]

glen sather lost or chose to lose the bidding war. thank god. makes me think sather is a new man

 

[Yertle The Turtle]

 

[JF Omalycat]

Everything I've read about Umberger makes me think he's a schmuck.

 

[McGuireofthe_7]

I think the point is that Umberger initially said "it wasn't about the money", then signs with the highest bidder and goes to a team that is knee deep in centers. Umberger is what, #6 on their depth chart?

He may have gotten offered less from a team like Columbus, but would have had a much better opportunity of playing in the NHL than in Philadelphia.

That's my point exactly. I've read that the Penguins offered him $600k per year to play but if you look at the Penguins roster, he would have a pretty good shot of getting the maximum bang for that buck (i.e. in the NHL rather than the AHL squad). If you take that over 3 years, then the contract offered would be similar in value to between 1 and 1.25 NHL seasons. In Philadelphia, with a squad filled with quality veteran centres, it seems he will spend at least 1, probably 2 years in the AHL. If you extrapolate that out, he'd be on roughly the same level of scraps as with the Penguins. I guess it comes down to ego a la with the Canucks (big part of him leaving is a lower draft pick being offered more. In conclusion, I'd rather have someone on my club who is there for the team and for the fans than someone who is there for the mighty dollar.

 

[ObeySteve]

Pittsburgh offered what Vancouver offered him. Which, in his hometown should have been enough you'd think.

The Penguins never got a reponse.

Classy.

Please, name me one player in recent NHL history that settled for drastically less money that several franchises were offering for the simple fact that it was the city they were from.

 

[paxtang]

That's my point exactly. I've read that the Penguins offered him $600k per year to play but if you look at the Penguins roster, he would have a pretty good shot of getting the maximum bang for that buck (i.e. in the NHL rather than the AHL squad). If you take that over 3 years, then the contract offered would be similar in value to between 1 and 1.25 NHL seasons. In Philadelphia, with a squad filled with quality veteran centres, it seems he will spend at least 1, probably 2 years in the AHL. If you extrapolate that out, he'd be on roughly the same level of scraps as with the Penguins. I guess it comes down to ego a la with the Canucks (big part of him leaving is a lower draft pick being offered more. In conclusion, I'd rather have someone on my club who is there for the team and for the fans than someone who is there for the mighty dollar.

Except that with the probable buy out of Amonte and Leclair, if he moves over to wing he has a shot of making the big club this season.

 

[Legionnaire]

Please, name me one player in recent NHL history that settled for drastically less money that several franchises were offering for the simple fact that it was the city they were from.

Toronto. They all want to play for Toronto.

 

[me2]

Umberger may risk burying himself in Philly's relatively deep talent pool. $1.5 million is an awful lot for a guy who didn't play a lick of hockey last year...

~Canucklehead~

It would be most amusing if there was a spot on the NHL roster and Umberger was neck and neck with another prospect for it. The deciding factor: the other prospect had a cheaper NHL contract so Umberger got to rot in minors on minor league money. That would be poetic justice.