Arbitration issue

[Mahlkvist]

I just would like to reflect a little on the arbitration. I like both Scott Gomez and Daniel Briere, but in a cap system, it does not feel right that they should be able to increase their salary with that much.

I just wanted to compare them to someone in the same age, with the same kind of stats, so I added Pavel Datsyuk to the list, which I also like, and had the feeling that he was overpaid last year when he signed his contract.

Scott Gomez, 26 (5 Million)
Team Season GP G A P
NJ 2002/03 80 13 42 55
NJ 2003/04 80 14 56 70
NJ 2005/06 82 33 51 84

Daniel Briere, 28 (5 Million)
Team Season GP G A P
Pho/Buf 2002/03 82 24 34 58
Buf 2003/04 82 28 37 65
Buf 2005/06 48 25 33 58

Compare this to, for example:

Pavel Datsyuk, 28 (3.9 Million)
Team Season GP G A P
Det 2002/03 64 12 39 51
Det 2003/04 75 30 38 68
Det 2005/06 75 28 59 87

Or:

Henrik Zetterberg, 25 (2.6 Million)
Team Season GP G A P
Det 2002/03 79 22 22 44
Det 2003/04 61 15 28 43
Det 2005/06 77 39 46 85

My conclusion to this, is that I think a 4 Million, 1 year ruling, or less would be more appropriate for both Gomez and Briere.

I think this kind of arbitration ruling will cause even bigger problems in the years to come, and teams might have to walk away from their star players due to the cap.

Any comments?

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[Jonjmc]

I think this kind of arbitration ruling will cause even bigger problems in the years to come, and teams might have to walk away from their star players due to the cap.

Walk away from their star players? Maybe, maybe not. But it is the intention in a capped league for one team to not be able to have all the "star" players on its team. The club always has the option of keeping a few stars and filling out the roster with minimum salary players.

I've posted before that I believe the GMs still havent figured out how you operate in a capped league. Give this time, it will work itself out. It will take a few years but you are probably correct in that at least a few GMs will have no choice but to walk away from some rulings, thats when change will happen. The RFA signings this year are what caused the arbitration rulings to seem so high.

 

[falconwatch]

I'm shocked and upset with some arbitrators rulings so far. As a Sabre fan there is no way Briere is worth 5 million and now Dumont for 2.9 million. This is killing the small market teams. The Nhl needs to wise up or they might as well get ready to downsize the league.

 

[thinkwild]

I think the GM's get it. It appears the fans dont. The fans who believed the cap was utopia, that it would allow them to keep all their players, the fans who thought Havlat was greedy for holding out for $1.6 mil and then $2.6 mil in the old system, the fans who still think those old undervalued prices were a lot and so dont get the new system they voted for. This wasnt what they intended to happen. They were suckered. So now it must be the GM's at fault for the arbitrations. Surely it cant be the perfect system they designed. It cant be responsible.

If you feel your small market team is getting screwed, dont blame arbitration, blame the cap and linkage. After all, most of you swore to me during the lockout that the players are just laundry. So you change the $5mil laundry for more affordable laundry. Whats the problem?

The fans need to wise up. This is what you voted for.

 

[falconwatch]

I think the GM's get it. It appears the fans dont. The fans who believed the cap was utopia, that it would allow them to keep all their players, the fans who thought Havlat was greedy for holding out for $1.6 mil and then $2.6 mil in the old system, the fans who still think those old undervalued prices were a lot and so dont get the new system they voted for. This wasnt what they intended to happen. They were suckered. So now it must be the GM's at fault for the arbitrations. Surely it cant be the perfect system they designed. It cant be responsible.

If you feel your small market team is getting screwed, dont blame arbitration, blame the cap and linkage. After all, most of you swore to me during the lockout that the players are just laundry. So you change the $5mil laundry for more affordable laundry. Whats the problem?

The fans need to wise up. This is what you voted for.

I don't follow your thinking at all. The fans didn't vote for this system, but we were hopful that it would help make it affordable for the little guy and his family. I don't blame the GM's on this either. The arbiters are approved by the league and the players union. Just because there is cap doesn't mean the teams have to spend it all to the max. You can think that the players are undervalued, but when the fans start walking away from the steep ticket prices I hope the players have another option. The cost of attending an NHL game is just ridiculous for a working family.

So to make ends meet your team is forced to trade away(or just give away) inflated salary players(laundry?) and brings up the prospects. Of course that assumes that other teams are willing to take on the inflated salaries and will still be under the cap. How many other teams can afford the infated players before they too become insolvent. Remember the NHL has no large TV contracts. The NHL is doomed to contraction and less jobs for players.

 

[SJeasy]

At the outset, Bettman offered 6 different systems to the PA. Ultimately, the players chose the one that is currently being used.

Although a team may go bankrupt with the current system, it is less likely. Also, assuming revs are flat, players on teams that contracted for the cap limit, $44mil, will only actually receive $36mil. The actual amount paid out to players leaguewide is tied to revs more strongly than contracts. What the big arb awards do is push towards more player movement which will occur until contract obligations of all teams even out. With what has transpired in the two FA periods since the lockout indicates that the NHL is moving quickly to a shrinking market for UFA services as teams lock themselves into long, large dollar contracts.

 

[Street Hawk]

Baseball Arbitration...

At the outset, Bettman offered 6 different systems to the PA. Ultimately, the players chose the one that is currently being used.

Although a team may go bankrupt with the current system, it is less likely. Also, assuming revs are flat, players on teams that contracted for the cap limit, $44mil, will only actually receive $36mil. The actual amount paid out to players leaguewide is tied to revs more strongly than contracts. What the big arb awards do is push towards more player movement which will occur until contract obligations of all teams even out. With what has transpired in the two FA periods since the lockout indicates that the NHL is moving quickly to a shrinking market for UFA services as teams lock themselves into long, large dollar contracts.

Personally, I prefer the MLB arbitration system. Basically, the arbitrator decides between the team's offer and the player's proposal. None of this, just split the difference of the 2 sides.

It forces both sides to be realistic and make a good enough offer that the arbitrator will decide in their favor.

The way it should work, IMO, is for both sides to hand a sealed envelop to the arbitrator with their number, then go on to give their presentation to the arbitrator about why they feel the player is worth what they are proposing by citing the player's pros/cons and their comparables in the NHL. After listening to both sides, the arbitrator writes down the number he feels is fair, then he opens both envelopes and whichever proposal is closest to his number, wins the arbitration award.