Confirmed with Link: Mojo 3 year deal, 4.583 AAV

[HecticGlow]

Also you're all crazy if you think Mojo will be left unprotected. Brouwer, with 1 year left, got us most of Oshie, and Mojo had better production last season than Brouwer and is being paid more.

Even if you decide to lose Mojo in a year or two, you trade him for a significant return (picks or prospects if not to fill a major hole) - you don't let a guy like that walk or be lost for nothing if you can help it. That's almost certainly why they wanted more than a one year term - because they don't want another team getting him for free next year.

 

[SpinningEdge]

MoJo will be third line I bet. Burro shouldn't be the best offensive player or in the bottom 6. He need to progress. This is year 3 for him now....

Plus, MoJo gets #1 unit PP time and Burro doesn't get any (maybe very little now that Chimera is gone), so MoJo will get just as many/more minutes than Burro anyways.

 

[Monsterrain]

Yuck

 

[Roughing]

Hey, maybe this will be the year he breaks out!!! Or he'll just be mildly useful (again) and not be worth the money (again). Should have moved on.

 

[Devil Dancer]

That means he gets to strike five teams, right? Not that he can limit the Caps to five teams?

Overall it's a fine deal. Mojo would be worth that much on the open market, and he is injury insurance for any top 6 position. Plus that contract should be easily movable if the Caps want to flip him for assets or free up space later in the deal.

 

[txpd]

MoJo will be third line I bet. Burro shouldn't be the best offensive player or in the bottom 6. He need to progress. This is year 3 for him now....

Plus, MoJo gets #1 unit PP time and Burro doesn't get any (maybe very little now that Chimera is gone), so MoJo will get just as many/more minutes than Burro anyways.

I think that entirely depends on Burt. He needs to be better than Johansson in pre season. It will be interesting to see how he responds to his poor playoff performance.

 

[hockeykicker]

That means he gets to strike five teams, right? Not that he can limit the Caps to five teams?

Overall it's a fine deal. Mojo would be worth that much on the open market, and he is injury insurance for any top 6 position. Plus that contract should be easily movable if the Caps want to flip him for assets or free up space later in the deal.

He can be traded to 25 other teams

 

[Silky mitts]

Also you're all crazy if you think Mojo will be left unprotected. Brouwer, with 1 year left, got us most of Oshie, and Mojo had better production last season than Brouwer and is being paid more.

Even if you decide to lose Mojo in a year or two, you trade him for a significant return (picks or prospects if not to fill a major hole) - you don't let a guy like that walk or be lost for nothing if you can help it. That's almost certainly why they wanted more than a one year term - because they don't want another team getting him for free next year.

It's either going to be Mojo, Orlov, Wilson, or Alzner. They're gonna lose someone with trade value.

 

[um]

It's either going to be Mojo, Orlov, Wilson, or Alzner. They're gonna lose someone with trade value.

the only way we lose Alzner is if he wants to leave, he's priority #1 for our UFAs. And Wilson likely would be protected over Eller if Oshie is resigned, if Oshie is not resigned protecting him should be no problem. So it comes down to Johansson vs Orlov and I take Mojo everyday, even just for value, and it's not like we're desperate for defensive depth.

 

[ovikovy817]

It's a "wait and see" contract.
He can play like a 5-6 or 7M per guy, or he can play like 3 or 4.

 

[PuckBuddy]

too lazy to look up decent meh.gif

 

[Silky mitts]

the only way we lose Alzner is if he wants to leave, he's priority #1 for our UFAs. And Wilson likely would be protected over Eller if Oshie is resigned, if Oshie is not resigned protecting him should be no problem. So it comes down to Johansson vs Orlov and I take Mojo everyday, even just for value, and it's not like we're desperate for defensive depth.

I think most would take Mojo over Orlov, but it could easily end up being Mojo vs Orlov + $2M in cap room, plus they'd probably have Orlov longer since Mojo definitely has the hammer of UFA in 3 years, maybe Orlov takes a lesser deal that eats up some UFA years.

 

[um]

I think most would take Mojo over Orlov, but it could easily end up being Mojo vs Orlov + $2M in cap room, plus they'd probably have Orlov longer since Mojo definitely has the hammer of UFA in 3 years, maybe Orlov takes a lesser deal that eats up some UFA years.

I can defiantly see arguments for both side, but it's an irrelevant comparison because they're not the same position. To protect Orlov you would only be able to protect 4 forwards, unless you leave one of Alzner, Carlson, or Niskanen exposed which is madness. So we wouldn't be leaving out just Johansson for Vegas to claim we'd have to leave out one of Burakovsky, a signed Oshie, Johansson, and Wilson. (Obviously Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Kuznetsov are the first 3)

Another Scenario where we could protect Orlov is if we don't sign Alzner until after the expansion draft (Oshie too), which would be sweet, but I doubt Alzner would be down with that.

 

[Silky mitts]

I can defiantly see arguments for both side, but it's an irrelevant comparison because they're not the same position. To protect Orlov you would only be able to protect 4 forwards, unless you leave one of Alzner, Carlson, or Niskanen exposed which is madness. So we wouldn't be leaving out just Johansson for Vegas to claim we'd have to leave out one of Burakovsky, a signed Oshie, Johansson, and Wilson. (Obviously Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Kuznetsov are the first 3)

Another Scenario where we could protect Orlov is if we don't sign Alzner until after the expansion draft (Oshie too), which would be sweet, but I doubt Alzner would be down with that.

I look at in terms of they're losing Alzner or Orlov since Niskanen is probably getting protected, unless you expose Mojo or Wilson giving GMGM another option. Orpik and Schmidt aren't as valuable, and I can't see any other forward being unprotected and in the mix for Vegas.

 

[um]

I look at in terms of they're losing Alzner or Orlov since Niskanen is probably getting protected, unless you expose Mojo or Wilson giving GMGM another option. Orpik and Schmidt aren't as valuable, and I can't see any other forward being unprotected and in the mix for Vegas.

I don't think you understand the rules, you can protect 3 defensemen, 7 forwards, and 1 goalie. Or you can protect 8 skaters and 1 goalie. In what scenario is Alzner, Niskanen, or Carlson in danger? Orpik doesn't have a NMC/NTC if that's what you're thinking, or are you saying Alzner = Orlov?

 

[Calicaps]

I'm fine with this. He's top-9 depth with versatility. And this is a very tradeable contract. I would have been happy to see him traded at the deadline last season, but absent that, trading unsigned rights is a loser.

 

[Silky mitts]

I don't think you understand the rules, you can protect 3 defensemen, 7 forwards, and 1 goalie. Or you can protect 8 skaters and 1 goalie. In what scenario is Alzner, Niskanen, or Carlson in danger? Orpik doesn't have a NMC/NTC if that's what you're thinking, or are you saying Alzner = Orlov?

I think I get it, they protect
Ovy
Backstrom
Kuzy
Burakowsky
Oshie
Mojo
Wilson unless they have to protect Vrana
Carlson
Niskanen
Alzner
Holtby

and lose Orlov probably. But let's say they agree with me and they'd rather lose Mojo than Orlov but less than Burakowsky and Oshie so nothing gained in protecting 8 skaters, expose Mojo I bet GMGM takes him.

 

[RandyHolt]

I agree he's not really the type of player that seems to be the driving force of a line, but not everyone is. Even so, it's hard to criticize him for not putting up points at even strength when he was playing with what amounted to 4th liners for most of the playoffs. When he wasn't with black holes (basically only on the PP), he scored points.

I don't love the deal. He's an important member of the power play and I get that, but I feel like there is a slight disconnect between his objective market value and his actual value to the team. I feel it's a slight overpay but he does have a contract that can be moved, if necessary.

Good post - all good points.

Part of his value is his flexibility. In a pinch he could even play center and not look out of place. He has seemed hit or miss in a bottom 6 role however; his best times seemed early on with Chimera. He will really endear himself to fans as the whipping post if he and Eller form instant chemistry.se and make 3 a dynamic line.

I think we all pretty much know what we will get from our top 6, and energy line. Our 3 line is the variable. JoJo Eller Willy will be expected to dump and cycle, IMO. I would rather see them to try to score off the rush and use Marcus more to his strengths and follow the trend set by Pitt.

 

[um]

I think I get it, they protect
Ovy
Backstrom
Kuzy
Burakowsky
Oshie
Mojo
Wilson unless they have to protect Vrana
Carlson
Niskanen
Alzner
Holtby

and lose Orlov probably. But let's say they agree with me and they'd rather lose Mojo than Orlov but less than Burakowsky and Oshie so nothing gained in protecting 8 skaters, expose Mojo I bet GMGM takes him.

I understand that line of thinking, especially with all the defensemen that will be exposed for Vegas. If Orlov has a good season on a good contract it very well could happen. Another hypothetical is if Oshie and Williams leave next year we may not be able to afford letting Mojo go, we're pretty deep in all positions, who knows where we'll be next year.

 

[SpinningEdge]

Vrana won't need to be protected b/c he'll be a first year rookie. Those guys are excluded.

 

[Acallabeth]

Okayish deal, expected numbers. Doubt that Mojo's game changes, hope we can trade him...

 

[Corby78]

I'm happy with this. I thought they would be north of 5mil. It also gives us options to get something later. We now have room for Orlov and a little slop for maneuver at the TDL

 

[g00n]

This is a Mojo thread, not an Orpik thread. Posts moved.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

He can be traded to 25 other teams

I'd be happy with just one.

 

[artilector]

What everybody else said, basically.
Better to keep an player/asset of questionable fit than to lose him for nothing. And this should be a very tradeable contract.

Ofc, even better to trade him for somebody that fits better... but, I'll give BM a bit of a pass on this, because it seems to me that there's significant uncertainty about where this team is headed, including lines/styles, young players & their roles, and upcoming cap crunch. So it could be legitimately difficult for BM to identify the right kind of target that would fit into long term plans.