Pitt & Malkin Transfer $

[Gumby]

With the Pens very likely to pick Malkin (and they should) could they have problems paying a transfer fee with the IHF deal gone and the RHF not interested in renewing if his team demands some ridiculous amount to let him go (could be a mill or so)?

I'm not sure of his contract status, and I think he prob needs another year before he's ready anyway, but does anyone think this could have any impact on whether they pick him or trade down for a guy with less headaches and $$ involved in gettin him on the team?

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[Luigi Lemieux]

I hope money doesn't stop us from drafting him. Outside of Ovechkin, Malkin is what they need. A big, skilled center.

 

[Gumby]

I hope money doesn't stop us from drafting him. Outside of Ovechkin, Malkin is what they need. A big, skilled center.

I agree completely. I think he's whole nother lvl above the likes of Olesz, Barker, Woltski, and Schremp, and would be a blow to them if they had to settle for less....unless they move 4-5 spots down and get a good return and turn whatever picks they get into steals. Just saw listed by Ozzie X that Malkin used his father as his agent and signed a 5 year deal w/ his Russian team so it's gonna be even a bigger problem.

 

[Duster]

With the Pens very likely to pick Malkin (and they should) could they have problems paying a transfer fee with the IHF deal gone and the RHF not interested in renewing if his team demands some ridiculous amount to let him go (could be a mill or so)?

I'm not sure of his contract status, and I think he prob needs another year before he's ready anyway, but does anyone think this could have any impact on whether they pick him or trade down for a guy with less headaches and $$ involved in gettin him on the team?

I don't think his contract demands will be as high as Ovechkin. However, the agreement between the IHF and NHL is up for renewal this summer. The Russian teams will be asking for much higher transfer fees. Can the Pens afford bonuses in the millions perhaps, transfer fees of a million or so and the maximum entry level salary, assuming Malkin makes the team?

 

[Gumby]

I don't think his contract demands will be as high as Ovechkin. However, the agreement between the IHF and NHL is up for renewal this summer. The Russian teams will be asking for much higher transfer fees. Can the Pens afford bonuses in the millions perhaps, transfer fees of a million or so and the maximum entry level salary, assuming Malkin makes the team?

The RHF has said that they have no interest in renewing the deal, so that makes me think they wanna go the soccr route and do it on a case by case basis.....might just be a negotiating ploy though, who knows. I'm sure he won't bring a demand near AO's (he's Russias golden boy), but with that lengthy contract the Pens will have to pay a transfer fee...which for such a young talented kid I could see them easily ask for at least a mill...that on top of his contract (MAF's woulda made them choke this year had he reached his incentives) might make them hesitate on the pick....unlike AO who got a decent agent and has a deal that ends after next year, thus the Caps could just tell Dynamo to blow it out their *** if they demand too much and wait a year and pay nothing, thus giving them a stronger negotiating position. I really hope the Pens can get Malkin, but I can see this becoming an issue.

 

[davemess]

This transfer issue is something the NHL really needs to get sorted out because if the Russian clubs continue to demand excessive amounts of money then the teams at the top of the draft (who tend to be the poorer teams) are going to be forced into passing on Russian (and maybe European) prospects.

The only thing in the NHL clubs advantage is that they arent competing against other NHL clubs in an open transfer market..... the Russian club cant turn around and say if you dont give us $5mill we will sell him to your biggest rivals. That should help keep the prices under controll.

If the russians are going to be demanding $2 or 3 million for Malkin then the Penguins most likely wont pay that kind of money....... neither would many teams though. You will find the clubs trying to force some of the transfer burden onto the player by reducing the value of the contracts they are being offered.

 

[davemess]

You could also see a certain degree of insurance being factored into the details to protect the NHL teams from getting burned when a player busts......... part of the transfer fee being based on performance or apperances that kind of thing.

 

[Epsilon]

Remember this though guys: the next CBA, regardless of what happens, is almost certainly going to limit how much rookies can make and eliminate the "Joe Thornton bonus model". So paying a few million up front for Malkin doesn't sound so bad when you know you will only have to pay him a few million a year at most and not 5+ millions for a 20 goal season.

 

[Gumby]

You could also see a certain degree of insurance being factored into the details to protect the NHL teams from getting burned when a player busts......... part of the transfer fee being based on performance or apperances that kind of thing.

That's a good point. Maybe an ageement between the Russian and NHL club that they receive so much based on time actually spent in the NHL's clubs org....and the player spending time w/ the Russian club if he's not cuttin it and then the NHL club would get relief from that fee.

 

[Duster]

The only thing in the NHL clubs advantage is that they arent competing against other NHL clubs in an open transfer market..... the Russian club cant turn around and say if you dont give us $5mill we will sell him to your biggest rivals. That should help keep the prices under controll.
.

Normally I would agree with you. However, if you look a Major League Baseball, you see that the players are often drafted in regards to their "signability" rather than their abilities (look it up under "Boras, Scott"). A Russian team could ask a lot for an elite player and if you don't meet that price, well, that's fine with them. They get to keep their prized player for another year or perhaps he plays in Switzerland or Germany. Meanwhile, the Pens of this world are under pressure to pay up or trade.

Some sort of transfer fee cap would have to be negotiated to level the playing field IMO, as is the case right now with Junior hockey.