Red Wings current Veteran contracts

[Henkka]

I'd argue that any single aspect of Abby's contract is somewhere in the "a little bad" to "pretty bad" range. But when you consider the contract as a whole, he got big AAV for seven years with a NTC, it's terrible. Usually you make concessions in one area for benefits elsewhere... But there's just nowhere that Holland won. If Abby was signing for 7 years, it should have been at $3 mil. If he had a NTC too, 2.5. Or he can make his 4.25, but then it better be a 4 year deal max, 3 if he wants a NTC.

This guy is supposedly a heart and soul hometown hero that's always wanted to be a Red Wing. That's the type of guy you convince to take a discount... Or just let him walk; Abdelkader's skillset is not that special. Getting desperate and meeting every single one of his demands was unnecessary. It's like Abdelkader's agent was the guy from pawn stars, and Holland accepted his first request.

Many has also forgotten, that Abdelkader's value was on ~5 million range during his contract negotiations. He had just made that good season. And we did have capspace kind of that 4.25M.

When Holland pushed the term further, he got the contract under the cap. 5 million was non-fit.

Just let him walk would have been abysmal asset management. That would have been worst possible decision bad GMs will make.

Somebody in earlier discussion wanted Abdelkader traded for a 1st rounder, and not signing an extension and that would have OK move in asset management way. But Holland saw Abdelkader as the veteran mentor for the other 1st rounders they are gonna draft afterwards, when the team drops down. He sees further than many and keep these personal things in team spirit very important. He had seen Abdelkader as the right guy to keep long-term. This praise about his personality has been in every possible article, I've been reading during these years. I don't know what others are reading, but I've seen the praise from everywhere.

Abdelkader signs seven-year contract with Red Wings

General manager Ken Holland said it was imperative the Red Wings get Abdelkader signed long-term.
"He's homegrown. A character guy. He's one of the guys [coach Jeff Blashill] and I are looking to be one of the leaders of this team," Holland said. "We couldn't afford to lose him."

It wasn't rocket sience to see that when Zetterberg, Pavel, Kronwall, Franzen are gone (all contracts were planned to end 2017-2019), that for the time period after 2019 you need some leadership on the team. And only players who were younger than the older Star Generation were Abdekader and Helm. And Holland knew these guys personalities, and what they will bring on the lockerroom. They carry the torch, before some from the younger generation will take it.

This planning for the contract extension happened at summer 2015. Abdelkader signed his contract in 2015 November. The contract started season after. In 2015 we really didn't have any clue about Larkin, Mantha and Bertuzzi, what they really are. Or who are we gonna draft at 2016,2017,2018,2019.

So after 2019, when Zetterberg is gone it was planned that on that time Abdelkader in one of team leaders. But now, we also know that future Captain will be Larkin. In 2015 we didn't know. Abdelkader will proably be his assistant. He takes some pressure off from Larkin for sure, so Larkin can concentrate on being a future star. Abdelkader eases the mental pressure off from him.

And then we end for this Holland's final plan, why it was worth pushing it for 7 years.

 

[HisNoodliness]

Many has also forgotten, that Abdelkader's value was on ~5million range during hic contract negotiations. He had just made that good season. And we did have capspace kind of that 4.25M.

When Holland pushed the term further, he got the contract under the cap. 5 million was non-fit.

Just let him walk would have been abysmal asset management. That would have been worst possible decision bad GMs will make.

Somebody wanted Abdelkader traded for a 1st rounder, and not signing an extension and that would have ok move in asset management way. But Holland saw Abdelkader as the veteran mentor for the other 1st rounders they are gonna draft, when the team drops down.

I'd have much preferred to trade him than sign him, especially if we could have gotten a 1st. However if Abdelkader's ask was 5 million, I'd have let him walk in a heartbeat. "Look Justin, I'd like to keep you around, but the only way you're getting anywhere near 5, is a 1 year deal. I'll go longer for a lower cap hit...but it'll be much much lower. If you want to be a Red Wing you're going to have to rethink your position completely because you're way off of what I'd consider."

If guys demand too much money you have to let them walk. Is it better asset Management to trade them before that? Yes, but just because you failed to do the right thing earlier doesn't mean you should do the wrong thing now. Cut your losses, don't double down on a mistake.

I am fine with the idea that you have to bring in/keep some veterans for mentoring. But we already had a lot of those, could sign others later (like we did anyway with Daley, Nielsen etc.) and Abdelkader is not some great leader we needed at all costs. Everything he brings to the table is replaceable.

 

[Henkka]

I'd have much preferred to trade him than sign him, especially if we could have gotten a 1st. However if Abdelkader's ask was 5 million, I'd have let him walk in a heartbeat. "Look Justin, I'd like to keep you around, but the only way you're getting anywhere near 5, is a 1 year deal. I'll go longer for a lower cap hit...but it'll be much much lower."

Trade is usually complicated, because it need 2 partners. And we were going on the playoffs. How many GMs will trade their team weaker when pushing on the playoffs?

These imaginations are just hilarious, what people think should have been done.

Always:

"Something impossible, unrealistic or stupid should have done."

I don't know about his ask, but his market value was 5M, with that production.

 

[jkutswings]

I don't know about his ask, but his market value was 5M, with that production.

Nonsense. He came off of one decent season, and was in the midst of a terrible start to the next year when he signed the deal. This was written AT THE TIME of the extension:


Justin Abdelkader is not worth his new 7-year, $30 million contract

"Fifteen games into a show-me season for Abdelkader, the forward only has seven points. After breaking out last season with career highs in goals (23), assists (21) and points (44), Abdelkader has cooled off significantly to start this year. The forward is on a 13-game goalless drought, having scored his last one Oct. 10 against Carolina, with this first three goals coming in the season opener against Toronto a day prior."

So no, the evidence at the time did not point to, hey this kid is a $5M+ player that needs to be locked up ASAP to a 7 year deal. It was that a depth player was coming off his best year by having one great game against the Leafs, then going ice cold.

 

[HisNoodliness]

Trade is usually complicated, because it need 2 partners. And we were going on the playoffs. How many GMs will trade their team weaker when pushing on the playoffs?

These imaginations are just hilarious, what people think should have been done.

Always:

"Something impossible, unrealistic or stupid should have done."

I don't know about his ask, but his market value was 5M, with that production.

If we couldn't trade him, I'd have let him walk. As Jkutswings said, Abdelkader was struggling when he actually signed. He was not worth 5, he was not worth the 4.25 he got unless it was a short deal which it wasn't. Trading/letting him walk was neither stupid, unrealistic nor impossible.

 

[waltdetroit]

Here is my take on vet contracts. Before the salary cap, many players were paid higher $$ on contracts when they were older & their abilities lessened, sort of being paid for what they had done under lower contracts. In the past few years, players are (to a larger or smaller degree) are being paid for potential. Teams lock up young players to higher contracts more than ever before to retain them. The whole contract scenario has changed. As for Helm, I believe he actually played 2 seasons in the minors but came up just for the PO's. Abby & Helm (by today's standards) were most likely underpaid in their early years so I don't mind their current contracts as much.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

Gator ain't getting five million a year from another organization. Troy Brouwer had a much better resume and only got a four year deal at 4.5 million. Both contracts were signed within the same year. The idea that Abby was worth five million is absolutely ludicrous.

There is no legitimate justification for giving Abdelkader a seven year deal at 4.25 million per year. Especially when you factor in that his extension came in the middle of November and that Kenny knew Datsyuk was gone at the end of the year.

 

[Ingvar]

Gator ain't getting five million a year from another organization. Troy Brouwer had a much better resume and only got a four year deal at 4.5 million. Both contracts were signed within the same year. The idea that Abby was worth five million is absolutely ludicrous.

There is no legitimate justification for giving Abdelkader a seven year deal at 4.25 million per year. Especially when you factor in that his extension came in the middle of November and that Kenny knew Datsyuk was gone at the end of the year.

Abdelkader was given 7 years because he is a hard-working player born in Michigan. I doubt much more thought was given to that contract - an insurance in case Red Wings become next Sabres or Hurricanes.

 

[TatarTangle]

$4.25 for a player you can put in any situation and count on not to f*** up isn't all that bad, especially on this team. The seven years is though.