RJ Umberger - Potential and Performance
- Thread starter Pilot
- Start date
- Status
Rise from the Ashes
Price defies corsi
clay said:
I think it comes down to the fact he wanted to play in the states. His behaviour probably affected his attitude while he negotiated his contract, and bam! He got Burked! (driven to the airport)
Winston Wolf
Registered User
He wanted the same contract that Ryan Kesler received. I don't see how that's a "ton" when Umberger likely will always be a better player than Kesler. Canucks might not have seen it this way at the time, but it's proving that Umberger was justified to at least want a comparable contract to Kesler. Money well spent by the Flyers.clay said:
TON???????clay said:
He was asking for exactly what other players drafted before and after him received.
It was typical Burke - run down the player and attack the agent instead of doing a deal. Umberger was only asking for what other drafts in his round received - $1.13 million.
We know the offer from the Canucks because Umberger and Brian Lawton, Umberger's agent released the contract proposal after become frustrated with Burkie's misrepresentations on the offer. The offer was $625,000, $650,000 and $675,000 base salaries with a $700,000 signing bonus over three years. It has been reported in various media in the past.
Then compare it to other teams who signed their first round picks that year for the rookie maximum. In Umberger's draft year:
-the #7 pick was by Montreal - Mike Komisarek was signed for $1.13 million
-the #9 pick was by Chicago - Tuomo Ruutu was signed for $1.13 million
-the # 12 pick was by Nashville - Dan Hamhuis was signed for 1.13 million
-the # 13 pick was by Edmonton - Ales Hemsky was signed for $1.13 million
-the #14 pick was by Calgary - Chuck Kobasew was signed for $1.13 million
-the # 16 pick was by Vancouver - RJ Umberger signed by Philadelphia for $1.13 million
-the #17 pick was by Toronto - Carlo Colaiacovo was signed for $1.13 million
-the #19 pick was by Boston - Shaone Morrisonn was signed for $1.13 million
ARE YOU BEGINNING TO SEE A PATTERN HERE? and why Umberger and his agent saw little problem in getting the rookie maximum on the open market?
Also why they would be insulted by the offer from Burke?
Take a look at the #19 pick in the SECOND round of 2001 (#49) overall:
Mike Cammalleri signed by LA for $1.075 million which was the maximum for 2000 rookies. LA has a salary structure which is very close to the Canucks. This is common, with second round picks signing for the previous years rookie maximum in the top 2/3's of the second round.
Burke got himself in a pi$$ing match as he so often does and he would not back down. He began to believe his own press clippings.
Burkie also went on and on about Umberger's lack of heart, lack of physical play, inability to play defense, poor work ethic, etc. This was vintage Burke and we have seen this movie played numerous times with Trent Klatt, Murray Baron, Kevin Weekes, Andrew Cassels, Peter Schaefer and so on.
As usual the clueless in Vancouver believed it without looking for themselves.
The problem was that Umberger unlike 99.9% of the draftees had an option. If he was not signed within 2 years then he became a unrestricted free agent rather than his rights just going back into the draft. He then could peddle his services to the highest bidder which is precisely what he did. He and his agent used the system to do what was best for Umberger.
Burkie OTOH squandered a valuable asset.
Burke made stupid decision to go to the mat with a player who had the leverage in the negotiations.
And people still wonder why Burkie was handed his walking papers.
A totally screwed up set of negotiations with Umberger and the loss of a very valuable asset with virtually nothing to show for it. Umberger would be the top prospect if he had stayed in Vancouver.
Burke should have signed him and stuck him in the AHL (or traded him early on when he had some value). And he would not be earning his NHL salary since all rookie pacts are required to be two way. As it worked out he would have been in the AHL last year due to the NHL lockout which everyone saw coming except it seems Brian Burke.
- Status
