Small markets face big trouble

[Tra La La]

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Co...ageid=968867503640&col=970081593064&t=TS_Home

A source close to the negotiations confirmed a published report yesterday stating that not only does the free agency age drop to 29 next summer, but players under that age who have eight years of NHL experience, will also qualify for unrestricted status. In the summer of 2007, players who are 28 or have seven seasons will qualify. In 2008 — and for the remainder of the agreement — players who are 27 or have seven seasons of experience will qualify.

All of which means next summer is shaping up to have the strongest free agent crop in the history of the game. Along with Iginla, Thornton, Lecavalier and Kaberle, other potential unrestricted free agents include Martin St-Louis, Marian Hossa, Zdeno Chara, Wade Redden, Jose Theodore and Ed Jovonovski.

Click to read more...

 

[FangFingers]

How does that put small markets in big trouble?

With the new CBA, markets like Tampa and Calgary actually have a shot at keeping guys like LeCavlier and Iginla.

In the old NHL those big name stars would bolt to Toronto, NY, Det, Colorado the first chance they got, whether its age 28 or age 31.

Sure, they may get become FA's earlier, but the small markets now have an equal chance at keeping them at home. And if they do chose to leave as a FA, the small markets now have some buying power to find a replacement.

Im excited about the long term potential of the small markets in the new NHL.

 

[Tra La La]

How does that put small markets in big trouble?

With the new CBA, markets like Tampa and Calgary actually have a shot at keeping guys like LeCavlier and Iginla.

In the old NHL those big name stars would bolt to Toronto, NY, Det, Colorado the first chance they got, whether its age 28 or age 31.

Sure, they may get become FA's earlier, but the small markets now have an equal chance at keeping them at home. And if they do chose to leave as a FA, the small markets now have some buying power to find a replacement.

Im excited about the long term potential of the small markets in the new NHL.

That was the Stars Title for the article.

 

[boredmale]

this might be a problem for small market teams in the next year or so, but in the long run it works in favor of them because all the big market clubs will be "capped out" and not able to sign players, which means they will have to go to the smaller market clubs at bargain rates.

 

[X8oD]

How does that put small markets in big trouble?

With the new CBA, markets like Tampa and Calgary actually have a shot at keeping guys like LeCavlier and Iginla.

In the old NHL those big name stars would bolt to Toronto, NY, Det, Colorado the first chance they got, whether its age 28 or age 31.

Sure, they may get become FA's earlier, but the small markets now have an equal chance at keeping them at home. And if they do chose to leave as a FA, the small markets now have some buying power to find a replacement.

Im excited about the long term potential of the small markets in the new NHL.

hell if anything, no longer can you hinge on the fact that "we just cannot afford the players"

Now if small market teams complain about contracts, its 100% on them. As they are now using the same exact rules that the big market teams use.

 

[FangFingers]

Toronto...should have known.


""Wait until fans of small-market teams like the Ottawa Senators find out about this," said one player agent. "I sure hope they win the Stanley Cup next season because what are they going to do when teams offer Chara and Hossa the cap (of $7.8 million) and Redden $6 million?"""



Yeah, but now the teams that offers Chara and Hossa $7.8 million might just be a small market. Its the big market's worst nightmare - a level playing field.

 

[Spungo*]

Good to see small markets are still whining and *****ing after a year long lockout for a salary cap that big markets didn't want.

 

[Stephen]

How does that put small markets in big trouble?

With the new CBA, markets like Tampa and Calgary actually have a shot at keeping guys like LeCavlier and Iginla.

In the old NHL those big name stars would bolt to Toronto, NY, Det, Colorado the first chance they got, whether its age 28 or age 31.

Sure, they may get become FA's earlier, but the small markets now have an equal chance at keeping them at home. And if they do chose to leave as a FA, the small markets now have some buying power to find a replacement.

Just because the big market teams are handcuffed and can't spend doesn't suddenly mean that the best players in the game will cost a lot less than they used to. Guys like Lecavalier, Thornton, Iginla, etc. will still be getting their big paychecks in the $7-8 million range. At that price, keeping these guys will still be a huge problem for small market teams. This problem is going to be worse when you consider that they won't have restricted free agency to keep these players through their 20s.

 

[Stephen]

Yeah, but now the teams that offers Chara and Hossa $7.8 million might just be a small market. Its the big market's worst nightmare - a level playing field.

How is a small market going to be offering $7.8 million when they didn't used to?
Where is all this money going to automatically appear for them for this level playing field? If these teams weren't spending $7.8 million in the past, what makes you think they will be able to do so in the future? The fact is lowered UFA ages hurt teams with less money, because unrestricted free agency is all about throwing money around.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

That's pretty interesting

After next season Sakic and Blake gone then AVS will have some money to buy something.. example Thornton and Iginla

 

[blitzkriegs]

Just because the big market teams are handcuffed and can't spend doesn't suddenly mean that the best players in the game will cost a lot less than they used to. Guys like Lecavalier, Thornton, Iginla, etc. will still be getting their big paychecks in the $7-8 million range. At that price, keeping these guys will still be a huge problem for small market teams. This problem is going to be worse when you consider that they won't have restricted free agency to keep these players through their 20s.

Highly unlikely there will be the 'best players in the game' reaching the 20% level UNLESS they are on a crappy team. Filling a contending roster with 80% or less cap space (65-70, remember need $ for trade deadline or in season acquisitions) will be extremely hard.

Plus, no team is going to have TWO 20%'ers. Hello, that's 40% of your CAP! That would be cap suicide to contend.

This system will see players change teams more often, but small markets will have a very good shot at retaining their players IF, same for every team, IF they have the cap space to do it.

 

[blitzkriegs]

How is a small market going to be offering $7.8 million when they didn't used to?
Where is all this money going to automatically appear for them for this level playing field? If these teams weren't spending $7.8 million in the past, what makes you think they will be able to do so in the future? The fact is lowered UFA ages hurt teams with less money, because unrestricted free agency is all about throwing money around.

More elite level players on the market + limited salary ceiling available = reduced salaries. Teams must budget for offseason acquisitions.

Just because Jerome will be a UFA and can leave, doesn't mean a team that has the CAP SPACE is somewhere he wants to play. Unlike in years past, teams could overstretch to acquire THAT player, now they can't. Even the Leafs, NYR, Philly are all saddled with this.

 

[boredmale]

How is a small market going to be offering $7.8 million when they didn't used to?
Where is all this money going to automatically appear for them for this level playing field? If these teams weren't spending $7.8 million in the past, what makes you think they will be able to do so in the future? The fact is lowered UFA ages hurt teams with less money, because unrestricted free agency is all about throwing money around.

the only people who will get contracts that large would be superstars(sakic, thorton, etc.). What the cap will do is lower the salary of good players, so guys like chara or hossa will make closer to 5 million, then let's say 8 million. Sure Ottawa might be in a situation where they can't sign both due to cap restraints but least they can keep one of them, instead of losing both of them to the Rangers, i mean big market clubs with an unlimited budget.

 

[blitzkriegs]

That's pretty interesting

After next season Sakic and Blake gone then AVS will have some money to buy something.. example Thornton and Iginla

Smart move. Exit two SC winners. Enter two players that never have w/one that hasn't stepped up his game in the playoffs thus far.

 

[AM]

man this is terrifying!!!

you mean we have a chance that well lose our players with the new CBA?

My goodness!

What a change!

Seriously, with player salaries capped at 54% the richer teams cant push the salaries of the best players into the stratosphere.

Thus, giving the smaller payroll teams a chnace of retaining/hiring those players.

 

[MarkZackKarl]

No use trying to convince the morons, Invader Zim. They keep up with their fantasy and illogical ******** that somehow now letting the bigger teams access to players in their prime as opposed to past their prime, it will somehow help the small or mid market teams.

Lower UFA age means huge problems for smaller markets. End of story.

 

[shveik]

One consequence is that teams like Ottawa(Hossa, Redden, Chara) and Tampa(Lecavalier, St. Louis, Richards(?)), are likely to be stripped of their top talent. They have spent last 5 years building up, but will be cut down now. Under former CBA their peak could have lasted longer since they could strong-arm their RFAs, and get boost from playoff revenues.

So, what's the big deal about landing Crosby? The winning team will only be able to keep him for a couple of his prime years.

 

[Spungo*]

No use trying to convince the morons, Invader Zim. They keep up with their fantasy and illogical ******** that somehow now letting the bigger teams access to players in their prime as opposed to past their prime, it will somehow help the small or mid market teams.

Lower UFA age means huge problems for smaller markets. End of story.

You honestly are delusional. Edmonton has announced they will have a 33 million dollar payroll this year. That's only 6 million less than Detroit. Last year the gap between Edmonton and Detroit was 45 MILLION DOLLARS!!!

2003-2004 gap between Edmonton and Detroit = 45 MILLION

2005-2006 gap between Edmonton and Detroit = 6 MILLION

Keep whining and bitc.hing about how bad this deal is for small markets. Some of you people from small markets live on a different planet.

 

[kingsfan]

How is a small market going to be offering $7.8 million when they didn't used to?
Where is all this money going to automatically appear for them for this level playing field? If these teams weren't spending $7.8 million in the past, what makes you think they will be able to do so in the future? The fact is lowered UFA ages hurt teams with less money, because unrestricted free agency is all about throwing money around.

Isn't all the ten lowest profit teams due to get about 5-7 mill a year from the top 10 profitable teams? Maybe that's where the money is coming from (at least for a few teams)

 

[Epsilon]

This aspect of the deal is not bad for "small markets" persay. It just happens to be that the teams it is bad for right now are "small market teams": teams like Ottawa that are loaded up with a lot of good players in a similar age bracket.

One positive aspect of this is that it will force teams to have balanced lineups mixed with both young players and veterans, rather than loading up on a ton of guys all the same age and hoping to keep them all together for the long term, which will be impossible.

 

[Sammy*]

You honestly are delusional. Edmonton has announced they will have a 33 million dollar payroll this year. That's only 6 million less than Detroit. Last year the gap between Edmonton and Detroit was 45 MILLION DOLLARS!!!

2003-2004 gap between Edmonton and Detroit = 45 MILLION

2005-2006 gap between Edmonton and Detroit = 6 MILLION

Keep whining and bitc.hing about how bad this deal is for small markets. Some of you people from small markets live on a different planet.

Dont even bother. He's has no clue & is the most laughed at poster on these boards.

 

[grego]

You honestly are delusional. Edmonton has announced they will have a 33 million dollar payroll this year. That's only 6 million less than Detroit. Last year the gap between Edmonton and Detroit was 45 MILLION DOLLARS!!!

2003-2004 gap between Edmonton and Detroit = 45 MILLION

2005-2006 gap between Edmonton and Detroit = 6 MILLION

Keep whining and bitc.hing about how bad this deal is for small markets. Some of you people from small markets live on a different planet.

I think all the people say small market teams are in trouble live in some reality where a whole 6 million dollars more in cap space ( then Edmonton ) means that they can sign another 2 to 4 Super stars then the Oilers can get. I still am trying to figure out how 4 players at 7 million dollars can get squeezed into that tiny 6 million dollars of cap space.

Or else they are going to live with that belief that every player is going to make less money to play for a big market team.

 

[MarkZackKarl]

You honestly are delusional. Edmonton has announced they will have a 33 million dollar payroll this year. That's only 6 million less than Detroit. Last year the gap between Edmonton and Detroit was 45 MILLION DOLLARS!!!

2003-2004 gap between Edmonton and Detroit = 45 MILLION

2005-2006 gap between Edmonton and Detroit = 6 MILLION

Keep whining and bitc.hing about how bad this deal is for small markets. Some of you people from small markets live on a different planet.

If you are dumb enough to believe that payroll differences meant anything under the old CBA, then you are the delusional one.

That 6 million will make a huge difference for Detroit, not to mention the fact that UFA's now are in their prime years. Ottawa will lose Chara Hossa Redden Havlat and Phillips over the next 3 years (or at least most of them) because older teams with lots of cap room like New York, Colorado and Boston (or teams with not a lot of players signed) can sign them away. Unless they all take signifcant discounts to stay in Ottawa, we will lose them.

This is far worse than the previous system where we had full control over all our players in their prime years, enabling us to win a presidents trophy in 2003 and at the same time being on the cusp of a Stanley Cup championship.

As a Sens fan I hope we win the Cup next year (duh) because it will be our last chance for quite some time (or at least our best chance). The dismantling of the Senators, and other mid market teams like Tampa San JOse and Vancouver, begins in the summer of 2006.

It would be nice if more fans actually used logic. Makes the discussions more interesting.

 

[blitzkriegs]

One consequence is that teams like Ottawa(Hossa, Redden, Chara) and Tampa(Lecavalier, St. Louis, Richards(?)), are likely to be stripped of their top talent. They have spent last 5 years building up, but will be cut down now. Under former CBA their peak could have lasted longer since they could strong-arm their RFAs, and get boost from playoff revenues.

.

Take a look at the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty to be that was picked apart year-after-year...

 

[boredmale]

Ottawa will lose Chara Hossa Redden Havlat and Phillips over the next 3 years (or at least most of them) because older teams with lots of cap room like New York, Colorado and Boston (or teams with not a lot of players signed) can sign them away. Unless they all take signifcant discounts to stay in Ottawa, we will lose them.

The Big difference is under the old way Ottawa would lose at least 3 of those guys if not 4 when they turned 31(maybe even earlier because there contract demands are so high they have to trade one). Under the new way Ottawa has a chance to keep 3 or 4 of them, but lose 1 or 2 guys at 27.