What's with all these overpaid d-men?

[Sens4Cup]

Has anyone else noticed that defencemen are making huge amounts of money in the latest signings for marginal amounts of talent. Here are a few examples:

Mike Rathje-PHI-5 years, 17.5 million
Derian Hatcher-PHI- 4 years, 14 million
Oleg Tverdovsky-3 years, 7.5 million
Vladimir Malakhov-2 years, 7.2 million
Dan McGillis-2 years, 8.4 million
Scott Niedermayer-4 years, 27 million
Chris Pronger-5 years, 31.25 million
Sergei Gonchar-5 years, 25 million
Adam Foote-3 years, 13.8 million
Adrian Aucoin-4 years, 16 million

Now these guys listed up here some are great top 5 in the league guys like Pronger and Niedermayer, but largely these guys are not amazing offensive talents, and guys like Tverdovsky and Malakhov should have been run out of the NHL. Tverdovsky was awful in NJ, and Malakhov just really doesn't seem to care.

So the question is, why are they getting so much money? When the NHL resumes, with the new rule changes the focus is supposed to be on offence, so why are these largely defensive d-men getting such huge dollars?

Have teams forgotten they need to sign forwards too?

Any ideas anyone?

Click to read more...

 

[Lard_Lad]

I think the Rathje, Hatcher, and Aucoin signings set a bad precedent, and things have gone from there. I'm not sure when it stops, though; with what's happened so far, would anybody be that surprised to see a guy like Mironov get $4 million?

 

[kdb209]

Has anyone else noticed that defencemen are making huge amounts of money in the latest signings for marginal amounts of talent. Here are a few examples:

Mike Rathje-PHI-5 years, 17.5 million
Derian Hatcher-PHI- 4 years, 14 million
Oleg Tverdovsky-3 years, 7.5 million
Vladimir Malakhov-2 years, 7.2 million
Dan McGillis-2 years, 8.4 million
Scott Niedermayer-4 years, 27 million
Chris Pronger-5 years, 31.25 million
Sergei Gonchar-5 years, 25 million
Adam Foote-3 years, 13.8 million
Adrian Aucoin-4 years, 16 million

Now these guys listed up here some are great top 5 in the league guys like Pronger and Niedermayer, but largely these guys are not amazing offensive talents, and guys like Tverdovsky and Malakhov should have been run out of the NHL. Tverdovsky was awful in NJ, and Malakhov just really doesn't seem to care.

So the question is, why are they getting so much money? When the NHL resumes, with the new rule changes the focus is supposed to be on offence, so why are these largely defensive d-men getting such huge dollars?

Have teams forgotten they need to sign forwards too?

Any ideas anyone?

Actually McGillis was $4.4M over two years - $2.2M/yr.

 

[txomisc]

Has anyone else noticed that defencemen are making huge amounts of money in the latest signings for marginal amounts of talent. Here are a few examples:

Mike Rathje-PHI-5 years, 17.5 million
Derian Hatcher-PHI- 4 years, 14 million
Oleg Tverdovsky-3 years, 7.5 million
Vladimir Malakhov-2 years, 7.2 million
Dan McGillis-2 years, 8.4 million
Scott Niedermayer-4 years, 27 million
Chris Pronger-5 years, 31.25 million
Sergei Gonchar-5 years, 25 million
Adam Foote-3 years, 13.8 million
Adrian Aucoin-4 years, 16 million

Now these guys listed up here some are great top 5 in the league guys like Pronger and Niedermayer, but largely these guys are not amazing offensive talents, and guys like Tverdovsky and Malakhov should have been run out of the NHL. Tverdovsky was awful in NJ, and Malakhov just really doesn't seem to care.

So the question is, why are they getting so much money? When the NHL resumes, with the new rule changes the focus is supposed to be on offence, so why are these largely defensive d-men getting such huge dollars?

Have teams forgotten they need to sign forwards too?

Any ideas anyone?

IMO what happened was that Dallas got desperate to sign Sergei Zubov and thus offered him a contract he couldnt refuse to not hit the UFA market. This got the overpayment ball rolling and the market was high. These later signers are getting more because the supply is realling beginning to dwindle.

 

[jerseydevil]

I don't know if I agree about Malakhov....he was arguably one of Philly's best defenseman during the playoffs last year...

 

[Nuclear]

I don't know if I agree about Malakhov....he was arguably one of Philly's best defenseman during the playoffs last year...

He's lasy during the regular season though,

 

[tmg]

He's lasy during the regular season though,

Given the choice between a regular-season-slacker-playoff-performer and the reverse, I'll take the regular season slacker every time.

 

[easton122]

Given the choice between a regular-season-slacker-playoff-performer and the reverse, I'll take the regular season slacker every time.

Not if you need him to make the playoffs. A decent 5th defensemen during the season and 2nd defensemen during the playoffs.

 

[Brooklyndevil]

Actually McGillis was $4.4M over two years - $2.2M/yr.

Actually it's $1.1mil per @ 2 years.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature.asp?fid=6926

 

[LuZZo]

Actually it's $1.1mil per @ 2 years.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature.asp?fid=6926

http://www.nhlpa.com/WebStats/PlayerBiography.asp?ID=3742

It lists 2.2 as his compensation for the 2005/2006 season.


http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=132422:

After Scott Niedermayer agreed to a four-year deal worth $27 million US with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, the Devils re-signed Brian Rafalski to an $8.4-million, two-year deal and also signed former Devils player Vladimir Malakhov to a $7.2-million, two-year deal, and also inked Dan McGillis to a $4.4-million, two-year deal.

 

[CCF]

Add Marek Malik at $2.5 million a SEASON.

That is insane.

 

[Sens4Cup]

http://www.nhlpa.com/WebStats/PlayerBiography.asp?ID=3742

It lists 2.2 as his compensation for the 2005/2006 season.


http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=132422:

After Scott Niedermayer agreed to a four-year deal worth $27 million US with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, the Devils re-signed Brian Rafalski to an $8.4-million, two-year deal and also signed former Devils player Vladimir Malakhov to a $7.2-million, two-year deal, and also inked Dan McGillis to a $4.4-million, two-year deal.

It's listed on Sportsnet.ca as 8.4 million for McGillis but they must have meant to put that for Rafalski. I was almost about to have an aneurysm if McGillis got 4.2 million to be a 4th or 5th d-man. It makes alot more sense now. But Malakhov I don't think is worth anywhere near 3.6 million. He hasn't produced in quite some time and few teams were in the bidding for him so it doesn't make sense to overpay him like that.

 

[ScottyBowman]

LOL@philly for signing Hatcher. The guy can't even skate backwards. Players just skate around him like he's a tree.

 

[shveik]

He's lasy during the regular season though,

He doesn't play very physical during the regular season, but IMO he still plays extremely well. Rathje is another of my favorite underhyped defensemen, who gets the job done without flash. Lidstrom used to be that way until media people noticed that he is getting almost a point per game, and then the hype machine was turned on. IMO both Rathje and Malakhov are excellent #2 defensemen and their contracts are not so outrageous. Malik at 2.5 mil, and Hatcher at almost 4mil is another story

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Why are defenseman getting paid big amounts ???

It's all about supply and demand. Legitimate top pairing defenseman are scarce. Far easier to find a winger to put up 20-40 than it is to find a reliable defenseman to play 22+ minutes a night

 

[jacketracket*]

Has anyone else noticed that defencemen are making huge amounts of money in the latest signings for marginal amounts of talent. Here are a few examples:

" ... marginal amounts of talent ... "?

Gonchar, Pronger Niedermayer, Foote ...

 

[Sens4Cup]

" ... marginal amounts of talent ... "?

Gonchar, Pronger Niedermayer, Foote ...

I'm moreso referring to Malakhov, Rathje, Hatcher, etc. But Foote is still quite expensive for a defensive d-man.

Columbus at least made a good offensive signing with Berard, and relatively cheaply too. Guys like Hatcher I think will show Philly that they're too slow to keep up with Ottawa, Tampa Bay, and any team in the Western Conference.

 

[jacketracket*]

I'm moreso referring to Malakhov, Rathje, Hatcher, etc. But Foote is still quite expensive for a defensive d-man.

I disagree. Foote is one of the top all-around D-men, with leadershgip qualities to boot.

Compare Foote's even-strength point production to that of the other, more offensive-minded D-men, over the past couple of seasons.

 

[ClosetOilersFan]

Perhaps it's because defense and goaltending is perhaps the most important part of the game? A team is much more likely to make noise if they have sound defense and goaltending with medocre offense than great offense without any D or goaltending.

I assume that spending 4-6 million for your #1 or #2 D-man isn't really that bad.