First of all, we can all agree that Kucherov's contract was insanely below market. Many projected him to receive 6.0 - 6.5 million for a 6-8 year term. On the open market, perhaps he likely would have garnered even higher value.
The important takeaway, in my opinion, is the downstream effects that some GMs will take away from SY's approach this past season, particularly with respect to his handling of Drouin, Stamkos, Hedman and Kucherov. With regard to Stamkos and Hedman, the only real lesson is that if you set up something special and you have buy in from the team, then you can create an environment -- a winning culture -- in which the players genuinely want to be part of and are willing to take a pay cut to stay. Of course this is not anything different than what has been exhaustively written about the past few months.
The critical takeaway from this offseason, however, is the leverage a GM has in a market without a true threat from offer sheets. When a GM can expect that top talent will not be poached, then the strategy is becomes quite simple: make an offer that is deemed reasonable, although below market value, and stare down the player until he obliges. I get it: some will argue that this is just SY working his magic. Yet, without the threat of an offer sheet, the player has three options: (1) accept the offer, (2) reject the offer and sit at home without earning a pay check, or (3) go play in an international league. For most North Americans, the third option is unrealistic, as most will not be willing to do this.
I have not performed the research to understand when a restricted free agent will have arbitration rights, as Kucherov will reportedly have when his next contract comes up. But still, for someone like Drouin, SY will execute the same strategy. His agent will probably ask for 6.0 - 6.5M, and SY will offer a 6-8 year term for 5M or 3 year term at 4.0M. Because of the leverage SY will have without the existence of a true threat of an offer sheet, he can sit back - truly without panic - and wait for the player - in this example, Drouin - to sign the offer. Drouin already knows what it is like to sit at home and not earn a paycheck. And we all know he is not going to go play in the KHL or elsewhere in Europe. Ultimately, SY's approach shows that GMs that try to pander to their players are losing money, resources that can be spent on other players - all that really is required when dealing with a restricted free agent without arbitration rights is patience.
The NHLPA cannot be happy with the system, as constructed and executed, which allows the fair market value of player to be suppressed. One would think that the system will have to be tweaked down the road.
The important takeaway, in my opinion, is the downstream effects that some GMs will take away from SY's approach this past season, particularly with respect to his handling of Drouin, Stamkos, Hedman and Kucherov. With regard to Stamkos and Hedman, the only real lesson is that if you set up something special and you have buy in from the team, then you can create an environment -- a winning culture -- in which the players genuinely want to be part of and are willing to take a pay cut to stay. Of course this is not anything different than what has been exhaustively written about the past few months.
The critical takeaway from this offseason, however, is the leverage a GM has in a market without a true threat from offer sheets. When a GM can expect that top talent will not be poached, then the strategy is becomes quite simple: make an offer that is deemed reasonable, although below market value, and stare down the player until he obliges. I get it: some will argue that this is just SY working his magic. Yet, without the threat of an offer sheet, the player has three options: (1) accept the offer, (2) reject the offer and sit at home without earning a pay check, or (3) go play in an international league. For most North Americans, the third option is unrealistic, as most will not be willing to do this.
I have not performed the research to understand when a restricted free agent will have arbitration rights, as Kucherov will reportedly have when his next contract comes up. But still, for someone like Drouin, SY will execute the same strategy. His agent will probably ask for 6.0 - 6.5M, and SY will offer a 6-8 year term for 5M or 3 year term at 4.0M. Because of the leverage SY will have without the existence of a true threat of an offer sheet, he can sit back - truly without panic - and wait for the player - in this example, Drouin - to sign the offer. Drouin already knows what it is like to sit at home and not earn a paycheck. And we all know he is not going to go play in the KHL or elsewhere in Europe. Ultimately, SY's approach shows that GMs that try to pander to their players are losing money, resources that can be spent on other players - all that really is required when dealing with a restricted free agent without arbitration rights is patience.
The NHLPA cannot be happy with the system, as constructed and executed, which allows the fair market value of player to be suppressed. One would think that the system will have to be tweaked down the road.
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