ERod -- 1 yr, $2MM, after being > $1 million apart in arbitration

[Ho-Chi-Sock]

https://buffalonews.com/2019/07/21/buffalo-sabres-evan-rodrigues/

(Apologies if covered elsewhere)

[Sabre fan]

I like him but really??? $2.65 Mill for 9 goals. The whole problem is that now the owners and management have gone and given huge contracts and the triggle-down effect is that even bottom-line players are now looking at bigger salaries. Just as in life, there is no more "middle-class". I find it amazing that there are still so many unsigned RFA's including some very big names. The owners and have created a situation whereby now instead of getting 3 or 4 or 5 years at a good rate now even young players are looking for 8 9 10 million or even more at 20 or 21 years of age. Crazy!!! and of course it is the owners that have created this problem...
 

 

[Cascade Youth]

I am not gonna sweat over replacement-level talent.

[WildCard]

24 minutes ago, Cascade Youth said:

I am not gonna sweat over replacement-level talent.

We've proven how hard it is to find talent like that. For his price and skill set he's a very nice piece 

[Randall Flagg]

This is pretty normal, and I don't think it'll be an issue 

[Taro T]

30 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

This is pretty normal, and I don't think it'll be an issue 

Yep.  It just seems an issue since the difference is such a large portion of what he'll eventually get.  And, the arbitrator can't give him more than he asks for, so he has to "shoot for the moon."

 If players & teams are $1MM apart on $8MM contracts, we think 'well at least they're close, they'll get it done.'.

If they're $1MM apart on a $2MM deal, it seems 'they'll never get it done.'

IMHO, worry about arbitration negotiations after an arbitrator awards something ridiculous.  Until then, assume it'll work out.  It far more often than not does work out.

[Thorner]

I read (re: Andrew Copp) that only “official” NHL stats are admissible in arbitration hearings, so some of the advanced stuff, to Copp’s and Rodrigues’ disadvantage, won’t be able to be factored in. 

I don’t think Rodrigues will have a strong case. 

Edited July 21, 2019 by Thorny

[triumph_communes]

11 minutes ago, Thorny said:

I read (re: Andrew Copp) that only “official” NHL stats are admissible in arbitration hearings, so some of the advanced stuff, to Copp’s and Rodrigues’ disadvantage, won’t be able to be factored in. 

I don’t think Rodrigues will have a strong case. 

 

Good because they’re bs.

[Taro T]

9 minutes ago, Thorny said:

I read (re: Andrew Copp) that only “official” NHL stats are admissible in arbitration hearings, so some of the advanced stuff, to Copp’s and Rodrigues’ disadvantage, won’t be able to be factored in. 

I don’t think Rodrigues will have a strong case. 

About the only thing really supporting Rodrigues' ask was him getting 2C minutes towards the end of the season.  (The Sabres not bringing in a real 2C yet would seem to buttress that he IS (yikes) the Sabres 2C.)

But fully expecting the # to be closer to the Sabres than his.

[Randall Flagg]

I would give him the money he wants for 4 years lol

[TrueBlueGED]

18 minutes ago, Thorny said:

I read (re: Andrew Copp) that only “official” NHL stats are admissible in arbitration hearings, so some of the advanced stuff, to Copp’s and Rodrigues’ disadvantage, won’t be able to be factored in. 

I don’t think Rodrigues will have a strong case. 

Well, have the official stats allowed expanded since the NHL's partnership with SAP? 

[Thorner]

6 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said:

Well, have the official stats allowed expanded since the NHL's partnership with SAP? 

I don’t believe so, but I’m going off what I read re: Copp. 

 

Edited July 21, 2019 by Thorny

[Sabel79]

29 minutes ago, TrueBlueGED said:

Well, have the official stats allowed expanded since the NHL's partnership with SAP? 

There is no way in all hell the NHLPA allows fancy stats in arbitration cases anytime soon.    Too many guys stand to lose money as opposed to the other way around, imho.  

[Berg]

Too much. 

[Tondas]

Ask for all you want Erod, but an offer more than doubling your salary is fair for the team and you.  I'd rather save money and make sure we lock up McCabe.

[triumph_communes]

32 minutes ago, Tondas said:

Ask for all you want Erod, but an offer more than doubling your salary is fair for the team and you.  I'd rather save money and make sure we lock up McCabe.

I’d rather the opposite. 

[GoPuckYourself]

I say he get's 1.75M or 2M tops, he adds value for sure, a hustler, versatile and has played in 2nd line scenarios when asked.

[Weave]

3 hours ago, Taro T said:

But fully expecting the # to be closer to the Sabres than his.

Aren't the only choices available Buffalo's number or Erod's number?  I thought it was a very binary judgement.  No middle ground.

[nfreeman]

Seems reasonably likely they’ll work out a deal before Tuesday.  I would think ERod’s agent is telling him that if the Sabres make a 3-year offer at $1.8MM or higher per year, he has to take it.  

[Taro T]

3 hours ago, Weave said:

Aren't the only choices available Buffalo's number or Erod's number?  I thought it was a very binary judgement.  No middle ground.

That changed with this current CBA.

[GASabresIUFAN]

The goal of this contract is to keep Erod for another 1 to 2 years and then move on to a younger player such as Asplund.  Erod is a playmaker utility forward that we mostly play at center.  Within 2 years, Asplund, Mitts and Cozens will likely be our 3 centers after Eichel.  Where does Erod fit in?  

I also wouldn't be surprised if Mitts or Cozens moves to RW to fix the top 6.  Then Asplund becomes the No. 3 center.  Erod is not really a 4th line type player.  If moved to RW, I think Thompson eventually takes the 3rd line RW slot, again leaving Erod without a position.  

He also has only one full season in the NHL, but he has put up 25 and 29 pts the last two seasons.  I look at most middle class FA deals at $100k per point which means his "demand" isn't unreasonable.  Still he has no leverage.  The Sabres have a ton of bottom 6 forwards signed without him  (Thompson, KO, Vesey, Sheary, Sobotka, Larsson, Girgensons, Wilson and possibly Lazar, Routsalainen and Asplund.  That's a lot of guys fighting for limited space.  

I've argued that he could center Johansson and Reinhart on the second line if Jbot doesn't make a move.  However I think Risto's day here are numbered and if we get a 2c, Erod could be out of a job.  

In fact, if we get a 2C in a Risto deal, I wouldn't be surprised if ERod also goes the other way.  For example Risto and Erod for Tyler Johnson, Erne and Schenn

I'd offer him 2 years 1.75 in year 1 and 2.25 to year two take it or leave it.  

If he (or someone else) goes to arbitration, I'm buying out Sobotka.  We could the extra Mill in cap savings and we need to get him out of the organization.

Edited July 22, 2019 by GASabresIUFAN

[North Buffalo]

39 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

The goal of this contract is to keep Erod for another 1 to 2 years and then move on to a younger player such as Asplund.  Erod is a playmaker utility forward that we mostly play at center.  Within 2 years, Asplund, Mitts and Cozens will likely be our 3 centers after Eichel.  Where does Erod fit in?  

I also wouldn't be surprised if Mitts or Cozens moves to RW to fix the top 6.  Then Asplund becomes the No. 3 center.  Erod is not really a 4th line type player.  If moved to RW, I think Thompson eventually takes the 3rd line RW slot, again leaving Erod without a position.  

He also has only one full season in the NHL, but he has put up 25 and 29 pts the last two seasons.  I look at most middle class FA deals at $100k per point which means his "demand" isn't unreasonable.  Still he has no leverage.  The Sabres have a ton of bottom 6 forwards signed without him  (Thompson, KO, Vesey, Sheary, Sobotka, Larsson, Girgensons, Wilson and possibly Lazar, Routsalainen and Asplund.  That's a lot of guys fighting for limited space.  

I've argued that he could center Johansson and Reinhart on the second line if Jbot doesn't make a move.  However I think Risto's day here are numbered and if we get a 2c, Erod could be out of a job.  

In fact, if we get a 2C in a Risto deal, I wouldn't be surprised if ERod also goes the other way.  For example Risto and Erod for Tyler Johnson, Erne and Schenn

I'd offer him 2 years 1.75 in year 1 and 2.25 to year two take it or leave it.  

If he (or someone else) goes to arbitration, I'm buying out Sobotka.  We could the extra Mill in cap savings and we need to get him out of the organization.

Erod is a swiss army knife and can play center or wing.  I am betting Larrson or Girgs goes before he does... but right now a 2 year deal at 1.7 or 1.8 isn't bad.

[Derrico]

13 hours ago, WildCard said:

We've proven how hard it is to find talent like that. For his price and skill set he's a very nice piece 

I don’t think we can say this until we know the salary.  Erod at $1.5 is a nice piece for the price and skill set.  At $2.65 that is no longer true imo.  A one year at $1.8 or so is fine with me.

[shrader]

13 hours ago, Weave said:

Aren't the only choices available Buffalo's number or Erod's number?  I thought it was a very binary judgement.  No middle ground.

 

9 hours ago, Taro T said:

That changed with this current CBA.

Hasn't the NHL's rule always been that the arbitrator gets to pick any number within the range?  Baseball is the one where they take one number or the other.

[darksabre]

3 minutes ago, shrader said:

 

Hasn't the NHL's rule always been that the arbitrator gets to pick any number within the range?  Baseball is the one where they take one number or the other.

That's what I always thought. The arbitrator picks a number and whoever initiated the arbitration (usually the player) is stuck with that number.