Arbitration

[Chilly]

Here's an interesting post from a SportingNews blog:

 

Holy crap! Can you believe what the arbitraitors are handing out?

I think all the work to educate the GMs, agents, players and refs about the new NHL is completely lost because they forgot to present it to the arbitraitors. I'm glad Mike Ryder signed before his hearing (2.2 mill.) because he probably would have got 3.5 to 4 mill.

I'm not saying that the players aren't good enough to earn that amount of money. I'm just saying that we went though a lost season to keep costs under control and it feels like all 4 wheels are coming off at the same time.

 

Here are the latest awards:

 

Calder - Chicago - $2.95 for one year up from $1.311 last year - a raise of 225% - last year he scored 59 points in 79 games

 

Bouwmeester - Florida - $2.1 and $2.25 for two years up from $945,630 last year - a raise of 222% this coming year alone - last year he scored 46 points in 82 games

 

Gomez - New Jersey - $5 million for one year up from $2.204 last year - a raise of 226% - last year he scored 84 points in 82 games

 

Malone - Pittsburgh - $1.3, $1.45 for two years up from "just less than" 1 million last year - a raise of 130% (gee, what did he do to the arbitraitor?) - last year he scored 44 points in 81 games

 

Briere - Buffalo - $5 million for one year up from $1.938 last year - a raise of 258% - last year he scored 58 points in 48 games

 

York - NY Islanders - $2.85 for one year up from $2.05 last year - a raise of 139% - last year he scored 52 points in 75 games

 

Everyone deserves a raise for a job well done but these guys are not politicians. In the business world a 2% - 5% raise is considered the norm. A 20% raise means we're making double mortgage payments. 100% and 200% raises are outrageous and if I were a NHL owner, I'd be shaking in my boots.

 

What was the point of rolling back salaries last season, just to have arbitraitors give it all back, and then some, this year? We as hockey fans need to find a new hobby/interest if this continues because next time it won't be a lockout - it'll be a shut down.

 

Sports are different in raises due to the amount of money that gets thrown around, but I agree with his general point: the salaries are ridiculous.

 

To add to his point, lets take a look at some of the superstars of the NHL and how much they are making in 06-07:

• Peter Forsberg - $5,750,000.00
  
• Joe Thornton - $6,670,000.00
  
• Dany Heatley - $4,500,000.00
  
• Danny Alfredsson - $4,676,510.00
  
• Eric Staal - $4,000,000.00
  
• Kovalchuk - $5,000,000.00
  
• Joe Sakic - $5,750,000.00
  

And I could go on.

 

Point is, Briere isn't worth nearly as much as any of those guys, yet he's getting a salary thats worth more then 100+ point scorers.

 

The NHL really needs to step in and do something about what is going on here.

[ddaryl]

point is these arbitration awards are obviously based upn a salary cap system, and the only thing hurting the Sabres is the fact that they are a poor team who cannot spend to the league issued salary cap.

 

I don't see the Sabres having any trouble affording all of their palyers long term, including McGee or Griere, if we had the fnancial capabilites to spend to the designated cap limit.

[BetweenThePipes00]

point is these arbitration awards are obviously based upn a salary cap system, and the only thing hurting the Sabres is the fact that they are a poor team who cannot spend to the league issued salary cap.

 

I don't see the Sabres having any trouble affording all of their palyers long term, including McGee or Griere, if we had the fnancial capabilites to spend to the designated cap limit.

 

Really? Mair, Kalinin, Jillson and Miller still have to be signed and right now the Sabres cap number is $41 million. Thay are banging up against the cap. I understand that chances are that they will make some moves to get it back to under $40 million when it is all said and done, and that IS a financial decision. But even if they had all the money in the world to spend, they would be over the $44 million cap with this team. Considering they were $10 million below the $39 million cap just last season, that is scary that salaries are already escalating that fast. None of these guys were in the top 40 in the NHL in scoring ... it's scary what will happen if any one of them actually has a great season.

 

EDIT: Here is the link to the cap situation: http://members.shaw.ca/cdelosreyes/

[apuszczalowski]

I don't see the Sabres having any trouble affording all of their palyers long term, including McGee or Griere, if we had the fnancial capabilites to spend to the designated cap limit.

Well the probably would have had to pay alot to McGee to give up football to come play hockey, but I would prefer he continue playing DB and returning kicks for the Bills

[Taro T]

Really? Mair, Kalinin, Jillson and Miller still have to be signed and right now the Sabres cap number is $41 million. Thay are banging up against the cap. I understand that chances are that they will make some moves to get it back to under $40 million when it is all said and done, and that IS a financial decision. But even if they had all the money in the world to spend, they would be over the $44 million cap with this team. Considering they were $10 million below the $39 million cap just last season, that is scary that salaries are already escalating that fast. None of these guys were in the top 40 in the NHL in scoring ... it's scary what will happen if any one of them actually has a great season.

 

EDIT: Here is the link to the cap situation: http://members.shaw.ca/cdelosreyes/

Just for a point of reference, I have the Sabres Salary Cap payroll at ~$3.3MM more than the team's actual payroll. So, unless moves are made (and there will be moves made), the Sabres actual spending cap for this season is currently ~$40.7MM. And remember, if the players moved are some combination of JP, Marty, and Danny, then the Sabres actual spending cap for this season will remain ~$40.7MM as they are all on 1 year deals so their salary cap cost is identical to their contract cost.

 

When Ryan and Kalinin get signed, unless they get 1 year deals, the actual payroll spending cap will be even lower than $40.7MM because those 2 will very likely get less money in '06-'07 than in future years. (Salary cap counts average annual contract value, not actual annual contract value.)

 

If the only player taken out of the mix is JP, and assuming he is replaced with an $800k player (and Ryan gets 1.6, Dmitri 1.8, Adam 0.8, and the other Amerk brought up 0.8) the Sabres payroll this season will be ~$40.6MM. This would put the team ~$100k below their actual Salary Cap (or more likely over their Salary Cap as Ryan and Dmitri will likely get multiyear deals as mentioned before).

 

If JP and Marty are both replaced with $800k players, the team payroll comes in at ~$39.3MM which probably still has the team up against their real salary cap (assuming Ryan and Dmitri get multiyear deals).

 

Unless a player or players that the Sabres agreed to deals outside of arbitration are dealt, I don't see a way that Danny doesn't get traded for a $2-3.5MM player and a prospect. Throwing a hypothetical out, if Danny were somehow traded for Morrison, the Sabres actual payroll would end up ~37.5MM and would be $2-3MM below their actual salary cap which would allow them some flexibility to make moves throughout the season.

 

A player that has been signed to a LT deal could be traded, my guess is that the Sabres 1st choice would be Kotalik but that is purely speculation.

[hopeleslyobvious]

point is these arbitration awards are obviously based upn a salary cap system, and the only thing hurting the Sabres is the fact that they are a poor team who cannot spend to the league issued salary cap.

 

I don't see the Sabres having any trouble affording all of their palyers long term, including McGee or Griere, if we had the fnancial capabilites to spend to the designated cap limit.

 

Do you really think McKee is worth $4 million a year?

 

The Sabres could afford Grier. They offered him the same exact contract as San Jose.

[SHAAAUGHT!!!]

Do you really think McKee is worth $4 million a year?

 

The Sabres could afford Grier. They offered him the same exact contract as San Jose.

 

McKee was not worth 4MM dollars. We lost him but got back a great defensemen with offensive ability for $700K less.

 

Darcy offered Grier a contract in the "neighborhood" of San Joses offer, he didn't match it. I would find it hard to keep Grier around for 1.7MM a year right now with everyone left we still have to sign.

 

 

Now for the actual thread topic. Dumonts arbitration is ridiculous. It seems they are only looking at the numbers of assists, goals, and games played. No attention is giving to the fact he takes a lot of nights off, goes through extended cold streaks, and doesn't lead by example. No way is he worth as much as Afinigonov.

[hopeleslyobvious]

McKee was not worth 4MM dollars. We lost him but got back a great defensemen with offensive ability for $700K less.

 

Darcy offered Grier a contract in the "neighborhood" of San Joses offer, he didn't match it. I would find it hard to keep Grier around for 1.7MM a year right now with everyone left we still have to sign.

Now for the actual thread topic. Dumonts arbitration is ridiculous. It seems they are only looking at the numbers of assists, goals, and games played. No attention is giving to the fact he takes a lot of nights off, goes through extended cold streaks, and doesn't lead by example. No way is he worth as much as Afinigonov.

 

I remember reading that it was the same terms, but I did read it about a month ago, so I could be mistaken.

 

I do agree that Dumont's arbitration award is too high. Especially seeing that he wants to test the market next year. I don't really see it worth keeping him around when he is going to be gone in a year anyways. Might as well try and get something back for him.