Confirmed with Link: Canucks Sign D Dan Hamhuis to 6-Year, $27M Deal ($4.5m per, NTC)

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by xtr3m

I understand. It's still unprecedented according to Capgeek.

I'm not so sure about that. Spezza had a $4 million signing bonus on July 1st (and who knows if he has ones for other years). Heatley did as well as came out in the trade rumors and how Murray wanted to move him before July 1st last year to save Ottawa paying him $4 million in salary to play for another team.

Both of those are much bigger than any single bonus Hamhuis gets and I wouldn't be surprised if they had other years with bonuses as well. Because of that, I don't really think it's all that unprecedented.

[Wetcoaster]

Originally Posted by xtr3m

I understand. It's still unprecedented according to Capgeek.

I am not sure how unprecedented it is - the Canucks were still paying to Mark Messier when Aquilini was in the law suit with Beedie and Gaglardi. He was still being paid by the Canucks as late as July 2007 according to reports. Messier like the Neely trade was the gift that kept on giving.

Less encouraging was this piece of information: Former Canucks forward Mark Messier, who had played his last game with the team in 2000, was still owed approximately US$5.5-million in "deferred compensation." Payment was not due until July, 2007.

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/n...9f19b99a52&p=1

Of course in that case it was likely done to minimize tax impact.

[xtr3m]

I thought that's what Capgeek posted on twitter. It now says "astounding" instead. Perhaps they changed or maybe I was just hallucinating.

#nhl #canucks Dan Hamhuis gets an astounding $9m in signing bonuses as part of his new $27m contract http://*******/cUapqw

http://twitter.com/capgeek/status/17623066465

Perhaps there were other incidents, but if the Capgeek people call it "astounding" it's maybe worth noting.

Anyway...

[Red]

Originally Posted by xtr3m

I understand. It's still unprecedented according to Capgeek.

It is not at all unprecedented. As mentioned, Spezza had a 4m bonus for this year that he was paid two days ago by the Sens, which is why he won't now be traded (Heatley was traded after the Sens paid his bonus but didn't play a single game for the Sens that season). Capgeek is only adding the signing bonus details on NEW contracts. A lot of old contracts also have signing bonuses as part of the salary but they will be slowly added to capgeek. Perhaps the amount is more than other contracts have included before but it's no loss whatsoever to the Canucks or Aquilini to pay that money up front on July 1st every year. It's 9m spread out over 6 years - so pretty much 1.5m of upfront money for Hamhuis every July 1st.

[Barney Gumble]

Originally Posted by Red

(Heatley was traded after the Sens paid his bonus but didn't play a single game for the Sens that season).

Which is why he really screwed his former team the Sens by rejecting that trade to the Oilers prior to that $4 million being due. And I say screw because Heatley was the guy who wanted out.

Instead, the Sens are out of pocket $4 million - so while the Sharks still get 'assessed' the full cap hit - it's actually $4 million *LESS* of a cash outlay for them.

[Red]

Originally Posted by Barney Gumble

Which is why he really screwed his former team the Sens by rejecting that trade to the Oilers prior to that $4 million being due. And I say screw because Heatley was the guy who wanted out.

Instead, the Sens are out of pocket $4 million - so while the Sharks still get 'assessed' the full cap hit - it's actually $4 million *LESS* of a cash outlay for them.

Yep, he really screwed them over though I admit I enjoyed the whole Heatley-to-Edmonton saga. The Canucks owners seem a bit more willing to throw around money so I even if Hamhuis wanted to be moved one day, I don't think the Canucks would have any problem paying his ~1m bonus for the year upfront and then trying to deal him to make him more attractive to smaller market teams.