I'll say this much: Half the work has already been done if they do want him. I think Arnott already wants to stay..
you mentioned the fedorov effect previous. thats where we are. if his impact plays out thru some playoff success AND he really wants to stay, mcphee will find a way with a one year deal.
face facts where arnott is concerned. his performance is up and there are few places to play that are as loud and as supportive as what has become of washington. no question its now a place to play
Stats don't tell the whole story. Based on those stats Schultz should be getting the same as Brian Campbell $7.1 mil. (FOR 8 YEARS!) Eek.
I think we all know that Schultz's stats were boosted by playing on the first line on the hottest highest scoring team of the year. I'd like to see him ever matching that. What's he doing this year? 8 points and +4
Hannan's points and plus/minus @$4.5 mil
Regardless, if the $ is low I wager the years signed for will also be low.
Stats absolutely tell the story in contract negotiations. I'm sure the stats are what Schultz's agent pointed to to establish comparables, and I'm sure GMGM will do the same in negotiations with Alzner's agent. I know I would.
According to JoeB, GMGM stated many GM's called to inquire about the cost of young MJ so we can pretty much believe everyone sees his potential.
Arnott has had quite the effect so far but as it stands right this minute I would not start negotiations. Lets see what happens when the "new guy" syndrome wears off. If the team plays like this going forward then by all means ask the question. I'd also ask the prelim question of Hannan too.
Alzner won't get a big splash contract. Only one year in the NHL is not a good enough sample size to say he deserves huge money. Pay raise yes.
I expect McPhee to want Alzner to have a second good season before he gives him a deal with term at the kind of rate many are throwing around here. With that in mind I wouldn't doubt Alzner signs a 1 year deal like Schultz did coming out of his ELC for relatively low money and then cash in the next year.
Schultz came out of his ELC after playing 64 games that season, averaging 19:45 a game in ice time, with a 1-11-12 and +13 stat line and signed a 1 year deal for $715k, and that was with having 2 full NHL seasons under his belt. It wasn't until the next year and +50 that he got term and significant money.
Knuble, Sturm, Bradley, B.Gordon, and A.Gordon are all UFAs after this season. We gotta have someone who can play RW next year.
Knuble will be back. He is a great locker room guy and even in a down year where he seems to have had the worst luck possible in terms of goal scoring, he'll post 17 or 18 goals. How many RW will be on the market who can be counted on to score 18-20 goals for $2m? I'm guessing none. Much less those who are also highly respected veterans.
Knuble will be back. He is a great locker room guy and even in a down year where he seems to have had the worst luck possible in terms of goal scoring, he'll post 17 or 18 goals. How many RW will be on the market who can be counted on to score 18-20 goals for $2m? I'm guessing none. Much less those who are also highly respected veterans.
If we win it all I can see him retiring. If we don't and he still has the fire to play the horrible, physically demanding role that he plays, he may opt to try a different contending franchise. Especially if the market is $2 million: he could go back to Boston or Detroit and there's always Pittsburgh.
I will agree with you. For a one year deal this likely would not happen.
He will get more than that $715,000 or whatever Schultz took for the one year after his ELC. I never heard that Schultz's name was in the mix for the Pronger trade.
I will agree with you. For a one year deal this likely would not happen.
He will get more than that $715,000 or whatever Schultz took for the one year after his ELC. I never heard that Schultz's name was in the mix for the Pronger trade.
I don't think Alzner is going to sign a 1 year deal for what Schultz did coming out of his ELC but I do expect Alzner's cap hit to go down a decent bit from the $1.675 it was this year if he ends up signing a 1 year deal.
One last comment on the Schultz/ Alzner thing. Schultz's contract extension also bought two UFA years, I believe. A 4 year deal for Alzner would take him right up to his first UFA year.
On the other roster stuff, I'd only re-sign Knuble at a sub-$2M salary for one year--maybe an incentive-laden deal. IMO, the Caps shouldn't go into next year expecting him to play a top-6 role. He lost a step coming into this season, and I expect it to happen again next season. Depending how the off-season goes, re-signing Hannan to a Poti-like deal would be fine. I'd then move Schultz out, for futures, a top-6 W, or a 3C. His ice time hasn't cracked 20 minutes since the deadline moves, and has been below 15 minutes twice. Arnott will likely be too expensive for a 3C role.
Ovechkin-Backstrom-Fehr
Laich/new 2W-Mojo-Semin
Chimera-New 3C/Laich-Knuble
Hendricks-Gordon/new 4C-Bradley/Beagle/new W
Hannan-Green
Carlson-Alzner
Poti-Wideman
New 2W possibilities: Upshall, LaRose, Jokinen, Kopecky, Leino
New 3C possibilities: Reasoner, Handzus, Halpern
New 4C/W possibilities: Nichol, Madden, Marchant, any number of near-league minimum vets.
One last comment on the Schultz/ Alzner thing. Schultz's contract extension also bought two UFA years, I believe. A 4 year deal for Alzner would take him right up to his first UFA year.
4 year deal would give us 1 more year of RFA. He'd be 26 years old, and accrued 5 NHL seasons after a 4 year deal.
I noticed that there was a lot of blood seepage under that square bandage that they put on him when he came back out to play and thought that did not look good.
Poor Edmonton. With the plexiglass falling on Tambolini and the Hall injury they sure have a black cloud over them. I guess it's good for Giroux so not all gloom.
I noticed that there was a lot of blood seepage under that square bandage that they put on him when he came back out to play and thought that did not look good.
Poor Edmonton. With the plexiglass falling on Tambolini and the Hall injury they sure have a black cloud over them. I guess it's good for Giroux so not all gloom.
Perhaps it was just me but I thought he was worthless out there, zippy intensity.
Perhaps it was just me but I thought he was worthless out there, zippy intensity.
I believe he drew a penalty. That's got to be worth something.
Work on the skating for next year and he may be a hidden gem. This year Edmonton is playing for the bottom. Might as well with all the luck they have had.
