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Can A Salary Cap Work in a League with Garunteed Contracts?
Combine a salary cap with garunteed contracts and you're going to end up with more teams like the Washington Capitals before their sell off. When Ted Leonsis imposed his $50 million salary cap on the team he gave the NHL a look at it's future. Teams with a need to keep players who's contracts grow exponentially with each re-signing while filling out their rosters with cheap players. Eventually the roster will become lopsided with two, three or four players making huge amounts and the rest scrubs. How can it be otherwise? Eliminate the garunteed contract with a buy-out clause and you may not even need a salary cap.
Also, if you roll back the age at which a player becomes a free agent to 32, where it was originally, teams will be able to retain players throughout the most important and productive part of their careers garunteeing stability and promoting fan/customer loyalty. I really believe these two simple goals could achieve what all the complicated formulas are attempting to gain. Stability and continuity on and off the ice.
Of course, once again, how can the union take any threat seriously, nor entertain any serious compromise if the players are having a wonderful time in the WHA waiting for ownership to implode? Replacing the players is ownerships only real weapon to get the union to the table with serious intent to solve problems.
In my opinion, a salary cap and garunteed contracts can't work. Memo to ownership: be careful what you wish for!
-HckyFght!
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