Diehard1 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 01, 2019 7:15 am
Supposedly it’s signing bonus heavy, meaning buyout proof. Yet another contract that we can’t get out of if it goes sideways.
If it truly goes sideways, sure. But this reported signing is over years that should still be productive years for defensemen. Ages 29-33. All players are different, of course, but there is nothing inherently risky about a term that goes through age 33 season for a defensemen.
And if it doesn't go sideways or goes a little sideways, this is likely not a millstone contract. Frontloading a contract means that if Myers' performance is decent top 4 (which is what I think he is, though some have argued he's no better than the group of bottom pairing defenders the Canucks have had masquerading as top 4), it should move from UFA value (team that values the highest pays the most because salary not worth it to others) to tradeable value as the cap increases. And a cap-sensible contract with more actual dollars paid out is more attractive to teams looking to trade, since cash is, well, cash. A few owners don't care about real cash; most do, some (any with an internal cap) care a whole heck of a lot.
Front loading contracts means more money for the player without a greater cap hit. (Player gets more money sooner, $1 million today has a 99+% chance of being more valuable in terms of purchasing power than $1 million in 5 years). The downside for the owner is that means correspondingly less cash value for the owner. For the team, buyouts become less attractive (what it looks like we are seeing with Eriksson). This situation is very rare, however, especially if there exists a market of teams needing to reach the cap floor. I'm not even sure the Canucks are there with Eriksson because we don't know how the NTC is working into the equation and the benefit of early payment isn't realized until today, where Eriksson will cost $3 million in real dollars per year (Beagle money....)