WELCOME TO THE NEW NHL…SAME AS THE OLD NHL…
TODAY THE CANUCKS SIGNED KEVIN BIEKSA TO A THREE YEAR CONTRACT EXTENTION…
THE PRICE…$11.25 MILLION…
THIS FOR A DEFENCEMAN WHO HAS PLAYED A GRAND TOTAL OF ONE FULL SEASON IN THE NHL…
NO QUESTION BIEKSA WAS THE BIGGEST AND NICEST SURPRISE OF LAST SEASON…
BUT THAT’S ONE SEASON…
THE REALITY IS KEVIN BIEKSA WOULD HAVE BECOME AN UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT NEXT SUMMER AND IF HE HAS ANOTHER GOOD SEASON HIS PRICE TAG WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH THE ROOF…
AS IT SITS NOW…BIEKSA IS SET TO MAKE $3.75 MILLION IN A YEAR FROM NOW…
ONLY ROBERTO LUONGO IS GUARENTEED TO MAKE MORE…
HE ALSO WILL BECOME THE HIGHEST PAID DEFENCEMAN ON THE TEAM…
NEXT YEAR MATTIAS OHLUND…WILLIE MITCHEL…AND SAMI SALO ALL WILL MAKE $3.5 MILLION…
UNDER THE OLD CBA BIEKSA WOULD NOT HAVE BECOME AN UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT UNTIL HIS WAS 31…
THAT’S 5 YEARS FROM NOW…
UNDER THAT SYSTEM BIEKSA WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN OFFERED ANY WHERE NEAR THE MONEY HE LANDED TODAY…
LAST WEEK THE EDMONTON OILERS SIGNED RESTRICTED FREE AGENT THOMAS VANEK TO A SEVEN YEAR OFFER SHEET WORTH $50 MILLION DOLLARS…
VANEK LIKE BIEKSA WAS COMING OFF HIS FIRST GOOD SEASON…
BUFFALO HAD NO OPTION BUT TO MATCH…
HAD THE SABRES WALKED AWAY…NOT ONLY WOULD THE OILERS HAVE BEEN ON THE HOOK FOR $50 MILLION BUT THEY ALSO WOULD HAVE SENT FOUR…COUNT ‘EM…FOUR FIRST ROUND DRAFT CHOICES TO BUFFALO…
THE CANUCKS NOW HAVE THEIR TOP FOUR DEFENCEMEN UNDER CONTRACT LONG TERM…
YOU CAN ARGUE GENERAL MANAGER DAVE NONIS HAS OVER PAID…
BUT THE NHL TODAY IS VERY MUCH LIKE VANCOUVER REAL ESTATE…
IT’S A SELLERS MARKET…