Another midsummer BS article. Thoughts on the relevance of this.

[aqua59]

Quote

One of the last things Peter Chiarelli did as Edmonton Oilers general manager is bound to live in infamy, which is saying a lot, considering that many of his moves were instantly regrettable.

 

But the decision to sign Mikko Koskinen to a three-year $13.5 million deal two days before he was fired (!!) will have repercussions for years to come, and not just for the stuffed-to-the-salary-cap-brim Oilers.

No, in a league with 31 (soon to be 32) starting goaltender jobs, every contract that is signed by a netminder is especially important and put under a microscope.

 

So it is that Koskinen’s deal may very well end up being a troublesome one for the Vancouver Canucks. Of the recent contracts handed out to goaltenders, Koskinen’s is the one that will likely be used as a (very) favourable comparable by Jacob Markstrom’s agent.

Signed on Jan 21, 2019, Koskinen’s $4.5 million average against the cap is the fifth-highest number since that date.

The others signed since don’t really project to be Markstrom comparables.

Andrei Vasilivesky signed a massive eight year, $76 million extension, while Sergei Bobrovsky, Robin Lehner and Simeon Varlamov all hit it relatively big in unrestricted free agency. 

And then there was Koskinen, who signed that deal at age 30 in the middle of last season. At the time, he had a 2.78 goals against average, .911 save percentage, three shutouts and a 14-10-1 record in 27 games. Before last season, he had played four games in the NHL with the New York Islanders. In 2010-11.

At the time of the signing, Chiarelli said that Koskinen “has a lot of experience as a No.1 goalie.” Of course, he meant in the KHL, where he had spent the five previous seasons. Oh, and Chiarelli gave him a 15-team no-trade clause (seriously).

Even at the time, it was a brutal deal for an inexperienced ‘tender and completely inflated the market. And, after just a few months of hindsight, it's even worse.

Koskinen’s full-season numbers? 25-21-6 with a .293 goals against average and a .906 save percentage. Not good.

For the record, Markstrom posted a 28-23-9 record last season (at the age of 29), with a 2.77 goals against average and a .912 save percentage, eerily close to the numbers that got Koskinen the deal he received.

But Markstrom also has much more of a track record as an NHL goaltender. And his high-danger save percentage behind a bad Canucks team was more indicative of how well he played last season than anything else.

If he keeps it up (a decently big if, yes), he’ll definitely want a sizeable raise in his next contract (he’s currently making $3.6 million against the cap. And it will no doubt be for more years than the three Koskinen got.

That, of course, will open up all kinds of questions about whether re-signing Markstrom will even be the best course of action for the Canucks, as Thatcher Demko tries to take over the crease this year.

But if the Canucks’ goal is to make the playoffs, keeping Markstrom in the fold beyond next season will probably be important.

There are some other decent comparables for Markstrom, of course. Some, like Antii Rantaa and his three-year, $4.25-million pact might help general manager Jim Benning get the price down. But that was signed in 2018, and the cap will almost definitely go up next offseason. Factor in that Raanta had an injury-plagued and ineffective 2018-19, and Markstrom’s camp will probably make the argument that their client is worth more.

And then there’s Varlamov, who signed with the New York Islanders for four years at $5 million a season. The 31-year-old is coming off a pretty rough 2018-19, though he has had a lot of success in the past.

Put it all together and it’s extremely unlikely that Markstrom settles for anything that doesn’t start with a five in terms of average salary. And, since he’s turning 30 in January, he’ll also probably be looking for a long-term commitment.

As much as the Canucks would probably love to write off the Koskinen deal as "one of those crazy Chiarelli things", it’s impossible to deny that it'll be a hurdle when (and if) the team decides to negotiate with Markstrom. 

 

https://www.straight.com/news/1282251/did-edmonton-oilers-inadvertently-hurt-vancouver-canucks-terrible-decision

 

I'm having a hard time giving this much relevance. First of all this was last move Peter Chiarelli made before getting fired. So for some agent trying to use this as leverage when negotiating a contract is a stretch. Dealing with Marstrom in the future will be fine. 

These are the types of so called cooked up weak mid summer speculative articles the flood the net in the middle of the off season because there's nothing to really write about. 

 

Thoughts people. Am I the only one that gets annoyed with these article pertaining to Vancouver? FB is really bad with their "Hockey Feed". Terrible so called journalism. 

[JM_]

stupid articles on the Canucks are the lazy go-to for writers when they are out of ideas. We give them too many clicks and just encourage them (which is why you should post the whole thing here vs having us click on the link).

 

That contract could turn out to be a horrible anchor for them too, if MK poops the bed this year which is just as likely as not. 

 

I doubt it shifts the conversation on Marky one but, he has a lot more history in the NHL and there are expansion issues to deal with, those two factors will weigh in a lot more than Chiapet handing out a bad deal. And then there's how Demko performs. 

Edited August 4, 2019 by Jimmy McGill

[coastal.view]

yes please

post the article and not the link

i don't do clicks so your post is responding to some mystery for me

[Warhippy]

It's the Georgia Straight.  

 

That bastion of sports reporting

 

Enough said

[Elias Pettersson]

The article doesn't tell us anything that we don't already know.  If Markstrom has a good year his next contract will start with a "5".  Even I could figure that out.  

 

Unless Demko sh**s the bed this year, I don't anticipate Benning signing Markstrom to any long term deal at $5 million+.  He may just let him walk in the summer.  After all, he would be left unprotected anyways the year after, unless Demko sh**s the bed.  It's all on Demko right now.  If he can prove he's a legit starter in this league than we don't need to have a $5 million backup.  Markstrom will be gone one way or another, either via trade or by signing with someone else next summer.

Edited August 4, 2019 by Elias Pettersson

[Wanless]

If Markstrom continues his play from last season, a 3-4 year deal around 4.5 a year is great value and easy to move should Demko prove to be a starter in that time

 

Lazy writers for sure

[DeNiro]

We’ll see what goalies are left unprotected but odds are we’re probably going to lose Markstrom to Seattle.

 

 

[-DLC-]

So one dimensional...."this guy got this so everyone will demand/get this".  Sure, it sets a bit of a precedent but there's a reason there are agents and negotiations.

 

We're not Edmonton here.  Vancouver is a desirable place to LIVE in, not just play in.  As well, the fact that the Oilers have been pretty bad and likely aren't as attractive a market.  We have been fairly competitive but they've made the playoffs once in 13 years.   

 

Quote

Nathan's been writing for the Straight since 2013 on a variety of topics, including film, music and education

Throw in cooking and needlepoint and I think he's covered the bases here.  He likely needs to channel his energies a bit and focus on something, not everything.  Sports may not be his thing.

[Cromeslab]

Meh,pretty speculative article.

[189lb enforcers?]

Consumers. 

 

Don't be a consumer. 

[IBatch]

Might as well make Hayes new deal the bench mark for middle six forwards too then at what was it again - 7 million ha ha.  Agreed stupid article - there are way more goaltenders with comparable or better stats making less then 3 million that JB camp can use too.

[xereau]

Bad contracts are BAD contracts, and no arbitrator, GM, or agent concerned with their reputation will put up a bad contract from a bad player as a comparable in negotiations.

[Dr. Crossbar]

This article is nothing more than the Vancouver media getting desperate to find a problem.

[Ghostsof1915]

That's like saying every 30 point player is going to want a $6 million dollar deal, because the Canucks signed Eriksson. 

 

Benning himself probably regrets that deal. Pretty sure all around the league has learned from that. The Canucks signed Ferland, who has a lot more intangibles (And toughness) to only $3.5 million per year and only 4 years. And Ferland got 40 points last year, which is 11 points better than the best year Eriksson  has had with the Canucks. 

[Roger Neilsons Towel]

I know when I want hard hitting and informative hockey reporting, I immediately think of the Georgia Straight...

[IBatch]

1 hour ago, xereau said:

Bad contracts are BAD contracts, and no arbitrator, GM, or agent concerned with their reputation will put up a bad contract from a bad player as a comparable in negotiations.

Absolutely.  Every guy getting 15 goals and 30ish points would be six million dollar men times  six years if that was the case right?

[IBatch]

1 hour ago, Ghostsof1915 said:

That's like saying every 30 point player is going to want a $6 million dollar deal, because the Canucks signed Eriksson. 

 

Benning himself probably regrets that deal. Pretty sure all around the league has learned from that. The Canucks signed Ferland, who has a lot more intangibles (And toughness) to only $3.5 million per year and only 4 years. And Ferland got 40 points last year, which is 11 points better than the best year Eriksson  has had with the Canucks. 

Ooops above duplicate post ... good job.

[Googlie]

1 hour ago, Ghostsof1915 said:

That's like saying every 30 point player is going to want a $6 million dollar deal, because the Canucks signed Eriksson. 

 

Benning himself probably regrets that deal. Pretty sure all around the league has learned from that. The Canucks signed Ferland, who has a lot more intangibles (And toughness) to only $3.5 million per year and only 4 years. And Ferland got 40 points last year, which is 11 points better than the best year Eriksson  has had with the Canucks. 

Which is totally irrelevant.   Benning signed Loui the summer after he had a 30 goal, 33 assist year

[YEGCanuck]

4 hours ago, Warhippy said:

It's the Georgia Straight.  

 

That bastion of sports reporting

 

Enough said

Man is the Straight still publishing. It was the rag when I was going to art school in the seventies. Sports was definitely not their scene.

[BrockBoester]

I stopped reading when he said

 

Quote

Of the recent contracts handed out to goaltenders, Koskinen’s is the one that will likely be used as a (very) favourable comparable by Jacob Markstrom’s agent.

Yeah, I'm sure any GM being told that anything Chiarelli did was logical won't totally laugh the agent out of the room