Oh noes! Sedins want how much? Panic accordingly.

by Yankee Canuck on Jun 18, 2009 9:43 AM PDT in Free Agency Comment 28 comments

Guess which twin this one is and you win a cookie. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Darryl Dyck)

Huzzah, finally a leak in the Sedin negotiations (courtesy of the same Swedish outlet who couldn't help out with a damn thing regarding Sundin last year). But hey, no matter, let's roll with it.

According to TSN (via the Swedish website expressen.se), the Sedins are seeking "identical 12-year contracts worth $63 million each, similar to the one signed by fellow countryman Henrik Zetterberg with the Detroit Red Wings."

This naturally will bring out the critics quicker than you can say "does ABBA still tour?" Especially amongst Red Wing fans who will be quick to cite the post season success of their Z against our mutual S's. Fair enough.

However, what TSN doesn't say is that even if this deal was signed it would be a cap hit of roughly $5.25 million which is not even a two million dollar increase over their current $3.75 million contract. That's hardly selling the farm.

Secondly, I point you again towards Mirtle's excellent take on the Sedins back in April:

The only players Daniel had fewer even-strength points than this season were Malkin, Ovechkin, Crosby, Parise, Datsyuk and Havlat. Add Iginla to the list for those ahead of Henrik.

The twins are actually elite performers whether Gillis or their critics like it or not and deserve to be paid as such. But all of the guys mentioned above are paid more than the Sedins, including Havlat if you include his contract that ends in two weeks.

Secondly, this is a far cry from the numbers we heard earlier this year (around seven million a twin was reported back during the winter).

Now, is Gillis insane enough to lock up two guys until they're both a crisp 41 years of age? Not bloody likely. I don't think any GM (other than Sather) is insane enough to chuck that much money at two guys for that long a time.

So my hunch is, if this report is true, Gillis wouldn't balk at the yearly price but the length of the deal. Maybe split the difference and add a few more dollars per year? All part of negotiations that I'm sure Gillis, in his former life, is quite familiar with.

I still believe Gillis will get them inked to something that makes sense. But if you take this one at face value, it's not one he'll be signing.

(g/t to Dustin Timberlake for his fanpost as well)

0 recs | Comment 28 comments | Share

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

I think this is excellent news

i am VERRRRRRY encouraged that the Sedins are actively seeking a long-term deal. i was really worried that they would be looking for something like 5 years, 32.5m, which really would have been pushing it. but with this deal (presumably the sedins’ opening salvo; there ought to be room for gilly to talk them down a little), their cap-hit is so damn friendly…

also, there’ll be complaining that the sedins haven’t reached Zetts’ level, which is somewhat true (especially in terms of league-wide recognition), but that ignores the fact that this theoretical deal would be about a million less than Zetts’.

I am extremely happy with this news.

by passive_voice on Jun 18, 2009 11:28 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

the complaints are already all over puck daddy’s blog post on yahoo.

GO CANUCKS GO!

by missy on Jun 18, 2009 11:34 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

as for the zetterberg comparisons, anyways

GO CANUCKS GO!

by missy on Jun 18, 2009 11:34 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

about a million less per year**

by passive_voice on Jun 18, 2009 11:29 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

i don’t mind the money per year it works out to, i just mind the 12 years. they’ve already been here for 10 years, after all.
i say six years is much more reasonable for now.

GO CANUCKS GO!

by missy on Jun 18, 2009 11:33 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't think fans should panic about the propsal...

Because it’s likely to be the starting point of the negotiation. I’m guessing they’ll end up signing for maybe $54M for 10 years, or maybe $45M for 8 years. The shorter the deal, the higher the cap hit.

by SJKel on Jun 18, 2009 11:40 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Right, that’s what I was thinking. I just don’t see Gillis being able to explain to anyone (the media or the owners) why 12 years is a great idea when it’s tough to see where the cap is going over the near future (during which I believe he promised to stay competitive)

'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.

by Yankee Canuck on Jun 18, 2009 12:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Seriously

12 years is BETTER than 10 or 8!! The last four years of this deal is likely only 4 million dollars put in to reduce the cap hit!!

If it were up to me I would make it 14 years 65 million. This would take the cap hit down to 4.64 per year.

by T.Haynes on Jun 18, 2009 3:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Let’s just make it a 100 years with like a 50 dollar cap hit and watch Bettman shit himself.

'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.

by Yankee Canuck on Jun 18, 2009 4:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly

Now we are talking!!! LOL

by T.Haynes on Jun 18, 2009 4:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

i don’t even really understand the panic about the length. say they fall off the face of the earth in year 7 of the 12-year deal. couldn’t we just stash them in wienerpeg (or wherever our affiliate is by then)? our owner’s got adequate coin and desire to win that he’d eat their salaries.

by passive_voice on Jun 18, 2009 12:05 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Sending them to the AHL sounds drastic, but I think it would depend on the structure of the contract. Many of the long range deals (like Vinny’s) are front loaded so, towards the end of the contract, they’re only making a few million a year.

I think the bigger fear with the length is if they tail off (see Redden, Drury, Briere) and you’re stuck with a bear of a contract that stops you from other deals.

'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.

by Yankee Canuck on Jun 18, 2009 12:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

that’s what i’m talking about. if they tail off down the road, can’t we stash them in the ahl (assuming they clear waivers…but if we want to be rid of them, that’d be fine) and just let aquilini eat their contracts?

by passive_voice on Jun 18, 2009 12:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That’s the last possible resort but I believe they could yeah. Few franchise guys just get waived (though DiPietro or Redden have to be the closest to that option at this rate)

'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.

by Yankee Canuck on Jun 18, 2009 12:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

also, the cap’s coming down in 10-11, but it won’t stay down. there’s a good chance that by the time these two hit age 36-37, the cap will be up in, like, the 70m range, and 10.5 will be pretty bearable.

by passive_voice on Jun 18, 2009 12:33 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

12 years is to long. But a 10 year deal with those numbers is a great one. It gives us lots of room to go for JayBo or Gaborik this summer. We arent far away from being a legit contender, and signin the Sedins to this type of deal is great signing. The Sedins have consistently gotten better, and the last 10 games of the reg season and playoffs proved that they are warriors.

by Nuckels on Jun 18, 2009 2:00 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Seriously

A twelve year deal makes more sense than a ten year one!!

by T.Haynes on Jun 18, 2009 3:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Warriors

I’m not going to go ahead and call the Sedins warriors. However, I was very encouraged by their production down the stretch and through the playoff run (as they didn’t completely drop off the face of the earth this year).

by nelboski on Jun 19, 2009 9:07 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Remember though, they have to keep up that kind of effort. Too many players shine in contract years (ehrmm Havlat)

Nucks Misconduct

by Sean Zandberg on Jun 19, 2009 6:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

This deal is awesome

I am assuming that the last 4 years are 1 million a piece, so 8 years 59 million. This will give the Sedins the 7 million they want per season, and give the Canucks the cap flexibility we want. Don’t worry about the possibility of Daniel and Henrik still playing if they are 40 and only 20 point players. Once the contract hits the back end of one million each I would expect the twins to retire. I would bet my house that they would be long gone by the time they are 41!!!!!

by T.Haynes on Jun 18, 2009 3:49 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

If it were up to me...

I would make it longer!!!!!

by T.Haynes on Jun 18, 2009 3:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The bigger the bread...

…The thinner the spread. Two top-ten players for less than $5.5 million a year? Not bad at all. If they decide to play their last years in Sweden (a distinct possibility) then the Canucks are not going to take any payroll hit at all for those years, and they will be taking a reasonable cap hit during the Sedin’s playing years.

Not too shabby, but let’s see A) if this report is accurate, and B) what the counter is.

Still, a good start!

by Thursday on Jun 18, 2009 4:56 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The Sedins said themselves that they want to return to Sweden to play there while they still can. I’d assume that they mean at 36-37 years old. In that sense I can’t see the length of the contract being accurate, or like mentioned above, they’ll just quit and go home at that time.
I like the rumored deal. I think Gillis lost his pen.

Nucks Misconduct

by Sean Zandberg on Jun 18, 2009 7:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah I think so. It’s just the length that, good or bad, I can see Gillis balking at because his peers on other teams can’t get rid of their lifetime contracts.

'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.

by Yankee Canuck on Jun 18, 2009 7:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like how the dollars average out over the 12 years. Way more $$ per season that way. Is it worth the risk? Yeah I think so. Maybe Gillis will agree.

Nucks Misconduct

by Sean Zandberg on Jun 18, 2009 7:57 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Then again, this is only the Sedin’s offer. Gillis has already shown disdain for this offer according to Darren Dreger. He’s saying Gillis only wants to commit to 3-5 years.

Nucks Misconduct

by Sean Zandberg on Jun 18, 2009 11:33 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs