Kings to sign Ilya Kovalchuk for 3 Year, $6.5M AAV Contract

[hokiecat]

I thought the primary benefits of the signing bonus versus salary were that it was immune from escrow and provided protection against a buyout.

Why would anyone be concerned about a lockout with a HHOF commissioner in charge?

[Troy_Ice]

Drew also getting big signing bonuses so he's as protected as can be

Good. I haven't seen the details about how salary is spread across years, but the report I saw said (only) $20m of the $88 was signing bonuses. If it is all in the potential lockout years then he's is fine. If not he may have made a mistake.

There was an interesting conversation between Frank Provenzano (former Dallas AGM) and Jim Nice (CAA agent) on Custance's podcast last week and Nice was talking about how for the top players the salaries are all based on percentage of the cap. It makes me think that we should see all the CAA players waiting to resign until the cap is announced since a bump of say $4m in a year could mean something like an additional $400-500k for a player per year. If so, Drew may have left some money on the table by signing early.

[orpheus]

Y'all are making it sound like a lockout is all but guaranteed.

What gives you that idea?

[Ice24]

Y'all are making it sound like a lockout is all but guaranteed.

What gives you that idea?

It's always good to have a break.

[Catastrophe]

Anyone care to explain the contract structure here? Why the de-escalating payout, if there is a NMC? Perhaps a handshake/verbal agreement that he retires after year two of the deal? In which case, I’m not even sure that frees us of the cap obligation due to his age at time of signing, right?

Looks like it's not a full NMC, there would be a list of 7 teams.

https://twitter.com/mayorNHL/status/1013609272427462656

[fuzzerson]

Anyone care to explain the contract structure here? Why the de-escalating payout, if there is a NMC? Perhaps a handshake/verbal agreement that he retires after year two of the deal? In which case, I’m not even sure that frees us of the cap obligation due to his age at time of signing, right?

I heard an interesting comment by George McPhee after they sign Paul Stasney. He said the purposes of signing bonus versus salary is to protect the player against a buyout or work stoppage. Because signing bonuses have to be paid regardless

[kingrussell]

I heard an interesting comment by George McPhee after they sign Paul Stasney. He said the purposes of signing bonus versus salary is to protect the player against a buyout or work stoppage. Because signing bonuses have to be paid regardless

But Bettman is a Hall of Famer he wouldn't allow that!

[Bollocks]

It makes me think that we should see all the CAA players waiting to resign until the cap is announced since a bump of say $4m in a year could mean something like an additional $400-500k for a player per year. If so, Drew may have left some money on the table by signing early.

It's not like no one knew it was going up by about that much. It would make no difference IMO.

[Troy_Ice]

It's not like no one knew it was going up by about that much. It would make no difference IMO.

This year we had a pretty wide range of between $2m and $4m in the early projection. We have no idea what it will be next year.