Before the NHL lockout of 2004-05, the second contract acted as a bridge between a player’s rookie/entry level contract (ELC) and a large pay day. The second contract now serves a different purpose, thanks primarily to two factors – the 2005 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), and Kevin Lowe’s 2007 summer of madness.
However, several general managers have succeeded in underpaying young talent. Let’s take a look at the 10 best non-entry level contracts in the league.
Mike Gillis spoke of adding youth, size and strength this offseason. Last week, three targets were profiled – Kyle Beach, Nikolai Kulemin, and Zac Dalpe.
This week, three more players were profiled. Unrealistic targets were not considered, so don’t expect to be reading about Corey Perry or James Neal. Some of the players profiled would be easier to acquire than others, and some of them are further along in their development than others.
Weber or Doughty? Phaneuf or Bogosian? Suter or Pietrangelo? Which draft class boasts the best crop of defensemen?
Getting overlooked is nothing new to Dallas prospect Brenden Dillon. Being passed over at multiple NHL Entry Drafts wasn’t his first taste of disappointment, either. Dillon was overlooked as a 15-year old by every WHL team in the Bantam Draft for being too small.
“I remember the whole thing. I was sitting with my dad, we were watching it on the computer screen, 15 rounds went by and I had been passed over,” Dillon said of the WHL draft. “It was one of those things where everyone was over six feet tall and I was there at 5-2.”
When Brian Burke came to Toronto in late 2008, he promised a philosophical shift to bring in “proper levels of pugnacity, testosterone, truculence and belligerence.” The results have been mixed, but Burke has made it a priority to add those things to Toronto’s roster (Phil Kessel notwithstanding). The jury is still out whether or not that you need those elements to ice a winning team (the flavor of the month Los Angeles Kings definitely fit the bill), but at the very least Burke introduced truculence to our vocabularies.
At his recent season-ending press conference, Mike Gillis outlined his general plan for the future.
“I think we need to get younger, [and] I think we need to get bigger and stronger.”
Where does Justin Schultz end up signing? I take a look at some of the favourites, including Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, and New York.
One commonality among successful professional sports organizations is strong ownership. Take a look at the most respected and well-regarded teams in the major sports, and a loyal and dedicated owner or ownership group is not far behind. The Los Angeles Lakers have won 10 NBA titles since Jerry Buss bought the team in 1979. Robert Kraft was a season ticket holder for 23 years before buying the New England Patriots in 1994, and Mike Ilitch has made the Detroit Red Wings the premier organization of the NHL through smart hires, patience, and a commitment to the community and the sport.