Trade Rumors: Savard Signs 7 Year Deal
Bob McKenzie broke the signing earlier today and announced the contract to be front loaded with a 4.2 cap hit over seven years. With the playmaking center locked in, where does this leave the Bruins?
Surprisingly better than you would expect.
After this year, Boston has both goalies, seven forwards and three defenseman signed with over 12 million in cap space. Assuming at least four million goes to keeping Blake Wheeler and Mark Stuart that leaves them with 8 million to sign four forwards and two defensemen. This would give the needed signings an average of 1.3 million per player. If the team decides to use this space on young players on entry-level deals like Vladamir Sobotka (750K cap hit) or Brad Marchand (821,666 cap hit) then the team can spend up to 1.6 million on each player and so forth. In the last free agency period, solid players like Vaclav Prospal and Maxim Afinogenov signed for around a million.
Trading Phil Kessel proved to be an invaluable move for the Bruins and is looking better every time the Leafs lose. With Kessel they would have one more scorer while without him they are able to field an actual team.
Now with their superstar center signed way under market value, the Bruins can focus on winning. For the complete salaries of the players discussed, click here. All research done courtesy of capgeek.com
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As hilarious as the prospect is, and related to your comment about Toronto losing, Boston may want to start planning for the 3.0M-3.7M cap hit which is typical of highly touted high first round picks. Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin will command this type of incentive/bonus laden, entry level contract. (using Tavares’ current paystub as an example) Unless of course, they choose to leave their selection in junior for an additional year. I personally would find that possibility unrealistic however as Hall and Seguin are once again ripping up the score sheets in the OHL. Hall especially, will have nothing left to prove at the junior level after this season, having won a dramatic Memorial Cup last season. Who knows….if things stay this way in Toronto, Boston may have the problem of finding another 3.7M in cap space for the 2011-12 season! Looks good on you Burke.
Great call on the cap hit.
I noticed the cap hit when i did the cost-efficiency article. I thought somebody surely could beat Peverley out on a ELC but most top rookies are making between 1-3 million on the first contract! Utter insanity for a completely unproven player.