The Comcast broadcast booth discussion last night of Mike Cammalleri’s game — Coach Boudreau informing JoeB and Craig that the gifted LA Kings’ pivot was, after Ovechkin, the most gifted hockey player he’d seen up close (Boudreau coached him in Manchester) — was interesting to me, to say the least.
The Kings have a wealth of gifted young players in their organization and a 30th place standing to show for it. The Caps have a stud, some very good young players, and a 29th place standing to show for it. They also have thorny contract negotiations taking place (sort of) with their stud. Coach Boudreau possesses what might be termed fluency with a fair number of players in the Kings’ organization. Additionally, the Kings have a history of parting with a motherload of talented youth in order to acquire the services of the game’s premiere talent. It’s Tinseltown, after all.
And then there’s this: in year three of AO’s reign in D.C. the Caps are meandering toward a finish of between 75-80 points, and potentially a fourth consecutive last-place finish in the Southeast.
To quote Bryan Ferry, don’t stop the dance.
The ‘Net is filled (overly so) with innuendo-specius speculation-baseless rink rumors, and I’m not pecking away at the keyboard this holiday weekend to contribute to that. Rather, I’m here to suggest that, should the Caps and Ovechkin arrive at an impasse in new deal discussions, excruciatingly painful though it may be, a deal with the Kings could make sense.
Caps’ fans do have to consider this possibility.
We know that contract talks between Caps’ management and team Ovechkin aren’t progressing terribly well because (1) many months after Sidney got his new pact AO still doesn’t have his and (2) someone with access to the particulars told me so. This is not to suggest that all is hopeless or even that the genuinely serious, roll-up-the-sleeves-and-sip-late-night-coffee talks have come and gone. They haven’t. However, one vital area of concern appears to have emerged: the team and the star are lodged in different compensation realms. Worse, both sides have eminently reasonable defenses for their positions.
Let us say, just for argument’s sake, that AO is seeking upwards of $10 million per season. Even if the Caps wanted to pay him that they couldn’t. The CBA is explicit: no single player can earn more than 20 percent of a team’s payroll. The Caps are currently a hair below $40 million in player payroll. They’d need to be at $50 million before opening night next season in order to accommodate a $10 million demand from team Ovechkin. You might plausibly forecast an ‘08-’09 Caps roster boasting the additions of say Eric Fehr and Karl Alzner, but that wouldn’t take you anywhere near $50 million. Then there’s the very real possibility that Olie Kolzig’s $5.5 million compensation comes off the books beginning this spring, and that he’s replaced by someone markedly cheaper.
{Important correction: The actual CBA, available on line here, (you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader version 6.0 at a minimum), illuminates maximum player compensation thusly:
“50.6 Maximum Player Salary and Bonuses; Fixed Dollar Amount of Player Salary
(a) No SPC may provide for a total aggregate Player Salary and Bonuses that is in excess of twenty (20) percent of the Upper Limit for any League Year (the Maximum Player Salary and Bonuses). For a Player signing a multi-year SPC pursuant to which he receives the Maximum Player Salary and Bonuses in any League Year during the term of such SPC, the Maximum Player Salary and Bonuses for every League Year covered by the multi-year SPC shall be based upon the Upper Limit at the time the SPC was signed.
So it’s as clear as day.
The Caps in fact could pay Ovechkin $20 million annually were the league-wide, per-team cap $100. (That’s not happening under Bettman.)}
Ken Lay couldn’t make these accounting numbers work for a massive Ovechkin contract. In a very real sense, the Caps have their hands tied by prudent fiscal management by management.
And this blogger wouldn’t have it any other way.
No doubt General Manager George McPhee has formulated some specific thoughts about a player’s earning 20 percent of payroll and the likelihood of that player’s team contending for a Stanley Cup. The Ducks, who today are taking a cap hit of approximately $51 million, won the Cup last season, I’d wager, because their big two on defense (Pronger and Niedermeyer) were well but not exorbitantly paid. Moreover, they got Teemu Selanne’s 48 goals at a bargain rate. What of the Cup-winning ‘Canes and ‘Ning payrolls? Any bank-breakers within? In fact, the absence of astute fiscal management in Tampa Bay forced a breakup (Modin, Khabibulin) of that champions’ roster. Mediocre Tampa is today a one-line attack and a glaring vulnerability in net. And will be so for a while.
The Red Wings have enjoyed some exemplary regular seasons of late carrying along Nik Lidstrom’s enormous salary. Anything else to show for it?
These are accounting — and therefore fan-unfriendly — questions for management to ponder.
Which brings us back to a hypothetical glance at the last-place Kings. Twenty-five year-old Cammalleri is a rising star, and we already know what Boudreau thinks of him. 2006 first-rounder Jonathon Bernier made the Kings and started and won his first game in net against the defending champs in October. He’s back in Lewiston now, but his immediate future looks rather bright. No deal for a once-in-a-generation talent like Ovechkin could be carried off with merely a no. 1 liner and a no. 1 prospect in net. But what if the Kings could be persuaded to sweeten the pot all the way up to include Jack Johnson as well? What if such a deal deposited no.1 players at three separate positions for the Caps, and you were at a negotiations impasse with Alex, and as a management team you were convinced that a mega-contract not only couldn’t be achieved but was Tampa-like limiting going forward?
How good would that deal look then?
34 Comments
I have one prediction…
If there is no AO at the start of next season, the phone booth will become a great place for the opposition to play…they will have more fans in the stands then the Caps.
Management has been telling us that they are building the team around AO, several major pieces are in place, and now you want to remove the base building block…I see this house of cards may be starting to fall down.
While there would have to be much work done to appease fans if such a thing came to pass (seriously, it would be the equivalent of the Adams-Morgan riot for hockey fans at the Verizon Center, and a mass exodus of season-ticket holders from the seats), for the right offer, any player is available.
I’m a firm believer in listening to any offer made for anyone. That doesn’t necessarily mean I would take such an offer, but, there even exists an offer to make Ovechkin tradeable. Would an offer ever be made? Who knows…
But would we really have thought that we’d be able to get Jagr for three scrubs? And at the time (meaning not counting what we know now about Jagr deciding to not try, but rather what we’d seen for the previous 10 years of play in Pittsburgh), if we’d found out that such a trade could have been made but was passed up, many fans would have been upset — whether they’d want to admit it nowadays or not.
Alas, I think that McPhee and Leonsis would turn a blind eye to any such offer for Ovechkin because the PR hit and uproar among the fanbase would be too detrimental to the team.
Even if the offer were Ovechkin and Erskine in exchange for Zetterberg, Lidstrom, Datsyuk, and Holmstrom with Detroit agreeing to eat more than half of the combined salary.
If Ovechkin goes before he has a chance to do it freely of his own choice, I won’t watch the Caps ever again.
You might as well fold up this franchise.
I understand from a hockey standpoint, they could get 3-4 good pieces back for just him (while also drastically slashing the payroll problems) but Ovechkin is the Washington Capitals for the next while (until he decides otherwise) and the franchise can’t afford to see him go. Especially not for the likes of Cammalleri.
One other thing that should be noted. If you were to trade AO for 3-5 good players you would also have to release or cut other developing talent. Last time I checked our reserve roster count was at 47 or 48. You are only allowed 50 on the reserve roster, so we would also have to do some serious roster management prior to the next draft.
I think the information is correct, if wrong please correct me.
Ovy isn’t going anywhere. Stop writing these articles already.
I’ll be sure to share my next draft with you, Jordan, to make sure it passes muster.
Although I agree Ovechkin isn’t going anywhere, I like the thought process here. Unlike those posts that say team X or Y should trade for him, at least you’re putting a “real” package together. I think that if the Caps received an offer of Calimmeri, Johnson, Bernier and Kopitar, and a pick (or two), they’d definitely have to at least think about it. We’re getting into Lindros trade territory here.
Any other “offers” that would be appealing? What if Pittsburgh offered Malkin, Staal, Fleury, another player and two first round picks? Colorado offered Stastny, Hejduk, another player or two and two-three first round picks?
Yeah, I’d hate to see him leave, but it’s possible to come up with an offer you’d be crazy NOT to take.
I could be wrong, but in the new CBA if yo buy a player out (Kolzig) and he is over 37 his salary is still a hit on the Caps. so that would work in our favor, yes?
How about this scenario - in the next month the Caps pick up 2-3 good vets link they have in Poti and Nylander, including a replacement for Olie who retires AND they sign Ovie for $10M having a 49-51M overall payroll. That would work and it will be what they’ll have to do to match any realistic offers to him as an RSA.
If the Caps don’t resign Ovie OR get the equivelant offer to something like grooven intimates for him “Ovechkin and Erskine in exchange for Zetterberg, Lidstrom, Datsyuk, and Holmstrom with Detroit agreeing to eat more than half of the combined salary” then they don’t have to hold my two Season Ticket seats open for my renewal and it’s clear many others in the shrinking Caps Season Ticket Holder ranks would feel similarly. Personally, I hope to take my then grandchildren to Ovie’s retirement party when he hangs up his skates as a Cap and they retire number 8 in say 20 years. That said I could forgive Ted and his Lincoln Group brethren if the trade resulted in Datsuyk, Zetterberg AND a number 1 goalie like Osgood coming here; but it would take a first placefinish in the Conference to help me salve my wounds. LETS GO CAPS!!!!
opps meant to say “like they have in Poti and Nylander” and “realistic offers to him as a RFA.”
To the author of this article, your entire premise is wrong. The maximum amount of money a team may offer a player is 20% of a team’s upper limit. Each team has the same upper limit, so if any team offer’s Ovy the max contract, the Caps can match it. Please refer to Article 50, section 6 of the CBA.
Meza, Olie is in the last year of his contract, the Caps CAN NOT buy him out.
Nothing personal, I’m just tired of every blog having an Ovechkin trade story on slow news days. Though your trade scenario certainly is interesting. I wonder if Ovechkin would carry the KINGS to the playoffs alone, since all of their current talent would be coming here in the trade..
“50.6 Maximum Player Salary and Bonuses; Fixed Dollar Amount of Player Salary
(a) No SPC may provide for a total aggregate Player Salary and Bonuses that is in excess of twenty (20) percent of the Upper Limit for any League Year (the “Maximum Player Salary and Bonuses”). For a Player signing a multi-year SPC pursuant to which he receives the Maximum Player Salary and Bonuses in any League Year during the term of such SPC, the Maximum Player Salary and Bonuses for every League Year covered by the multi-year SPC shall be based upon the Upper Limit at the time the SPC was signed.”
The CBA would not tie their hands when it comes to signing or matching a huge offer to Ovechkin. Whether it’s a good idea to shop Ovechkin or be building a young team with a $10M player is another question. To me, dealing your franchise player for better all-around depth is an admission of failure by the GM to sufficiently stock the team with enough talent. Poor drafting and development would no doubt be partially to blame. I just don’t think you deal Ovechkin unless he’s unhappy or if another team offers something absolutely ridiculous. He probably doesn’t deserve any more than what Crosby/Iginla/Thornton are getting in their new deals but the Caps don’t have a ton of leverage as he’s such a huge piece of their offense.
Cammalleri+J.Johnson+Bernier is intriguing. The problem being that Cammalleri is UFA after ‘08-’09, so an extension there would have to be worked on. Again, what this says to me partially is that the GM has failed (or is unconfident) about his two high picks spent in ‘06 on a goaltender of the future. You’d might as well throw in one or both of them while you’re at it.
And let’s not forget how close Semin is to Ovechkin. I’m not sure #28 is close to being as comfortable if #8 is not around.
Actual on-ice value aside, there still needs to be an income to actually pay all of these players. This is a team that, with Ovechkin, can only VERY rarely fill the Phone Booth, playing a league that is, as they like to say, gate-driven. Take away Ovechkin, and the attraction for a great deal of the home fans goes away. Take away Ovechkin, and what reason is there for the fans of our distant division rivals to come to DC and watch their home team pummel Washington (or not, who knows)? It is unrealistic to say that everyone will stop coming to the games, but attendance is sure to take a major hit; I’m not sure how the Caps rake in enough money for overhead as it is, and I have severe doubts about their ability to do it without Ovie’s star power.
Let’s also not forget the morale factor. If this young team loses Ovechkin, their figurehead, their leader, and their sterling example of excellence, to three near-strangers from a team they’ve never even played (if I’m not mistaken, the Caps have played the Kings once since the lockout), then they’re sure to feel a little down, and a bit unsure of themselves. If a player as good as Ovechkin is traded, what’s the point of them performing well if their callous organization will probably sling them away at the first sign of profit? Not to mention Semin, the closest thing we have to a star other than Ovechkin; how would he feel if he loses one of his closest friends in the US? I know these guys are supposed to be professionals, but we’ve got maybe 6 veteran skaters, plus Kolzig. A lot of them (Brash, Kozlov, Nyls, Poti) aren’t even really leaders on this team; I have little faith in their ability to lead a demoralized batch of youngsters. The morale of the guys we trade Ovechkin for is also likely to be in the can - Cammalleri/Jack Johnson (what a hilarious name)/Bernier do all this hard work, and end up getting traded to the only team that has as bad a record as them, and now this team doesn’t even have a star like Ovechkin? Yeah, right.
The Caps organization essentially has its hands tied. It has to keep Ovechkin or risk severe financial difficulties off-ice, and a demoralized, bitter team on-ice.
That’s my two cents, anyway. But who knows, maybe I’m completely wrong, and this trade is what we need to get us the 8th seed and beyond.
Like I said, and it seems people agree, despite just about any offer, the PR nightmare would be so outrageous that I don’t see anything happening. (Not that I’d want to trade him. It’s a different sort of hypothetical debate.)
Hello from the west coast. While I have my own opinions on why the Kings are doing so poorly, I believe the coaching situation needs to be addressed before a potential monster trade should be considered.
TG wrote: I think that if the Caps received an offer of Calimmeri, Johnson, Bernier and Kopitar, and a pick (or two), they’d definitely have to at least think about it.
This would NEVER happen. 3 out of 4 of these guys are part of an integral rebuilding process by Lombardi. Kopitar and Bernier are not going anywhere and I’d be shocked if JJ was traded away. The only player of these 4 that is movable is Cammalleri (and I’d say that was stretching it). I would find it difficult to believe that moving 2-3 players for Ovechkin would help the Kings’ ailing 3rd and 4th lines. But then moving Kopi and Cammy would completely cripple the top two lines.
In any case, trade rumors involving the Kings make me very nervous at this point in time.
I understand it might make better hockey sense to have 3 very good players (or 2 good and one potential “star”) versus one superstar. I also understand that for the first 2-3 years, you’d probably be able to afford the players you get for what you would have paid Ovechkin. But if the players turn out to be worth anything, you won’t be able to keep them all down the road.
I also just wonder what is the detriment to a franchise to have to deal a generational talent (and he is a hockey icon as it stands right now) who if he keeps going is a HOF. Does a franchise ever get beyond that? Especially one on thin ice like this one.
I also realize that this post is meant to stir up debate and comments, but at the same time I think seeing Ovechkin depart town is the nail in the coffin for this franchise.
Trade Ovechkin, don’t re-sign Kolzig, tank the 2008-2009 season, draft John Tavares…
…what was that about the rebuild being “over?”
Alex Rodriguez got traded after winning the MVP award. So did Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Gretzky got traded…twice! Shaquille O’Neal got traded for, at the time, a starter and two spare parts (although Caron Butler has certainly blown up).
Anyone _can_ be traded, it just depends on what’s being offered.
And CKim, I’m not saying that such a trade would happen, but just as you say that “Kopitar and Bernier aren’t going anywhere”, we’d say the same thing about Ovechkin.
Pucksandbooks,
I usually like your writing but it’s hard to take you seriously when the major premise of your article is factually incorrect. As langway noted above, the CBA doesn’t say a player’s annual salary can’t exceed 20% of the team’s payroll. It’s 20% of the “league cap”. So, of course, the Capitals could legally match any offer for Ovechkin. Your question as to should they is an entirely different matter. I’m a little concerned that Alex wants to be paid as the best player in the league, when statistically he’s not. Now, if he wins the Richard Trophy, has more points than Crosby and leads the Caps to the playoffs, then he could make the argument he deserves the max. And maybe, that’s why he hasn’t signed yet. It could be that Management wants to pay him Crosby money and he wants to prove he’s better. All that being said, I still don’t see any way the Caps let him walk or trade him. Above all else, Ted’s a marketer and he realizes that AO is the face of this organization and without him there’d be precious little reason for fans to come out.
The Peerless wrote:
Trade Ovechkin, don’t re-sign Kolzig, tank the 2008-2009 season, draft John Tavares…
And then repeat in another three years. Wasn’t this an episode for the Twilight Zone?
TG, I see what you’re saying. Ovechkin is a Cap and Kopi and Bernier are Kings. But as much as the fans see this, these are two businesses trying to fight to NOT be in the basement.
I’ll propose this question here just for a little challenge: Are we protecting or inhibiting these players’ growth by keeping them as the respective “faces” of our organizations?
These are still kids and they’re surrounded by not-as-elite players, which is exactly the reason why Bernier was sent back down to Lewiston. The players just weren’t protecting him and it would have destroyed him if it continued like that. But I’m VERY excited for his placement on Team Canada and will be following him in the WJC.
I’m surprised that pucksandbooks apparently didn’t bother to do much research for this article, since the OFB articles are usually top-notch.
Jimmy. sorry you didn’t like the article. I don’t know about you, but while reading a blog I take all the information that they put forth with a grain of salt.
Some bloggers are professional writers, but I believe that most are not. I would not go around quoting a blog as truth.
I can definitely understand where the mixup of number crunching came in, have you ever tried to read the CBA…I was asleep after the first few paragraphs.
I enjoy the writing here, if it’s factually correct, cool. If not, oh well, maybe next time, but it still serves it’s purpose…to make us think about the subject of the article.
Thanks again for all the articles OFB.
When interviewed by RDS, here’s what Ovechkin had to say:
“I like being a Capital, I like this place, I like these fans, I like the team, and we still have time. Like uh.. no panic, it’s ok. Things are going to be done… soon.”
I’ve heard Ovechkin say how much he wants to stay a Capital many times. I trust Ovechkin when he says things are going in the right direction.
Dude……….you have waaaayyyyyyyyyy to much time on your hands. Let’s keep it on the real.
A number of people have not read the OFB Comment Policy or decided not to abide by it as evidenced by several comments that were not fit to print. Apparently debate and discussion are beneath those commentors.
I think your blog along with the many others we have here in DC are great, but I think the problem a lot of posters are having with this column is that it’s factually incorrect and no attempt has been made to acknowledge the error. Bloggers are always arguing that they should be treated like the MSM, to which I agree. But you can’t have it both ways. The last time I checked, the Post has an errors section where they publicly correct their mistakes. The basic premise of this article was wrong in the way it categorized the Caps ability to match an offer sheet to Ovechkin vis a vis the salary cap. You need to correct that so people who read the entry don’t get the wrong idea about Alex remaining a Cap. Man up and do the right thing.
CKim, that’s a really good question. If you think about it, it’s actually worse for Ovechkin (and Crosby) because not only are they the faces of their franchises, but also of “the new NHL.” What would it say if one of “THE” players got traded? Of course, like I said earlier, even Gretzky got traded…
I’m trying to think about what I was like at 20 or so, and I couldn’t imagine doing what they’re doing with all of the interviews, demands on their time, etc. Especially for those (Ovechkin, Kopitar, etc.) who didn’t grow up speaking English.
I think it’s somewhat different for forwards as compared with goalies. If you have a young goalie who is the face of the franchise, and the team stinks, will it ruin their confidence and inhibit their abilities later? For forwards, I think it’s more go out and do your best on the score sheet and worry about everything else later. (And defensemen are probably somewhere in the middle.)
But luckily, I think both here and in LA there are others to handle the “leadership” mantle and prevent everything from falling on the young star player(s). From everything I’ve read, Clark and Kolzig rule the locker room, and I’m sure Blake has control of what’s going on out there. It almost makes it like there’s someone for the public to see, read about, admire, etc., but someone else to actually lead the team.
It’s why I was surprised that Crosby was named captain already. Remember how Lecavalier couldn’t handle being captain at 20 (or whenever it was)? Is Crosby REALLY the leader in the locker room? And what happens when/if a veteran causes problems, tries to undermine the coach, etc. (Of course, Jagr’s the captain for the Rangers, so that shows you how much loyalty to the coach goes into the decision…)
Interesting discussion, guys. I have plenty to say on the subject. But I’d rather not. Some of you know my thoughts on the Caps and the NHL in general. I just think Ovechkin will get what he wants. Most players do (just look at Zubie). The only question is “where he gets it.”
“It’s not personal, it’s business” (c) The Godfather.
I agree w/ the 1st comment on this page….If there is no Ovechkin next year Verizon Center will be EMPTY…. This is one of the WORLD’s top players he has 32 goals thus far and is just an amazing player. Management BETTER do whatever is neccessary to keep Ovechkin here dish out that huge contract hes worth EVERY penny…It will just be a matter of time till hes the WORLD’s best! GO CAPS!!
“The only question is “where he gets it.â€?”
That place is officially Washington! ;]
Not sure the deal with TB looks as rosie now.
One Trackback/Pingback
[...] The suggestion sparked some lively debate as more than 30 comments were left along with others that had to be deleted due to violation of the OFB Comment Policy. It may have even planted an idea in an answer to a question concerning Ovechkin on John Buccigross’ latest Mother of All Mailbags on ESPN.com. Hey John, [...]
Post a Comment