Written by LTL

Now that's throwing a player for a loop!  On to the topics at hand....

The NHL became the first professional sports league in North America to miss a season.  The idea was cost certainty and linkage between revenues and player expenses.  The plan was to make the league's finances fool proof and air tight.  To make all 30 teams competitive and financially viable.   To level the playing field.

Well just leave it to the owners to find ways to circumvent the cap and screw it all up.

The latest example being Ilya Kovalchuk's ridiculous 17 year deal worth 102 million.  If Kovalchuk played all 17 years (which he clearly will not) it would take him to the age of 44.

To get an idea of how these GMs are circumventing the cap to lower their cap hits just look at the final 6 years of the deal which will pay Kovalchuk $750,000 and then $550,000 the final 5 years.

Even the GM who signed him in Lou Lamoriello admitted at his presser today that this contract shouldn't be part of the NHL.

Well no shit Lou -- funny how things change when it suits a particular team's needs.

Apparently the NHL can't do much to stop these signings but you can bet limits on contract lengths will be negotiated as part of the next CBA.  Give it some time though and these owners will find other loopholes.

I'm a big supporter of the cap and I do think it's had a positive effect on overall league competitiveness.  For instance do you think the 'hawks would have lost the players they have this offseason without it?  Or what about Detroit not being able to ice an all star 3rd line like the pre-cap days?  Still contracts like Kovalchuk's show that there is still plenty work to be done to, sadly, protect these owners from themselves.

UPDATE: Since posting this last night the news broke that the NHL has rejected the Kovalchuk contract.

It's good to the see the NHL finally stand up and fight back against obvious attempts to circumvent the cap however I have to ask -- if Kovalchuck's is rejected then how does the NHL approve contracts like Hossa and Pronger to name just a few when it's crystal clear they also circumvent the cap?

Speaking of the cap, let's a play a little game -- try to match up the Central division team with their current player payroll:

$60,476,590

$55,625,379

$50,919,583

$44,216,667

$40,690,000

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Hey.... no cheating!!

 

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...or peeking!!!

 

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Okay.. here are the results:

 

Chicago - $60,476,590

Detroit - $55,625,379

Columbus - $50,919,583

St. Louis - $44,216,667

Nashville - $40,690,000

 

In fact, according to Capgeek.com Columbus actually has the 17th highest payroll at the moment.  Those numbers will fluctuate more but after RFA signings I still expect the Jackets to sit safely in that 3rd spot.

My point?  (yeah.... believe it or not I've got one)

The Jackets certainly cannot use $$ as an excuse if they finish dead last in the Central Division again.  In fact I think these numbers put even more pressure on Howson as with over a 50 million dollar payroll there are no excuses not to at the very least ice a competitive team.  Failure will once again call into question how and where he is spending his money.

For those lookin ahead to next offseason the Jackets will have 5 unrestricted free agents totaling 8.1 million dollars.

The names on that list are Chris Clark (2.5), Ethan Moreau (1.75), Andrew Murray (.650), Jan Hejda (2) and Mathieu Garon (1.2).

Now don't get your hopes up that Howson will go on a spending spree Jackets fans as most of that coin will be used to give raises to restricted free agents Jakub Voracek, Steve Mason and perhaps Marc Methot.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, in terms of players on this roster I think the guy who needs to have the biggest bounce back season is Rick Nash.

Its not Steve Mason... its not Derick Brassard or Mike Commodore...  Now that's not to say all three of these guys don't have some serious bouncing back to do -- because there is no question they do.

For me though its unquestionably the "captain".

He may not think so.... a lot of fans may not think so.... but from my cheap seat this guy is making a whopping 7.5 million next year which ties him as the 16th highest paid player in the entire league.  If the man wants to get paid like one of the highest paid players in the league then he's got to play night in and night out like one of the highest paid players in the league.

Putting up 67 points in 76 games is not going to cut it.

Disappearing periods and sometimes games at a time is not going to cut it.

Please spare the "well he's more of a complete player" nonsense.  At that price he BETTER be a complete player and he better contribute a lot more than 67 points.

For those keeping score Nash made 7 mil last year which would equate to $104,477 dollars per point.

I like Nash... I think he's one of the few professional athletes you are proud to have your kids look up to.  I root for him to succeed like everyone else.  But like Howson and like ownership, it's time to take the kid gloves off with #61 and demand more.

This team needs a whole lot more from him if they hope to ever be successful.  He needs to make those around him better (and not vice versa).  He needs to become the franchise player that everyone touts him as.  He needs to be the leader that the 'C' he wears on the front of his jersey demands.

Bookmark this post folks - if this team flounders again next season the Jackets are going to have to do some serious soul searching and not only evaluate Scott Howson as the right GM for the franchise but also determine if Rick Nash is indeed the centerpiece this team can build a championship caliber team around.

I don't know about you all - but my goal isn't just to make the playoffs but to win the friggan Stanley Cup!!

Let's hope next offseason we can look back at this post and laugh at yet another LTL over-reaction.

-LTL