signing bonuses make buyouts impossible

Who's saying to trade them? I am just saying you can't pay them their big contracts starting at 28. Washington will be the LA Kings eventually, their older players will decline and have lots of term. They won the cup though so you can't get too upset about that.

I agree with that. That being said, Doughty's contract starts a full year before Tavares, and runs a year longer. Sure he's top level still but will he be in 4 years when he still has 4 more years at 11 million ahead of him? I think he'll be like Kieth, still very good but a shadow of himself.

So now you are planning on buying out Doughty when his contract isn't worth it? He'll be 35 with 2 more seasons on his contract, I am not sure how this works but can you even buy him out for cap relief? His contract runs past 35 and there is no cap relief for buying out 35+ year olds.

I believe that is only for contracts signed when the player is 35+

My point is his contract offers flexibility via the potential to trade him or buy him out if he falls off a cliff like you protect. With Tavares, you have nothing. Its buyout proof and if he doesn't want to, he cannot be moved.

I mean lidstrom was even chara was really good up until his late 30s. Keith’s team sucks too, imagine him on a contending team and he would probably be doing much better. I think doughty could be elite until his late 30s but who knows, we can’t predict the future

It's easier to move though, if a team needs to hit the cap floor a player who you have to pay way less money too but get the cap hit all the same is more attractive.

if you dont pay them, they're not there and there is no cup. a winning model is having good players, simple as that.

You are talking about an era we are no longer in. Speed is everything and you don't keep your speed as you age, which is why it's becoming such a young man's game.

I believe the bonus is paid out each year, not up front.

you also can't move it without tavares permission.

Of course it is, but if you pay guys for what they did in their prime, when they are leaving their prime you end up with a terrible cap situation that is very hard to fix.

What do you suggest LA does? They will be spending half of their cap on guys over the age of 30, 3 months into Doughty's contract. They are declining big time and have no cap space to correct things and players they won't be able to trade making all the money.

Tavares gets the vast majority of his bonus money paid in their first 4 years and then his contract is really low salary wise. I think he gets paid 15 million every July 1 for the next 4 years. That is 60 of his 77 million dollar deal off the books prior to his 32 birthday. If he falls off a cliff, he can likely be convinced to waive his NMC and then you are essentially trading cap space to a team that needs to reach the cap floor but is on a budget.

If you seriously think Tavares will be elite into his late 30s but not doughty you’re bias haha. Doughty is so smart, he’ll be fine, just like Tavares. They’ll both be good players imo. THey may not be worth 11 million but if the cap is 90+ million by then; it may not be too bad

draft better since 2013

I don't think that, I think they'll both be depth players at that point. One will be an FA at 34 the other at 37, which is a massive difference.

Lol yup

https://www.capfriendly.com/players/john-tavares

I thought it was way more front loaded than that. Still though, it ends when he is 34 which really is far better than 37 which is when Doughty's contract ends. He signed a year later and he is almost 2 years older than Tavares. Not that I want to defend Tavares contract but it is better.

I think they’ll both be top line players. Look at jumbo joe racking up 82 points in 2015/16 season
It’s too far away to tell, even iggy racked over 30 goals at a late age, datsyuk was great as well.

He is less than a year older. December '89 vs September '90

Different era, it's a different time now. Adapt or drown.

That is correct, I thought he was born in Jan 89 for some reason.