The issue with the salary cap structure is that there really is no incentive to re-sign with a team over going to free agency. We will see a lot more 5-year RFA contracts because they and agents have finally realized that they can get bigger salaries if they can talk to all teams rather than just one. I don't think giving teams a discount for drafting good is the best idea, considering the draft usually ends up being more luck based. I'd rather see cap and contract structures reformed so that there's a substantial benefit for players to re-up with their team.
Quoting: hanson493
They signed tavares, and matthews to crazy money contracts. Both players probably could have been had for less. Solution to not being in cap hell, dont give tavares an 11 million dollar FA contract. Canadian teams also have to pay more due to higher taxes. Chicago overpaid players like bickell, and got caught late with hossa's cap hit. FA is the worst thing for a teams cap hit. Look at bruins with backes, canucks with ericsson, flames/oilers with looch and neal. The problem isnt the players they are drafting, the problem is the big money contracts arent producing like they were before they were signed 9 times out of 10.
Last year being were offering Tavares upwards of 13 million. Also, I'd rather be in a cap hell with mostly good players than deadweights like Edmonton, Chicago and Vancouver. I also think the days of overpaying for free agents are ending, case in point with signings like Backes, Lucic, Eriksson. As I said above, more players will aim to get to FA as soon as they can.
Quoting: battadan
i was using those as examples. UFA will always get paid above market. i don't see anyway around that. you didn't really address the question. do you like the framework of the idea? if not any solution you have?
i just hate that every hockey conversation starts, and mostly ends with how much a player is paid. it should be about how great of hockey players they are. Hossa for example. i don't care what his cap hit is, he was amazing to have on the hawks (i'm a hawk fan). if teams had a discount on their draft picks that free's up money to get difference makers in trade, or UFA. i'm jus tover the salary cap. it only helps 10-15 gm stay relevant.
UFAs get paid a lot because there are multiple teams in a bidding war over players, so agents can up the price of their clients to get a sizeable payday. That's not really an issue, the issue is that often teams spend big on players who eventually fall off and their contracts become an anchor on the team.
Quoting: hanson493
Hard cap keeps the SMALL market teams relevant. Thats the whole point of the salary cap, i think its 100% fine the way it is. I see no problems with the way the cap is structured.
Small market teams still face a lot of the same issues they would've had without a salary cap.