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Washington Capitals signed Nicklas Bäckström (5 Years / $9,200,000 AAV)

Was this a good signing?
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Jan. 14, 2020 at 9:38 a.m.
#26
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Quoting: exo2769
Unless they bust. I 110% get that the peak years are younger, but that's not always the case for every single player in the NHL. Backstrom is still playing at an elite level. There are also other components to this...how the team is doing. Sub Par teams like New Jersey can afford to spend $7M on Nico Hirshcer because they're banking on that contract being a good contract down the road. Has Clayton Keller with AZ earned with $7.1M yet? no. TOR has done that for Matthews/Marner/Nylander. They're cap strapped this year, but down the road they're hoping these contracts are steals. Another part is team construction down the road. WAS is a team has (who they believe is) Backstroms replacement developing in London. there will be 3 of those 5 years with an ELC as a center.


The issue for me isn't just the peak years, it's that this is a contract that looks kind of OK based on what he is doing this second. Even if he plays up to his recent standard for all 5 seasons of the deal, it will have just been fair. Given that very very few players avoid decline from ages 33-37, it seems like a bad bet.

Now all that being said, I am talking about this purely in terms of value for the deal. I don't think this is a good value for the player. However GMs of some teams do have other considerations than making the correct "value" decision at all times. Fans, ticket sales, history are all important.

There are other things that can be nearly as valuable to a teams history as winning a championship. Ovi has a shot at the all time goals record, and he is almost certainly getting to second place. Historically speaking, keeping Ovi and Backstrom together and them retiring as caps, and sharing moments like that together have a lot of value to the franchise other than wins or losses. So I am not just bashing the decision to keep Backstrom, but I think in a vacuum where all you are concerned about is value for the cap hit, this isn't a good bet to be a good use of a cap hit. If this is the only way from getting Backstrom to test the market, I get the value in trying to make sure he and Ovi retire as Caps.
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Jan. 14, 2020 at 9:41 a.m.
#27
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Quoting: MaxDomi13
ANd we're pissed at it


Price yeah. Weber, I'm not so worried.
Jan. 14, 2020 at 9:44 a.m.
#28
Hockey/Caps fan
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Not the worst contract. He has been ppg player most of his career. Has always been underrated IMO. A cap increase or 2 will make this look a lot better... I'd take Backstrom any day over some recent similar contracts.
Jan. 14, 2020 at 9:47 a.m.
#29
Go Jets Go
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My prediction was 5 years at 8.5m. Very surprised it came in over 9m.
Jan. 14, 2020 at 9:50 a.m.
#30
Caps fan idk why
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Lmao at the people saying bad contract. Capitals are in a win now mode. Do we just let him walk for nothing. Also Bäckström is Tavares good. He’s making way less than Tavares. He’s a major part of this franchise. I was thinking 8.5m he’s making 600k more. Guys currently at a .9ppg pace. I would have loved for it to be less but for the last 10 years he’s had one of the nhls best contracts. Let the guy make his money. I bet Ovechkin takes a pay cut.
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Jan. 14, 2020 at 9:56 a.m.
#31
Majors and minors
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not a fan of % of cap hit... and I think gm's cave too early. when was contract expiring?
Jan. 14, 2020 at 10:02 a.m.
#32
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Quoting: Capitalfail67
Lmao at the people saying bad contract. Capitals are in a win now mode. Do we just let him walk for nothing. Also Bäckström is Tavares good. He’s making way less than Tavares. He’s a major part of this franchise. I was thinking 8.5m he’s making 600k more. Guys currently at a .9ppg pace. I would have loved for it to be less but for the last 10 years he’s had one of the nhls best contracts. Let the guy make his money. I bet Ovechkin takes a pay cut.


Nah, Russians are allergic to taking discounts.
Jan. 14, 2020 at 10:03 a.m.
#33
GenericUsername489
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This contract is incredibly bad. NMC for 3 years so he's guaranteed protection from Seattle too.
Jan. 14, 2020 at 10:29 a.m.
#34
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Yes, this is going to be a bad deal by the end of the contract, but if you're WSH you realize that your window is right now and and for a couple of more years. Ovi, Backstrom and Holtby are not getting younger. Do as much as you can while you have them.
Jan. 14, 2020 at 10:40 a.m.
#35
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Quoting: tormundgiantsbane
This may be an unpopular opinion but I feel like when you win a Cup, this is easier to do. If they were still hunting for this group's first (that being Backstrom, Ovi, Carlson, etc.), I'd scoff at this deal. But I feel like when you win and remain competitive, it's lower stakes to make a move like this. He earned it, why not give it to him? By the time it expires, the Caps will probably be rebuilding anyway.


GMs definitely have a lot of pressure off them to make this sort of deal after winning. It doesn't make it a good hockey strategy, but I do think it's fair to acknowledge that some GMs have expectations on them regarding the team as a business as well. This team has a cup, and looks to be a decent bet to take another run. Backstrom and Ovi have never played anywhere else, and are still big contributors. Overpaying to keep them together as they set all time franchise records, and have them retire as Caps likely has historic and business value.

So I think the value of the deal is bad (from a purely strategic standpoint), I don't think it makes the caps management stupid for doing this.
Jan. 14, 2020 at 10:50 a.m.
#36
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9.2 AAV is a bit much for a guy who'll be in his late 30's by the end of his contract and scores between 70-80 points per season. Backstrom, at most, is an 8 AAV player. Caps will be in hell in a few years
Jan. 14, 2020 at 11:22 a.m.
#37
Below Market Value
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For a guy that negotiated his own contract without an agent, this is very player-friendly. Especially compared to Drew Doughty's deal, which was also done without an agent.
Jan. 14, 2020 at 11:25 a.m.
#38
Below Market Value
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Also, we can somewhat safely guess that Ovechkin's next contract will be a 4-year deal since he mentioned wanting his and Backstrom's next contracts to align with each other.
Jan. 14, 2020 at 11:32 a.m.
#39
Caps fan idk why
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Quoting: Nohate
Guess Holtby isn’t getting signed


Why would he? Samsonov has won 13/ 15!starts and has out played him this year.
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Jan. 14, 2020 at 11:32 a.m.
#40
hey look a squirrel
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Capital fans wave bu-bye to Holtby.
Bright side Samsonov looks like the real deal.
Jan. 14, 2020 at 11:41 a.m.
#41
Caps fan idk why
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Quoting: eddyed24
He needed to be signed but not for that much. I would have gave him 8m/per year.


Haha I would love to be the owner that fired you over that idiotic statement.

“ hey so we didn’t sign Bäckström “
“Why not”
“Oh he wanted 9.2m but I offered him 8m”
“You let a franchise center leave over 1.2m?”
“Yeah”
“How much would it cost to get a top 15 center to replace him”
“Tavares got 11m, Seguin 9.85 these other guys aren’t top 15 quality but kopitar 10m Toews 10m Duchene just gotta 8m”
“Yeah you’re a moron”
Jan. 14, 2020 at 11:43 a.m.
#42
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A great player on a bad contract that is buyout proof due to signing bonuses. Oof. People already think the Oshie contract will age horribly and now this?
Jan. 14, 2020 at 12:30 p.m.
#43
Emotionally in 2018
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On face value alone, this is an overpayment for AAV. But we all know how important center depth is, and the alternative to him leaving is just a nightmare for the Caps. But there are a few reasons why I think this makes sense.

1. Backstrom has been criminally underpaid for years. Now I know that isn't a reason to go out and overpay someone, but Backstrom and the organization have had a great relationship, so I don't mind it.
2. Given that Holtby's gone next season, we'll have the cap space to still improve our roster next season. I'd be more worried about making sure there's money for the contracts for Ovechkin, Vrana and Samsonov.
3. I think because this number starts with a 9, it's throwing a lot of people off. If he was supposed to get, let's say $8.5M, are we really complaining about a $700K overpayment? It's the same deal with the Kevin Hayes contract.
4. Look at recent center contracts for #1 centers. Seguin signed at a bargain under 10. Matt Duchene was signed to be a 1C at $8M per. Is Backstrom not right between those two? Given his point production and excellent two way play, this is worth while.
5. This team is trying to win. It's easier to work around the edges than leave a gaping hole down the middle while losing one of the franchise cornerstones over $700K.
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Jan. 14, 2020 at 12:32 p.m.
#44
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Quoting: Capitalfail67
Haha I would love to be the owner that fired you over that idiotic statement.

“ hey so we didn’t sign Bäckström “
“Why not”
“Oh he wanted 9.2m but I offered him 8m”
“You let a franchise center leave over 1.2m?”
“Yeah”
“How much would it cost to get a top 15 center to replace him”
“Tavares got 11m, Seguin 9.85 these other guys aren’t top 15 quality but kopitar 10m Toews 10m Duchene just gotta 8m”
“Yeah you’re a moron”


Did I say that I wouldn't sign him? I just said that the AAV is too high. Plus those guys were signed when they were still in their 20's.
Plus their must be 40 other morons i I look the numbers of people of think it's a bad contract.
Jan. 14, 2020 at 12:47 p.m.
#45
Caps fan idk why
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Quoting: eddyed24
Did I say that I wouldn't sign him? I just said that the AAV is too high. Plus those guys were signed when they were still in their 20's.
Plus their must be 40 other morons i I look the numbers of people of think it's a bad contract.


Bäckström was signed for 6.7m in his 20’s. Easily one of the best contracts in the nhl for the last 5 years. And you “not for that much” he’s a top 15 center in the nhl you pay him bc you got him a steal of a deal for 10 years or let him walk over 700k. Yeah these same morons said Carlson is overpaid and will get worse with time. this and last year were career years
Same morons said Kuzy and Orlov were overpaid. Same idiots that said Wilson was overpaid and would never score more than 30 points haha. So yeah I’ll take Bäckström who is scoring at a .9ppg average for the next 5 years while the window is still open.
Jan. 14, 2020 at 12:57 p.m.
#46
Typical Caps Fan
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Look this is an overpayment. This also may hurt the franchise a little bit in 3-4 years having potentially 24-25 mill tied into Ovi, Backy and Oshie all at age 35-38. However, Backstrom IS a PPG player, not sure why the person early on in this thread said he wasn't, no he actually is. .97 for his career, that's a PPG.

If the Caps win another cup within the next three years, this contract is worth every friggin' penny and then some. To have Backy and Ovi walk into the sunset together having won 2 cups. I'd take that over a 1 mill overpayment EVERY FRIGGIN TIME forever.

So while it's an overpay, it's not that much of one factoring in all of the other intangibles and franchise considerations. Backy is an all time cap now, and will forever be etched in cap lore. He's second only to Ovi.

As for Holtby, he was already gone the minute Sammy started outplaying him this year. He was gone anyway before that, but now? He might as well get his bags packed at his house/condo/apartment, because he isn't a cap in July 2020.
Jan. 14, 2020 at 2:02 p.m.
#47
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I'm gonna be in the minority and say it's a good deal. With a new TV deal and the cap implications the CH shouldn't be terrible and Nicky's playstyle is pretty solid for aging well.
Jan. 14, 2020 at 2:55 p.m.
#48
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So we know Holtby is out unless he takes a serious discount...

All attention should be on Ovi and Vrana next year... those contracts define if Washington becomes the next Detroit or not
Jan. 14, 2020 at 2:56 p.m.
#49
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Quoting: GenericUsername489
This contract is incredibly bad. NMC for 3 years so he's guaranteed protection from Seattle too.


honestly do you think they'd expose him in the expansion draft anyways...
Jan. 14, 2020 at 3:08 p.m.
#50
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He is criminally underrated. I'm also in the minority saying it is a good contract. Because he is a guy that is just too important for the franchise. Kuznetsov is not as good as Backstrom in the faceoff departement. Backstrom gives the Capitals a second option for Ovie. As for Holtby, he is inconsistent, and will clearly demand too much money. What happens when you give a goalie Price or Bobrovsky money ? You don't have enough money to give to truly important players. A goalie is for the most part as good as his teammates allow him to be. And the Washington Capitals are clearly a great team and Samsonov will do a good job. They also have Copley in the minors. The franchise revolves around Ovechkin, Kuznetsov, Backstrom and Carlson.
 
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