It’s hard to go anywhere around town these days without being asked about the possibility of the Calgary Flames signing hockey legend Jaromir Jagr. The fit from the Flames side is pretty obvious: he’s the second-leading scorer in the history of the National Hockey League, he’s a right wing, and he can play with talented players (such as Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau, for example).
But given that Sam Bennett has yet to sign a new contract, the big question regarding Jagr’s financial fit in the Flames’ plans lies in how they can cram him under the cap.
The answer lies in two simple words: performance bonuses.
Let’s just say that Jaromir Jagr would like to make about $3.5 million next season. The Flames have roughly $7.1 million in cap space, but still need to re-sign Bennett and fill three depth roster spots. Cap space is tight and the Flames probably want to keep some wiggle room for injuries and mid-season moves.
Here’s where bonuses factor in.
Jagr’s 45 years of age under the CBA. Because he’s older than 35, he falls under different contractual signing rules that allow him to make performance bonuses as long as he’s signed to a one-year deal. Consequently, he’s signed six consecutive one-year deals with all but one featuring performance bonuses. The logic behind the instrument is pretty sound: what if your team signs an old player and he sucks? Thus, a lot of older players sign deals with low base salaries and performance incentives to hedge their bets. If the player performs well, they get their money and the club breathes a sigh of relief. If they underperform, the team doesn’t take a gigantic kick in the wallet.
Let’s just say the Flames are comfortable paying Jagr around $3.75 million next season. Conceivably the Flames could give Jagr a $1 million base salary and $2.75 million in escalating performance bonuses tied to markers like games played, goals, points or the team’s playoff performance. Teams can go over the salary cap by up to 7.5 per cent of the cap – $5.625 million this season – as long as that overage is all performance bonuses.
The only players likely to spend significant time on the NHL roster who would qualify for performance bonuses would be Matthew Tkachuk, Mark Jankowski and Spencer Foo. As long as the team structured Jagr’s prospective bonuses so that they, combined with the entry-level bonuses, wouldn’t be more than $5.625 million, they’d probably be fine with spending over the cap this season. (The downside of this approach is that any bonus overage from this season would eat into next year’s cap, so this is why teams don’t usually rely on bonuses to balance the books for a season.)
We’ll have a better sense of Jagr’s financial fit once Bennett, Brett Kulak and Tyler Wotherspoon are all signed, but a bonus-heavy deal could be the way for the Flames to have their Jagr and their cap space, too.
Does Brouwer know that Flames fans despise him…?
WW
yes and it wont help his confidence by continually bashing him on every platform possible. Also, learn how to use an ellipsis correctly
Learn how to end a sentence with a period (or 3…).
WW
We don’t despise him, Walter, we just despise how does and doesn’t do his job, alternately.
It’s a small distinction, to be sure, but he’s an actual person, too…
(And I call ’em three dots, dammit…)
Dawt, Dawt, dawt
Wow grammar lessons on a hockey blog. Who’d thunk?
Ellipses can refer to a character or narrator trailing off…
Taken from Grammar Dictionary..
It’s not often I agree with WW. In fact this may be the1st time. If you give me $4.5 M non refundable dollars and I “wet the bed” you are welcome to bash me as much as you like. It won’t hurt my rich feelings one iota..
But Walter knows his periods!
Yup and I think he’s having one too! Oops did I say that?!
Is anyone else wondering and the hell is this team up against the cap? Usually teams that are up against the cap have at least 1-2 star players and an all star goaltender. Yes the defence is pretty good but up against the cap?!?!?!
Is Bennett thinking the remaining 6 mill in space should be all his?
Smith, Brouwer, Stajan and Stone are the bad contracts. Close to $17 million players that should be making no more than $12 million collectively. There’s also $1.7 million in buyouts. Roughly $7 million-ish that could go towards a really good winger
How is Stone a bad contract, on most teams he would #4 dman and he is making 3.5 million, value deal.
The $4.25 for starting goaltender is normal as well.
@theoforever
How is stone a 4 dman? Explain this to us.
4 million for a guy who is -44 in his last 4 seasons with barely any points. So he can’t defend and doesn’t put up points. Ok good call, sign him for 4 million then. Treburke logic.
-44 stone lol
“Everyone in the NHL says stone is a #4 d man… Let me guess that’s the same “everyone” that’s says mcdavid is not as good as Gaudreau LOL
Someone is pulling your leg Theo
Everyone in NHL says Stone is #4. Stone is a plus player in Calgary playing #4 position and at 3×3.5$ million a good value, easily better and cheaper than Russell(4×4 million per).
Playing for horrific Arizona team lowered his +/-, you should understand that as for example 2 time Stanley Cup winner Schultz, was AHL replacement level while playing for truly horrific and pathetic Oiler team.
It is sad how many careers Coilers have ruined, that dumpster should have bee relegated to ECHL, soccer style.
First you destroy the draft by tanking, then you ruin 2nd contracts, by giving 6×6 to young players that never live up to those. Then you finish off the contracts by giving 8×8.5$ million to a kid with one good season riding the cocktails of McDonkey.
Thanks a lot coilers, we are going to have a lockout because of Chia and trinity of suck.
math is not a strong point with you, is it?
How is Mark Fayne a 3.625 d-man playing for Bakersfield?
Agree with this assessment.
…and the troll is back….We do have star players, Johnny, Monney and 3 top dmen everyone of them would be your best defender. The bad contracts Stajan/Brouwer. The team is not against the cap, there is 18 teams with less cap space.
Bennett, Kulak, Spoon need to be signed and it is over 7 million, and Flames want some cap room, but don’t let the facts hit you………..
I am talking about real superstars. Toews, Crosby, getzlaf, Kane, Draisaitl, Karlsson, mcdavid etc
Not Gaudreau, mony, nuge, ebs stars. That is a different level. Teams that have real superstars and a real number goalie do not carry a losing streak in other buildings for almost 15 years( jan 19, 2004 to be exact). Also if Gaudreau and mony are supposed to be the super star leaders then how can they allow a sweep by the oilers and the ducks last year. Some leadership Gaudreau exemplifies- holds out on his team and missed training camp so he can get his money… 12 months later goes on the record and says he can’t wait to play in philly one day. Something you would never hear a superstar say especially the names I mentioned in my first paragraph.
Draisaitl? Buwahaha. How is he any more of a star than Gaudreau? Oh right, he put up one season with comparable numbers to Gaudreau. To be clear; EDM has one elite player and guys paid like they are elite.
Then you obviously never watched Draisaitl last year, especially in the playoffs when teams put all there focus on shutting down mcdavid, Drai was the who stepped up and put up super star numbers.
@theoforever
Johnny is outplaying mcdavid ????
Time to take your meds lol
Outplaying mcdavid ???? Lol that little guy that doesn’t go in corners and hasn’t beat a guy 1 on 1 since his rookie year!!!! Ohhhhhh kayyyyyyy
@theoforever
Mcdavid never got an even strength assist? That’s all you got left.
Connor mcdavid 2017 playoff stats:
5 goals, 4 assists, 9 points
Johnny Gaudreau 2017 playoff stats:
0 goals, 2 assists, 2 points
This is getting too easy. You keep setting them up… I’ll keep knockin em down.
Britney had 2 high scoring games in the playoffs, invisible in a few too, shades of Gagner,
How come mickyD has 0 even strength points in the playoffs? He has so far been completely outplayed by little Johnny. Perhaps, mickyD is too soft to lead a team in the playoffs.
Good thing Talbot stood on this head, because by stats oilers were outplayed by Sharks and Ducks.
McDonkey never even got a lousy assist in the playoffs at even strength.
That’s worse than RNH and Eberle, perhaps you traded the wrong guy, coiler bad.
Yeah keep dreaming how well you are doing, because you are getting your ass kicked at every turn: JG 15GP – 11pts, 0.73pts per game
CM 13GP – 9pts, 0.69 pts per game
And guess what mickyD still has no even strength points!!!!!!!!
that’s pretty sad……..
You said stars originally, now you create a new category and mysteriously add drysaddle there.
yeah, Britney a real superstar after riding cocktails of McDonkey for a year.
One good season and Chia overpays, next year Oilers will lose bunch of players because of the cap, and since you have virtually 0 prospect of value outside the possible bust in Pulju, you will be screwed big time.
The Johnny philly comment means nothing and you were already told that multiple times.
Flames swept your asses multiple times nobody made a big deal out of it.
You are pretty upbeat for a guy whose team is about to burst its bubble, Oiler regression in about a month.
Oilers are going to pound the Flames again this year. Flames will struggle mightily to put the puck in the net no doubt. Only question now is…. Who will be the first scapegoat. Lack or Smith.
Mcdavid is a man on a mission. Draisaitl and him for the next decade is going to be fun fun fun fun!!! Let the season start already!!!
Can’t believe you are actually trying to say Gaudreau outplayed McDavid at anytime during the last year. If you actually watch hockey then you would see that Draisaitl is a legit player.many many games last year where it was Draisaitl pushing the play and not Connor.
Yes, let the season begin, regression for oilers is inevitable, it will be fan to watch everyone wandering what when wrong.
You and your team should know something about pounding, you have been worn like a hand puppet for the decade of suck………
On a positive note, you will get a chance at drafting another golden ping pong ball, because with #26th rated defense in NHL, you are going to have draft parties by December.
@ Train, I’m responding to his trolling. He put Drysaddle in superstar category and Johnny in Ebsy category, complete nonsense. What I said was that in the playoffs, Johnny has more pts per game than mickyD, which is true and that CM has no even strength points either. CM is #2 player in the world, but Drysaddle is not in top 20 forwards, he could be one day, but he isn’t right now.
@Mr. J
It took you four number one picks-or was it five?-to get a superstar and the coaching graveyard you call a team made the playoffs once in 11 years.
Stop trolling.
@bring the fire
Funny thang about that decade of darkness m…. Oilers still have more playoff series wins lol hahahaha
Flames decades of darkness continue
@theoforever
Actually we do.. Since the 2004 lockout the oilers have won 4 playoff series.
The flames have won 1 LOL
Thought you were good with numbers?
@theoforever
That doesn’t even make sense lol two can play at that game then. Let’s just compare each organizations existence based on facts/math.
Calgary Flames much like a teabag are only good for 1 cup.
Edmonton Oilers have 5 cups 🙂
@off the wall
EAT ME lol
actually you don’t
Actually, you cannot count!!!!!!!
Read the post I was replaying to, you made an error forgetting our playoff series win 2 years ago. So, you moved the goalposts.
So, if you can count 2006 run then we can count 2004, and you still don’t have the series wins.
You are transparent.
You are the one moving goalposts, stop with the lies.
Leafs got more and nobody cares either because it has been so long ago that nobody is alive to remember.
Mr J if you flip your J looks like L …as in loser. Nuff said , go play elsewhere thumb sucker!
Clownshoes.
Adding Draisaitl to your list of superstars just shows how hockey stupid you are
I would hope the vast majority of Flame fans are not as apparently ignorant as you when to comes to recognizing the young superstars that are emerging in the NHL . If they have already become a superstar even for one year you should expect most will get even better as a natural progression . You , the eternal pessimist , seem to imply they will get worse . Having said so , how could you possibly recognize a superstar even on your own squad ? I doubt that you could in reality . Eichel , Matthews , Laine , McDavid, Draisaitl and even perhaps Pasternak I see only brighter futures for all of them . You should show more class and hockey knowledge if you have some .
@madjam
I don’t usually get into these spats, but you generally seem to at least come here with valid hockey comments, so let me point out one objective fact here. The argument originally went “the Flames have no superstars like McDavid or Draisaitl”. I can agree with McDavid. The issue I have here is that the comment is essentially saying “Gaudreau is not a ‘superstar’ like Draisaitl”. Look at their career points per game numbers, their even strength scoring, their best seasons. Everything favours Gaudreau–granted, it’s not a huge gulf, but it exists. So, essentially, the argument is being made that Draisaitl has some intrinsic quality that makes him better than Gaudreau despite evidence to the contrary. Now, before other Oilers’ fans jump down my throat here saying “size”, and “toughness”, and “centre is a more difficult position”, and “playoff points”, I’ll grant you those as facts, but not as facts that hold a ton of water in this conversation as to tangibly place Draisaitl in a (“superstar”) tier above Gaudreau (whom I imagine “only” inhabits a “good player” tier). And before the responses that “they do”, understand that there are reasonable arguments against each one of them as a basis for the hierarchy created.
The reason I bring this up is because you’re arguing “hockey knowledge” and team bias, while at the same time seemingly rejecting the intellectually honest analysis of the actual argument at hand. Yes, there are many people on this board who reject McDavid’s success out of (what I can only imagine is) pure spite–and I completely disagree with that. I think everyone can agree that McDavid is a true superstar in every sense of the word (verging on, if not already in the “best player in the world” conversation). The “Draisaitl is a superstar, but Gaudreau isn’t” absolutely stinks of moving the goalposts though.
[As a final digression here, I’m not sure Gaudreau is a “superstar”–whatever that actually means (the efficacy of that term is entirely based on the person using it). I do know he’s a damn good hockey player. I also don’t buy the argument that “‘x’ number of ‘superstars’ is necessary to be a ‘true contender'”–which appears to be the intended reason for this discussion in the first place.]
@Mr. J
Go look at my post on ON and ask yourself what kind of person you want to be.
It’s really old, now. Please stop.
“What kind of person do I want to be?” LOL
Are you really that bothered?
You must be related to Gaudreau… Very soft
Nice post on ON BTF… but then again you’re a classy guy.
I really don’t understand the thrills other fans get by being a total jerk.
I honestly don’t mind someone adding value to the conversation even if they’re not Flames fans.
Just keep to the topic and remember you’re a visitor.
It’s common sense
You called nuge and ebs stars, a 43 point bust and guy traded for Strome in the same sentence as our star players. Absolutely delusional, after that everything you say is meaningless.
Nuge had 43 points last year and played primarily the whole season in a shutdown role never being matched up with McDavid or other top players on his team. If nuge gets to play some top minutes he should be closer to 55 -60 points again.
He was terrible as a shutdown guy, and he is no Johnny or Money.
RNH is a salary dump next year anyway.
This is the problem with having Impatient Brian Burke at the helm. He will shaft a prospect who has waited his turn to play if Burke thinks a 45yr old HOFamer is considering playing for his team.
Tre is the GM and makes decisions. You should worry about the trinity of suck whispering sweet nothings into Katz’s ear behind Chia’s back.
Tre is what you call Burkies
Hand puppet. Everyone knows this.
I honestly don’t care whos in charge. Its working exceptionally well!
Denial has kicked in theo. Vancouver was a horrible team and was no surprise you beat them. Got mercied in the next round and last year i won’t even speak of that embarrassment… how many wins again? 0… I repeat 0 !!! Something to be real proud of lol burke is working his magic on you fans the way he did Vancouver and Toronto… ask them how that worked out. He’s already selfishly depleted all of your draft picks on average players… LET THE SEASON BEGIN BWAHAHAHAHAHA
He won the cup with Ducks, build Vancouver into power house.
Sharks had all their top players on one leg, you were outplayed, Talbot had to stand on his head.
We outplayed the Ducks, Eliott sucked and that’s the difference.
It is working great, 4 years of rebuild and we made the playoffs twice, painless really.
Some teams take 11 years and draft 1st about 4 times, just to make the playoffs once and regress again, like the Oilers.
“Trinity of suck” .
That’s GOLD, Jerry!!! GOLD!!!
Thanks. 🙂
Wont somebody think of the children (aka our prospects)?
What’s sad and scary, is even at 45 he’d still be the best player on the team
No, pls no.
I couldn’t care less about whether we can do this and stay under the cap. What would be stupid and wrong about signing him is that it would take away a spot from prospects that we have carefully developed as part of the rebuild process. It does not fit with the rebuild concept this organization embraced when we made the key decisions to trade Iggy, Bouwmeester etc. Thus it would be a step backward, not a step forward, for this organization. Please no.
Jagr is one of my all time favourites, but I’m in the pass camp. If this were an older team in which this was the one last opportunity we had, I’d try to bring him in.
That, however, is not the case. This is a young team with a multi-season window that is just opening and viable prospects trying to knock down the door. Bringing in Jagr makes no sense to me if it were to mean that we shut down the door on a prospect potentially earning top nine minutes and building on that experience in the following years.
That being said, I’d take Jagr over Chiasson the sequel or as an end of year acquisition if it were apparent that we had a real chance to go deep this year.
I’d prefer a Poirier feel good story out of camp.
I feel a signing of Jagr would signal that the Flames “missed out” or don’t want to give up the assets for a true #1 RW.
If this truly is our “window”, let’s cut this aging vet nonsense and figure out what exactly we have in the pipeline by giving the kids a chance to succeed if they earn it. If they don’t, welp, I’d be fine with dangling them as trade bait.
Also [email protected] being considered a Super Star and mentioning him in the same sentence as: Toews, Crosby, Getzlaf, Kane and Karlsson. He’s only mentioned in the same breath as McDavid because of all the points he managed to chisel enroute to his 8.5mill mind boggling contract.
Man, I don’t know about signing Jagr, but if you’re talking about a cup window opening in one breath and giving “chances” to players where we don’t have organizational depth in the next…I think there should be a hard cap on; “We should wait and see about half the season in if anyone can cut it” .
What if none of them do? What’s a bigger risk, betting on someone like Jagr for 30 points or Poirier for 30 points?
I honestly don’t know, but I’ve come to the conclusion we should sign someone at right wing, or trade.
I just don’t know if it’s Jagr or someone else like a JVR. But we need another NHLer on the right wing, like, yesterday.
If it is, in fact, our window, which I think it is.
Just read this from Darren Haynes… interesting stuff!
http://www.flamesfrom80feet.ca/2017/08/jaromir-jagr-dont-ask-why-only-why-not.html
Thanks OTW was just going to recommend that. It’s a good read and the reason why Treliving is looking for additional help on the right side is because of depth. If Frolik goes down, we become very vulnerable on the right side. Jagr provides a lot more than just points and for the record Puck, $3 -4 million is the going rate for a proven, consistent 46pt player in the NHL. Lastly, Mr J, you’re either just trying to get people fired up around here or you truly are an idiot in regards to knowing hockey
I wouldn’t be upset if we signed Jagr. But I would look at a line up of Gaudreau/Monahan/Ferland, Janko/Backlund/Frolik,
Tkachuk/Bennett/Jagr, Versteeg/Stajan/Brouwer Lazar/? alternating in the lineup.
Looks good Kevin, let’s pencil that in for the season!
Oiler trolls will disappear after the season begins…Mike Smith and the Flames shutout the oil in Deadmonton 3-0!
At the end of the day I just don’t think it’s good business to reach the cap before the season begins. I’d feel more comfortable if we had some wiggle room at the trade deadline.
Also, if Ferland plays on the first line and gets time on the power play, a 50+ point season is not an unreasonable expectation.
Wherever Jagr lands… Ferland will score more goals, as our #1 RW.
Move on, from Jagr. Let’s see what Jankowski, Shinkaruk, Poirier, Hathaway, “Freddie”, Klimchuk, Lomberg and Mangiapane can do for us. Why are we so desperate for Jagr?
If it were Jagr over Chiasson, last season… I’m on board. And Jagr will get his 35-40 points… But he’s an outsider here. Let’s reward the kids on the farm who prove they belong in the NHL.
The question is….does Treliving gamble on hoping a 45 year old star still has his mojo, or does he gamble on one of Lazar/Poirier/Klimchuk/Foo/Shinkaruk emerging to be more than replacement level over the next couple years?
We want to win now.
So torn on this one. Seeing Jagr in the bottom six would be great. Knowing it helps with injury insurance just in case. And he’s still a solid player that would be better than internal options. But at the same time all the talk about the kids has got me excited and I want to see one of them in the Flames threads this season. Personally I think Lazar will finish the season getting more ice time than he is going to start with.
$4M for a 3rd liner who had 16 goals and 30 assists last season?
Pass…
Aww Puck, don’t be like that.
46 points if my math is correct?
Who on the team playing RW can even get that? Maybe Ferland, if he sticks to 1st line rotation.
Even Frolik managed 44 points with Byng on his wing.
Agreed, Im not on the Jager hype train and think we would be better off without him
Fair enough.
Who would you suggest playing RW with Bennett?
Versteeg- Bennett- ?
That can put up points and still drive possession.. please don’t say Brouwer?!
Good call, I could live with that!
Cheers
Chucky/Sam/Steeger
Agreed . Prefer to see Canucks sign him to play with the Sedin twins . The geriactric line would be close to 120 years . Wonder if geritol is a banned substance ?
Give the kids a chance. If Jagr will take a PTO that would be ideal, but he almost certainly won’t. Our prospects need a chance to prove themselves.
I think the only way this should realistically happen is if Brouwer gets moved. And that’s near impossible.
Whythefutdoiwannajagrthatsgotnofutnwheels? – Mickey O’Neil
Who do you think would be more likely to put up a 50 point season and who do you think would be more likely to have a 20 goal season…Jagr or one of our prospects? I’d have to say neither so why bother with Jagr at all?
My money all $5 worth is on Jagr.
No one else on the RW roster can make 50 points, and I’m really hoping Ferland does!
Besides anyone playing 3rd line minutes like Jagr would, makes that plateau a difficult one to obtain..
Off topic but seeing a picture today of Smith in his Flames gear no mask today. Guy looks intimidating to say the least. Cannot wait for the season any longer.
Brower is a pro and if he can’t take deserved criticism he should retire. Our Calgary Flames team is not a day care centre.
Rick Dhaliwal @DhaliwalSports 2h2 hours ago
Svoboda on Jagr future “I am working around the clock and will get something done.”
Rick Dhaliwal @DhaliwalSports 2h2 hours ago
Jaromir Jagr agent Petr Svoboda told me “no comment” regarding Calgary rumours about Jagr.
Reply Retweet
*posted 10:39 AM – 24 Aug 2017
Rick Dhaliwal
@DhaliwalSports
Anchor at NEWS 1130 Sports
Vancouver
news1130.com
Joined April 2011
Seems legit. He broke the Andreas Athanasiou Considering KHL Offer
What the hel* is wrong with you man?!
Take your trolling racist as* somewhere else.. *#%***
I’d respond with more, but I’m having a problem processing all that stupid at once.
Another class act looking for attention…pathetic
No one of consequence.
Who was it?
I missed the entire thing.
Looks like our troll got the boot!
Thanks Moderators!!!
Yup apologies for the tantrum!