The All-Bargain Team

Jun 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; NHL commissioner Gary Bettman addresses the crowd before the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been over a month since the free agent bonanza began and all the major free agent deals we’ll see have been consummated for several weeks now.  We fans have had a chance to review them, ridicule them, and thank the heavens our team wasn’t the one to sign them for some ungodly amount.  But what about those players on fair contracts?  It seems that we are quick to spew venon at a general manager, but how about a pat on the back for the few times they get something right?

Well, it’s time to pay homage to the best team-friendly deals in the NHL.  Now don’t feel too bad for these guys.  None of them are eating Ramen tonight.  But if any of these guys hit the free agency market tomorrow, you can bet your house they’d sign a deal that easily trumps their current contract.

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Some groundrules before we dive in:

1. We’re focusing on cap hits only (courtesy of capgeek.com).
2. Players on entry-level deals were not considered.  Yes, Nathan MacKinnon‘s cap hit and he are phenomenal.  But he also could only sign for a certain amount with his entry-level deal.  Sorry Nathan.  We’ll check back with  you in three years.
3. The length remaining on a deal is a factor.  If a player has a cheap cap hit now but is a season or two away from tripling his income, they were shoved to the back of the line.  Sorry Christian Ehrhoff.
4. This is about value.  For my money Shea Weber is the best defenseman in the NHL.  However he’s also carrying a cap hit a shade under $8 million.  He is getting paid in line with what  a top defenseman should.

There are plenty of good candidates, but there can only be six.  With those rules out of the way, I present the All-Bargain Team:

Jun 11, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Los Angeles Kings goalie

(32) makes a save against the New York Rangers during the second period in game four of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

Jonathan Quick

We start in net with our highest paid member of the All-Bargain Team.  Quick carries a cap hit of $5,800,000 through 2022/23 which also gives him the longest contract on our squad.  His cap his is significantly less than Tuuka Rask and Pekka Rinne’s, two very good goalies, but not with nearly the accomplishments of Quick.  His pay falls in line with goalies like Kari Lehtonen, Semyon Varlamov, and Mike Smith.  Do I even need to ask who you’d rather have?

Based on production and accomplishments, Quick has a legitimate case to be the highest paid goalie in the league.  He’s put up some eye-popping numbers, especially in 2011/12 where he posted a .929 save percentage and a sub-2 goals against average.  However it’s been his playoff performances that have him atop his craft.  Two Stanley Cups and a Conn Smythe trophy over the last three years has us thanking our lucky stars his contract is well-below market value and can backstop our All-Bargain Team.

Dec 29, 2013; Saint Paul, MN, USA; New York Islanders forward

(91) against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. The Islanders defeated the Wild 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

John Tavares

The Islanders’ captain is signed through the 2017/18 season at a paltry $5,500,000 cap hit.  The 23-year old has already been a Hart Finalist and has seen his game improve each season since his rookie campaign.  He was on pace for his best season statistically before a knee injury at the Olympics knocked him out for the remaining 20 games of the season.  He’s been a 30 goal scorer and a 40 goal season could very well be in play this season as the Islanders brought in additional depth which should help alleviate some of Tavares’ burden of playing against the opposition’s best defense every night.

Tavares’ contract looks even more appealing when you consider that players such as David Bolland, Derick Brassard, and Mike Richards all carry similar cap hits to Tavares.  No doubt Tavares will be in line for a major pay raise in four years, but for now, he and his cap hit are good enough for center duties on the All-Bargain Team.

May 12, 2014; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens left wing

(67) skates with the puck against Boston Bruins left wing

(21) during the third period in the game six of the second round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports

Max Pacioretty

“Patches” just missed hitting the 40-goal plateau this past season where he potted 39 in 73 games.  Fortunately for him at only 25 years old, he’ll have plenty of more chances to eclipse the mark.  He carries a $4,500,000 cap hit through the 2018/19 season which puts him in the same financial ballpark as Alex Burrows and Cody Hodgson.  Of course if you gave any sane person the choice between the three they’d look at you like you had five heads since it’s such a ridiculous question.

He’s already put together a couple of 30+ goals, 60+ point seasons.  On the open market where David Clarkson is receiving over $5 million a season to be pretty awful, Pacioretty is easily a $6 million player.  But for now we’ll happily add him to our wing on the All-Bargain Team.

Mar 28, 2014; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; New York Rangers defenseman

(27) controls the puck against Calgary Flames during the second period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Calgary Flames won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Ryan McDonagh

On defense we turn to what is easily one of the best contracts in the sport (and handed out by Glen Sather amazingly!)  The 25-year old is signed through the 2018/19 season at a $4,700,000 cap hit (or as I like to say, $800,000 less than Dan Girardi).  McDonagh has always been been great in his own end but this season he finally showed signs of becoming a solid offensive defenseman as well.  He added 43 points plus another 17 in the Rangers’ playoff run.  When you see defensemen like Andrew MacDonald and Mark Streit (sorry Philly) signing for $5,000,000 or more per year, it makes you appreciate how great a deal Sather made in signing McDonagh.

Of course none of this could have been possible without Montreal trading McDonagh for Scott Gomez‘s corpse several years ago.  Then again, maybe Montreal just had fantastic foresight knowing it was going to have to hand out a mega-deal to Subban now and didn’t want two similar contracts on their cap sheet.  Yeah, run with that narrative Montreal.  The All-Bargain Team will play along.

Apr 5, 2014; San Jose, CA, USA; Nashville Predators defenseman

(59) controls the puck against the San Jose Sharks during the second period at SAP Center at San Jose. The Nashville Predators defeated the San Jose Sharks 3-0. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Roman Josi

The least known name on the list to the common fans, Nashville Predator and hardcore fans are well-acquainted with this Swiss import.  He’s signed through 2019/20 at a $4,000,000 cap hit and along with Shea Weber, give the Predators a defensive core that can rival anyone else in the game (second-year pro Seth Jones isn’t too shabby either).  He finished fifth overall in the league in average time on ice per game and also contributed 40 points from the blue line.  With his talent there is no reason he can’t increase that offensive total to 50 points in the near future, especially with a new offensive-minded coach in place.

Year in and year out we see mediocre blue-liners sign monster free agent deals.  There’s no doubt that if Josi fell into the free agent market today, he would command in excess of $5,000,000 per season.  He is strong in all facets of the game and would make a heck of an addition to our All-Bargain Team.