One of the major hurdles coming out of the last CBA that owners looked to rectify was long term, back diving player contracts which effectively circumvented and in some ways cheated the supposed design of that agreement (see: Ilya Kovalchuk, Roberto Luongo, Rick DePietro, and Marian Hossa's contracts). Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly stated in a December press conference following a week's worth of what then was promising negotiations turned sour that term limits would be "the hill we will die on."
Today Travis Zajac became the first beneficiary of a max deal allowable under the new agreement as New Jersey Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello announced that the club had signed the forward to an 8 year deal which will pay him $46 million. The 8 year term is the longest allowable being that the team re-signed it's own player. That number may seem a bit steep for a player who has never tallied more than 25 goals or has yet to reach even the 70 point mark ( the 2009-'10 campaign saw him reach career highs with 25 goals and 67 points), but the club seems to want to invest in his potential and keep him as a core member for the foreseeable future. Former Devils captain and fellow country man Zach Parise departed for big money and the chance to play in his home state when he signed with Minnesota for big money prior to the lockout this past summer.
Zajac's deal breaks down as follows:
Year 1: $3.5 million
Year 2: $5 million
Years 3-6: $6.5 million
Years 7-8: $5.75 million
His cap hit for each of those seasons is $5.75 million.
Today Travis Zajac became the first beneficiary of a max deal allowable under the new agreement as New Jersey Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello announced that the club had signed the forward to an 8 year deal which will pay him $46 million. The 8 year term is the longest allowable being that the team re-signed it's own player. That number may seem a bit steep for a player who has never tallied more than 25 goals or has yet to reach even the 70 point mark ( the 2009-'10 campaign saw him reach career highs with 25 goals and 67 points), but the club seems to want to invest in his potential and keep him as a core member for the foreseeable future. Former Devils captain and fellow country man Zach Parise departed for big money and the chance to play in his home state when he signed with Minnesota for big money prior to the lockout this past summer.
Zajac's deal breaks down as follows:
Year 1: $3.5 million
Year 2: $5 million
Years 3-6: $6.5 million
Years 7-8: $5.75 million
His cap hit for each of those seasons is $5.75 million.
Truncated training camps opened early sunday morning with little time to prepare for the 48 game shortened sprint of a season which is set to open this saturday the 19th. All thirty teams will be in action on opening day. Full schedule can be found here.
Let the games begin!
For USA hockey fans and players alike, if you couldn't stay up to catch the 4 AM eastern start time, there could be no better way to wake up this morning. The United States arose victorious over the rivals from the north in the semifinal game of this year's World Junior Championships by the score of 5-1. Canada came out flat and the U.S. ran all over them early and often. Jake McCabe opened the scoring at 7:18 on a quick shot through a screen of disorganized Canadian defenders and buzzing American attackers. McCabe would add a second, again through a screen not long after with 3:58 remaining in the opening frame.
Continuing the American surge just 3 minutes into period 2, John Guadreau would net a 3rd tally for the boys in blue with a quick shot on a 2 on 1 break. A fourth goal from Jim Vesey would chase Canadian netminder Malcom Subban from the cage with just over 7 minutes remaining in the middle frame in favor of backup Jordan Binnington. Subban had faced just 16 shots.
Confusion surrounded the only Canadian tally of the tilt, as a whistle was blown on a loose puck off a rebound which was put in by Ty Rattie early in the 3rd. The mark was allowed to stand, but it would be the only to get behind American goaltender John Gibson, who stood on his head throughout facing 34 shots. USA put it away later on another goal by Guadreau.
Coach Phil Housley remarked post game, "we got the start we wanted scoring the all important first goal, we wanted to dictate the pace of the game early and we were able to do that and then it carried into the second period. We're going to enjoy this win tonight and then start thinking about the gold medal game tomorrow."
USA will play for World Junior gold in Ufa, Russia against Sweden this Saturday 8am Eastern time.
