The Ryan O'Reilly Contract: potential for future in-fighting in the NHLPA?

[JR Ewing]

His contract:

http://www.generalfanager.com/players/588

 

That's right: an AAV of $7.5 with all but $1M being paid as a signing bonus each season. If these sorts of deals starting becoming the next big thing, this could spell future trouble for the NHLPA, imo.

 

The $10M bonus he'll get this summer counts towards the player's share of hockey related income, but none of it is put into the escrow fund: only the $1M remaining on this season's pay will go there. If more and more of these deals are signed (and who wouldn't love to have a massive pile of money dumped into their bank account every year?) becomes all the rage, the players who don't sign those contracts (non-star players) will see their contribution to escrow go up. In essence, the 1% members of the NHLPA won't pay their share, while the rest of the working stiff class players get even more of their money clawed back from them.

 

There's no way this would go over well with the other players.

 

 

 

[flyercanuck]

@JR Ewing

 

I agree with your point...and Holy Smokes!!! $7.5 Million for R O'R??? WTF Buffalo?

[idahophilly]

That could become an issue... 

[idahophilly]

Speaking strictly about the 7.5 million and as a Flyer's fan, I'm getting worried about what Voracek is gonna want... 

[JR Ewing]

@JR Ewing

 

I agree with your point...and Holy Smokes!!! $7.5 Million for R O'R??? WTF Buffalo?

 

I think he's a hell of a hockey player. Posts really nice offensive numbers while being ahead of the game defensively. That said, he'll probably be Buffalo's 3rd line centre before he's very far into this deal, and that cap hit is one hell of a number for a guy in that position.

 

EDIT - the other thing about the cap hit: part of the reason it's so high is because the Avs were just never willing to lock him up long term. He's just hitting his peak years, and this will already be his 4th contract. The Avs were silly enough to let Calgary set their price for them, and then they played hardball and wound up with only another two-year deal after that. It's their own doing.

[flyercanuck]

@JR Ewing

 

Exactly. You've got Eichel AND Reinhart likely coming up this year...of course they're on ELCs. Then again, nobody seems too worried about trading for these godawful contracts anymore.... 

 

O'Reillys a very good 2 way player, but that just seems like a bit much.

[JR Ewing]

@JR Ewing

 

Exactly. You've got Eichel AND Reinhart likely coming up this year...of course they're on ELCs. Then again, nobody seems too worried about trading for these godawful contracts anymore.... 

 

O'Reillys a very good 2 way player, but that just seems like a bit much.

 

That contract probably isn't tradeable until 2020, when the signing bonus is a "mere" $5M.

 

Until then:

2017 - $10M

2018 - $8M

2019 - $7.5M

 

Buffalo won't want to pay him that money and then hand him over to play for another team for $1M or less (depending when in the season a trade would occur), and nobody will want to trade for him before July 1, because now they would be on the hook for the bonus. It seems like the Sabres will have him around for quite awhile.

[radoran]

Don't worry, the owners will lock the players out until the players refuse to allow the owners to offer these sorts of contracts.

[RJ8812]

lolz....love when small market teams dish out these contracts, then complain about them a few years later 

[DaGreatGazoo]

This was posted on twitter today:  

 

Contrary to certain reports, NHL players do indeed pay escrow on bonuses. #RyanOReilly