Blog - Internet Agents baffled by Hartnell's extension

[Irishjim]

http://www.csnphilly.com/pages/video?PID=nvbhr8lzy1gv7mwtp4MenASy1d_JzzUZ

Not everyone is happy with Scott Hartnell’s new six-year, $28.5 million contract extension.

Some agents feel he sold himself well short of pending free agency after the 2012-13 season.

“Everyone is asking what the [bleep] he just did,” said one agent.

Hartnell’s cap hit will rise slightly from $4.2 million to $4.75 million in 2013-14. He obviously took less money now for a long-term guarantee. Under the present CBA, all contracts are guaranteed.

He also got a limited no-movement clause, which is no small matter for any player in his late 30s, which he will be at the end of this deal.

Yet he could have gotten at least $5.5 million and likely more in free agency next summer with a decent year.

As a player rep, who is part of the negotiating committee on the next CBA, you can imagine his fellow members of the NHLPA probably aren’t too happy, either.

However, from Hartnell’s point of view, what he did was trade dollars for years. His contract is guaranteed. He has six years after this year. He will be 37 when his new deal ends.

Would any team give him that kind of length next summer, knowing his biggest year came as he turned 30? Probably not and Hartnell knew that.

He took less money for job security. And who knows what the next CBA will bring in terms of guaranteed contracts.

“I don’t think my value would have changed that much in a year,” Hartnell said when asked about the early signing. “I’d be another year older.

“If you look at this deal, it’s basically a seven-year deal. I still have one year left on my [current] contract. I think I got a lot of years left, a lot left in the tank.”

He credited Jaromir Jagr’s tireless work ethic -- an intangible the Flyers also could not replace this summer in free agency -- for pushing him to be a better player. Hartnell finished with a personal best of 37 goals.

“I give Jaromir Jagr a lot of credit for my success last year,” Hartnell said. “Just being focused more on hockey. Getting upstairs in the gym. Being prepared for practice ... I was more in-tune and focused practicing with him than I have ever been in my career.

“I’m going to take a lot of what I learned last year and obviously, the success that we had last year and continue that going forward.”

E-mail Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcast.net

[Podein25]

He took less money to stay a Flyer, likely for the rest of his career. Agents can go screw themselves. They don't speak for players, they speak for themselves. Hundreds of players would kill to be "accpeting less" and be a Flyer.

What a joke.

[Phlyer1]

Six years and a no movement clause sounds like a good deal to me. He insured good money for probably the rest of his career/

[Polaris922]

Agents are upset their 10% of more turned into 10% of less is all... selfish bastages

[flyercanuck]

Sure he could have got more per year, but not at that length. Good deal for both sides.

[OccamsRazor]

Six years and a no movement clause sounds like a good deal to me. He insured good money for probably the rest of his career/

Couldn't imagine what it would be like walking around on my job knowing no matter what i do and/or don't do...

...THEY CAN'T FIRE ME....

...it would turn to this....

....YYYYYYYYEEEEEEAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edit: It's hot as BALLS in here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited August 21, 2012 by OccamsRazor

[Bertmega]

This was a smart move by Holmgren.

Next seasons crop of forwards that are UFA's (Perry, Getzlaf, Ribeiro, Clowe, etc) will drive the price up beyond belief for Hartnell. Sure some unnamed agents are pissed (I think it is more like Timmy P making a story), but at the end of the day both sides are happy.

I don't like the length of the contract, but that is the name of the game if ask me.

[canoli]

Sure some unnamed agents are pissed (I think it is more like Timmy P making a story)

jeez...really, wtf? - what agents, who?

here's the complete text of tim's story including the usual 3 sources for confirmation (yeahright)

“Everyone is asking what the [bleep] he just did,” said one agent.

\\ man that's some crack reporting there tim. nice job. //

[murraycraven]

Timmy P is the bigggest douchebag that covers hockey in Philly. Before Mike Richards left for the west coast I wish he would have pounded a few knuckles in the side of Timmy's thick head. The guy truly tries to create controversy and is a pimple on the ass of hockey coverage.

sorry... cant stand him

[Spinorama]

$4.75 mil for 6 years = $28.5 total

$5.50 mil for 5 years = $27.5 total

well, that may amount to less per year, but as you can see, if he held out for the $5.5 listed in the OP, he really doesn't stand to make "more" money, just more per year but at the end of the deal he'd end up with less. And that's just for 1 season less than the current deal. I'm not seeing how he screwed himself with this deal.

if that 5.5 was 5.75 at the same length then we're talking about a quarter mil more than the deal he signed. If he'd be able to get even more than that, would have have gotten the length? $6mil for 4 years is only $24 mil and 6.5 is only good for 26, so it's still less overall than he'd get with this deal. This way he gets more money overall, gets to stay a Flyer until he's 37 and doesn't hinder the team in terms of cap hit. Everybody wins. What's the problem again?

[DinahMoeHumm]

As weird as it is for me to say this, I totally side with Hartnell here. I mean, the guy takes the opportunity to guarantee his future *and* show some team loyalty. A win-win for everyone involved. Frankly, I wish more players operated along these lines. Hats off to him.

[orange_crush]

He took less money to stay a Flyer, likely for the rest of his career. Agents can go screw themselves. They don't speak for players, they speak for themselves. Hundreds of players would kill to be "accpeting less" and be a Flyer.

What a joke.

not to mention Hartnell has already made a ton of money playing for the Flyers...the guy financially is set..glad he's staying a Flyer..

[flyerrod]

not to mention Hartnell has already made a ton of money playing for the Flyers...the guy financially is set..glad he's staying a Flyer..

WOOHOO!!! Another positive post from the OC!!! Congrats, I was not sure you had it in you....

[orange_crush]

WOOHOO!!! Another positive post from the OC!!! Congrats, I was not sure you had it in you....

I tell it like it is ....when you haven't won a cup in 37 years obviously there's not going to be alot of optimism...

[AbelMorpheus]

I'm so happy he re-signed. He's turning into one of my favorite players. He's a character guy. I'm all about the logo on the front not the name on the back thing, but it's still cool to have some individual identities to personalize a team. Giroux is the fire, Pronger would have been our monster and Harts is our Jester. He just seems like a cool guy. I appreciate his loyalty and determination. All that stuff goes a long way in my book.

[jammer2]

@AbelMorpheus There was a time 3 or 4 years ago I wanted Harts gone BADLY....now, I can't imagine the team without him. Ditto for Danny boy.

[HockeyFan]

It's amazing how much Hartnell has "grown into" his role as a Philly athlete. Thing is, has his personality changed that much? Sure, his work ethic (and results) have certainly improved. However, he managed to do something few other athletes here have done. So many could not/would not handle the taunts that were leveled at him, yet he turned it into a rally cry of sorts and backed it up with charity. It's easy to root for a guy that knows who he is and runs with it, then to suffer at the altar of ego.

Oh, and when was the last time a NHLPA rep got a 6-year deal from the Flyers during a CBA year?

[Vanflyer]

He took less money to stay a Flyer, likely for the rest of his career. Agents can go screw themselves. They don't speak for players, they speak for themselves. Hundreds of players would kill to be "accpeting less" and be a Flyer.

What a joke.

Agreed. Pinochio. pFFT.