Bobrovsky new contract speculation

[EDI-Flyer]

Interesting article on the Hockey Writers regarding how much and where Sergei Bobrovsky's next contract might be. It ends with the paragraph below, suggesting Bob might cash in to the tune of nearly 4 million dollars. While I think that might be a little on the high side he is certainly due for a good raise.

http://thehockeywriters.com/bobrovsky-pockets-the-vezina-now-what/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheHockeyWriters+%28The+Hockey+Writers%29

Where does this end up? While the KHL threat is credible, you have to believe that a young stud like Bobrovsky would prefer to ply his trade in the NHL. My guess — and it’s only a guess — is that they agree on a two year deal for a total of somewhere between $7.6 and $8.2 million, with an option for the third year. Whether the club or the player holds that option will be the subject of some hard negotiating. Although that is more than Columbus would probably prefer to pay, they have the cap space, and the term would be narrow enough that the “flash in the pan” risk is manageable. They keep their picks and players to use for other areas of need. From Bobrovsky’s perspective, he moves into the upper echelon of NHL goaltenders, with the prospect of really cashing in should his performance remain at the same level, and gets to play against the world’s best. In a league where the average starting goaltender is about 29 years old, Bobrovsky would only be 26 when the next contract is due, and a long career horizon ahead.

Blue Jackets fans are certainly hoping that there are no pigs at the trough.

[yave1964]

As a Buckeye who lives an hour from Nationwide I get to three or four non wings games a year there so I can root for the Jackets. Bob from about the end of the first third of the season on was as good as any goalie I have seen in the last decade. Night in night out the Jackets scored one or two goals a night and he kept them in the games somehow. This guy made hockey relevant and fun in Ohio they need to pay him and lock him up.

[flyercanuck]

If I'm Bob I'm asking for 9 years, $51.1 million.

[flyerrod]

If I'm Bob I'm asking for 9 years, $51.1 million.

He would have stood a better chance of actually being worth it................

[flyercanuck]

@flyerrod

And playing it out.

[OccamsRazor]

And playing it out.

Yeah 10 million dollar man!!

http://en.rsport.ru/hockey/20130623/669811773.html

[jammer2]

@EDI-Flyer Bob made hockey in Columbus revelant for the first time. He was a franchise saver who took his offensively challenged team to the brink of the playoffs in his first year as a starter. Once he gets them into the playoffs, and he will, fans will be lining up for season tickets. He deserves minimum 4 mill a year as a bridge contract....then, based on his skill set, he could become the highest paid goalie in the league. He will deserve every penny. The odds of him becoming a bust are about 1%, and that would be based on some kind of flukey injury scenario. His skill set right now is easily top 5, and he very well could become the very best goalie in the league. Pay the kid and don't think twice.

[EDI-Flyer]

@jammer2 My point was not so much that I don't think Bob is worth the 4 million a year, just that he might not get it from Columbus.

That said, having looked on Capgeek they do seem to be willing to pay for talent (Gaborik at 7.5, Wisniewski at 5.5 etc) so he may succeed in getting the bucks from them. Given his talent they would be wise to lock him up for quite a few years IMO.

As we know to our cost you can have all the other pieces but if you don't have great goal-tending you ain't gonna get too far (actually never mind great, if we had even had mediocre goal-tending in 2010 we would probably have won the damn cup...)

[jammer2]

@EDI-Flyer "My point was not so much that I don't think Bob is worth the 4 million a year, just that he might not get it from Columbus."

Oh I think they pay him. Inevitably you have to give a goalie 4 mill+ when he develops. If not Bob, who else? It would be franchise suicide to not pony up for Bob. The fan base would give up just the management did.