Brayden Point Watch

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

 

Nope. No signs yet that Point will sign with the Lightning, however, from what I have been reading the Bolts are confident they can get something done before training camp starts.

A few links:
https://www.tampabay.com/sports/lightning/2019/07/26/why-lightning-fans-dont-need-to-freak-out-about-brayden-point/

 

https://www.rawcharge.com/2019/7/26/8931246/quick-strikes-where-its-still-all-quiet-on-the-brayden-point-front-gritty-toronto-maple-leafs-trade

 

https://www.gohabsgo.com/articles/report-brayden-point-rejected-habs-offer-sheet/

 

One very good thing in the Bolts' favor is that Points seems to WANT to stay in Tampa Bay. 
And why wouldn't he? Not only is it the organization that gave him his chance to be a star player, but it is a winning organization that, despite recent setbacks, still is on track to be a legit Stanley Cup contender for a few years to come.

From what I understand, the locker room is pretty tight knit as well and players all over the league, both current and retired, can probably attest to how important that is not only for a winning culture, but for how much fun a player has "coming to work everyday".

Montreal supposedly made a nice offer to his agent...it was turned down....and Point even seems to understand the situation with the Bolts' cap situation, though he obviously wants to maximize his own earning potential...and rightly so.

Probably why things have taken as long as they have been.

Some things I've seen talked about were bridge deals. A lesser amount than he would like, for a shorter term, to then, afterwards, cash in on a big max term, max dollar contract.
3, 4, or 5 year bridge deals are being talked about. And with Point being only 23, it means that even after a 5 year bridge deal, he would still be in his prime at 28 to sign a big deal either with the Lightning or somewhere else.

And is it a coincidence that the time frame for such a bridge deal goes right with when contracts such as Alex Killorn, Ondrej Palat, or even Tyler Johnson expire (each of those players are making anywhere from 4.5M to 5.2M each)? Hmmmm…….

Will post things regarding Brayden Point on this thread as they become available.
Other posters, are of course, more than welcome to add stuff as they hear them (links would be nice) or simply comment on the Point negotiations, how long a contract he ultimately gets and whether he stays on after a bridge deal (if that is the case).

Edited August 10, 2019 by TropicalFruitGirl26

[ruxpin]

@TropicalFruitGirl26

 

I find it really interesting that several days later, no one has responded to this. Interesting because the media has treated this similarly. 

 

You have to figure he'll resign and is waiting on Marner, so probably not until the season starts. 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

23 minutes ago, ruxpin said:

@TropicalFruitGirl26

 

I find it really interesting that several days later, no one has responded to this. Interesting because the media has treated this similarly. 

 

You have to figure he'll resign and is waiting on Marner, so probably not until the season starts. 

 

Well, to be fair, this topic doesn't have much information to talk about.
The Bolts and Point's camp are really keeping things close to the vest, if you will...and I am actually ok with that.

No drama to be found, at least, not yet, because the Bolts want to keep Point, Point wants to stay, and by turning down an offer sheet already, that pretty much kills any speculation that some other team may swoop in and snatch him.

Really, the only thing that is a story at the moment is, how much and for how long.
Because, unlike say a player like Mitch Marner, once Point signs, even if its a bridge deal, TB should have no problem deciding later on whether they will give him his mega contract or trade him away....we are talking 3-5 years down the road....all depending on what their cap situation looks like.

And like I mentioned already, a few players will be coming off the books in that time frame if indeed it is that.

Crazy thing is, even if the Bolts were to somehow lose Point, they actually have a couple players in the minors who could come right in in probably one or two more years' time and play just as well.
Team, however, is BETTER with Point on it, than if he isn't...and those young up n comers are just that: young up n comers, with not an NHL game to their name yet.

But, back to a bridge deal...precedents have already been set for that with the Lightning: Stamkos, Johnson, Palat, Hedman, and most recently, Vasilevskiy.
All "bridged" before getting their big money paydays, so the Bolts' credibility looks good for it and if Point wants to remain on the team, playing for a Cup every year, knowing full well that the team WILL pay if it fits in their cap, then I expect he will be signed and ready to go come training camp.

[sweetshot]

On 8/9/2019 at 2:17 PM, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

 

Nope. No signs yet that Point will sign with the Lightning, however, from what I have been reading the Bolts are confident they can get something done before training camp starts.

A few links:
https://www.tampabay.com/sports/lightning/2019/07/26/why-lightning-fans-dont-need-to-freak-out-about-brayden-point/

 

https://www.rawcharge.com/2019/7/26/8931246/quick-strikes-where-its-still-all-quiet-on-the-brayden-point-front-gritty-toronto-maple-leafs-trade

 

https://www.gohabsgo.com/articles/report-brayden-point-rejected-habs-offer-sheet/

 

One very good thing in the Bolts' favor is that Points seems to WANT to stay in Tampa Bay. 
And why wouldn't he? Not only is it the organization that gave him his chance to be a star player, but it is a winning organization that, despite recent setbacks, still is on track to be a legit Stanley Cup contender for a few years to come.

From what I understand, the locker room is pretty tight knit as well and players all over the league, both current and retired, can probably attest to how important that is not only for a winning culture, but for how much fun a player has "coming to work everyday".

Montreal supposedly made a nice offer to his agent...it was turned down....and Point even seems to understand the situation with the Bolts' cap situation, though he obviously wants to maximize his own earning potential...and rightly so.

Probably why things have taken as long as they have been.

Some things I've seen talked about were bridge deals. A lesser amount than he would like, for a shorter term, to then, afterwards, cash in on a big max term, max dollar contract.
3, 4, or 5 year bridge deals are being talked about. And with Point being only 23, it means that even after a 5 year bridge deal, he would still be in his prime at 28 to sign a big deal either with the Lightning or somewhere else.

And is it a coincidence that the time frame for such a bridge deal goes right with when contracts such as Alex Killorn, Ondrej Palat, or even Tyler Johnson expire (each of those players are making anywhere from 4.5M to 5.2M each)? Hmmmm…….

Will post things regarding Brayden Point on this thread as they become available.
Other posters, are of course, more than welcome to add stuff as they hear them (links would be nice) or simply comment on the Point negotiations, how long a contract he ultimately gets and whether he stays on after a bridge deal (if that is the case).

The weather ain't bad either...

[mojo1917]

The Mitch Marner / Brayden Point watch and the lesser RFA drama McAvoy/Provorov/Werenski...is akin to watching paint dry.

 

Some needs to pooh, or get off the pot, fish or cut bait...i don't care pick your metaphor.

People need to start acting like they A: want to play hockey in the NHL for the team that drafted them B: tell that team to eat worms if A is not true #3:Teams need to act like they want to have these players they've drafted and developed actually play for them in the NHL...this whole waiting game blows. 

(#3 is for any Mr Mom fans out there) - it is a go to especially in big meeting where everyone is really serious, it helps to break the mood a little especially if what is being discussed is tedium that effects "not much". 

this isn't that scene, but it is still pretty funny.

 

[Podein25]

17 minutes ago, mojo1917 said:

The Mitch Marner / Brayden Point watch and the lesser RFA drama McAvoy/Provorov/Werenski...is akin to watching paint dry.

 

Some needs to pooh, or get off the pot, fish or cut bait...i don't care pick your metaphor.

People need to start acting like they A: want to play hockey in the NHL for the team that drafted them B: tell that team to eat worms if A is not true #3:Teams need to act like they want to have these players they've drafted and developed actually play for them in the NHL...this whole waiting game blows. 

(#3 is for any Mr Mom fans out there) - it is a go to especially in big meeting where everyone is really serious, it helps to break the mood a little especially if what is being discussed is tedium that effects "not much". 

this isn't that scene, but it is still pretty funny.

 

 

I love that scene, especially the ending. I use the "220/221, whatever it takes," line all the time. 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

10 hours ago, sweetshot said:

The weather ain't bad either...

 

Hey...whatever a team has at their disposal to get a player to stay....should be fair game to use! 

Tax free state? SC contending team? First rate ownership and management teams?
Non Toronto-style media circus market?
Beaches, golf, auto raceways, and Disneyland where the coldest you'd ever have to worry about in the winter is maybe 45-50 F?? Check, check, check, check, and check. 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

@mojo1917

I hear ya...not having a lot of news is a bit dull for us fans, but in the long run, if it means ownership and players are making the best possible decisions regarding what player they are keeping and the salary involved, then so be it.

 

I suspect there are different reasons why all these RFAs have remained unsigned to this point....no two cases are the same.
Because I've been naturally following the Lightning's situation the closest, I understand that contracts are being moved around behind the scenes in order to ensure the Bolts don't need to waive anyone or otherwise cause roster issues once the season starts.

Probably why we saw Adam Erne moved for a 4th rounder and why the club is looking to try and move Louie Domingue and get something, even if it's another 4th or a 5th rounder in return.
The money is there for Point now, no doubt...then of course, is the bridge or not to bridge, and for how much, though I would imagine with precedents being set with other players taking less than market value to remain, the amount part shouldn't be all that hard to come to an agreement on.

Marner? McAvoy? Werenski? Completely different cases....Marner is probably wanting the same uber amounts others on the team got (hard for Toronto to do because they are a cap ceiling team like the Lightning...BUT, players aren't taking discounts to stay there)...and clubs or even the players, regarding McAvoy and WSki, are trying to decided whether they are going to be kept long term, or in the case of Werenski, are the Jackets going to remain competitive, and would he want to be part of a long term rebuild, etc, etc.

 

Good news is, players and teams don't have much time left to decide.
Training camps start very soon, and while I am not sure where the other clubs are with their RFA's regarding how close they are in agreements, TB management has said repeatedly that Point will be signed and ready to go by the beginning of training camp.
They've been good on their word in the past, so I have confidence they will get this done, whether bridge form or long term form, before the Bolts need to focus on pure hockey.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

**Update...errrr, sort of... **

Found this from thehockeynews:
https://thehockeynews.com/news/article/lightning-and-their-star-are-not-close-to-contract-but-all-signs-point-to-a-bridge-deal

 

Apparently, the Bolts and Point are hung up on whether to go bridge or full on deal.
Point's agent indicates the two sides are still not close, but dialogue continues to go on.

To be honest, I thought Point would sign before guys like Marner, McAvoy, Boeser, etc...given that all the talk about him turning down offer sheets and wanting to stay on with the Lightning was pretty prevalent in the hockey media.

Not sure which side could be labeled as "unreasonable" here (if there is such a thing in this particular case), but if the Lightning are offering Brayden Point a bridge deal (the article seems to think it is in the 5.7M range AAV for three years), it wouldn't be out of character for them to do so, seeing as how guys like Stamkos, Kucherov, Johnson, Palat, and Vasilevskiy ALL took similar short term deals before ultimately getting the big paycheck.

Tampa Bay GM Julien Brisbois says its about managing the cap while trying to stay fair, and should Point take the three year bridge, more cap will open up for a bigger payday after some other salaries come off the books.

Point, meanwhile, is understandably trying to get the best possible deal for himself, as NOTHING in life is guaranteed.
I mean, he could take a bridge deal, get seriously injured during that time, and never see the light of day on a full, market value contract on his services.

Still though, I hope these guys can reach some sort of compromise. Point simply cannot lose anymore time NOT being on the ice. 
Ultimately it hurts him more than it does the club.

I think the bridge deal is a good way to go for both sides...maybe Brisbois can up the AAV just a bit (maybe an even 6M AAV?), giving Point an extra 900K while he plays on for his huge payday...and let's face it, 5.5M-6M annually is NOTHING to sneeze at...especially considering that Point was living off an actual salary of less than 1M annually since he started playing for the big club.

Get something done already guys!

[brelic]

10 minutes ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

especially considering that Point was living off an actual salary of less than 1M annually since he started playing for the big club

 

I don't know how he managed, really.

 

[ruxpin]

So @TropicalFruitGirl26

 

If you had Point in fantasy, what do you do as far as keeper?   That's my current dilemma. 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

16 minutes ago, brelic said:

 

I don't know how he managed, really.

 

 

Seriously.
Us regular little people living off normal salaries can't POSSIBLY fathom the HELL that is living with a paltry $900K annual salary 

[brelic]

1 minute ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

 

Seriously.
Us regular little people living off normal salaries can't POSSIBLY fathom the HELL that is living with a paltry $900K annual salary 

 

At least he's not paying tax.... otherwise, he'd be living paycheque to paycheque!

 

 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

9 minutes ago, ruxpin said:

So @TropicalFruitGirl26

 

If you had Point in fantasy, what do you do as far as keeper?   That's my current dilemma. 

 

Easy answer would be to NOT hang onto him as a keeper...but you know, as soon as you drop him back to the draft pool, someone will pick him up faster than you can say "Fenton traded Nino and Granlund one for one for garbage returns", and even if he starts out slowly (either with the Lightning or *gasp* someone else he is traded to because his agent and the club can't come to a deal), he will do well, and you will kick yourself later.

Bottom line...keep him. I would. Even if I weren't a "homer" here.
I'd do the same if it were Marner, Boeser, or any of those other high ceiling guys who held out.

[Mad Dog]

The Bolts need to sign him.  There's gotta be a way to reach some common ground.  The guy is a generational talent.  You don't mess with that.  

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

FINALLY.... the Point has been made...
Brayden signs a 3 yr/ 6.75 AAV "bridge deal" (that's a hell of a bridge though!) to remain with the Tampa Bay Lightning

From NHL.com
https://www.nhl.com/lightning/news/tampa-bay-lightning-re-sign-forward-brayden-point-to-three-year-contract/c-309399624

 

Of course, all is not good news....
Point is still recovering from hip surgery he had in the Spring, and so won't actually be ready for game action till late October the team is speculating.

Not a huge deal, IMO, seeing as how the schedule is rather sparse to start October (and I wonder if the Bolts knew this all along and why they waited till the very last possible time frame to finalize and publish this news)….however, not having training camp, then starting his season right when most players have started to shake off Summer rust, well, THAT could be problematic.

Wouldn't be surprised if he starts off slowly.
Fortunately, he is too good to stay "slow" for very long AND the Bolts are still quite deep...they can hide his early season deficiencies pretty well (I can see Cirelli being moved up to 2C , or Tyler Johnson moved back to C if need be), while Point sorts himself out.