Minnesota Wild sign Niklas Backstrom to 4 year deal
by BReynolds on Mar 3, 2009 11:07 AM CST
26 comments
Just got a text message from my ESPN updates that the Wild have signed Backstrom to a four year deal worth $24 million.
More on this very soon...
The Minnesota Wild have signed star goalie Niklas Backstrom to a $24 million, four-year contract, a source told ESPN.com on Tuesday.
He was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and he had been the subject of numerous trade rumors.
Backstrom, one of the underrated goalies in the league, is 28-18-4, and tied for fourth in the league in wins and goals-against average.
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Also just reported on NHL Live!
The only way to avoid failure, is to learn from it.
by BReynolds on Mar 3, 2009 11:07 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Harding
with Backstrom locked up, could the Wild move Harding now?
Hyphens cause writers more trouble than any other form of punctuation, except perhaps commas.
by David Driscoll-Carignan on Mar 3, 2009 11:11 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
I was just wondering the exact same thing
The only way to avoid failure, is to learn from it.
by BReynolds on Mar 3, 2009 11:14 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Little more Faith
Gives me a little more faith in DR now, but he still needs to go. Actually makes Gabby a little more likely to be moved.
by W1ldfan on Mar 3, 2009 11:14 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
A boy can dream, right?
I think I would take a third round pick for him right now…
Basically took the 6 mill they were paying Gabby and gave it to Backs…
The only way to avoid failure, is to learn from it.
by BReynolds on Mar 3, 2009 11:15 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
So
I’m going to assume this puts Harding on the trading block. Olvecky was placed on waivers too.
by nathaneide on Mar 3, 2009 11:32 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Implications
Colorado could use goaltending badly. I could see them being in the market for Harding. Who else would want a goalie coming into his prime, and would be willing to give him a shot?
It would likely be a developing team, one looking to sell now.
by nathaneide on Mar 3, 2009 11:39 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Hello goaltending stability!
Goodbye cap flexibility!
by Jon Marthaler on Mar 3, 2009 11:39 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Speaking of cap flexibility
They now have none. Unless they move Johnsson or Bergeron, they have no cash at all to bring in help on the blueline or up front.
by nathaneide on Mar 3, 2009 11:42 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Q&A With Tom Lynn on the Backstrom signing
There’s a lot here, but this is what really stood out. Oh, and there seems to be some veiled shots at both Gaborik and Salcer.
The full transcript with Tom Lynn is available.
Q: Were there any ghosts, such as previous players who have come or gone, that played into the process of signing Niklas Backstrom?
Lynn: I guess, for me, a little bit because the best deals we’ve done are the deals we didn’t do. This year in particular we let a couple guys go and replaced them with free agents who have been much more successful than [Pavol] Demitra and [Brian] Roslston have been this year as far as points gleaned.
So, given that, and given a couple other players who have left in the past, it was, like, “It’s always been good to us in the past … Do we really want to do that?”
Having Owen Nolan and Andrew Brunette and Antti Miettinen and Marc-Andre Bergeron and Marek Zidlicky has been just very good for the team.
That was my only nervousness; if we lock in here, are we preventing someone from coming here and making us better?
by nathaneide on Mar 3, 2009 11:45 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Shock and Awe
Suprised they actually nutted up and gave him the cash, but he deserves it as mucha s anybody.
This clearly means other players are on the move. I’m guessing DR’s going to dump as much as he can now to try and shore up a handful of picks for the draft.
by darksaga on Mar 3, 2009 11:51 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Tons of players on waivers
Olevecky for the Wild…
Morrison out in Anaheim… Wild maybe looking to make the move?
The only way to avoid failure, is to learn from it.
by BReynolds on Mar 3, 2009 11:53 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
More to waivers
Reitz and Voros were both placed on waivers by the Rangers.
by nathaneide on Mar 3, 2009 11:59 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
From the Lynn Q&A
Issues of term and the no-trade provisions were the things we worked on for quite some time.
Backs had to insist on an NTC, don’t you think?
The only way to avoid failure, is to learn from it.
by BReynolds on Mar 3, 2009 12:01 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Never mind
Next question answered that…
The only way to avoid failure, is to learn from it.
by BReynolds on Mar 3, 2009 12:02 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Q: What is the no-trade provision, specifically?
Lynn: He has a no-trade for two years and his no-trade continues as long as he’s basically our No. 1 goalie as far as his stats go. So it’s not a high bar. Those were the issues we were working out.
The only way to avoid failure, is to learn from it.
by BReynolds on Mar 3, 2009 12:02 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Cap
Say the Cap stays the same ($54 million)
Right now the Wild have $42 million tied up. Skoula, Bergeron, Foster are UFAs on the blue line. Zidlicky, Johnsson, Schultz, Burns are good to go… need two d to fill the ranks… sign Fozzie, and bring up a guy?
Only two forwards not returning… Gaborik and SRV.
Pouliot, Fritche, Harding are RFAs.
So… 12 million to play with. What do you do?
The only way to avoid failure, is to learn from it.
by BReynolds on Mar 3, 2009 12:15 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
A million for Fozzie, and maybe take a run at a UFA d-man, or bring in Scott @ 500K
Down to 10.5 million
Qualify Harding at a million
9.5 million
Fritche likely gets his million
8.5 million
Have to qualify Pouliot… Wild can hope someone throws an offer sheet at him, and if he is Houston, his cap hit doesn’t count anyways… I’m leaving him OUT
So. 8.5 Million to find a finisher. Am I missing something? I see plenty of Cap flexibility.
The only way to avoid failure, is to learn from it.
by BReynolds on Mar 3, 2009 12:19 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Cap
Right now they’re at $43.6 for 09/10
These players are signed:
Bouchard
Koivu
Nolan
Brunette
Miettinen
Belanger
Sheppard
Gillies
Boogaard
Clutterbuck
Weller
Johnsson
Burns
Schultz
Zidlicky
Backstrom
This leaves them with $11M to pay for a forward, four defensemen and a goalie.
Neither Harding nor Schaefer are signed. They may be able to re-sign one of them, but likely not both, and Brust will take over either in Houston or as the backup here if they move both Harding and Schaefer or let Schaefer walk. Figure $750k for the backup.
Skoula will demand at least $1.5-$2M, and that seems excessive to me. Foster can likely be signed for $1-$1.5. The leaves them with no chance at the blue line, and two more guys to sign for the blueline.
You’re now at under $8M for a forward and two more defensemen. This isn’t going to go well unless they move Johnsson.
by nathaneide on Mar 3, 2009 12:52 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Why do you need 4 more d-men?
With four under contract, you need 2… and hopefully have some confidence in the guys in Houston to fill in for injury. They have iced the same 6 almost all season this year.
they have the Wild at 42.4 at nhlnumbers. Not a huge difference, and likely neither number is perfectly accurate.
The only way to avoid failure, is to learn from it.
by BReynolds on Mar 3, 2009 12:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
My guess is
Harding returns as the back-up, at least for now
I hope they do not give away 2 million to Skoula…
The only way to avoid failure, is to learn from it.
by BReynolds on Mar 3, 2009 12:58 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Well
The 09/10 bonus cushion at nhlnumbers has them at $43.6. And we know Lemaire wants to re-sign Skoula. He made $1.7 last year and $1.9 this year. Is still relatively young, has had his best season in years this year and will likely get a bump.
by nathaneide on Mar 3, 2009 1:25 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Number makes sense with the bonuses...
Can I start praying to the hockey gods that Skoula is not re-signed?
The only way to avoid failure, is to learn from it.
by BReynolds on Mar 3, 2009 1:51 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
There are worse players than Skoula
Based on recent games I’d almost rather take Skoula for $2 mil and find a way to ditch Burns. He’s not the offensive D that JL wants him to be, and he’s screwed up consistently enough in our own zone that he’s hurt us more than helped.
Looking over the salaries at www.nhlnumbers.com I’m actually amazed at the disparity of pay between our players. Clutterbuck at $557k this year is insane to see when guys like Gillies are in at $875k.
To be honest, I’ve never really paid attention to the business side of the team before this year, so I could be completely off base.
by SpaethCo on Mar 3, 2009 6:20 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Pay
The difference in pay reflects the difference in draft position between Cal and Gillies. Cal was a third round pick who spent years working his way up. Gillies is a first round pick, and in any sport that demands higher pay.
Now… Burns may be having an off year, but in no way, shape, or form is he as bad as Skoula.
The only way to avoid failure, is to learn from it.
by BReynolds on Mar 4, 2009 5:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
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