48 Hours Until Decision Time....What Will P.K. Sign For?

[JVW]

Subban should be taking over for Markov. I think MT played Markov much more than he should have last season. But last season Subban made a few bad decisions with penalties and risks that he will be less likely to make as he matures. Personally, I think Subban should make more than Markov and he will get more than $6 million. But that $5.25 is just a beginning number to give to an arbiter; even Bergevin knows he will be paying Subban much more than that. At this point, I think I would like to see the numbers for Subban's pay NOT to be the same every year. Maybe something like Eller where his 2 RFA years are lower and then much bigger bucks, like $8 million + for his UFA years.

[30ranfordfan]

There is no starting point in arbitration. That's the damning thing about the process. In theory I get what you're saying.... offer 5.25 and then agree on 6.75 (for example) but that's *IF* PK and the Habs reach a deal. The Arbitration is basically PK saying why he's worth 8.5, and the team sitting on another side of the table explaining why he's only worth 5.25. After the arbitrator listens to both arguments, he picks a winner and that's the contract that's handed out. There is no middle ground at that point.

Which is why arbitration is bad news. GM & Coach basically have to rip the player, in front of him and his agent, to force him to sign a contract he thinks is too low.

[habsmtl09]

the numbers that came out are pretty much meaning less. It's just some negociation tactics. Eller was asking for 3.1M, Habs offered 1.6M, but ended up signing at 3.5M. If PK ends up signing a long term it's going to be around 8.5M-9M.

[capt55]

The best D Man( Erik Karlsson) in the NHL makes less than some of the other D Man.

[Fred Bear]

There is no starting point in arbitration. That's the damning thing about the process. In theory I get what you're saying.... offer 5.25 and then agree on 6.75 (for example) but that's *IF* PK and the Habs reach a deal. The Arbitration is basically PK saying why he's worth 8.5, and the team sitting on another side of the table explaining why he's only worth 5.25. After the arbitrator listens to both arguments, he picks a winner and that's the contract that's handed out. There is no middle ground at that point.

Which is why arbitration is bad news. GM & Coach basically have to rip the player, in front of him and his agent, to force him to sign a contract he thinks is too low.

There is middle ground for arbitration. The arbitrator can award any amount he/she feels is warranted. In 2011, Shea Weber asked for $8.5M and the Preds countered with $4.75M. He was awarded $7.5M which, at that time, made him the highest cap hit for an NHL defenseman. This is what the Habs need to consider. Arbitration can award UFA-type money just as easily as it can award RFA-bridge-type money.

The best D Man( Erik Karlsson) in the NHL makes less than some of the other D Man.

Karlsson signed that contract as a follow up to his ELC, too. He's in the same contract year as P.K., but he's made $13M over the last two years (still RFA years) compared to P.K.'s $5.75M. The numbers and the way it's been handled are quite different. Ottawa acknowledge Karlsson and paid him in line with where he is. Montreal pushed P.K. to a bridge-contract and he out-performed it. Now, the Habs are making it look like they want to continue the bridge. It's the same trap Colorado got themselves into with Ryan O'Reilly. If you're willing to play chicken, you have to willing to deal with the consequences...

[capt55]

Subban wants 8.5 Million, Weber is making 14 Million this year, Subban is not the best d-man, or 2nd best etc.

[Priban]

IMO Subban shouldn't make more then the Habs number one star which is Carey Price (6.5 Mil) I see him accepting Bergevin's offer and capt55 Karlsson sure has a great scoring talent but when you average 70 points a year and still have a +/- of -20 doesn't really qualify him as the best

[capt55]

Erik, plays for a team that has less talent than Montreal.

[Fred Bear]

Subban wants 8.5 Million, Weber is making 14 Million this year, Subban is not the best d-man, or 2nd best etc.

IMO Subban shouldn't make more then the Habs number one star which is Carey Price (6.5 Mil) I see him accepting Bergevin's offer and capt55 Karlsson sure has a great scoring talent but when you average 70 points a year and still have a +/- of -20 doesn't really qualify him as the best

Contract and cap hits aren't at all related to star quality... It's supply and demand.

Subban is a defenseman who would be in high demand. Weber was not deemed the best last year as Duncan Keith took home the Norris hardware. Keith made $7.65M salary and $1M bonus while Weber made $14M salary and a $13M bonus - that's more than 3x the income of the 'best' defenseman. Again, salaries reflect supply and demand much more than anything else.

If Montreal tries to keep Subban (or anyone else) below Price, they should honestly be ready for most of the team to move on. Oddly enough, Price signed his current contract after a 2-yr RFA bridge and at the time made him the #1 or #2 highest cap hit goalie in the NHL. Pretty much the same position Subban is in today.

It'll be interesting to see what transpires in the next 12 hrs. Will Bergevin shift his position? Will P.K. continue to hold the line? Good stuff...

[RGM81]

We know this much - they're talking and both sides are eager to get it done. http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=458416

PK just says all the right things in this interview.

I predict that by the time I go to bed tonight the deal is done.