[Moogs]

You almost NEVER hear stories like this in other major professional sports, yet it's been fairly common in hockey over the last year or so as the new CBA loomed and teams tried to deal with rising salaries.

Flames goaltender Roman Turek has taken one for the team. According to the Calgary Herald, the Flames back-up goalie has restructured his contract in a move that could save the Flames as much as $3 to $4 million next season.* The restructured three-year deal reportedly has a low base salary with bonus clauses for appearances, wins and team accomplishments.* Turek had two years remaining on his original deal that would have paid him nearly $10-million. * The money saved will provide some much needed financial flexibility for the Flames who are looking to re-sign star winger Jarome Iginla and starting goalie Mikka Kiprusoff. "I want to win a Stanley Cup in Calgary," Turek told the Herald. "This will make it possible to do that and to remain in a city that my family and I love."

Once again demonstrating that most professional hockey players value the team and the ultimate goal of winning a Cup above their own financial goals.

:smokey:

[SKMDC]

it happens in football, but it's usually done by releasing the player, and resigning him for less! and not with the player's permission! contracts in football usually aren't worth the paper they are written on.

in baseball (and probably) basketball, the players union would have to approve any restructuring of contracts, and almost never oblige. remember a-rod last winter?

[Kickaha]

OTOH, the Canes just dumped our goalie Weekes.

Not traded, dumped.

There goes that goalie stable we had... :P

[Moogs]

That's all right, you can trade one of your offensive prospects to the Rangers for Dan Blackburn and give him a real shot.

[murbot]

Actually, Turek is the fucking MAN. Dude gives a ton of money away, sponsors a section in the Saddledome where he lets kids who couldn't otherwise afford it to go to games, does lots in the community... and now this.

After Sutter rode him pretty hard about his play this year, it's a little surprising, but not a total shock. Thumb up for sure.

(still good money for watching 95% of the season from the bench, though )

[Moogs]

Well he will be next year, unless Kipper has a meltdown. Who knows, he may get about 15 or 20 starts to keep him fresh. BTW bastard, good to see you back. I have added a chat icon just for you, you brute.

[pscates2.0]

Another Reason...

I didn't know there were even others in existence?



yes, I'm ducking...

[Moogs]

INFIDEL!!!¡¡¡

You will be receiving a visit from Mr. Bertuzzi in the near future, you NASCAR lovin, Chat'nooga choo-choo ridin', pork-rind eatin bastard!

[pscates2.0]

One out of three were correct.

I don't ride them trains and ain't never had me no pork rinds. But I do gotta 'fess up on the first one though. Vrroooom...

[Kickaha]

Them's fightin' words.

You know, there's only one other group of guys that likes speed, grease, and rubber...

[pscates2.0]

Hockey groupies?

[Kickaha]

I said guys, not chicks.

See? Gender identification problems already.

[Moogs]

[pscates2.0]

Yes, groupie can ONLY mean chick...

[Eugene]

Um Moogs, this happens in every other major league, and frequently.

The local examples...
JT Snow did it with the Giants last year.
Jeff Garcia 'almost' did it with the 49ers, but he wasn't willing to go bottom of the barrel like the owners wanted him too.

Lots of players defer their salaries for an entire year as well

[Moogs]

Yah yah sure... all the time. Players at key positions in other sports are constantly taking 50% or greater pay cuts (which is very different than a deferral).

Though the exact terms aren't known, Turek was set to make around $10M over the next two years (*because* of a deferral I think), and he has basically allowed them to cut that in half if not more than half in order to allow other players to be signed. He is not asking them to pay the other half at the end of his new contract.

I suspect in other sports the motive is not so other players can - in effect - use what would've been one's own salary, and thus stay on the team. Also, in other sports (football in particular) players are pretty much forced to do this as was noted earlier.




Scates: we still respect you even though you're a NASCAR groupie.

[Kickaha]

No we don't.

My brother is a mechanic on a Winston Cup crew. I know These People... and they are scaaaaaaaaaary. Luckily, they're also easy to taunt.

[Eugene]

Originally Posted by Moogs Yah yah sure... all the time. Players at key positions in other sports are constantly taking 50% or greater pay cuts (which is very different than a deferral).

Back to the local example. I would consider Snow to be a key player since he's probably the defensive first baseman in the entire MLB.

I suspect in other sports the motive is not so other players can - in effect - use what would've been one's own salary, and thus stay on the team. Also, in other sports (football in particular) players are pretty much forced to do this as was noted earlier.

Why do you suspect it? Even in the case of Payton and Malone, their goal was to win the championship for themselves, but invariably the other members of the team benefit, don't they?

In Snow's case, he wanted to stay in the bay area so his kids wouldn't have to move. He wanted the Giants to be able to field a competitive team while also dropping $15M from the payroll.

In ARod's case, he was happy to take the paycut to move to Boston. The union stepped in but only because he's the most valuable player in the game. And because it was in the midst of a trade, they didn't want one team to get more value out of it than the other. It looks like he'll get 30 steals, 40 HR, 100R and 100 RBI this year.

I think this continued elevation of professional ice hockey (particularly the NHL) above other sports is silly.

[Moogs]

That's because you just just don't understand the greatness and inner-workings of the game. I think Murbot, Kick and I are going to have to round some of you non-believers up and go the World Cup of Hockey later this Summer. Resistance is futile.