This is an insane contract to be offering a 3rd year player....Now I know he is playing great and it looks like he is the real deal, but 12 years...???


http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=225091&hubname=

12 year and still a big yearly cap hit(5.75). I dont get this deal at all. Unless they think he will be a player that commands 8 mill a year down the road. Even though he is probally a 3.5 player right now at best. Nothing Philly does ussually makes sence though.

I think it's pretty foolish too, but I guess that's why I'm not an NHL GM.

I know Mike Richards is an excellent two way player, but let's be honest, Michael Peca was an excellent two-way player for a few years too. I can't find the wisdom in dealing out that long of a contract to a 3rd year guy who just broke the 100 point mark for his *career*.

The Flyers aren't even basing that $5+ million per year on the past two years (where he put up a grand total of 66 points in 138 games), they're basing it on 28 games this year where he's just over a PPG player. I mean geez, we're talking about a guy who never even cracked 90 points in junior hockey here...

Dumb move, IMO.

Brings up a point about the big negative about the CBA. With UFA age becoming so low teams are having to make big money decsions on guys in there early 20's based mainly projections. Sure there are some cant misses like Crosby and Ovechkin but there are gonna be some big busts aswell. If this trend continues one big long term signing that doesnt work out will handicap a team for many years. This 12 year BS is really stupid. Maybe next CBA they can get max lengths in there. Just look at all the young guys getting locked up in the last couple months.

I agree, I mean in our Alternative Hockey League the max you can sign a player is 5 years...maybe instead of our league trying to emulate the NHL they should take a page out of our rulebook!

Long live the Alt.HL!!!

Swacker Dave

I still can't get past the part where Paul Holmgren thinks there will be a single moment over the course of Mike Richards career where he'll be worth $8.4 million per season.

Pavel Datsyuk won't see that number over the course of his 6 year deal, nor will Ilya Kovalchuk or Jason Spezza. Hell, Daniel Alfredsson is pwning almost the entire league this year and he's making barely over half that number, and his salary actually goes *down* after next season to less than half of Richards' salary.

Put it a different way - Mike Richards will make more base salary in the 2012-2013 season than Sidney Crosby will.

I'm still shaking my head...can't stop.

Also Richards isnt even in the top 2 on his team...Briere and Gagne are better players...

How soon before we see a $100 million contract...I bet Ovechkin is salivating now...He might get a 12 year $100 million contract