Longest NHL contract I've seen

corporate joe · Post by **corporate joe** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 1:56 pm

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2 ... ml?ref=rss

WOW. 8 years! A sign of the new NHL?

wrenchturner · Post by **wrenchturner** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 3:40 pm

8 years is nothing compared to Rick Dipietro's 15 year contract with the Islanders, last year I think it was.

sky's the limit · Post by **sky's the limit** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 5:43 pm

I can't understand why the Leafs would sign a 33yr old, Jason Blake, to a 5yr deal? The guy's going to be 38 at the end of it.

stl

Dust Devil · Post by **Dust Devil** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 6:13 pm

phtttttt. NHL don't you know it's CFL season. Nothing else matters now

tofo · Post by **tofo** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 6:22 pm

What about Smitty, where's captian Canada going

EI-EIO · Post by **EI-EIO** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 7:26 pm

skysthelimit - it would be weird if the Leafs DIDN'T throw a lot of money at an old guy.

sky's the limit · Post by **sky's the limit** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 7:36 pm

Touche.

Magnanimous · Post by **Magnanimous** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 9:21 pm

Smyth has signed with teh Avs, I'm thinking Sakic is going to surge int oform once again.

TheCheez · Post by **TheCheez** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 9:44 pm

Unless the Avs get a real starting goalie they still wont be contenders. Likewise for St Louis and Philly. Vancouver pretty much proved this every season since Kirk McLean until Roberto Lungo happened. I dont think theres any decent keepers on the FA list, and with so much talent available in forward and D for hire, its unlikely a team with a solid goalie would trade. Gonna make Kipper tough to re-sign anyway.

Rangers could be really great this year though!

corporate joe · Post by **corporate joe** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 5:15 am

wrenchturner wrote:8 years is nothing compared to Rick Dipietro's 15 year contract with the Islanders, last year I think it was.

Your right, completely forgot about that one. Second longest contract is sport's history after Magic Johnson's 25 year contract.

It's still crazy, and it must disapointing for the habs fans.

twotter · Post by **twotter** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 3:55 am

I think if you look into it, Wayne Gretzky had at one time, a 20 year contract when he was with the Oilers.

corporate joe · Post by **corporate joe** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 5:53 am

twotter wrote:I think if you look into it, Wayne Gretzky had at one time, a 20 year contract when he was with the Oilers.

Wayne Gretzky's 21-year contract signed in 1979 was a 'personal services contact,' not a pure playing contract, so it's not the same.

twotter · Post by **twotter** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 5:59 am

While it was actually a 20 year contract, aren't all professional sport contracts personal service contracts?

On Gretzky's 18th birthday, January 26, 1979, Pocklington signed him to a 20-year personal services contract (the longest in hockey history) worth $4-5 million US. Gretzky went on to capture the Lou Kaplan Trophy for rookie of the year, finish third in league scoring (110 points), and help the Oilers to first overall in the league. The Oilers reached the Avco World Trophy finals before losing to the Winnipeg Jets. It was Gretzky's only year in the WHA, as the league folded following the season.

corporate joe · Post by **corporate joe** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 8:52 am

twotter wrote:While it was actually a 20 year contract, aren't all professional sport contracts personal service contracts?

No. A distinction is made between the 2. That being said, who cares, gretzky was just as great of a player.

Glen Quagmire · Post by **Glen Quagmire** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 9:34 am

Yashin signed the infamous 10 year 87.5 million dollar deal with the Islanders in 2001. He just got bought out from it in June due to his hideous play.

twotter · Post by **twotter** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 9:37 am

corporate joe wrote:
twotter wrote:While it was actually a 20 year contract, aren't all professional sport contracts personal service contracts?
No. A distinction is made between the 2. That being said, who cares, gretzky was just as great of a player.

Just curious what the difference is..

Cheers

corporate joe · Post by **corporate joe** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 10:54 am

twotter wrote:
corporate joe wrote:
twotter wrote:While it was actually a 20 year contract, aren't all professional sport contracts personal service contracts?
No. A distinction is made between the 2. That being said, who cares, gretzky was just as great of a player.
Just curious what the difference is..

Cheers

Glen: Yashin! Dang my memory is failing me, I am getting too old, forgot about that dud.

Twotter: from what I understand a personal service contract is exempt of certain terms and conditions of a regular sports contract and vice versa as a personal service contract is not with a professional team. Here's a quote that may help you understand what I am trying to say (poorly)

"Pocklington had a feeling Gretzky was going to be the Oilers' future foundation, and decided to offer Gretzky an unprecedented deal. On January 26, 1979, Gretzky’s 18th birthday, a 21-year personal service contract worth $21-million was signed in front of a large throng at Northlands Coliseum.

For Pocklington, the personal-service deal was a cunning move. He was fully aware that the WHA was in financial trouble, and the only way the Oilers could survive was if the National Hockey League adopted the team. The Racers folding was a harbinger of even tougher times for the league. The fact that Pocklington inherited a personal-service contract and not a traditional player’s deal was key. When the Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, Quebec Nordiques and New England Whalers were green-lighted to join the NHL, all WHA player contracts were waived and the players belonging to the four franchises were put into a draft pool. However, Gretzky's contract was officially with Pocklington, and not just the Oilers, and therefore was exempt from the dispersal. This unique deal guaranteed the most talked-about teenager in sports history would begin his NHL career with the Oilers. "

http://www.oilersheritage.com/history/W ... etzky.html

twotter · Post by **twotter** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 11:15 am

Interesting.. I guess my day is complete cause now I've learned something.. I wonder if you could use this to get around the salary cap these days..