JVR Signs Extension

It's been a while since I posted anything, as I declined to post on topics such as Bryzgalov's goalie mask (which apparently upset some people, link), or dwell on why Nik Zherdev finds himself out of the NHL again.  Anyway, JVR's new contract extension is at least worthy of acknowledgment.

With a $4.25x6 year contract, JVR is under contract with the Flyers for the next 7 seasons, until he is 29 years old.  There are a few noteworthy details to all this.

First, many Flyers fans immediately noticed that he will be getting more than Claude Giroux, who resigned last year for $3.75x3.  Undoubtedly, Giroux had accomplished more in the NHL at the time of signing, and is more important to the Flyers right now.  There are two big reasons why this is the case.  The first is that the NHL free agent market blew up this offseason.  The cost of players jumped significantly, and that's just a fact.  Second, Giroux will be getting a big raise in 2 years at the age of 26.  As a result of this mid-20s RFA contract for Giroux, Giroux will be paid more than JVR for years 4-7 of the JVR's contractual period.  By signing a 6 year deal, JVR was forsaking the possibility of getting a raise as a mid-20s RFA.

Putting the Giroux comparison aside, it is also noteworthy that the Flyers made a pretty big commitment to JVR.  Six year contracts are no small thing, and it's not exactly a bargain basement cap hit either.  All this for a player with a career high of 40 points.  Obviously this deal is all about potential, and the Flyers are making a fairly large bet that JVR will begin to look more like the player who scored 7 goals in 11 playoff games, and had one of the best single-game individual performances by a Flyer in memory in game 2 versus the Bruins.  That player is a 40 goal scorer.  It would be unfair to expect JVR to jump from 21 goals to 40 based on 2 weeks in the playoffs last year, but 30+ will be the expectation next year, and 35-45/year should be the expectation for most of this contractual period.

The last item of note is making a very early preview the Flyers cap situation in the 2012-13 season.  The long and short of that is, presuming a modest rise in the salary cap, the Flyers will have around $12m to re-sign or otherwise fill the roster slots of Carle, Coburn and Jagr.