This New Era

You could look at the situations of veteran defencemen Wade Redden and Sheldon Souray and regard one or both as spectacular falls from graces.

Four years ago, Redden was a Canadian Olympian. Souray was seen as a unique offensive force with his awesome shot, a 26-goal shooter, and a very popular member of the Montreal Canadiens.

And today both are essentially homeless. Well, as homeless as millionaires many times over can possibly be.

A decline in the 33-year-old Redden's play hastened his departure from the New York Rangers, or at least from the Ranger payroll. Souray's game might be similar to what it was in recent years, but injury problems and voicing his displeasure with Oiler management made him persona non grata.

The $23 million and the four years Redden has left on his contract might mean, rather incredibly, that his NHL career is over. For the 34-year-old Souray, there appear to be takers, possibly on re-entry waivers, with Columbus the most frequently mentioned destination and the Rangers always a possibiity when you're talking big-salaried players wanting out of Edmonton.

And wouldn't that be interesting to see the Rangers dump Redden only to be the team that adds Souray?

If there's a common ground in both cases, it's that salary, and the salary cap system, has imprisoned both players, although it may be temporary in Souray's case.

If this is 2002, one of the wealthy teams would be adding these players. Maybe it would be the Leafs adding Souray, or Chicago adding Redden, or whatever. At one time, St. Louis was a haven for big-salaried vets. Back then, these teams could spend to the moon and it didn't matter. Now, even if they liked the players, none could possibly take Redden and his full $6.5 million salary or Souray and his full $5.4 million figure because of what it would force them to do with other players.

Once 30-something players with enormous salaries could find a home, particularly under the old system where teams could absorb some of a player's salary as part of a trade. Now, it's an easier play for the blueline-challenged Anaheim Ducks to see if 18-year-old Cam Fowler can play in the NHL than to take a shot at Redden or Souray. 

 

 

Comments

[Capt. Obvious]

This doesn't strike me as a bad thing.

Sure makes me wonder what was going through the head of Lou Lamoriello though.

[John]

Damien, I can't tell if you think this is a good or bad thing... your opinion is usually so clear, but not this time.

[Jamie]

Damien, Would players like Redden and Souray ever renegotiate a contract in order to be an everyday player in the NHL? Do you forsee any new CBA agreement for situations like this. Obv NHL teams have to be punished for LT signing of overrated players but is it fair to essentially end their careers? Same with Jeff Finger, Im sure if he was paid $2M he would have an NHL spo somewhere... you can't blame him for taking $3.5M. Would these guys ever take a pay cut, I mean even being paid $2M to play hockey isnt a bad deal for anyone.

[Chad]

"salary, and the salary cap system, have imprisoned both players"??? Are you for real Damien??
you mean Souray's selfish attitude had nothing to do with it? or Redden perhaps trying to play some actual HOCKEY for a change!!?
try earning the salary your being paid, and not just taking it for granted! these guys shot themselves in the foot. plain and simple!

[B. M.]

Not sure how you feel Damian, but the NHL is losing some of it's personality by shedding older, but still capable players due to the cap.
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Will we ever see the Mike Keane, Claude Lemieux, & Gary Roberts type veterans grinding their way through the playoffs again, battle-scars & all? Now everybody is fresh-faced, with visors (I know, I know) & almost ubiquitous.
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We're relegating salary's (relative cap hit) to the minors now. Unfortunately, NHL capable players are attached to it. The league is younger, but just doesn't seem to have the personality & different characters it once did.
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Ahh, who knows. Maybe I'm just getting old.....

[James Jack]

I have to laugh at the fate of Wade Redden. Remember when Ottawa had to "choose" who to keep between Chara and Redden and they chose Redden? What a joke that was. Looked good on the Sens then and looks good on the Rangers now. I think Souray would help us BTW.

[Robert]

To age and to slow down is not to fall from grace. Both these players were signed to large long term contracts which the managers should have realized would probably extend past their prime. $6.5 million (all dollars US) for playing in the AHL is what you get in high end markets like New York where they pitch the big contracts to buy players and trash them when they lose their ability to compete. As for Souray, he has years left, if he would just play the game and keep his mouth shut, he could be of use to a team like Atlanta.

[bill d]

There is a new climate with contracts in the NHL. This past off-season, you could feel that GMs were unwilling to sign players to long term expensive contracts, with the exception being Kovalchuk. Teams walked away from arbitrators awards and let their players walk, such as Neimi and MacArthur because the players weren't worth that kind of money. If anything, the salary cap implications are working as it should. GMs are going to be mindful of overspending lest they sewer the team's future until those crazy contracts expire.