Wednesday, April 16, 2008

How Much Did the Oilers "Overpay" for Souray?


According to Robin Brownlee:

ARTICLE


Did Lowe overpay when he signed Sheldon Souray to a five-year contract for $27 million? Definitely — by as much as $1 million a season over any other offer, according to my sources.

This seems to be consistent with Souray's quote last summer:

“When Edmonton came into (talks), I honestly couldn’t believe that they’d be serious about spending that much money on a guy like me. It was a no-brainer. Everything was too good.

“It took me two minutes to say yes. I told my agent, ‘Have the papers faxed to sign before they change their mind.’ ”

Lowe must have really liked Souray or wanted a big-name UFA signed at all costs.

Or, he just has some terrible negotiation skills.

12 comments:

jdrevenge said...

I don't really think it's time to start thinking about how much the Oilers overpaid. We're going to need to see Souray play a full season to make the call. If he rounds out into some sort of half 20+ goal scorer and even +/- player he could end up being worth money. It is a time for patience next year will tell a lot of stories. No real sense in making that sort of prediction after seeing the guy play 26 games in a new system, city and team.

LittleFury said...

According to your link:

(On July 2) the Canadiens offered Souray a four-year deal commonly reported to be worth $22 million, numbers he says “are close.”

That's a $5.5M cap hit, which is actually higher than what he signed for here.

I don't think the overpay comes in terms of dollars alone. It's dollars plus length plus the NMC.

Mrs Gertrude Inkpen said...

I don't really think it's time to start thinking about how much the Oilers overpaid.

Too late
I started thinking about that last July.
Mid-July.

LittleFury said...

If he rounds out into some sort of half 20+ goal scorer and even +/- player he could end up being worth money.

Yeah, young players, especially d-men, need time to develop. What's that? He'll be 32 in October? Oh. Fuck.

PDO said...

Souray?

We overpaid him by 2 years, an NMC, and about $2,500,000 a year.

OilersNation said...

I also believe your post is likeable!

And I know I'm inviting your scorn by saying so, but if Pitkanen didn't bring his A-game this season because of injuries and whatever else, can't the same by said for Souray? Just axin'

DJ Spin Cycle

LittleFury said...

And I know I'm inviting your scorn by saying so, but if Pitkanen didn't bring his A-game this season because of injuries and whatever else, can't the same by said for Souray? Just axin'

Souray: not an elite player.
Pitkanen: potential elite player.

OilersNation said...

in my mind, "potentially an elite player" = "not an elite player."

Don't get me wrong, i'm not crazy about Souray either. And I thinking I'm completely missing something that all the other bloggers see in Pitkanen. But I just thought I'd throw it out there anyhow.

DJSC

jdrevenge said...

Littlefury.........

not saying that he needs time to develop the guy went from being a reliable defensive dman to a 20 + goal scorer. If he finds the middle then it'll be fine. Round out not develop.

DaHoosman said...

A couple things here: Souray was the last bastion of Cal Nichols. I think the EIG made it apparent that Lowe HAD to sign Souray at all costs. The signing goes against everything the Oilers did this year and it included a NMC, something that Lowe doesn't really believe in.

After the Ryan Smyth trade, the EIG wanted a local son as well as a prize free agent so that the public wouldn't be so whole-heartedly behind the Katz offers. When it didn't come to fruition and Katz upped the bid, it was over.

They needed public money for the new arena, and weren't going to get it with the public sentiment. It turns out they weren't going to get it anyway. Souray was maybe the first, but the last time the EIG meddled in the player personnel side of the Oilers

DaHoosman said...

One more note: Spin Cycle, I loved your stuff at Stolli's. You were money. Once you left, so did I, and the place has gone down hill.

Are you still spinning?

LittleFury said...

DJSC: You don't see the difference between a player on the start of his career curve versus one whose development has likely peaked?