The Average Gatsby wrote: ↑29 Jul 2026 10:00 am
Hopefully he writes Leo a thank you note.
Pretty sure he was going to make whatever he wanted regardless of what Carlsson got paid.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence he’s getting paid slightly more to make him the highest paid player in the league.
The max contract Celebrini could have taken in 2027-2028 was $22.7 million per year (20% of cap). That was the starting point. Just mattered how much of a discount he wanted to give the Sharks.
18.8 M a year. There is no such thing as a discount. He got top dollar. Highest paid player in the league. He gave no discount.
He just turned 20 last month. He's already one of the best players in the league. He will be the face of the NHL. He could have gotten $22.7 million per year if he wanted. He gave a 17% discount.
Are Crosby and Overchkin the only ones that have ever really gotten the max amounts?
I don't believe that Crosby has ever taken the max amount. Believe he has always given the Pens a discount.
I didn't think Crosby did, but I couldn't remember exactly what the cap was when he extended. I'm pretty sure Ovi did.
Ovi has never gotten a max contract. The highest cap % he ever signed at was 16.82%. Brad Richards is to my knowledge the last player who signed a contract over 17%... until Carlsson's 17.31%.
None of the recent stars like Mackinnon, McDavid, Matthews, et. al have gone that high. Crosby didn't. Even Celebrini's new deal will actually start at 16.6% of the cap next year. It's more money than Carlsson, but with the cap rising it will be a lower percentage.
Folks keep talking about max contracts like they're a thing, but it would be largely unprecedented since the very start of the salary cap when the actual raw dollars were way, way lower.
The Average Gatsby wrote: ↑29 Jul 2026 10:00 am
Hopefully he writes Leo a thank you note.
Pretty sure he was going to make whatever he wanted regardless of what Carlsson got paid.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence he’s getting paid slightly more to make him the highest paid player in the league.
The max contract Celebrini could have taken in 2027-2028 was $22.7 million per year (20% of cap). That was the starting point. Just mattered how much of a discount he wanted to give the Sharks.
18.8 M a year. There is no such thing as a discount. He got top dollar. Highest paid player in the league. He gave no discount.
He just turned 20 last month. He's already one of the best players in the league. He will be the face of the NHL. He could have gotten $22.7 million per year if he wanted. He gave a 17% discount.
Are Crosby and Overchkin the only ones that have ever really gotten the max amounts?
I don't believe that Crosby has ever taken the max amount. Believe he has always given the Pens a discount.
I didn't think Crosby did, but I couldn't remember exactly what the cap was when he extended. I'm pretty sure Ovi did.
Ovi has never gotten a max contract. The highest cap % he ever signed at was 16.82%. Brad Richards is to my knowledge the last player who signed a contract over 17%... until Carlsson's 17.31%.
None of the recent stars like Mackinnon, McDavid, Matthews, et. al have gone that high. Crosby didn't. Even Celebrini's new deal will actually start at 16.6% of the cap next year. It's more money than Carlsson, but with the cap rising it will be a lower percentage.
Folks keep talking about max contracts like they're a thing, but it would be largely unprecedented since the very start of the salary cap when the actual raw dollars were way, way lower.
IsDurbanodoingtime wrote: ↑29 Jul 2026 11:30 am
The "villain" as it were here is Verbeek. Not only did he cost his owner through his tough guy cosplay he accelerated the salary hike for every other gm and team in the league.
Agree that Verbeek was totally incompetent here and cost his team dearly. I think Briere owns some of that too. Going highest contract in the league for potential, knowing Verbeek would match, was an in your face move to all the franchises. Waiting for Briere and the Flyers to get their well deserved Karma wallop.
There was a huge market correction coming, Verbeek didn't cause it, it made an example out of him.
The numbers are the numbers and it was 100% inevitable
Don’t dispute there was a correction coming. Still no need to jump the top end as Briere did in one fell swoop with a good, but not yet great player. Guess it’s cool the high end players with good timing will get a large chunk of the cap increase.
IsDurbanodoingtime wrote: ↑29 Jul 2026 11:30 am
The "villain" as it were here is Verbeek. Not only did he cost his owner through his tough guy cosplay he accelerated the salary hike for every other gm and team in the league.
Agree that Verbeek was totally incompetent here and cost his team dearly. I think Briere owns some of that too. Going highest contract in the league for potential, knowing Verbeek would match, was an in your face move to all the franchises. Waiting for Briere and the Flyers to get their well deserved Karma wallop.
There was a huge market correction coming, Verbeek didn't cause it, it made an example out of him.
The numbers are the numbers and it was 100% inevitable
Don’t dispute there was a correction coming. Still no need to jump the top end as Briere did in one fell swoop with a good, but not yet great player. Guess it’s cool the high end players with good timing will get a large chunk of the cap increase.
Meh, not a deal I would sign but at 17% its but not like grossly higher than historical signings and will be down to the going rate % wise very soon.
One thing that has changed is announcing the future cap numbers in advance so I'm sure that is what brought on the slight jump but its really not a huge jump. Just mostly A post covid correction,
For those saying he didnt take a discount. Celebrini is obviously the next face of the league. Do we really think the players association was going to let him take less than/equal to LC? Unless they dont run their union like the MLB but i would think they want the best players setting the pay standard.
The Average Gatsby wrote: ↑29 Jul 2026 10:00 am
Hopefully he writes Leo a thank you note.
Pretty sure he was going to make whatever he wanted regardless of what Carlsson got paid.
I don't see it that way but perhaps.
Agreed. I think Carlsson woulda signed for $12-14m had Verbeek not been a di*k. That set the market now for all these other guys. Absent that ridiculous overpayment, Mack probably gets $15m in my opinion.
Dead on.
What I don't get is how everyone here was so excited about that offer sheet and claimed it was so great for the league.
I kknow I'm in the minority perhaps 5% minority but I don't care....the league announcing the 3 year plan was plain stupid.
The Average Gatsby wrote: ↑29 Jul 2026 10:00 am
Hopefully he writes Leo a thank you note.
Pretty sure he was going to make whatever he wanted regardless of what Carlsson got paid.
I don't see it that way but perhaps.
Agreed. I think Carlsson woulda signed for $12-14m had Verbeek not been a di*k. That set the market now for all these other guys. Absent that ridiculous overpayment, Mack probably gets $15m in my opinion.
Dead on.
What I don't get is how everyone here was so excited about that offer sheet and claimed it was so great for the league.
I kknow I'm in the minority perhaps 5% minority but I don't care....the league announcing the 3 year plan was plain stupid.
What you guys are not getting is that its not optional. The players have to make 50% of the revenue and salaries have to go up for that to happen. It has nothing to do with any 1 player or team setting any standards.
Its actually the other way around, it was promoted by revenue numbers. Even if salaries didn't go up the owners would have to pay the difference in the end.
The Average Gatsby wrote: ↑29 Jul 2026 10:00 am
Hopefully he writes Leo a thank you note.
Pretty sure he was going to make whatever he wanted regardless of what Carlsson got paid.
I don't see it that way but perhaps.
Agreed. I think Carlsson woulda signed for $12-14m had Verbeek not been a di*k. That set the market now for all these other guys. Absent that ridiculous overpayment, Mack probably gets $15m in my opinion.
Dead on.
What I don't get is how everyone here was so excited about that offer sheet and claimed it was so great for the league.
I kknow I'm in the minority perhaps 5% minority but I don't care....the league announcing the 3 year plan was plain stupid.
What you guys are not getting is that its not optional. The players have to make 50% of the revenue and salaries have to go up for that to happen. It has nothing to do with any 1 player or team setting any standards.
Its actually the other way around, it was promoted by revenue numbers. Even if salaries didn't go up the owners would have to pay the difference in the end.
I get it has to be spent no matter. I just don't see all boats rising on the same tide.
