Subj : Sabres & Reinhart Settl; on Bridge Deal
To : All
From : The Hockey Writers
Date : Wed Sep 19 2018 03:23 pm
Well, it finally happened. Fans of the Buffalo Sabres can now rest easy knowing
that Sam Reinhart is under contract following a lengthy negotiation period that
kept him out of the team';s first two preseason contests.
From the moment the 22-year-old became a restricted free agent this summer,
there was uncertainty surrounding whether or not he had shown enough to warrant
a long-term deal. Clearly, the organization wanted to see more as the two sides
officially agreed on a two-year bridge contract worth $3.65 million AAV, a
significantly lower figure than most fans anticipated.Reinhart';s Growth
Though Reinhart has struggled with consistency at times, he has shown a marked
improvement in each of his first three years at the NHL level. As a former
second overall pick, he certainly hasn';t come along as quickly as some fans
would have liked, but ever since the team elected to transition him from center
to right wing, his level of play has reached new heights. After a rough start
to the 2017-18 season, he caught fire in the second half, posting 37 points in
38 games.Reinhart has shown significant progress since transitioning to the
wing. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
Initially, there was some suspicion that his success on the wing was a direct
result of riding shotgun with Jack Eichel, but after the franchise center went
down with an injury last season, Reinhart was able to continue thriving beside
second line pivot, Ryan O';Reilly. He would finish the year with a career-high
50 points in 82 games.
At this point, the only question that remains about his long-term viability is
his consistency. Despite a strong finish last season, Reinhart has been known
to disappear for stretches. His ability to stay hot this year and next will be
the ultimate determining factor in terms of what his next contract will look
like. The progress is there, now he needs to start resembling a top line winger
on a game-by-game basis. A half-season of elite play in a contract year simply
wasn';t enough to warrant a long-term commitment this time around.Related:
Sabres Forwards: What They';ll Look Like for 2018-19Bridge Deal Benefits
Despite the associated financial risk, the Sabres certainly benefit by
retaining Reinhart on a short-term, inexpensive deal that will force him to
prove his value over the next two seasons. With so many high-octane, young
players in the system who are all due new contracts sometime in the next three
years, the team simply wasn';t in a position to lock up significant money and
term on a player who has struggled with consistency.
The fact that he will still be listed as a restricted free agent when his new
contract expires is another factor that swings this deal in the Sabres'; favor.
In a league where RFA offer-sheets are a rarity, Buffalo will essentially hold
all of the cards again in the summer of 2020.
As previously stated, Reinhart';s best hockey in a Sabres uniform came during
the second half of the 2017-18 campaign as he approached free agent status.
Whether or not his looming contract negotiation had an impact of his
productivity during that stretch is unknown, but the Sabres'; front office
certainly intends to find out. It';s now up to him to prove that his
performance last year was more than an aberration.The pressure will be on
Reinhart to prove that he can consistently perform at a high level. (Amy Irvin
/ The Hockey Writers)
With this extension, Jason Botterill put the cherry on top of a masterfully
executed offseason. He stayed patient and managed to negotiate a team friendly,
"prove it" deal that doesn';t have a significant impact on the salary cap over
the next two years.
Things could get complicated if Reinhart sets the league on fire en route to a
significantly higher price tag, but even if that';s the case, Botterill will
still have some financial flexibility as the Sabres'; young core continues to
take shape.Related: Sabres Player Point Projections 2018-19Sabres Salary Cap
Here';s where things get interesting. It';s no secret that the Sabres have a
boatload of young, developing talent throughout the organization, particularly
at forward. After signing Jack Eichel to a massive eight-year, $80 million
extension last summer, Botterill will need to carefully navigate the salary cap
as his remaining youngsters approach the end of their entry-level deals,
Two years from now, players like Casey Mittelstadt and Tage Thompson will be
due new contracts along with Reinhart. The following summer, Rasmus Dahlin and
Alex Nylander';s current deals will expire as well. As high-potential former
first-round picks, these deals aren';t likely to be cheap (performance
pending). It';s just another reason why the Reinhart bridge-contract is so
brilliant.Reinhart';s bridge-deal gives Botterill options moving forward. Photo
by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
In the most basic sense, it gives Botterill options without a potential
long-term albatross hanging over his head. He already has one of those in the
form of Kyle Okposo';s deal that doesn';t expire until the end of the 2022-23
campaign. Fortunately, by the end of the 2020-21 season, the Sabres have a
projected $50 million in cap space to re-sign their aforementioned young stars
(including Reinhart), and that figure doesn';t even account for a potential cap
increase.
Over-priced veterans like Zach Bogosian, Jason Pominville, and Matt Hunwick
will all be off the books by then and the only relevant unrestricted expiring
contracts that he';ll have to decide on in that timeframe belong to Jeff
Skinner and Conor Sheary. It remains to be seen which current players will
prove that they belong with the team long-term. Either way, when it comes down
to negotiating future extensions with his franchise cornerstones, Botterill
won';t be strapped for cash.
At best, he will be able to retain all of his current forward talent should
Reinhart hover around 50-60 points over the next two seasons. At worst, he may
have to use the rights to one of his 2020-21 restricted free agent forwards as
trade bait to improve another area of the team.
The post Sabres & Reinhart Settle on Bridge Deal appeared first on The Hockey
Writers.
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