Cam Ward Signed To Six-Year, $37.8 Million Extension
The Carolina Hurricanes will hold a 1 p.m. news conference to announce Cam Ward has signed a six-year extension. The Hurricanes Twitter page has this:
Cam Ward signs new six-year contract extension. Live streaming of 1 p.m. press conference on CH.com.
The link in the headline will take you to TSN's story, which includes the $37.8 million figure (a cap hit of $6.3 million per season).
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Cory Lavalette
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If TSN’s numbers are correct, Ward is now the third-highest paid goaltender in the league in terms of average salary/cap hit. The $6.3 million average trails only the Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist ($6.875M average) and Roberto Luongo ($6.75M average), and is more than Ryan Miller ($6.25M average) and Niklas Backstrom ($6M average).
by Cory Lavalette on Sep 30, 2009 10:00 AM EDT reply actions
Is any other top tier goalie coming up for an extension soon?
I think third is a little high myself, but others may be waiting to get theirs.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Sep 30, 2009 7:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Based on this poll here a couple weeks ago, we as a group predicted an average of $5.45mil/yr cap hit.
Since I voted $7mil, I can say I’m not surprised. This should be an interesting discussion.
Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!
by Carolyn Christians on Sep 30, 2009 10:02 AM EDT reply actions
Just what I was expecting
Slightly more then Miller.
by packpigskinfan25 on Sep 30, 2009 10:11 AM EDT reply actions
He doesn't deserve it, gimme that $$$$$
I’ll use it for charity.
I’ll open up a home for wayward Brazilian super models here in Raleigh next tot eh RBC Centre with a satellite office in SW VA for Paladin6 to run.
I may also open a wayward home for male underwear models/surfers/hockey players for caniacgirl, hockeymomof2 and LTD to manage.
If money's the root of all evil then why do so many
churches brow beat their members for more?
Hmmm… we definitely need to figure out a way to do both. Cam does deserve it, but you can’t argue with those noble causes.
by Jamie Kellner on Sep 30, 2009 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Good deal. I knew JR would sign him this year.
by hotchipsnsalsa on Sep 30, 2009 10:21 AM EDT reply actions
The comparisons to Miller hold true
And then some. It’s a bit more than I would have liked. Again, signing in the 5 million range helps the team compete better. That said, the drafting for this team has gotten much better, so perhaps money can be saved there in future years.
Embrace big ideas!
I wonder.....
if the Canes can keep building a rep that says, “Raleigh’s great! The fans/area/BBQ/etc is primo and not only that but they are always a contender”. That might make other players think that going to the Canes and giving a “great team discount” ala Red Wings for a good chance to go real deep with other great players towards the Cup.
If money's the root of all evil then why do so many
churches brow beat their members for more?
Maybe...
But it’s hard to argue that either Staal or Wardo have given us a “great team discount.”
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Sep 30, 2009 7:17 PM EDT up reply actions
I voted 6 so I'm not surprised either
You had to think that JR was going to shell out some cash, being a goalie and all. I dont think this hurts the Canes chances to compete, I think it helps. You have, arguably, the two most important positions locked up for 6+ years and the two guys filling those spots are probably going to be perennial allstars. It’s a good thing.
All-Star?!
Will this be the year Cam shows the Hurricane naysayers how good he is?! Do you think he will make the All-Star game this year? Also, where is the game this year and when are we getting it in Raleigh?!?
by DomBooneCaniac on Sep 30, 2009 11:11 AM EDT reply actions
From the wiki:
Glendale, Arizona may be next in line to host a game. The Phoenix Coyotes were slated to host the 2006 game that was scheduled before the NHL decided not to hold the game during Olympic years. Amid fears the Coyotes franchise will not right its ship and might not exist come February 2011, Pittsburgh and Raleigh, North Carolina are also emerging as 2011 host cities. The Ottawa Senators have expressed interest in hosting the 2012 game.
As for Wardo, I think it is and will be harder for him to make the AS game given the market he plays in. We’re never going to rock the vote like the Canadians and the major US market, and he doesnt’ get the league-wide media coverage to highlight his typical excellent play.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Sep 30, 2009 7:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Did you see the comments below the TSN story on the contract this morning? he has a lot of fans, including in Canada – and many saying that if Wardo were in a major market he would be an NHL super-duper star (paraphrasing Puck Daddy for Cory’s benefit).
Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!
by Carolyn Christians on Sep 30, 2009 9:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Yet what are the key points in your statement?
“Would be,” IMO.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Oct 1, 2009 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions
I think that can be said about more than a few of the Canes players.
But because they play for Mayberry in the Southleast division they are all regulated into “interesting side notes”.
A conservative is someone who wants to get rid of all illegal immigrants,
Just as soon as those guys finish mowing his yard and building the shed
Exactly.
It will always be tough to be recognized as a star here rather than New York, Boston, Montreal, etc.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Oct 1, 2009 12:44 PM EDT up reply actions
It will have to be next season
The olympics are taking the place of an all star game this year.
Great move... I'm ecstatic
Don’t have anything else to say… I’m grinning from ear to ear
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
Am I the only one with concerns?
I love Wardo as much as anyone, but I am not so sure about this at all. How much of this is based on afterglow from 06? Is he a stellar goalie, yeah. Is he the third best in the league? I am not so sure. Is he better than Miller as some of you suggest? Again I am not so sure. Let’’s all also keep in mind that Ward has been having back issues. I am not saying that I think Ward is not worth it , I am just saying I worry about the risk involved in this investment.
Contract prices don’t reflect rank at your position. If every goalie in the league were up for contract at the same time I don’t think we’d see Cam with the 3rd highest. After next year another goalie will get a higher contract, and so on.
Is Cam worth more than Ryan Miller? I say absolutely yes.
Still not a crook!
He’s equally as good as Miller, if not outright better, and younger. Is he the third best in the league? Don’t know. But contract amount is a lot about when you signed your deal and not just about talent level.
Fact is Ward is a top five or six goaltender in the league, and this is the cost of that. The team could go back to kicking the tires on Trevor Kidd’s, Arturs Irbe’s, Kevin Weekes, Marty Gerbers. Doing that would leave more questions than answers and cost the team that much more to sign free agents. I don’t expect to see the Canes all of the sudden become the Red Wings, but they can become San Jose. Malhotra wanted about 1.1 million and multiple years from the Canes, but signed in SJ for 700K for 1 year. With Staal and Ward now locked up the Canes can compliment that with Sutter, Boychuk, Bowman, McBain, etc and get steals on the FA market.
Embrace big ideas!
Last year he was a top 5 or six, was he the year before, or how about the one before that? And despite the outcome of the cup year I would be hard pressed to say he was that year either ( hot at the right time). The point I am making is not that he is not worth this, or that it is outright a bad signing. My point is that everyone seems to be doing backflips in here, when obviously this is at best, a fair market signing.
Don't you pay for what a guy can do, and not what he could?
Eric Staal was once a 30 point player. He’s improved. Also, the fact that we got a marquee player that we drafted and developed to a fair market signing a year before he could have gone out on the market and gotten an even better offer is a great sign.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Sep 30, 2009 7:42 PM EDT up reply actions
You can't please them all!
I for one am also grinning ear to ear. I am thankful that this happened prior to the start of the season, so nobody can use “its a contract year” as an excuse for bad play.
He is locked in, and the expectations are set. I dont want to question the $$ until he gives a reason not to.
I am not worried about his back.
again, you miss part of my point. I am not saying that this doesn’t have it’s positives and that this could turn out to potentially a dynamite deal. I am just saying that everyone here believing that this signing is just the most super dandiest thing ever needs to understand that there are some question marks. Remember this is a Goalie who has only ONCE carried a full season starters load into the playoffs.
by wylde4canes on Sep 30, 2009 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions
and what i am saying is I think the “risks” are lesser than the benifit of having him locked down prior to the puck dropping this season, and in a long term contract.
I am no way saying this is JRs best move this off-season. But to have cam playing all season not knowing where he will hang his hat next was something i have been worried about all summer.
by camwardsaysno on Sep 30, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions
I am not sure that I disagree on the risks being lesser, but I think they are still very real risks, and there isn’t a ton of precedence for us to assess the risks against.
by wylde4canes on Sep 30, 2009 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions
There is also a risk of Cam going out and winning the Vezina this year and driving the price up even more!
Still not a crook!
I like how you think. A Vezina! what a tragedy that would be…..=D
Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!
by Carolyn Christians on Sep 30, 2009 1:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Vezina? Has this board seriously gone this homer? Let him be a top 3 candidate for the Vezina and then I will consider that a risk worth calculating for.
He was seventh last year, and his first half wasn't even all that great.
With Maurice’s system in place and defensive integrity strengthened, I can’t imagine why he wouldn’t have a chance to get there as soon as next year.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Sep 30, 2009 7:52 PM EDT up reply actions
There are always risks for signing players to long term deals. You can never quantify them or have enough precedence. Ward’s deal is in line with the market, so the terms and money are what they are. After you take that ask yourself do you want Ward in net or do you want to try your luck somewhere else. There’s no one in the system, so you’d have to go out and get someone and hope the money you save could be spent in other areas to make the team better. It’s a no brainer.
Embrace big ideas!
I get where you are coming from, however, I think you could apply this to just about anybody you sign to an extension. With young guys like Ward I think you have to weigh heavily on how they have played in the past and lean toward that they are going to continue to improve; not the other way around.
by hotchipsnsalsa on Sep 30, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions
if we look at what cam has done as far as accomplishments….2006 cup and Conn Smythe at his age…we are getting him at a deal.
All of the conn smythe winners since ward are making 6+ Mil this year.
I understand what you are saying about cams “playing performace” and i know its not just about the trophies he has. But if this contract is what was needed to keep him here long term I say why not.
by camwardsaysno on Sep 30, 2009 12:33 PM EDT up reply actions
I see you point, but if there are mitigating circumstances, you need to make them part of your equation as well. Wards back is being down played by both him and the organization. That does not mean it is not serious. Both players and their teams lie about injuries as a de facto stance.
Additionally He has been our full time starter for really 2 seasons, his first two being split between Gerbs and Crackers respectively. The next two he took on a starters real load and did manage a good run last year. I think Ward is more of enigma at this point. I think if we end this season on the outside looking in, a lot of people will be talking about this contract differently.
by wylde4canes on Sep 30, 2009 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions
First of all this deal had to be done. If the Canes were to somehow lose Cam Ward (or for that matter Eric Staal) in free agency to some team that was just willing to throw a pot of gold their way, it would be devastating to this franchise. Locking both of them up to long term deals was essential. Mission accomplished. And I think the organization was able to lock them up to deals that were fair without being silly/excessive, and without completely mortgaging the future. Credit to Hurricanes management and to the players for working together to make this happen.
Second, to your point about Cam’s back injury. Is it a concern, somewhere in the back of my mind? Sure. But I have enough faith in Rutherford and company that if they thought it was a mitigating factor at this point (or, if in their evaluation of the situation they thought it could become one), it would be factored in to the terms they were willing to offer. Could it pop up in the future, sure, anything could happen. But right here, right now it was not enough of a concern to keep them from making the deal. I’m comfortable with that.
This kid is 25 years old and he has already had career achievements that 80% of the goalies in the NHL would give their ____ for. The odds say that he can only get better. When negotiating a deal like this you have to play the odds as best you can.
Right here, right now, this contract is fair to the player and fair to the team. That’s the best scenario one could hope for. Now everyone moves forward and hopes they played the odds correctly.
Go Canes!
-m
Great point about his back.
The ‘Canes have certainly done their due diligence with the issue, and they wouldn’t have moved forward like this if it was going to be a concern.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Sep 30, 2009 7:56 PM EDT up reply actions
You're kidding, right?
He played 60 games in ‘07, and he was “splitting” with Grahame? That’s 75% of the starts! At 22 years old! That ranked 13th in the league, too, by the way. Hell of a timeshare.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Sep 30, 2009 7:55 PM EDT up reply actions
And he did that in just his THIRD full season...at 24!
Plus, he did it with the entire team on his back. Look at his numbers from March: 10-1, 1.98 GPA. That is ridiculous.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Sep 30, 2009 7:50 PM EDT up reply actions
I think this is about exactly what we could’ve expected to be paying him next summer, so I am just glad we have that contract negotiation out of the way. With all the young guns ready to come to Raleigh next year and all the contracts coming off the books this summer, the Canes are set up to make some solid signings next summer. I bet we see Ray Whitney back as a Cane for a year or two more before he calls it quits. This is a huge relief for the organization to have Cam locked up for a good bit of time.
FWIW, Cam will be the sixth-youngest No. 1 heading into this season (Varlamov, Price, Mason, Quick and Fleury are younger. Pavelec (22 y/o) will likely open the season in net for Atlanta, but Lehtonen is the de facto No. 1 still (for now).
by Cory Lavalette on Sep 30, 2009 11:56 AM EDT reply actions
That assumes Varlamov is ahead of Thoedore of course.
by Cory Lavalette on Sep 30, 2009 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions
As of this morning...
They still hadn’t decided. Wow.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Sep 30, 2009 7:57 PM EDT up reply actions
What's the cap for next year (or is it the year after?)
with Stall and Ward grabbing what percentage of the available cash while being only 9% of the total number of bodies for a 23 man NHL roster?
If money's the root of all evil then why do so many
churches brow beat their members for more?
When I got the update, I immediately thought of you. Was there dancing or jumping up and down at the news? I will admit that I gave a little fist pump and a “yes!” in the middle of the library.
Cam Ward
I am happy for Cam. Anytime you can better yourself I am happy for you.
robert
Yes – it keeps crashing. I often have that problem the first trip to NHL video, but it usually goes the next try…Not now though.
Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!
by Carolyn Christians on Sep 30, 2009 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Probably pretty high traffic.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Sep 30, 2009 7:58 PM EDT up reply actions
yep.
But just got the release. Here’s the breakdown:
2010-11: $5M
2011-12: $6.3M
2012-13: $6.4M
2013-14: $6.6M
2014-15: $6.7M
2015-16: $6.8M
by Cory Lavalette on Sep 30, 2009 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions
Anyone else notice
That Cam Ward’s deal ends the same year as Eric Staal’s? I’m torn if I think this is a bad move by JR or a good move. Seven seasons from now JR could say “forget it, I’m starting fresh.” Not too bad of an idea if you want to re-build. He could also be saying “after 7 of eight years in the playoffs and a couple of deep runs I’ve got to re-sign two franchise players.”
I can’t decide if this is a good thing or a bad thing.
Embrace big ideas!
The other big question mark is regarding the back loading of the contract. Say Ward flounders, it is a lot harder to move him at 6.6, .7, and.8 than it than it is at 5.
Discussion over. LTD has spoken ;)
by Cory Lavalette on Sep 30, 2009 7:32 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
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