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Yet another long term, front loaded NHL contract

Even while the NHL is looking into the contract signed by both Marian Hossa and Chris Pronger, the Vancouver Canucks have signed Goalie Roberto Luongo to a 12 year, 64 million dollar deal that is so front loaded it is really a slap in the face to the NHL. While this new way around the salary cap, made popular by Detroit Red Wings GM Ken Holland, is irritating the league one really has to wonder why?

It is the leagues job to make rules for the teams to follow, and it is each GM’s job to find away around those rules and build the strongest hockey team that they can. Since a players cap number is determined by dividing the average salary over the life of the contract by the number of the years the contract is for. In this way front loaded long term contracts are actually good for the health of the team.

While Lunogo’s deal will pay him 10 million dollars in the first year, it will only pay him 1 million dollars over the final two years. In this way the Canucks have effectively locked up there star goalie through all of his productive years, and insured that his contract will not drain the team once a change needs to be made. that just seems like good business.