Big paychecks, few stats

In this day and age, does this really matter?

Professional athletes are given huge salaries all the time and it seems people don't even blink. But I'm curious for hockey fans, when players such as Vinny 4 and Brad and Marty get big contracts and then don't perform to a level that seems to justify that contract, does the love stop?

Those three are the nicest guys you will ever meet. And no doubt they want to do well. But do fans measure their performance differently now that they are making such big money?

Just curious.

 

Comments

[Scott]

I'm a Vinny4 fan that gets VERY frustrated.It seems to me that most of the time he sits back and waits for the play to come to him.I think every fan would like to see Vinny play the whole game with more energy and not just when it's covenient for him.Marty is always on the move try to make something happen and not affraid to shoot the puck or check somebody.My opinion of Brad is that his play is consistent we usually know what to expect from him in a good way.I know fans hope the new haircut helps his scoring.I don't understand how it is that the 2 smallest players (St.Louis and Perrin)are the only ones that connsistently fight for the puck.I know the rules changed but it is still legal to check somebody in the corner and fight for the puck!Last years scapegoats (Grahme and Burke) are gone and the problem remains the same.Who is next to take the blame....maybe it's Thunderbug!!

[Manny Andrade]

I know the players union would never agree to this, but shouldn't NHL salaries be based on performance? It seems to me that this may be the only way to get players to perform at their best. Today there are no guarantees that a player making top dollar will perform at the top of his game. If salaries were based on performance, every player would have an equal opportunity to earn as much as a salary cap will provide. I know it’s a long season and we’ve only played six games, but why shouldn’t a Ryan Craig make as much as a Brad Richards if his performance is as good or better throughout the season. Right now Richards will make 7.8 million and Craig only 0.5 million. That seems unfair to me if their performances on ice are comparable. It may just be wishful thinking on my part, but I don’t know any other way to make every player accountable for their on ice performance.

[Chris]

I think that Tortorella has mentally squeezed, extorted, threatened all the juice out of these guys the last two years.

Now that they are mega rich, I suspect the big 3 are just tuning him out and playing for themselves and the NHLPA.

Feaster panicked and over paid on both Richards and St Louis , leaving no room to resign Kubina who was a big part of the D.

Anyone comfortable with a career sub .500 goalie controlling the playoff fortunes as well?

[keith baxter]

As a fan you hope only that your team wins the cup and plays glorious hockey along the way. I think what gets lost in the picture is that at the end of the day this is still a business. A business must prosper or otherwise by the decisions made by those operating and managing it.If those decisions are weak (hindsight is 20/20) then the management must be held accountable to make further decisions (changes)or the business gets new managment. The management chose to keep Vinny 4, Marty and Ritchie together. If you had asked any fan at the end of last season if that was a good move, I'm sure they would all have answered in the affirmative. We lost two key, good guys in Kuby and Mo to do so.That is where we are today. Is it frustrating to see so much talent not getting it done, while so called lesser guys are? You bet. Do we resent their hefty salaries? Only if they don't do their job. Hockey is a streaky game. All of the big 3 could go on tear any game now and light the lamp in huge numbers. Just hope it's soon. As far as Denis, let's just wait and see. I want so bad for him to be the guy, but I am not sold yet. I think Feaster and Torts are selling a bill of goods hoping the players all buy into it so we don't have a repeat of the "no confidence vote" for Grammar from last year. Who remembers the 20 win seasons?
It can only get better!

[Patricia]

For me personally, it is so frustrating to watch the 3 big players add nothing to the game. I definately think they over paid on Richards. I think he was awesome last season, but he hasn't show much in the past recent games. As for Marty, when he is hot, he is HOT. I feel after his big contract last season, he did not perform and back up that salary at all. I dont know what happens to these guys! Where is the heart they used to put in this game. I am so happy to at least have Craig,Perrin and Boyle who still show what hockey is supposed to be about. If your not going to get out there every night and put your heart and 100% into the game. GET OFF THE ICE! I could not believe the game against the hurricanes. I couldnt even watch the game. By the second period, I turned it off and kept saying, my team sucks!!

[goldenbolt]

Just call it the Barf brigade. The team has lost the luster -- Obvious they miss the Jam of Andy and the money is not the issue. Performance is the issue - So far this season the best description of the Top 3 is BARF. You are paid for performance and GOALS/ASSISTS are the measuring sticks. So far we have 2 goals and a few assists along with the lazy performance from the BARF guns. This performance deserves to be booed. If I see that same effort tonight I will be booing in section 102 to voice my opinion. Tell me you lose after a valiant effort as Calgary did in game seven of the cup not after you take a 45 minute nap in game six of the season. If I was Torts and they play like that tonight I'd call time out and order them to do 20 pushups in front of the fans who paid the bucks to see them.

Pathetic - If it continues the coach will be gone or there will be a blockbuster fire sale.

[Bill]

Performance is performance and it IS measured by the size of the paycheck. Craig has become a fan favorite because he performs extremely well for less than 10% of either member of the "Trinity." Players love the big contracts, and why wouldn't they, but I think they fail to realize all the hard work and results that got them there need to continue. Once that contract is signed, the expectations of the fans, their coach, and management are equal to the $'s paid. One way to find yourself as a goat is to be outperformed by players making near league minimum. You signed the deal and cash the paychecks so you are under the microscope. It's part of the territory. Without a doubt they are looked upon differently. If a guy who makes league minimum (or even 2 mil for that matter) slumps, fans are likely to stand by them until they get untracked. If they make 7 mil, fans become impatient very quickly. Hero to goat in a heartbeat.

I'm sure these 3 guys are wonderful human beings. Nice guys. Pleasant. How many times do we hear that? Maybe that's the problem. Maybe that personality carries over to the ice. Maybe someone needs to give these guys a sourball or two before a game to adjust their attitude. Maybe we have too many "nice" guys around here. Then again, maybe they get off their tails and produce. Maybe then we don't talk about their contracts again!

Until then, they are going to taste the bittersweet aspect of their contracts. Public perception.

[Nick]

As others have said, if the triplets are producing, it's a moot point. If at the end of this season, the three combine for 100 goals and 250 points, no one is going to mention the fact that nearly half of the team's salary is tied up in 3 players.

On the other hand, if Lecavalier can't break 90 points, St. Louis continues to miss the net every time he gets a breakaway, and Richards doesn't top both of their performances this year, someone's got to point the finger at Jay Feaster for giving these guys long-term contracts that are higher than what some other teams are paying proven 100-point scorers.

What do you do with a guy that isn't performing and making 6+ million a year? Is another team going to make a trade for him? Do you put him on waivers? I hope we don't have to find out. Without these 3, there would have been no Stanley Cup in Tampa, and without them performing at their best, chances for another one are slim to none.