TSN is reporting that the Caps have resigned Sergei Fedorov to a one-year, $4 million contract.The Caps are reporting that Brooks Laich has re-upped for three years. Terms were not disclosed (update: Laich will earn $1.7 million, $2.1 million and $2.4 million for a cap hit of $2.07M per year). From the Press Release,
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have signed forward Brooks Laich to a three-year contract, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today. In keeping with club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. Laich, 25, established career highs in goals (21), assists (16) and points (37) in 2007-08 and was one of four Capitals to play in all 82 games. He finished third on the team in goals and seventh in points, with a team-high two shorthanded goals.
A 6’2”, 210-pound native of Wawota, Saskatchewan, Laich finished his third full NHL season with 12 goals and 20 points in the final 22 games as the Capitals made their late-season run to the Southeast Division title. He recorded three two-goal games, a four-point game and seven of his eight power-play goals on the season during that stretch.
Laich led the team (among players with at least 20 games played) with a 17.2 shooting percentage and led all Capitals forwards with 56 blocked shots. Laich scored more than half of his goals in the first period and scored the Capitals’ first goal of the game nine times.
Laich tied for fourth on the team with six points (one goal, five assists) in seven playoff games, including points in each of the last five games of the series. That matched the longest point streak in the NHL in the first round of the 2008 playoffs.
A three-year veteran of the Western Hockey League with Seattle and Moose Jaw, Laich was acquired by the Capitals via trade with Ottawa on Feb. 18, 2004. He has played 233 career NHL games, all but one with Washington, recording 36 goals and 41 assists (77 points). In 2006 Laich helped lead the Hershey Bears to the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup championship, recording 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in 21 playoff games.
35 comments:
Sorry Keith Aucoin, you're now at the very best, 7th on the center depth chart. Good luck making this team any time soon.
Great news to hear about Feds. I can relax a little now, as all of the major pieces are in place.
Can't wait for the puck to drop in October!
yesssssss. glad this didn't drag on.
this + half work day = awesome
So this leaves Mo, Fehr (sorta) and Gordo right?
1) Looks like the Caps are going to spend right up to the salary cap max this season. With Feds resigned for 4, and Laich probably getting 2 that would place their payroll near 55 million now even before Morrisonn gets his 2 mil.
2) Are they assuming Pothier's 2.5 mil will be discharged/not count due to long term injury? At any rate, have to give Ted credit for spending to try to win now.
Keith Aucoin was always a Hershey signing. This doesn't affect him.
I think that it's a lock that Pothier will go off the cap books for 08-09. This is a clear signal.
Yes, Fehr, Gordo and Mo.
Let's not lose the real story here: With Backstrom-Nylander-Feds-Steckel up the middle, the Caps are legit, top-tier Cup contenders. It's been years. This is going to be SO much fun.
4 million is a little more than I would have hoped we would spend on Fedorov, but i'm not upset about it. Glad to see Brooks signed for 3 years. We got him for 1.3 million less over 3 years than the Blues are spending on David Backes. Not too shabby.
Oh, thank $DEITY.
Wonder why the one-year contract for Feds, though. Are they expecting him to not play much longer?
Will Feds go in the Hall as a Cap??
How does that all work?
i can't imagine him not retiring as a Red Wing...
random: anyone know of a GOOD Chicago Blackhawks blog?
Awesome news. Feds is a bit expensive, but its 1 year. So its not a bad thing.
DCRock -- he's a wing. The fans might be bitter (its Detroit, they have a lot to bitter about other then Feds signing else where, but what can you do). But we all know Feds as a Redwing. But whenever he goes into the hall, it'll be noted he spent time as a Capital.
Great news about Brooks. Glad they locked him up for 3 years. NOW let's just hope that last year was not a fluke but the new standard.
Great news.
@ns
Did you check the Rink Blogroll here?
crap. forgot about that. thanks.
1) Dcrock asks "Will Feds go in the Hall as a Cap??" Its our understanding that a player makes that decsion. Would be a surprise if he went in as anything other than a Redwing.
2) As to why its 'only 1 year'. When a player is 38, more than that is unusal. Perhaps thats all he wanted as well. He's probably not hurting for money.
I also think that teams are unable to buy out players above a certain age, so if he has a bad year, the Caps are only on the hook for this season, not next year too. (I think.)
Another note on the Feds reported salary: TSN hasn't always been correct this season. I suspect the deal may be for a lower number, with bonuses. However under the 08-09 cap, all *potential* bonuses, even for players over 35, count toward a player's cap number.
$6.5mil immediately available next year just between Fedorov and Kozlov contracts expiring.
i like.
Bravo, Brooks and GMGM for getting that done! Whew! And a good deal as well.
The Gramps 'Crash Davis' Fedorov deal is a little (a lot) richer and a little shorter (what? the Cup this next year? so soon?) than I might have hoped, but oh well.
Next up is a very long term deal for Mo. C'mon George! You can do it!
What are their options vis-a-vis Pothier? Can they just unilaterally say you're done, here's your pick slip? What are our obligations to him? How can that $$ be freed up?
Too much for both, if true. The Laich contract is an overpayment and too much commitment to a guy with a good half season. I can't argue with the Pettinger/Clymer risk comparisons.
People keep saying Gordon will be gone. I don't think it's an accident McPhee didn't mention Mo's name when he talked about his top 4 defensemen in a recent interview.
exwhaler: that's an interesting take. I have a hard time believing that the Caps would dump arguably their most responsible defenseman over a depth checking forward, but Morrisonn is certainly going to be expensive. If the Caps think Alzner can step right in and replace him, you may be onto something.
Still, I expect Morrisonn and Fehr to return, and I would be mildy surprised if Gordon didn't return as well. I expect the Caps will have to be pretty creative with their bookkeeping this season to stay under the cap.
exwhaler: I don't what interview you're referring to, but in the interview I heard with McPhee, he specifically mentioned Shaone as a top four paired with Green. As far as all the talk that the Feds and Laich signings signal the end of Gordon, I have to disagree. This site gives a real clear breakdown of the Caps salary picture, updated to include the Federov and Laich signings. When you factor out the Flash and Giroux contracts and take out Pothier's money, that leaves you with over $3.6 million-more than enough to sign Gordo, Fehr and ShaMo. Here's the link(and yes, I know it's on Eklund's site but he's just co-opting it from another source):
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/cap-central/team.php?team=WAS
It was the Washington Post Live interview that was posted here a week ago...he specifically named Green, Schultz, Alzner, and Poti as their "top 4 defensemen" by season's end. Which just seemed odd to me, considering we had heard nothing on how negotiations were going with Morrisonn at that point.
$4M for Feds is fine for 1 year. If Ted wants to spend up to the cap that's fine by me, as long as they still have wiggle room to sign Mo, Fehr, and Gordo. If Pothier's $2.5 comes off the books, which I suspect it will, then they've still got about $5.5M in cap room to play with. Feds $4M will be off the books next year freeing up more cash, along with Kozlov, (not sure if they keep him).
Thanks Huet, for that extra money to sign Fedorov, a guy that wants to be here, jerkass.
Im assuming (and hoping) Kozlov will be re-upped half way through next season sometime, if he plays like last year, or slightly better, which im expecting.
gotta love that s*^# No question--we are a top 5 team down the middle now.
The D still needs a lot of work and development. even with signing Mo, we are no better off on D, IMO, than last year. Alzner is a long term answer--again, I would be very impressed if he makes the team and mighty surprised if he sticks for the whole year (consider the bonus non-accrued season for M. Green vis-avis his new deal). If he's too damn good to send down, fine, but realistically in the short term, we need a reliable (read: not flashy) 15-18 min S@H vet defender to balance what we have. I wouldn't be surprised at another preseason signing, especially if Pots is cleared off the books.
That's about $2M more than I was hoping to sign Feds for, and probably a full million more than I thought they could afford... and that was without paying Laich $2M a year. He needs to keep developing and prove that last year wasn't a fluke (besides the shooting percentage, that is) -- I'm more worried about that 3rd year being a bit of a bad contract if he doesn't keep up his production...
-d
Eh, I hope that doesn't mean that Gordon is the odd-man out. Gordon is the best defensive player on this team (I'd say just as good, if not better than Fedorov). He just happens to play forward. In a more "media-friendly" market, and if he scored more than what he does, he might be considered for Selkes.
Best PK man on the team, usually, too. Now, what are the Cap numbers on Laich's deal?
I missed them, if they were in your post.
Feds as a Cap in the Hall? No way, unless he played 4 more years here, Clark gives him the captaincy to start this season, he gets 100 points a season, and we win the cup all four years. Hey, I wouldn't complain.
Fedorov signed by the TSN, Laich signed by the Caps
Too premature, Japer's!
Fed's agent confirms
http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/in-the-room/2008/Jul/09/fedorov-agrees-deal/
Sorry, i stink at HTML so this link will probably show up as text, so just click on my name instead.
anon, how about you pipe down and pass the duchy. JP doesn't miss much! Great day to be a Caps fan.
Kinda off topic but here is some video from today's scrimmage at Kettler
Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUz8AAPyXIg
Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98LIJPexpAQ
Very awesome - thanks.
Tread that water, Caps management....
Tread that water....
as promised...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwiXb04EaIs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STCarvx60yQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPJ2MRx9zIk
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