Gary Bettman Unhappy With Pacific Team: Whole NHL May Suffer Punishment
Recently Frank Vatrano signed one of the most interesting contracts in hockey history but Gary Bettman could be looking to rid the NHL of these types of contracts soon.
Frank Vatrano made headlines by signing a three year, 18 million dollar deal with the Anaheim Ducks which saw him defer half of his contract to be paid out well after he retires.
Starting in 2035, Vatrano will receive $900,000 a year till 2045. Given how Vatrano will be in his 40s for most of this time, he will almost certainly have retired from hockey and would be living a retired life.
"While the NHL approved the contract, it is not crazy about these contracts and will discuss eliminating [delayed compensation] as part of upcoming CBA negotiations." - Elliotte Friedman
The current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is set to expire come 2026 and the players, agents, GMs, and league executives will all work together to look to create a deal that works well for all parties. With the NHL looking to get rid of delayed compensation from the league, the agents and teams will likely argue against this as it is a way for teams to maneuver around the salary cap and is also a way to help players potentially get paid more.
Friedman noted how in this case Vatrano is likely getting paid more once he retires.
"The debate about deferring money is a good one, but in Vatrano's case, there's a bigger picture: did he really leave money on the table? First, he and his family wanted to stay, and Anaheim knew that. (Happy wife, happy life.) Second, Vatrano is about to turn 31. The two goals he scored in Sunday's win over Tampa Bay indicate he may have been distracted by the negotiations since he was on pace to drop from his career-high 37 goals to around 20. We'll see if he really gets going now, but what's the market for a 31-year-old 20-goal scorer who wants to stay where he is? Probably exactly what he signed for. I wouldn't recommend it for every player, but I see why Vatrano opted for it in this case." - Elliotte Friedman
For plays like Vatrano, delayed compensation could also be a way to help ensure they get the most out of their playing career. Another demographic it could help is American players playing in Canada who intend on moving back to the United States once their contract expires and this could help these players save thousands, if not millions, on taxes.
Only time will tell if the NHL outlaws delayed compensation but one thing for certain is that players and teams will look to keep it in the game for as long as possible.
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