New CBA the End of Mega-Term Deals

The negotiations between the NHL and NHLPA have been cordial and plentiful, which is a good sign. However, we haven't really gotten down to the meaty issues yet — in CBA terms, that's usually protecting the owners from themselves. And one of the key sticking points will be capping off a contract's term. This comes not a moment too soon, as the number of mega-deals has risen at an alarming rate. In many ways, it's become one of the few ways teams can actually outbid each other for a player's services. But, just like spending too much money, offering too much term is a huge risk that makes little sense in the long-term.

Over the past few years, we've seen the highest player salaries top off on a cap hit around $8-$9 million, even though they could theoretically blow past that. Top players continue to get their money, but the term is now the key negotiating factor. It's sure to be one of the things removed when the next CBA is resolved, and while we don't know how they'll be affected (my guess is that all existing contract terms stay the same but we won't see these in the future), I'm guessing that the owners will be thankful that they're eliminated.

Of course, they'll find another way to get into a ridiculous bidding war with each other. But in the meantime, let's take a hard look at what they're probably saving themselves from. Rick Dipietro's contract was the laughing stock of the league when it was signed, but between 2006 and early 2008, Dipietro played well enough to put up solid numbers and an all-star selection. Injuries derailed his career, but had he stayed healthy, the Islanders would have had a $4.5 million cap hit for their starting goalie. These days, second-line centers make more than that.

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