Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Both Sides Are Right In The Ryan Johansen Contract Negotiations

09/23/2014 at 8:15am EDT

from Michael Arace of the Columbus Dispatch,

Ryan Johansen is a star-quality player. He is, as his agent is wont to say, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound No. 1 center. Last season, Johansen had more goals (33) than all but three other centers (Joe Pavelski, Tyler Seguin and Sidney Crosby). He had more points than all but 16 other centers. He is defensively responsible and physically intimidating. He is a rare player, already, at age 22.

Essentially, this is the case being made by Johansen and his militant agent, Kurt Overhardt. If Johansen accepts a contract worth $3 million a year, it would represent 4.3 percent of a $69 million team payroll. They argue that he is more than 4.3 percent of the Blue Jackets.

And they are right.

The Blue Jackets are holding the collective bargaining agreement above their heads and saying that Johansen, as a restricted free agent with no arbitration rights, has no leverage. They are referencing Johansen’s body of work over his first three seasons — and his pedestrian, Derek Brassard-like numbers over that span — and they are saying, “Prove yourself in the short term and there is a blank check waiting for you long-term. That is the system.”

And they are right.

Rock, meet hard place, and add pressure.

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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