New York Islanders forward John Tavares has signed a six-year extension to stay with the struggling club. It’s quite a commitment to make to a cash-strapped organization with a murky future. Hopefully his contract came with a “we promise to spend some money on other guys” clause. And if they break that clause, he can force a trade.
ESPN.com is reporting that Tavares, 20, will be paid $33 million in total, $4 million in the first year (2012-13), $5 million in the second, then $6 million in each of last four years.
For those of you who think that’s a lot of scratch to give a guy with two years of NHL experience, just consider what he’s has done since being drafted first overall in 2009. Not only has he scored 121 points in 161 games, he’s done much of it alongside Matt Moulson and PA Parenteau, two former ninth-round draft picks who were toiling in the minors and had done absolutely NOTHING in the NHL until they got to play with Tavares.
You know how everyone thought it was crazy when Alex Burrows turned into a 35-goal scorer playing with the Sedins? Imagine if there was only one Sedin and a pair of Burrs.
In two years with Tavares, Moulson has scored 61 goals and signed a three-year, $9.4 million contract. Before that, he was a 25-year-old with six career NHL goals.
Parenteau was a 27-year-old with three career NHL goals before he potted 20 last year. Since then he’s had his salary doubled to $1.25 million.
Seriously, if I’m Tavares, I’m charging those guys rent to stay on my line. I’d also make them wash my car and take care of my dry-cleaning. And every day they’d bring me breakfast in bed. So help me god if the eggs are runny. I HATE RUNNY EGGS. YOU EAT THEM, MOULSON. YOU EAT THE RUNNY EGGS! AND YOU EAT THIS LIGHT BULB, PARENTEAU.
They’d do it, too.
