PTO Oddness

Ferrisrox · 09-18-2020, 08:41 PM

Prior to the 2022-23 season, there was a buyout offered - that somehow I wasn't informed of, but that's not the issue - and suddenly there were a lot of quality players available in the free agent class.

I was pretty tight against the cap, and was planning on using a cheap player or a rookie as my third pairing D man and possibly on my fourth line RW.

I looked at the free agent pile and saw many of the guys that had been bought out were still sitting in free agency.

Several of the available defenseman fit into my open slot on RD. They were Ryan McDonagh, Shea Weber (who I had traded right after the season ended, then was promptly bought out by the team who acquired him) Jared Spurgeon, P.K. Subban.

I checked them all out to see if there were any bargains available but each of them wanted $5 million at least and in some cases over $6 million.

When training camp began, I saw that they were all still there and offered Shea Weber, who had just served as our captain before we dealt him to save money, a PTO. He refused. I checked his contract demands and he wanted $4.9 million on a multi-year deal.

I next offered a PTO to Ryan McDonagh, who accepted. Then I offered Subban one, and he accepted too. Spurgeon also took up our offer and as training camp went on, it was clear McDonagh was the best of the bunch. I released everyone from the try out and checked on McDonagah's ask, and again, it was $5.7 million. The others all remained at their original asks.

Frustrated, I began looking around for a sub-million RD I could trade for and the following day, Shea Weber signed a one year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets for $700K. Baffled that he suddenly shaved five million off his ask, I went to see if any of the other guys had lowered their asks. They hadn't. I simmed a few days ahead to the start of the season when the Blue Jackets inked Ryan McDonagh who also signed a $700K deal.

What's going on here? Why are these bargain deals available for Columbus whereas I get an ask of almost eight times as much money?

JeffR · 09-20-2020, 12:50 AM

There's a built-in decline of the players' asking price over time, but it's nowhere near that much, and the regular differences in player demand generation (GM negotiating skill, player preferences, etc.) shouldn't change the numbers that much, either. And I can't think of any systems outside the regular free agent process that might move them to an NHL team that cheaply. Can you upload that save and I'll try to figure out what exactly happened there?

Ferrisrox · 09-23-2020, 12:55 AM

I'll try and get it to you tomorrow.

09-18-2020, 08:41 PM	#1
Ferrisrox Minors (Double A) Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 101	PTO Oddness Prior to the 2022-23 season, there was a buyout offered - that somehow I wasn't informed of, but that's not the issue - and suddenly there were a lot of quality players available in the free agent class. I was pretty tight against the cap, and was planning on using a cheap player or a rookie as my third pairing D man and possibly on my fourth line RW. I looked at the free agent pile and saw many of the guys that had been bought out were still sitting in free agency. Several of the available defenseman fit into my open slot on RD. They were Ryan McDonagh, Shea Weber (who I had traded right after the season ended, then was promptly bought out by the team who acquired him) Jared Spurgeon, P.K. Subban. I checked them all out to see if there were any bargains available but each of them wanted $5 million at least and in some cases over $6 million. When training camp began, I saw that they were all still there and offered Shea Weber, who had just served as our captain before we dealt him to save money, a PTO. He refused. I checked his contract demands and he wanted $4.9 million on a multi-year deal. I next offered a PTO to Ryan McDonagh, who accepted. Then I offered Subban one, and he accepted too. Spurgeon also took up our offer and as training camp went on, it was clear McDonagh was the best of the bunch. I released everyone from the try out and checked on McDonagah's ask, and again, it was $5.7 million. The others all remained at their original asks. Frustrated, I began looking around for a sub-million RD I could trade for and the following day, Shea Weber signed a one year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets for $700K. Baffled that he suddenly shaved five million off his ask, I went to see if any of the other guys had lowered their asks. They hadn't. I simmed a few days ahead to the start of the season when the Blue Jackets inked Ryan McDonagh who also signed a $700K deal. What's going on here? Why are these bargain deals available for Columbus whereas I get an ask of almost eight times as much money?

09-23-2020, 12:55 AM	#3
Ferrisrox Minors (Double A) Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 101	Will do. I'll try and get it to you tomorrow.

09-20-2020, 12:50 AM	#2
JeffR FHM Producer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Kelowna, BC Posts: 17,433	There's a built-in decline of the players' asking price over time, but it's nowhere near that much, and the regular differences in player demand generation (GM negotiating skill, player preferences, etc.) shouldn't change the numbers that much, either. And I can't think of any systems outside the regular free agent process that might move them to an NHL team that cheaply. Can you upload that save and I'll try to figure out what exactly happened there?