How do you get a player to take a front loaded contract?

Akaitatsu · 02-03-2022, 11:22 AM

I have a great 28-year-old defenseman who's asking $11.4 million for 6 years. I would just about pay that if I had the cap space, but I don't. I have tried to front load an 8-year contract but the only feedback I get is how much he wants per year and he never strays from 6 years. I might be able to negotiate him down to $10.5M or so, but that isn't quite enough. Has anyone been able to negotiate a front-loaded contract to get the cap hit significantly lower?

Adam B · 02-03-2022, 01:56 PM

I think you are mistaken. The cap hit does not change despite front loaded or backloaded contracts. All that is is paid a player a different amount in a year for say an internal budget, but it doesn't change cap hit.

Akaitatsu · 02-03-2022, 03:33 PM

I should have added some numbers. I am trying to stretch the contract out to 8 years and front-loading it so they still make a boatload of money but without as much cap hit.
For example (by contract year):

$13.0M
$11.0M
$9.5M
$7.5M
$7.5M
$6.5M
$6.5M
$6.5M

Cap Hit for this would be $8.5M and player makes $68M over 8 years. As I mentioned earlier, I might be able to get him down to $10.5M over 6 years, but I need the cap space.

Is there any point in trying to do this or is the player just going to insist on the average amount and length of contract? It's not clear by what the player "tells" me in the UI.

Akaitatsu · 02-03-2022, 03:57 PM

I just got in there and started experimenting. He took the following offer (with NMC clause, of course):

$13.0M
$11.0M
$10.0M
$8.5M
$7.5M
$6.5M
$6.5M

They came out to $9M cap hit and $63M total payout for 7 years, much better than $10.5-11.0M per year for 6 years ($63-66M total).

JeffR · 02-04-2022, 01:40 AM

There's a little bit of flexibility, but generally players are going to want a significant premium for moving away from their desired contract length unless it's likely (usually due to age) that they're not going to be able to get, as a free agent, the amount you're offering in the extra seasons.

Just to be clear, though, you don't save any cap hit by front-loading. The player could've accepted a 7-year contract for exactly $9 million every year, and it would've made no difference to his annual cap hit.

Akaitatsu · 02-04-2022, 11:22 AM

Thanks for the extra information. I will try some different permutations later and see what I get. I have never been able to get someone down 20+% from their ask just by adding a year or two to their contract. I just upgraded to FHM8 from 7 so it might be different now?

02-03-2022, 11:22 AM	#1
Akaitatsu Minors (Single A) Join Date: May 2020 Location: NE Tennessee Posts: 50	How do you get a player to take a front loaded contract? I have a great 28-year-old defenseman who's asking $11.4 million for 6 years. I would just about pay that if I had the cap space, but I don't. I have tried to front load an 8-year contract but the only feedback I get is how much he wants per year and he never strays from 6 years. I might be able to negotiate him down to $10.5M or so, but that isn't quite enough. Has anyone been able to negotiate a front-loaded contract to get the cap hit significantly lower?

02-03-2022, 01:56 PM	#2
Adam B Hockey Community Manager Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: A Hockey Rink Posts: 2,505	I think you are mistaken. The cap hit does not change despite front loaded or backloaded contracts. All that is is paid a player a different amount in a year for say an internal budget, but it doesn't change cap hit. __________________ *Come Watch Adam and Jeff's Live Twitch Streams Every Wednesday Night at 11pm Eastern on the FHM Twitch Channel and the OOTP Twitch Channel*

02-03-2022, 03:33 PM	#3
Akaitatsu Minors (Single A) Join Date: May 2020 Location: NE Tennessee Posts: 50	I should have added some numbers. I am trying to stretch the contract out to 8 years and front-loading it so they still make a boatload of money but without as much cap hit. For example (by contract year): $13.0M $11.0M $9.5M $7.5M $7.5M $6.5M $6.5M $6.5M Cap Hit for this would be $8.5M and player makes $68M over 8 years. As I mentioned earlier, I might be able to get him down to $10.5M over 6 years, but I need the cap space. Is there any point in trying to do this or is the player just going to insist on the average amount and length of contract? It's not clear by what the player "tells" me in the UI.

02-03-2022, 03:57 PM	#4
Akaitatsu Minors (Single A) Join Date: May 2020 Location: NE Tennessee Posts: 50	I just got in there and started experimenting. He took the following offer (with NMC clause, of course): $13.0M $11.0M $10.0M $8.5M $7.5M $6.5M $6.5M They came out to $9M cap hit and $63M total payout for 7 years, much better than $10.5-11.0M per year for 6 years ($63-66M total).

02-04-2022, 01:40 AM	#5
JeffR FHM Producer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Kelowna, BC Posts: 17,250	There's a little bit of flexibility, but generally players are going to want a significant premium for moving away from their desired contract length unless it's likely (usually due to age) that they're not going to be able to get, as a free agent, the amount you're offering in the extra seasons. Just to be clear, though, you don't save any cap hit by front-loading. The player could've accepted a 7-year contract for exactly $9 million every year, and it would've made no difference to his annual cap hit.

02-04-2022, 11:22 AM	#6
Akaitatsu Minors (Single A) Join Date: May 2020 Location: NE Tennessee Posts: 50	Thanks for the extra information. I will try some different permutations later and see what I get. I have never been able to get someone down 20+% from their ask just by adding a year or two to their contract. I just upgraded to FHM8 from 7 so it might be different now?