From the cold winter of the NHL offseason, we received some fantastic news today via sources (smoking hot, stunningly intelligent, fantastically connected sources) deep in the bowels of DRW.com: Nicky Norris is coming back for another year. While this is excellent news for the fanbase...for Jimmah, for Raffy and for Zamunda...it is a crushing blow to one Doug Janik, who was undoubtedly banking on his ascension to the first pairing in the event of a Nick resigning.
(Editor's note - I'm pretty sure Janik is off the team now, but as facts aren't a real priority around here and our Swedish intern/fact checker Heidi is off for the summer, we're going with it)
As far as I call tell, unless he signed for 15mil next year and Deepwater Horizon'd (too soon?) our cap situation, this is nothing but EXCELLENT. Say what you want about TPH's regular season, there is just no way around the fact that having Nick on the team makes us better. My gut says that he's got unfinished business to handle, but that same gut feeling thought that I would get my parkingbreakless1991 4Runner with the leaking gas tank through state inspection last year...so...you know...take all this with a grain of salt...
Welcome back, Nick.
First of all, I'm VERY happy about this! Secondly, I'm very excited about what it means that he's taking a paycut like this. If he came back for $7.45mil, I think that says, "Yeah, I'm playing one more year. I'd like to continue to play and I think my body and my family can handle one more season." Signing for a discount price of just over $6mil? To me that says, "Not only do I want to play but I am coming back to FUCKING WIN. Stop, collaborate and listen. Nick is back with his brand new edition. Bring it on, bitches!"
ReplyDeleteI mean, that's just what I read into this story. I guess it's open to interpretation :)
To everybody who's a little bummed at first that it's as high as 6.2 million, just realize how insulting it would have been for Brian Rafalski to be making more money than Nick Lidstrom.
ReplyDeleteJJ - 100 percent agreed. Unless we can guarantee Raffy goes back to Olympics form, there's no way he deserves to be the highest paid guy on that blueline...or even in our top 4. Even then, it's a thin argument. The 200K does seem a bit intentionally "yes...you're still better than Rafffy...and we understand that, you gorgeous, understated Swedish bastard"
ReplyDeleteMauvais - I think we've got one more year of Nick...win or lose. If we win the Cup next year I could see him wanting to retire on top. If we bow out early again, I bet he retires, citing this year as his chance to overcome the loss.
That said, the lower figure certainly opens us up to a few more options. Handing Kenny a cool MIL to play around with...that's always a good thing.