12/21/24
September 19, 2003
After much hem-hawing, the Stars finally re-sign goalie Marty Turco to a 3-year $12 million contract. Where does Turco fit in with the current crop of goalies in the NHL today? Is $4mil a year plus playoff incentives a fair price?
posted by Ufez Jones to hockey at 12:41 PM - 9 comments
I'd hold off of the Marty-Marty comparison for about eight years. That said - given what Belfour, Joespeh, Theodore, Brodeur, and the other top-flight goalies are paid - Turco should fire his agent. Perhaps in a non-CBA-end-of-hockey year he could have got about $1-2 mil a year more.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 01:01 PM on September 19, 2003
After only starting for one season? Pipe Crackow is what I'll call you from now on. Admittely he was underpaid for his performance for that year, but $4mil/yr is one helluva raise. Thought you're probably right if his hold out was a few years ago, he'd be looking at $5 of $6 mil/yr.
posted by garfield at 02:02 PM on September 19, 2003
I'd say that is a good contract. a good base and unspecified incentives are there to be earned. I mean Turek is at 4yrs for $19 million which is fairly overpriced given that no incentives were part of it (AFAIK) so him turning craptastacular after putting pen to paper isn't affecting his bottom line. he's had stretches of flashy stats but nothing to warrant almost $5m a season in real-life land. a good chunk of top level salaries are going to overpaid players. i think it should top out at 6 of 7 mil so 4mil + incentives seems ok to me. he has had a couple of good seasons but then again - didn't Byron Dafoe and Jim Carey?
posted by gspm at 02:10 PM on September 19, 2003
unspecified incentives are there to be earned. FWIW, the Dallas Morning News report in the paper this morning said that the incentives are up to $500k a year based strictly on playoff performance and personal awards, so the potential is there for it to be a 3 year $13.5 million. The Stars have a pretty good backup in Tugnutt so they should be solid in the crease (barring injury, of course). I'm just hoping they can do better than second round this year.
posted by Ufez Jones at 02:38 PM on September 19, 2003
The Stars should put on a good show, but it remains to be seen how much Hatcher's absence will hurt. I just read this CBA article, which obviously has a Bettman/owner slant, but my sympathy waned when I saw the NHL's operating losses last year equalled their war-chest fund: $300 million. That just doesn't sit right with me.
posted by garfield at 02:47 PM on September 19, 2003
I was going to mention this AP/Yahoo! story about the $300M claimed loss. I'm sure it's a big load of craptastic (love that word!) accounting fantasies and have no sympathy for either side. Lower ticket prices and lower salaries both, and you'll see a revolution in the fan base!
posted by billsaysthis at 04:11 PM on September 19, 2003
Here's a good article on the CBA. Reading this stuff is starting to make me cringe. Goodenow (who is rapidly becoming Public Enemy #1) has already said "we won't take a cap" and so has Brett Hull (who is player-president of the NHLPA or somesuch). They're not even interested in talking about it. I wonder what their alternative is.
posted by Succa at 04:39 PM on September 19, 2003
Isn't Trevor Linden the player-president? As for Turco... my opinion on him is wait and see. I'm not inclined to rise a goalie up to the upper echelon based on one season with one of the best, arguably, defensive teams in the league. Flukes happen (whatever happened to Jim Carrey, anyway? No, not Ace Ventura). To be a top goalie, you have to prove it over many years. One good year in Dallas... and Turco is the best goalie ever! One bad year in Dallas... and Belfour was the worst goalie ever! Go figure.
posted by mkn at 10:25 PM on September 21, 2003
Turco is All-Star material. Having forced the Eagle out of the Lonestar state, and then coming through with a best all-time GAA, I'd say Marty could be on par with the other Marty. A true comparison is impossible, but he's well on his way.