Thomas's deal: four years, $20 million
Tim Thomas, in net for Boston's 50th win of the season last night, yesterday agreed to a multi-year contract that will keep him with the Bruins for at least four more seasons. General manager confirmed the signing late this afternoon, and the club will formally announce the deal at a 10 a.m. press conference Saturday morning at TD Banknorth Garden.
While the Bruins did not reveal terms of the deal, a front-office member of an NHL team told the Globe's Fluto Shinzawa that Thomas signed a four-year, $20 million extension. Thomas will make $6 million in 2009-10 and 2010-11, $5 million in 2011-12, and $3 million in 2012-13, the source said.
The deal for the 34-year-old backstop is in the salary range of the $5.2 million per year earned by New Jersey's Martin Brodeur, age 36, who last month became the game's all-time winningest goalie.
Thomas, signed as free agent in 2002 by former Bruins general manager Mike O'Connell, is on the books this season, the last of a three-year deal, for $1.1 million.
Thomas -- who played in his second career NHL All-Star Game this past January -- is currently the league leader in both goals-against average (2.11) and save percentage (.932). He has established a new career high in wins with 33 and has helped lead the Bruins to their first 50-win season since 1992-93.
Thomas was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. According to a source in the Bruins front office, part of what was driving the club to get the deal done now is that fact that Thomas will turn 35 years old on April 15.
When a player signs a new deal after his 35th birthday, per the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), although he can be bought out (at a two-thirds reduction in pay), his cap number can not be deleted from the club's salary commitments.
For next year, and for either two or three more years, Thomas will be on Boston's books for some $5 million a year. But because he has signed the deal before age 35, the Bruins have the safeguard -- that they would want to execute it -- to be able to buy him out at any time, cut their dollar commitment by one-third, and be able to spread the payments over twice the remaining term of the deal. It is a significant safeguard.
With Thomas's deal now done, the Bruins have just under $47 million committed in 2009-10 payroll. The league's cap figure, now $56.7 million, is expected to drop next season to approximately $53 million-$55 million.
Chiarelli, who negotiated the the Thomas extension, now must decide how much he can pay star young forwards Phil Kessel and David Krejci, both of whom will be restricted free agents July 1.
Comment
Permalink
Email
Awesome! Now let's go get some silver added to Timmy's china cabinet.
Deserves every penny of it... if not for what he'll do, then for what he's done.
Thanks, Timmy. Now go get us the CUP!
Overpayment...Jesus Christ. He is good, but he isnt Brodeur. Should have got 2 years/3.5-4 a year tops!
5 million is way too much. I love Thomas, but there are too many other free agents this year to drop that much on him - especially at 35 yrs old. And especially when we have Rask waiting in the wings.
Wayyyy too much....should have offered him 2 years/4 million a year. How are you gonna sign Kessel and Krejci now? They guy made 1.1 this year, he could live with 4 million.
So Long Tuuka...?
Not sure how I feel about this. I love Timmy in goal for the B's, but 5.2 mil? How in god's name are they going to beable to keep Rask with his salary around 3 mil...and what about Kessel and Krejci?
I don't know the ins-and-outs of the CBA that well - did anything prevent them from doing the sort of thing like TB did with Lecavalier? Tack on a few years at reduced salary at the end of the contract to get the cap number down a little.
It seems high for Thomas, but part of that is the premium for getting it done early so that they can have that buyout security.
The 5 mil is compensation for all the doubt the past 3 years. Gratz Timmy.
Too much?!! He'll win the VEZINA this year as the best goalie in the NHL! His compete level if off the charts! And he's been doing it for the last 3 seasons at $1 Million per year. Tim Thomas has EARNED this contract and he's an ELITE goaltender. Good move by Chiarelli. Is Rask the future, maybe. But Thomas is the present.
Kessle and Krejci are good, but they've been inconsistent. I think that Chiarelli will be able to sign both of them, maybe 3-4 year deals.
Dude, you don't pay for past performance in the salary cap era....handcuffs your team. Rask is the pure goalie in the Brodeur making...guaranteed to rub your number one goalie prospect the WRONG way.
Let's hope Rask can handle it...
I just think it's a crap time to come out with contract extension news during a Cup run...
Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. I went to UVM with Tim and have watched him work hard to make it to this point. Great player and a great person. He deserves every penny!
I guess this means kessel might be done at the end of this year?
Forgot to mention, why give him a fat contract right before the playoffs? Why not wait and see what he does first. If he plays like crap in the playoffs and we're out in the 1st round, the management is going to look real real bad...
If I never hear "compete level" again, it will be too soon.
I agree with the over payment comments... Way to much for one really good season. Looking forward, when Manny walks his contract essentially doesn't go with him. Now the problem becomes, they essentially have no cap space and have guys PJ (UFA) Recchi (UFA) Yelle (UFA) and Hnidy (UFA). Not that I believe all, if any of these guys will be re-signed, but they will need to get some bodies to take their places...
Plus, they still have to worry about Krejci (RFA) Kessel (RFA) Bitz (RFA) and Hunwick (RFA)... god help us if anyone puts an offer sheet out on them.
And with Sturm presumably coming back, tack on another 3.5 mil to the cap. Doesn't leave much, if any, room for Rask to join the big club. I know Timmy needed to get paid, but the team is going to need every last penny to remain under the cap and field a competitive team... This year just might be the best chance of winning it all...
@6: So long Manny. Thomas may be no Brodeur, but I'm sure a guy with his drive and work ethic is a great locker-room presence. $5m is a bit much, IMO, but he's one of the biggest reasons we're looking good to win the East this year. If he delivers the Cup to Boston, which has never been done in my lifetime, nobody will complain about his salary. If you would have told me back in the Bourque/Neely days that we'd see the Sox win the World Series twice before the Cup was raised in Boston, I would have thought you were crazy...
That means Fernandez is on the way out after this year.....They cant possibly keep two goalies at nearly the same salary. Rask will be called up as a back up for the next couple years and will move into the starting role. Manny did a descent job at first, but his game has struggled. The B's will buy him out or try and trade him before that, in the offseason.
I think 5 mil is too much for Thomas, but Fernandez is 4.7 mil and coming off the books so it doesn't change that much.
Manny Fernandez makes 5 million per year and he will be off the books next year. Its kind of like swapping Manny's contact for Timmy's. If you add Rask as a back up at 3.2 next year compared to Timmy's 1.1 this year, we are only adding 2 million next year for our goaltending salaries. The bruins were going to have difficulty with the cap space next year anyway. You might as spend money on goaltending which is the backbone of the whole team. Timmy has carried this team for a large part of the season and while I used to be a Thomas doubter, I am a believer now and won't ever question this guy's skill, drive or commitment to win. I also hate to say it, but if the B's can't lock up Krejci or Kessel at a home town discount, they might try to move Bergeron considering his cap hit. Altough he has been the best 2-way center on the team the last month.
Great move! Now say goodbye to Manny thank god.......and KPD was saying sign Thomas for $3M per year a few months back. Yeah right...KPD is out of touch....$5m minimum for Thomas. He is that good
a lot of you posters missed your calling. you all should be GM's in the NHL.
Stupid move who tight us badly against the Cap. Start to bet on which of the following player will be traded: Bergy, Savvy, krecji, Kessel... What an awful message to send to Rask: Hey man, you're gonna be the backup for 3 years !!!
I cannot believe people are saying that this is too much. Are you kidding me Huet got 5 mil per based on 1/3 of a good season. Timmy's 35 I say so what he has less mileage then most for his age, he has never been an injury concern, is a fitness warrior who was smart enough to add Yoga to his routine.
Anyone who thinks this is anything but a home town discount is CRAZY in my opinion.
Great signing. Thomas woulkd have got north of $6 M in FA. He took a home town discount. We got a great goalie.
Some one please tell me how we can fit in Kessel. I think a blockbuster trade is coming to clear some cap room.
They'll sign Kessel and Krejci........they'll just trade Sturm to free up some cash
Rask will come in as a rookie and fight for a number 1, if he gets it (I doubt he will play better than Thomas) then they canBUY thomas out. Perfect solution. Thomas wouldnt sign here for 3 million anayway, get real.
I'm happy for Thomas because he has worked extremely hard to get to this point in his career. But he will be 35 in April and to sign him for three more years seems a bit much especially at 5M per season. Rask should be ready for full-time duty the season after next so essentially you will be paying Thomas five mil to sit on the bench. Not smart.
I realize they had to do something and Manny is an injury risk to sign him long term. This probably means that Kessel or Bergeron will be traded as they cannot afford to keep both.
Has anyone thought about Sturm coming back next season? He is on the books for 3.5 million and could be a candidate to be moved. That 3.5 could be replaced with a contact for Kessel or Krejci. I'm sure the Bruins have a plan to make some moves with some of their existing talent and still have a solid contender built for next year. At least we know our goaltending is going to be ROCK SOLID for the next 3 years which is the most important piece for a contending team. Look at NJ, Brodeur has won them a few cups almost by himself!
Go Cats, Go!
Tank is a joy to watch. He's a good goalie and has an obvious love for the game. I'm happy that I'll be seeing him in the coming seasons.
Joe, think we’re actually on the same page. Manny leaving is pretty much guaranteed. I’m questioning Tuuka’s future with the B’s because he becomes and RFA in the second year of Timmy’s new deal (09-10 is the last year of his deal). No way he re-signs here to spend 2 more seasons behind Tank. I can’t imagine the B’s letting Rask walk either without getting something in return. In addition, if the B’s can get an Alex Auld type back-up for about 1 mil/per, they could have the money to bring back Kessel and Krejci and possibly even Hunwick. Very true that if the B’s can get a cup, no one will care about salaries, and hopefully they do win it and I can take another day off work for another parade.
Alex has it. With Fernandez gone, that is pretty much a trade up in contracts. Rask coming up now adds about 2-3 mil to that. Now Rask is up and like Alex said he can compete for #1, and there is a good chance (not next season but possibly the following) that he will get it. Timmy will play the Manny seat for a bit, or they do a Moog/Reggie combo to get Tuukka comfy. We then buy Thomas out, have a snazzy retirement service, and Rask becomes the staple of the B's for a long time to come. Believe what some say, Tuukka is the future of this club just as Price was supposed to be for MTL. Difference is that we handled him MUCH more responcably than Gainy did.
Not to debate the worthiness of Rask, but I'm wondering if he'll actually be the backup next year. If the Bruins really believe in Thomas for 3 more years, and Rask has only 1 year left at a $3.2 mil cap hit, why wouldn't PC try to trade him now and then sign a backup for a third of that money? For example - Auld signed a 2-year deal for $1 mil each year and I don't know what people think, but I'd love to see him back here as a backup. And as for Rask - Could he be the next Raycroft, a young goalie who never really makes it? Carey Price is another young goalie not working out yet either.. Save the money and sign Krecji and Kessel NOW!!
It sounds like the $$ wash out pretty well w/Manny gone. Tim Thomas is one of the toughest competitors I have ever seen and I do think he will win the Vezna. Anyone who thinks the money will change this guy has obviously not been paying attention. After watching the Rask meltdown the other night I am not sure he is emotionally ready to assume the pressure of being the B's full timer. Splitting time w/Thomas would be a valuable thing for the kid. I am beginning to understand the way Chiarelli plans his teams, I suspect he will do what is right for the team regarding Kessel and Krecji........NOW LET"S GO WIN A CUP!!
Bad timing on the signing.... forgot the buyout option by 4/15 - if you are so worried about this, then why give him TOP DOLLAR.
TT has won NOTHING!!!!! He will win the Vez, but has not won a playoff series never mind a cup.
When he does, then he can get his 5+ mil.
MFMF salary is 4 mil, cap drops by 4 mil next season - that is your swap. For TT to be making 5 mil, Savard, Bergeron, Kessel, Krecji, Kobasew, Rask have to be traded, pick 2 of them, at least 2 of them. Sturm has a no trade clause... big mistake if it is true at 5.2 million - 3 - 3.5 mil for 2 years would have been fine.
This is outstanding! All you haters need to zip the lip. Tim Thomas has the BEST numbers in the NHL, and this new contract only puts him at the 10th highest paid goalie in the league. We all know that Goaltending and Defense wins championship, an right now the Bruins have the best goaltender in Thomas and the best D man in Chara!
The Bruins are no different than any other team in the NHL, it is going to be tough to sign everyone that they would want to. However, we must keep in mind that Kessel, Krejci, Hunwick, and Bitz are all RESTRICTED free agents. I doubt that there are many teams that are going to overpay like Edmonton did for Penner. As I have said before on this blog, Bergeron's 4.75 million dollar contract is the one that is hamstringing this team in terms of the cap. Peter has his work cut out for him, as he has 2 Centers, 3 Left Wings, 3 Right Wings, 5 Defensemen, and 2 Goalies signed for next year that count 48.717 against the cap. That means if the cap is only 53 million, he would have only 4.283 million to sign 2 centers, 1 RW, 1 LW, and 1 D man. How would you like to be in his shoes.
The problem is not the money,Thomas is worth 4.5mil easally so whats 5mil,the problem is now Manny knows he has no job next year how is he gonna take it?as for Rask he will just be happy playing in the NHL backup or starter worst case scenario if rask is that good we just trade Timmy for a veteran golie that can win a few games and reassess later but i have to admit Timmy deserves the money he helped our club alot over the last couple of years and for 1.1mil what a joke we were laughing all the way to the bank now its Timmy's turn to laugh!!The only problem is you know when guys sign big contracts dont they usually stink up the joint for a while and rite before the playoffs!!!could of waited a little longer but then again Timmy is the true meaning of the word WARRIOR!!!so we should be ok.congrats Tim!!
WOOOHOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHH YEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!
I've been a Tank fan from Day one and this is what he's worth. way to go, now don't worry about the future, and just focus on getting that cup home, baby !!!!
TIMMMMMMMMAYYYYYYYYY
Good for Tim, he's earned it.
For what it's worth, I fear Kessel will be gone next year.
I think paying him Brodeur money is a bit much...
but pales in comparison to the ridiculous move in paying Fernandez almost that much.
When Fernandez goes it is essentially a wash...
You guys who don't think this money was fair are true turncoat bandwagon fans. This guy is one of the only reasons we made the playoffs last year, he might be the single biggest reason we have 50 wins this year. He has the lead in the top two stats for his position. (GAA, Save % if some of you even know what that is). The last year of his contract he goes and has a Vezina worthy year and he deserves every freakin penny. The bruins finally coughed up money, and to the right person. Someone go watch the last game the bruins played against philly then come back here and tell me he isn't worth it. Because thats how this guy has played since he got here. You guys need to get a clue.
Regarding the whole Rask thing... Thomas is a fantastic goalie, obviously, but his play drops off a lot when he gets tired. I'm not saying that to detract anything from him -- the guy's a great goalie and fun as hell to watch, and I love that he'll be back. But the club isn't going to want to ride him every game all season, so I'm sure Rask (or whoever our #2 goalie ends up being) will get plenty of games if he proves he can play consistently at that level.
Good for Thomas! I think this contract was overdue, what a steal for 1.1 mil a season! Now he is making the money he has always deserved... As for our free agents, The only two I really care about are Krejci and Hunwick... Those two are key... I like Kessel, but he is so inconsistent and he only has one move, Kessel is going to be the next Samsonov, flashes of brilliance, stretches of greatness, but never really coming full circle... I do believe he is expandable, only if we get a speedy winger who can stretch the ice like he can, thats the only thing that would be hard to replace, his speed... Other than that, Congrats Timmy and go B's!!
Actually - the only reason Rask had a cap hit of $3+M this year was because of the lack of a bonus cushion. His cap hit next year will be approx $850k ... so our tandem next year will make essentially the same as it did this year.
If Rask wins the #1 spot we move Timmy or buy him out in the offseason after next season ... problem solved.
The $ are high and will make it tough to get everyone in under the cap, but anyone who thinks this means that they're trading Tuuka is seriously mentally challenged.
The bruins tried to work the Lemlin/Moog type duo with Manny and Tim, and it worked well until Manny got hurt.
I would guess the Timmy/Rask duo would work much in the same. It keeps Tim fresh, and gives Rask experiance and time to settle before he takes over the #1 in the Future.
A team is nothing without great goaltending. I'm glad we locked him in.
"I think paying him Brodeur money is a bit much..."
but MB30 isn't the highest paid goaltender by a country mile. he's more like Bruschi in that he understands the ins and outs of the salary cap and would rather leave money on the table to stay where he is, rather than make an extra couple of million bucks and move his family, etc ...
I think Timmy deserves EVERY PENNY of that contract. it also allows him to focus 100% on his playoff. It's also a pretty smart move by the B's management to sign him before his 35th Birthday , giving them the option of a buyout if he either gets hurt or the money gets to his head.
I like everything about the deal, and will like it even more if they bring the cup home. Now, that is the only thing acceptable at this point. Go all the way, guys!!!
An important aspect of Tim's make up is his willingness to be supportive of his goalie mate. He took Hannu in like a brother when they were teammates in Providence and he will do the same for Rask. He will battle hard to be the number one job but he will also help Rask to be his best. Everyone was screaming that 1.1 million a year was too much three years ago. Timmy deserves this and will battle right to the end of the contract.
I am thrilled. The last time I loved a goalie he was gone as soon as I bought his jersey. Ordered TT's on NHL.com just a few days ago...thought I was a curse..phew!
Dont forget Murrays 2.7 Mil will probably be off the books late April or May so PC will have that money to play with. My feeling is one vet will have to go this summer. My guess is Savard will be moved. Big cap hit for 2 more years at 5 mil per. B's centers are all grown up now and Savvy could be spared as much as I like the guy.
people are never satisfied....5.2 mill is too much? for a goalie who BETTER win the Vezina trophy this year? come on...you get a good goalie like Thomas and you keep him....who would you rather have, Andrew Raycroft? or one of the awful russian goalies theyve signed in the past? tukka rask will be the backup next year and a few years away from a starter...signing Thomas to 5.2 is short money for the return.....and in a month and a half when he's raising the cup over his head. you will agree
Look at some of the other goalies with $5-6+ mil salaries out there. $5mil for Timmeh is a pretty good grab. Honestly, he would have got more on the FA market and he probably took a home town discount.
As for Rask, I personally believe the plan is to ride Timmy for another year or 2 while having Rask back him up. Timmy can also mentor Rask during this time. Perhaps around year 2/3 of Tim's contract, Rask will begin to take the reigns and Timmy will take the backup and mentor role. Also, think of the Tandem with Timmy and Rask. That's pretty awesome. Thomas is also a great locker room guy and a tough competitor. He will be a good mentor for Rask and a good guy to have around. Everything will work out better than fine.
I couldn't be happier for Thomas, he's earned it.
I do wonder what this will mean when it comes time for the Kessel/Krejci negotiations this summer. It certainly does seem unlikely they'll be able to keep both. If they can't, I sure hope it's Krejci they hold on to. I have nothing against Kessel, but between the two I just don't think you can lose Krejci.
All this being said, I believe PC knows what he's doing and he wouldn't have inked this deal if he didn't have a plan in place.
buffalo's goalie--miller-- makes over 6 million per year---thats over-rated---congrats to tim for earning his paycheck. also julien should be in line for the next extension----he is the biggest reason we're here now---his system put the bruins in a place to succeed. lewis's bruins looked like a group of chickens with their heads cut off---seems like that was yesterday--lol
TIMMEH! In your face to all the TT haters! He deserves every single penny!
Congrats Mr. Thomas you earned it with your patience and your play, You never quit on the game or yourself even when it did'nt look like you would be the star you are in the NHL. You give other players that are slow to develope or just fall though the cracks hope. I will be watcing you and the Boston Bruins in the play offs i hope it contiues into JUNE.
Tim has been a dominant goalie during the last 3 seasons. At the time, I didn't agree about signing Fernandez (Thomas wasn't the problem in that team)
I think it's fair to sign him now !! I agree that if the team fail (or Tim fails) during playoffs, we'll ask questions, but on the other end, if Tim carries the team very far during the playoffs , then maybe he would have been tempted to test the FA market on July 1st (and maybe earn more than $5m per year with another team.
Tuuka will be OK next season in Beantown. With Tim, he'll have a great mentor and a great guy to refer to and learn from. Rask will see some action gradually and Tim will be traded in March 2012 (before trade deadline), in order to give Rask no. 1 goalie spot.
Bruins are doing the right thing with Rask. See what the Habs did with "Jesus Price". No veteran to support him this season... and maybe not next season...
Why does everyone want to annoint Rask as an elite NHL goalie? Thomas has been good for several years and now he's a Vezina winner in his prime. $5 Million for the NHL's best goalie seems like a good deal to me. Now, they can bring Rask in to watch and learn and gain some experience. But Tukka has had problems at the AHL, so he still needs work.
I'm not saying that we owe Thomas for past performance, but he's been an absolute steal at $1 million per year. His stats have been top 5 for the past 3 years.
There's nothing more annoying than when people say a goalie (or QB or starting pitcher) isn't any good based purely on his team's won-loss record or playoff success. Thomas nearly led his team to a gigantic upset in last year's postseason. You can't tell me that any goalie in the NHL would have done any more than Timmy did. To say "he's never won anything" when you look at the Bruins teams that have been put out there the last few years is just moronic.
I see we have a lot of new bruins fans, who dont understand what timmy has done for our team. I love the cinderella story that is Tim Thomas. He is what gives our team that "never quit" attitude.
GO GO BLACK AND GOLD!!!
Type your comment here...I hate to say it, but let's applaud Mike O'Connell. The one and only move that makes him avoid being known as the biggest boob in Bruin history.
@50: Doesn't Savvy have a no-trade?
Has anyone here even seen Rask play? I know he's supposed to be the future of the Bruins, as we hear from the media all the time but how many of you people who are nutting over Rask have actually seen him play? It's like you heard his name through the media a lot and it's easy to remember, so you think you know what makes a great goaltender. It's pretty pathetic.
That said, congratulations to Timmy! Let's hope up he keeps up the great play we've come to expect from him in the next few years to come.
The number of idiots who post here that know nothing about hockey is astonishing.
DoubleA, thanks for that note on Rask.
Should that be the case, it makes the goalie situation a lot better than initially anticipated for next season. The question still remains though (and this is probably something the B's will just let play out over the course of the year) what to do with Tuuka after next season. It would be a shame to see him leave via free agency and get nothing in return for a top tier prospect. Either way, I hope this can help propel us to a Cup this year. Might be our best chance to grab one since the late 80's early 90's days
List of Bad Goalies that were supposed to save the Bruins since 1980 and Cheevers:
Jim Pettie, Jim Craig, John Blue , Pete Peeters (Good 1 year and Sucked in Playoffs and beyond), Mike Moffat, John Grahame, Jeff Hackett, Doug Keans, Jon "The Technicolor 5 hole" Casey (Thanks KPD :-), Byron Dafoe, Hannu Toivonen
And I am leaving a bunch out.
The Cheevers, Moogs and Lemilens dont come around very often. Thomas is in thier class and deserves 5m a year. Congrats to a good guy!
when the were original six teams, goalies didn't come into the nhl until about 28 - that was the average age. i know we have more players (international) and teams now, but i believe that many goalies don't mature until much later than position players. thomas' game has improved so much since having consistent big league experience that he is now at the height of his game, and one of THE best in the league. great, great signing. now lose manny and get tuuka up her to get some experience at nhl speed.
//Forgot to mention, why give him a fat contract right before the playoffs? Why not wait and see what he does first.//
First of all, if you, y'know, READ the story, you'll understand why. And secondly you don't judge a goalie on a limited # of games, but on his body of work.
Savard and Sturm both have no-trade clauses.
Rask will obviously take Manny's spot next year and work his way gradually to the top spot. He's 21 freaking years old - there's no rush to make him #1. If he DOES come in and blows everyone's doors off, you're still not going to play him 90 percent of the tinme.
As for his salary, Thomas will make less than many other goalies. He undoubtedly would have scored more on the open market.
Do some of you not realize that there are goalies who are getting paid far more than Timmy and Brodeur and aren't doing as well, see Kipper in Calgary, Backstrom in Minn, etc
Great move, the Boston teams are locking up their future, first the Sox now the B's in the next few months, hopefully with a cup as well.
my how far we have come!! bruin fans conplained when they wouldnt shell out the money, now they complain when we shell out the money. lol haha he got 1million a yr the last 3 yrs, and has been the backbone of team. He earned it !! save by thomas!
It is a good new
Well first off Congrats to timmy on the resigning. I think it was a good deal. As one of you said earlier paying him only .3 mill more than Manny isn't really that big a deal. I hate to say this but I wouldn't be surprised if they let Bergy go after this year. He is a good two way player but he just hasn't produced much this year compared to what he used to. I highly doubt they would let kessel or krejci go even though they are inconsistant at times, the Bruins really need the speed. The cap will most certainly be tight, but who's isn't? A lot of teams tie up most of there cap on two to three guys. Rask will be there. and so will the kids we already have, they just won't get big raises
all you 3.5 - 4 millioners....
Do you think that Thomas would sign for the same money his back up is making now? Really, pull heads out of bums and learn about the sport.
No pink Bruins hats are welcome.
Wow, what a terrible contract. Brodeur money in the salary cap era? At the end of this contract, fans are going to cursing the GM for this one. Its very likely TT would have made more on the market, but that doesn't mean you grossly overpay to keep him. With Rask in the wings? Wow, there must be more to this that it seems. Epstein would never overpay like this... this hamstrings the team for years to come. Lose Kessell and Krajic to overpay a goalie who will be 37 when the contract ends? Ludicrous. You do not pay for what a guy did 2 years ago.
Is it just me or do they play WAY better with Kessel NOT in the lineup? I have tht sneaky suspicion he is a pain in the ass in the locker room like Manny...and with Wheeler and Lucic coming from no where pay Krecji and dish Kessel to Vancouver for one of the Sedin twins...
After seeing comparable goalie salaries, the money is fair, maybe a tad high. However, my concern is with the timing. Thomas no longer has anything to play for going into the playoffs. As for Manny, he knows he's gone after this year...so he either doesnt care, or may try to impress to get a contract with a different team next year. It will be interesting to see how it plays out...I just hope that Timmy isnt thinking about Tanking ( no pun intended) in the 1st round so he can spend that 5 million on some new golf clubs...I dont see him doing that, but I really hope he has that desire to win now to go along with his fat wallet.
@29! YES!
I LOVE TIM. I used to watch him at UVM. He is definitely worth the money. He is, afterall, the main reason I go to bruins games!
Joe P, what? No longer has anything to play for? How about the freaking cup? It's not just fans who like to see the team win, I have a sneaking suspicion the players have their eye on a championship, too.
Timmy is 100% class, on and off the ice. I also hear he's a great family man and is currently taking care of his sick mother. He's a leader and does everything he can to help his team win every night. I've been as BIG a Bruins fan as possible for the past 35 years and when it comes to class and compete I put Timmy up there with Neely, Bourque, Espo and O'Reilly, Good on ya Timmy, now bring all us crazy Bruins fans the cup!! Congrats, truly deserved.
Joe obviously you know Jack crap about Tim Thomas and apparently have missed what he's done through this year and others for the Bruins. Get out from under the rock and quit expecting him to Brodeur, there is only one just like there was only one Gretzky, Crosby etc. Just because he may not measure up to those standards does not mean this was not well deserved or let alone needed for the Bruins. I want Thomas here as long as possible and would not want anyone else to snap him up. Seriously, to all you nay sayers, look Thomas and his consistency in net and you will see, he DESERVES this.
i agree with fzappa
TIMMMMMAAAYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!
AL,
I have seen Rask play numerous times, 13 P-Bruins games this year. Also you can youtube videos of him playing for Ilves Tampere and his home town team. Kid was ranked best EU goaltender in 2005, and has played well when brought up to Boston (all be it 1 game this season, A SHUT OUT) Have you seen Rask play Al??
The kid is top notch, and the Bruins are doing exactly what they need to with him to develope him the RIGHT way. Also Dude who listed past goalie flops, you forgot Blaine Lacher
Do any of you people watch the games? Thomas is the reason the Bruins have been anything besides awful for the last three years. And all of you that "worry" about what Manny thinks.....Manny should think about stopping the puck because he won't be in the NHL next year the way he is going right now
As for the timing they had to do it before the 15'th when he turns 35. This way they can buy out his contract if things go south.
I love the deal. He is older but he seems he can hold up. Fluent in finnish which will help Tuukka develop.
Tim Thomas came out of nowhere to become one of the top 3 goalies in the NHL and sometimes carry the Bruins on his shoulders.
Just a few years ago he was playing for peanuts somewhere in Finland.
He earned every penny the Bruins are paying him, i just hope he carries us to the stanley cup, without his hot streaks we're doomed.
Excellent, well deserved.
//Is it just me or do they play WAY better with Kessel NOT in the lineup? I have tht sneaky suspicion he is a pain in the ass in the locker room like Manny...and with Wheeler and Lucic coming from no where pay Krecji and dish Kessel to Vancouver for one of the Sedin twins...//
It's just you. Phil Kessel is a very quiet, almost painfully shy kid. Nobody in that locker room is a "pain;" this is an extremely close team. And you don't take a 30-goal scorer out of the lineup and play WAY better, you work your tails off to make up for his absense.
And you also revealed your hockey ignorance by wanting to trade for ONE of the Sedin brothers. Those two will never be separated. You want one, you get both, or they go back to Sweden. They've made that abundantly clear.
So Timmy will make $5.2 for the next 3 seasons against the cap...And Rask is on the books for $3.2 against the cap if he takes over as a backup. THat would be $8.4 million for the 2 goalies in a salary cap world! That is godawful management! There is no way they can elevate Rask to the big club with Timmy's contract. Do the trade Rask now? What an absolute blunder this is by Chiarelli!!
//Thomas no longer has anything to play for going into the playoffs//
Are you INSANE?!!!? No, only the STANLEY CUP! Like, every hockey player's DREAM!
Please tell me this is sarcasm. Please. My God.
74:
"Epstein would never overpay like this..."
Maybe you should take a look at Epstein's moves concerning shortstops...
Ive been a B's fan all my life, and I want them to win the cup...I just hope that Timmy is the man to take them there. If he falters, the contract will look terrible...thats all im saying. You people need to take off your black and gold sunglasses and face a potential reality. If he performs well in the playoffs, he will be well worth the 5 million....simple as that.
Awesome !!!!!!!! thank god harry is gone
Take a look at theses salaries and tell me what he should have gotten.
http://www.blackhawkzone.com/salaries/goalies.htm
Now I'm assuming every Boston Bruins fan wants to see that Cup hoisted!!
There's no way Timmy would throw the first round like that. He's the kind of guy who hates getting scored on in Warm ups or practice. Some players don't care how much they make others do. Look at Yelle for example 750 k for a good vet. player. Some people love the game. Who thinks Danny Heatley is worth 10Mil??
Vokoun FL 5.7 MIL; Toskala TOR 4.0 MIL; Theodore WASH 4.5 MIL; Turko DAL 5.7 MIL; Nobokov SJ 5.5 MIL; Luongo VAN 7 MIL; Lundqvist NYR 7.75 MIL; Miller BUF 6.25 MIL; Backstrom MIN 6 MIL; DiPietro NYI 4.5 MIL; Fleury PIT 5 MIL; Huet CHI 5.6 MIL; Kiprusof CGY 8.5 MIL; Giguere ANA 6 MIL; Khabibulin CHI 6.75 MIL
Thomas' stats top every one of these guys. Good job Mr. Chiarelli, you have the best goalie in league and you gave him a fair deal. Congrats Tim!
Dan,
How could I forget "Let em in" Lacher? (thanks again KPD)
Ok right now he's the best goaltender in hockey...by far with a 2.11 GAA and a .925 save pct 33 wins why would you not sign the best...why would you let that slip away....
If the Bruins didn't pay him then some other team would and he would come back to haunt them...sooner or later.
TT just knows how to play the game and he's been doing it for years and no one noticed plus he is getting better with age and hopefully Rask will take the time to learn from the master.
Doesn't have anything to play for?
How about a Stanley F**king Cup
I was unaware so many people closely followed Tukka's career in Providence. Here are some stats...
Tuukka Rask
Overall in AHL: 15
Goal Against: 130 (Worst in the top 20 goalies)
GAA: 2.47
SV%: 0.916
Wins: 31
Loss: 19
OT Loss: 4
Next Brodeur...eh... He's not quite ready for the NHL - Timmy will be a good mentor for him next year. If we're going to bring money into it...Tukka is the one getting paid to much...3 mil to sit in Providence and be the 15th best goalie overall? I mean I love me some Tukka...but let it go people.
Jacobs is cheap... he doesnt care about the team. AM I RIGHT??? /sarcasm
"The number of idiots who post here that know nothing about hockey is astonishing." - Now this quote is off base.
Just because you don't agree with somebody doesn't prove they don't know anything about the sport.
5+ mil for TT is not a bad figure, but for right now, this team it is not a good contract. This contract will prohibit the signing of two YOUNG key players.
The points I read are just that, not the TT does not deserve the contract, why now? Forget the buyout option at 34, if he is THAT good, a buyout should not be an option.
"You guys who don't think this money was fair are true turncoat bandwagon fans" Posted by John April 3, 09 09:58 AM
Are you kidding? It is just the opposite, Bandwagon fans want teams to spend every penny about winning right now, not thinking about the future. I am a season ticket holder and I am not happy about the amount of money or years and the timing. Wait until he wins a playoff series at least.
I am happy to have TT on the team today. Next year is next year. I would rather keep all of our current skaters and go with Rask in net than give TT 5+
Why do you think thats top dollar? Why do you think Timmy is overpayer? He's make what a million less a year then Backstrom signed for the wild for and that was for an additional year. Don't think Timmy is on Backstrom's level? Look at the numbers for the last three years these two guys are on the same platue certainly. Comparring his money to Broduer isn't really fair Broduer when he signed that deal was at the highest goal level. Now there are afew guys making more. Timmy is likely to win the Jennings,and the Vezina both. Not to mention the guy puts fans in the stands. People love to watch him play. This is a business and as far as jerseys,marketings,and fan appeal Timmy is on the highest of levels. Not resigning him wowould have certainly turned alot of the newly gotten fans away..........................................................................................................................................................
74:
Also Check out Epstein's bidding war against himself for JD Drew...although he did hit the 14mil grand slam...
bye bye Kessel
Nothing to play for? Really? You don't think he wants a cup? Beyond that he's playing to catch the eyes of USA hockey. He wants with all his heart to start in the Olympics next year. He's made that entirely clear and theres nothing that'll make that more likely than him back stopping this team trough a couple of playoff series'
Actually Timmy's contract in Jokerit was better than his AHL/NHL contract but he followed his heart and his love of wanting to make the nhl. But yeah he wasn't playing for peanuts in Finland. He won league and playoff MVP and had a five year deal on the books for something in the neighborhood of 2 mill a year.
Timmy deserves it, if we didn't give him the cash another team would have.
Get us the cup Tim!
Very happy for Tim! He has such an inspiring story and shows that you should never give up on anything you're passionate about.
Congratulations!! I still remember the first game that made him a regular on the team and was very impressed with his play despite it being a 1-0 loss to Dallas in OT.
Think about it. He used to get peppered with 50-60 shots a night when Lewis coached, and he still had top 10 stats. Julien comes in and incorporates a way better defensive system, which cut the shots on goal in half, and Thomas makes 2 All Star games, winner in both (back to back, 4th goalie ever to do it) has top 10 stats still (currently 1st in both gaa and sv%) sets career best in wins (currently 33 wins and counting) and stands on his head every single night, and carries this team. PLUS, he is not affraid to take people out (ie; Kostitsyn, and that dude from Buffalo a year or 2 ago) to stick up for his teammates. He is also currently in contention for the Vezina (leading candidate) You bring in Fernandez, and pay him 4.3 million or whatever, and he is a dub. Meanwhile, you pay Timmy a measly 1.1 million for carrying the team on his back for the last 3 years. Give the guy his due. WAR - TIM THOMAS
i just came back to watch the bruins thanks to Lucic after a 20 year lay off.Thomas is a good signing Rask will back him up next year.Manny is gone,I thin they'll keep Phil and david.Murray and manny money will be free up
"Do any of you people watch the games? Thomas is the reason the Bruins have been anything besides awful for the last three years. And all of you that "worry" about what Manny thinks.....Manny should think about stopping the puck because he won't be in the NHL next year the way he is going right now"
Nash, I completely agree. The only reason this team is where they are, is because they have the #1 goalie backing them up.
I love this move
You are NOT worth $5 million until you prove you can win in the post-season. Plenty of goaltenders are fantastic in the regular season and choke when it matters.
Win a Cup this year and I'll be satisfied.
Overpay? Thomas Easily could have got 6M per year three year deal on the open market. Easily. This is not overpaying, this is the going rate for an elite NHL goalie. Thomas is one on the top 5 in the league.
clearly rask's cap hit of 3+ million is more ridiculous than giving a two seasons running 30 win goalie, in clear running for the vezina, a well deserved 5.2 mill for being better than his peers in terms of "goalie stat" bang for the buck.
for those of you debating whether he will try now that he has his money, has there ever been an aspect of this guy's game he hasn't taken upon himself to improve?? you really think getting better compensation for doing just that is going to make him shut down? i'd like to think he has shown enough pride to write off such criticisms.
one minute you all hate jacobs for being cheap, now you whine taht someone who earned it got his payday. get a grip bipolar b's fans.
#82, Dan - Thanks for reminding me of Blaine Lacher. Ouch.
Glad to see a fellow UVM alum reaping the benefits of his success. GO CATS GO!
Bye Bye Tukka Rask. You may have been the best goalie in Bruins recent history but after your traded we will get to see you play with your new team.
Epsteins overpay for shortstops isn't close to this example of poor cap management. At least they did it now so they can use the eventual buyout against the cap hit (although all the fanboys think they did it now just because.) Is Rask really 3.2 ? If so, this contract is even worse than I thought.
seriously? we want to see another year of lucky saves....does no one remember LAST season?
You people are crazy who think this is a bad deal. There are ten goalies who will make more next year and there clearly aren't many goalies better than Timmy. Plus they can buy him out without it hurting the cap since he signed it before turning 35. Rask's cap hit is only 3 mil. because of a bonus next year it is far less, so he'll have a year to learn under Timmy before getting the full time gig. Great move and Krejci should be next.
SoxFanInIl ,
Stick with baseball. There is no comparision with the hard cap in the NHL.
Now go back to whining about Manny Ramierez or what hang nail JD Drew hurt this week.
I think SG is posting with multiple names, lol.
Jonny: 50+ games with 33 wins, best GAA and sv% in the league, and the leading candidate for the Vezina is "lucky"? is that supposed to be a joke?
Thomas is no way an elite goaltender. There is no reason or ryhme to his 'style' because there is no style. A retarded move to sign an unproven 35yr old goalie for over 5million a year. As always the Bruins will fizzle in the first or second round of the playoffs. Bruins suck. Go Habs.