Hockey Salaries

[Zulu9er]

Toews and Kane each get 84 million over 8 years with Chicago Blackhawks. Sure wish I skated more as a kid.

[fargineyesore]

No wonder ticket prices are so high that the average person cannot afford to take their family to a game.

[220swifty]

Maybe Kane can afford to pay his cabbies now...

[syncronized77]

times sure have changed with hockey players earning more than 10mil a year now

[220swifty]

times sure have changed with hockey players earning more than 10mil a year now

Just starting to catch up to the other pro sports.

[sailor]

Just starting to catch up to the other pro sports.

Like a CFL ?:)

[canadiantdi]

No wonder ticket prices are so high that the average person cannot afford to take their family to a game.

Ya, I definitely catch most of my games on TV. Such a rip off.

[unclebuck]

Let them play and take their bucks, worth it or not, because to me an Oiler game or any other for that matter is not worth $600./game, not including travel. Easier to watch on internet and still get p'od the same. Instead of $6.00 bad dogs and $7.00 flat draught, I can sit on a far more comfortable chair, fresh beer, and elk or moose brats. Can't beat that with a stick. Ma may just have a treat when the game is over.:sHa_shakeshout:

[5Lgreenback]

Ridiculous of course. But it certainly won't stop people from supporting their local business err I mean team.

Maybe even throw taxpayers money at it so all working Canadians have to support these organizations and salaries whether they like it or not.

[marxman]

. Sure wish I skated more as a kid.

ha ha yeah right

[220swifty]

Like a CFL ?:)

Canadian Farm League ?

[220swifty]

Instead of $6.00 bad dogs and $7.00 flat draught, I can sit on a far more comfortable chair, fresh beer, and elk or moose brats. Can't beat that with a stick. Ma may just have a treat when the game is over.:sHa_shakeshout:

With that diet I assume you are referring to a Dutch oven?

[brownbomber]

Every time this comes up I chuckle.
If only 20 guys were elite class at something that only 650 in the entire world were capable of doing you would get paid too.
How many guys are capable of burning rods, driving truck, being a driller on a service rig, all of this takes skill and knowledge but given motivation and time most could do these jobs.
That's the difference, it's a extremely narrow window of people qualified to do the job and even less are elite.
If you aren't willing to pay the price of admission many others will line up to do so.

[Twisted Canuck]

I can only hope my son ends up there at some point....he is 16 and at the moment in Calgary skating with the Brooks Bandits after having a good show at their April camp and getting invited to this camp with team. He called me last night after his first skate asking for his Alberta Health Care number.....:scared: Got hit up high, opened his chin up and he got to have a laugh with the coach, and some time with the assistant coach on the way to get sewn up at ER. Today, at fitness testing, he finished 1st overall in squats after doing 40 reps of 170 (his weight) and 2nd second in the cardio run. Kid works hard, and has some skill....hell, maybe he'll pay me back for all his hockey some day and I can retire!!:sHa_sarcasticlol:

[Smokey]

I would keep Toews and traded Kane. They have Terovainen coming the Kane Klone, Id bring in a different piece while Kane has big value. Toews is the best player in the league, Kane does not deserve the same coin.

[5Lgreenback]

Every time this comes up I chuckle.
If only 20 guys were elite class at something that only 650 in the entire world were capable of doing you would get paid too.
How many guys are capable of burning rods, driving truck, being a driller on a service rig, all of this takes skill and knowledge but given motivation and time most could do these jobs.
That's the difference, it's a extremely narrow window of people qualified to do the job and even less are elite.
If you aren't willing to pay the price of admission many others will line up to do so.

Only 650 people are capable of playing hockey?

I think they're are a few too many exceptions to your rule to be considered a valid argument.

[hal53]

Only 650 people are capable of playing hockey?

I think they're are a few too many exceptions to your rule to be considered a valid argument.
at that level...even that number is suspect with some of the "talent" playing with 30 teams in the league...

[Fisherpeak]

Nobody in the world is worth 10.5 million a year unless they can heal the sick and cure the lame.Makes me want to puke.

[takkotime]

times sure have changed with hockey players earning more than 10mil a year now

Actually certain players since '97 have been earning more than 10 million a year, then the two lockouts kind of corrected things; next year the cap goes up even higher yet again- nevermind Toews and Kane also received about 44 mil in signing bonuses that are not included in the 10.5 per season.

[kmacisaac]

If your boss offered you a juicy multimillion dollar contract to do what you do, the best or not at your chosen trade...would you say "no"?

[brownbomber]

at that level...even that number is suspect with some of the "talent" playing with 30 teams in the league...

There's a lot more players to pick from these days, but imagine today's talent with say 20 teams..... Unreal

[schmedlap]

I think I had the potential ...? If only my Dad hadn't "cheaped out" on my skates when I was little, I would be enjoying the same. OK, not quite, since I would have been playing in the '70's to '90's, but still...?
Oh, wait, I am the beneficiary of his estate, so not much point, but, still, I am ****ed at his lack of attention to my potential !! He may have almost always been the coach and driven us all over hell and creation to play (as most of the other parents were unable or unwilling) with nil compensation, but he was very clearly negligent in not bringing myself and my brother to the NHL level.
And then my own 2 boys would probably have grounds -... second thoughts about this? Well, boys, you were just "too little".
It's a business. The "stars" get compensated for being such. Ridiculously, in my view, but I have yet to be able to acquire a team and try to impose some "restraint". If some of you want to chip in on buying one (minimum cash investment about $10M per investor - and credit worthy for another $100M or so) then contact me, and we may be able to set this right.

[alacringa]

And what do we pay the people who actually benefit society? This is pathetic.

[fish gunner]

And what do we pay the people who actually benefit society? This is pathetic.

Luckily ive worked for a few nhl 'ers. None getting paid in the tens of mil. Mostly down to earth , mostly good guys.they have some nice spots in the kootaneys. :sHa_shakeshout:
That aside if your over 200 lb fit and are over 6' you at an early age. You could have been taught hockey just like all the other guys in the leauge. The difference is they had the drive to achive the athleticism at an early age. Most dont or enjoy life at a young age. It is simple drive desire and the willingness to sacrifice that puts guys in pro sports. Remember lots of super skilled kids never make pro and lesser skilled kids that have that some thing,do make it. Parents are a big reason ,money and time makes an also ran a star.
I would like to see some balance 10 mil a year to play ..sorry play being the operative word.

[bobalong]

And what do we pay the people who actually benefit society? This is pathetic.

Seems a little strange all right that the highest paid employees in our society are singers, actors and athletes, although I suppose you could argue that all of them are sort of self employed business owners. Regardless, they are all employed to basically do nothing but entertain.

[hayseed]

Well, in the mean time, you bunch of slackers... get back to work with the wishing of winning the 649, cuz production has been at least cut in half with the news that my HAWKS are lookin ahead.

Money??? Pfffft.... ya gotta spend it to make it... :sHa_shakeshout:

[bb356]

Well, in the mean time, you bunch of slackers... get back to work with the wishing of winning the 649, cuz production has been at least cut in half with the news that my HAWKS are lookin ahead.

Money??? Pfffft.... ya gotta spend it to make it... :sHa_shakeshout:

You gotta pay big money if you expect anybody to put on that ugly jersey !!! :sHa_sarcasticlol:

[Eddy62]

I would keep Toews and traded Kane. They have Terovainen coming the Kane Klone, Id bring in a different piece while Kane has big value. Toews is the best player in the league, Kane does not deserve the same coin.


gretzky was asked if he was still playing who would he like to pass the puck too? answer patrick kane hes a talented scorer and maybe future trade bait for alot of picks or great talent back, they needed to get him signed. your right our canadian boy toews is simply awesome:)love watching him play

[ETOWNCANUCK]

It's the entertainment business...sports,,, movies,,,muscians...all entertainment.
Movie stars make 20 million a picture...even if it sucks at the box office...
Are they necessarily worth that amount?? no probably not...but they keep butts in the seats and that is big bussiness.

If Wayne Gretzky was in now and doing what he did in the 80's he would be getting paid that or worse by some team that would buy him.

Let's not forget that 10 or 15 years ago Chicago was just as bad as the Oilers are now.

Teams like the original 6 teams Chicago went 49 games before a cup win again
Rangers 54 and currently the Leafs are 47 years and counting.
And they couldn't win in a League that sure as hell didn't have 30 teams in it.

Then they figured it out and are now a dynamite team and will do what it takes to stay there and not have such a losing drought in a 30 team league

Some day our beloved Oilers will figure it out and get back to winning and when they do they will be paying some one or someones multimillions to stay just to keep doing it and to keep revenues high.

It's a business...billionaires and millionaires....
I don't wish I skated better...I wish I paid better attention in school and became a rich Capitalist S.O.B

[nekred]

Better to see players making money rather than owners paying a pittance and raking in billions....

So many have the pipe dream of being the NHL player and the hospital wards and beer leagues are full of them. Having realistic expectations for kids and having them play hockey for fun is afr more important.

As Bobby says he learned from his Dad..... Let the kids play and have fun and see what works out.

In the end even NHL players end up playing in the beer leagues again.....if they still love the game.

The reality is that theres is a 1/200,000 chance of making the NHL.... 200 players a year exit and 200 players a year enter the NHL... many have to do their time in the AHL and barring injury or other event they may make it....

I was at a hockey camp and I overheard two players talking about their kid like she was a piece of meat and their ticket to a better lifestyle.....It was disgusting... they had her whole future planned for her....and willing to spend a small fortune on development camps. My son said he talked with her on the ice and she said how she really did not like hockey anymore as it made her parents crazy!....

Then on another not there was an elite coach from another sport and his daughter was there and chatting with him I could see a whole different outlook. His daughter was smiling, and working hard and beating the heck out of the boys and was just a pleasure to be around... Dad quietly looked on and smiled and when his daughter come of his first question was.... Did you have fun?.... She smiled and said yes "them boys had no idea what hit them!". Afterwards my son and her talked and they and I saw my boy who is so shy with girls laugh and talk about how they shut every offense down and pushed them into the corner and always won the puck. She was not a girl she was his defense partner.

Now of those two girls which one do you think has most chance of doing well with hockey. I do not mean which one goes to the NHL but which one will enjoy hockey their whole life!?

It is easy for parents to get captured by the dream. Even myself when I watch an NHL playoff and see parents's watching their kids playing their heart out I always think what...if?!... Todays hockey world as players advance it gets very expensive.... very quickly....

One trait I have found in the truly proven elite players is that they LOVE the game. There are those who have been captured by the business of the game and they never meet their expectations.... Like Lindros. Even Hemsky, I think his problem is he goes through the motions of a game but does not have that deep passion. Or the Sedin Sisters.... hockey is a business, they do well in regulkar season because they are paid, in playoffs they disappear because they are not paid any more. Whereas the ones with heart and hockey means something to them they suddenly become the superstr or clutch player or get the game winning goal in the stanly cup final game.... Because hockey gods smile on heart and hard work!....and love of the game....

If they make 10,000.000 or more a season so be it! Kane and Toews have proven themselves many times over.... Take a look at Kane's stick handling video to see the mad skills he possesses!.... then look at Bollig's for comic relief.... both players have heart and humour one gets paid more because he has way more skill...

[Zulu9er]

Get rid of Kevin Lowe, and you may be on to something..:fighting0074:

[Big Sky]

How are the Blackhawks going to pay for this? This will be an increased cap hit of approx. $8 million. Say goodbye to Sharpe? Say goodbye to Hossa? Say goodbye to Seabrooke?

This move will not help the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup.