Playing the Devil’s Advocate
I am going to play the devil’s advocate here for just a moment. So, please, indulge me.
In retrospect, the terms of this contract are a tad worrisome. Brandon Montour has only played 128 games dressed as a Duck, or any NHL team for that matter. During his first season, he played a minimal amount of games. If we want to judge what kind of player Montour is, our sample size is reduced to one season, plus a handful of games in 2016-17. Montour and the Ducks both agreed that he doesn’t quite have enough experience yet for a long-term contract.
"“For the msot part, as a player, I didn’t really know what exactly I am right now. I know my strenghts and believe in myself helping this team and being a key contibutor to my team as of now and moving forward. We all agreed with a shorter term. Getting better as we keep goining on. I’ve only played close to 150 games. The shorter term was the best fit for the both of us. -Brandon Montour, Anaheim Ducks defenseman, to AnaheimDucks.com."
How does the evidence suggest that Montour is worth a two-year contract of $6.77M?
It is reasonable to suggest that the recent arbitration ruling with Jacob Trouba, a defenseman for the Winnipeg Jets, may have weakened the Ducks bargaining position. Although it was not a long-term contract or worth as much as he wanted, an arbitrator awarded Trouba a one-year $5.5M contract just days before Montour’s scheduled hearing.
Maybe Trouba, who has been playing in the NHL longer than Montour, deserved his big payday. However, how could the Ducks justify paying Montour $1.5M per year when a player, who has very similar stats, is now making over five million in one season?
The other thing to consider is the fact that Montour only has two-years on this contract. At the end of the 2019-20 season, Montour and the Ducks are going to need to go through negotiations all over again.
If Montour continues to significantly improve and be a consistent asset on the blueline, his pay raise for his next contract is going to be huge. Although the salary cap will go up, as it does every season, it could still pose a problem for the Ducks if they aren’t careful with other contract negotiations over the next few seasons.