Free Agents and Asking Prices

[dturkenk]

In the league 2002 and beyond, I just signed Craig Paquette to a 1 year deal for 1 point as an injury replacement.

He wanted 1 point per year through 2007 when he was a free agent. Now that I've signed him (and without playing any games) his asking price has jumped to 4 points through 2007.

All he's done is join a team... why is he suddenly worth 4 times as much?

Seems like a bug to me. Am I missing something?

[takaplan]

The key question is, when did you sign him? If it's anywhere after right when FA begins, he is signing at a lowered value just so he can get on a team. His value didn't go down, but his willingness to play for less just to get on a team made his asking price go down.

Now that's he's on a team, he wants full price to resign.

Tom

[dturkenk]

And I see what the argument is, but I don't think it should be reflected be before the player even plays a game. That's just bad sense from the player, since it lessens the chance of being resigned.

Why would I even consider paying 4 points a year when I could have had him for 1 and he hasn't done a thing for me?

[Godard]

Now that you know that you only get the "cheaper" price if you sign the longterm contract up front, it makes you really think before you sign someone in the first place.

Otherwise, everyone would always sign 1-term contracts, and the "players" would be screwed, cuz the owners would have no incentive to lock someone in.