There have been plenty of good-natured jokes about Jack Johnson buying meals and gifts for teammates after Johnson agreed to a seven-year contract extension on Saturday, but really, all sides have remained focused on the business at hand. Terry Murray wanted to make sure of that in a recent chat with Johnson…
MURRAY: “I had a little talk with him yesterday. It’s more about being glad it’s done, and congratulations that he committed to a long-term deal. The organization has made a big commitment to (him), long-term, and let’s just grow together. Let’s just think about the game, get to playing hockey and become a better team, a better hockey club.”
Johnson, as previously noted, served as his own agent during negotiations. Murray spent parts of eight seasons in the NHL, with the California Golden Seals, Philadelphia Flyers, Detroit Red Wings and Washington Capitals, and this morning, I asked him if he ever served as his own agent…
MURRAY: “Always. I shouldn’t say that. The last couple years, I did have an agent. I had him for one year, and I fired him. [laughs] That was when I was with the Flyers. He ended up negotiating and telling (general manager) Keith Allen that I was going to Europe to play hockey. Keith Allen came to me and said, `What’s going on? Are you going to Europe?’ I said, `What?’ So I called (the agent) up and I fired him. It was one contract, and that was it.”
Question: Back then, it was sort of like, `This is what we’re paying you, sign here,’ right?
MURRAY: “My first training camp, just coming out of junior hockey, training camp ended after about six weeks. The general manager came to me and gave me a little, tiny piece of paper, just off the corner of a notepad. He said, `Take this, walk around the rink one time. The number is on there, that I’m going to pay you. The bus is going to be ready to leave in one hour. You have to make a decision.’ That was that. … Reggie Leach came to the Oakland Seals through a deal. He has a very high pick, maybe (No.) 5 or 6 overall, with the Boston Bruins. He got 10 and 10. Ten thousand to play, ten thousand to sign. That’s where first-round picks were going that year. I remember Chris Oddleifson. I think he held out to get that 10 signing bonus. They were offering him seven-five [$7,5000]. It’s amazing how you remember those numbers, but that was the war that was going on at the time.”
Great insight, thanks Mr. Hammond. Reggie Leach eh? Part of the LCB line of the Broad Street Bums I mean, Bullies. (one in the same for a Kings fan)
It came to mind, as it has been discussed before. THE KINGS NEED A LINE!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ice_hockey_line_nicknames
One comes to mind. The Crash & Dash line for 2011-12. Clifford – Schenn – Simmonds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfjZfcIYbcw
gKg!
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Bill M. Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:40 pm
@LBlocal, Been saying for a while – the Salary cap era has seen the death of both the Dynasty, and the nicknamed lines. I believe one is the product of the other – but which?
I think personally, that the death of the nicknamed line came because of the salary cap, and the competitive parity in the league that followed it. It gives you less room for a slump, making coaches and GMs fare more likely to try juggling lines looking for a spark, rather than sticking with past success and letting them ride it out.
This means that lines don’t stay together long enough to have nicknames. It also means that the great lines don’t stay together, or even on the same team, long enough for a team to have a true dynasty.
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LBlocal Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 7:20 pm
@Bill M., Is this what’s ‘specifically’ wrong with professional sports?
The Agent/Player/Team triangular web. I say GET RID OF IT.
An basic approach would be: Baseline Salary + Age + PERFORMANCE based slide scale = Compensation. Parity in pro sports. Could it be that simple?
gKg!
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I have to give JJ credit for being his own agent. I don’t know if it made a difference or not, but I think players acting on their own behalf would cut down on a lot of bs that probabaly happens with agents involved.
Good job JJ, now lets win a cup.
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wavesinair Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 3:57 pm
@spidey35, Makes me think JJ might make a great Captain soon.
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Bill M. Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:07 pm
@spidey35, this is true to a degree. It works well in this situation. You have two sides who are mostly in agreement on the major point, and probably it just amounted to haggling over the details.
I think agents are less necessary than they had become in the decades leading up to the lock-out and the modern CBA.
I read Gretzkys autobiography, and he spend a good chunk of a chapter talking about his friends who got screwed in contract negotiations with Sather and Pocklington, because they tried to represent themselves or had bad agents. He talked about one guy whose agent was literally thrown out of negotations after he couldn’t answer Sather’s question about the players plus/minus. Several stories about guys being railroaded into contracts where they would never see most of the money, etc.
I think with all the rules in the modern CBA, those kind of things happen much less. you also can’t afford to screw with your good young talent, given the salary cap and the threat of offer sheets to RFAs. It’s probably safer to negotiate for yourself than it was ten years ago.
I also think that agents can muck things up, trying to get a bigger deal for themselves. How many people do you think are wondering if Grossman had any influence on the actions of a certain New Jersey Devil this offseason. You can certainly believe a story about the agent overinflating the players ego to get him to hold out for a bigger deal, to the detriment of both player and team.
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Dan H. Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:14 pm
@Bill M.,
I read the account of Gretz and McNall flying out and talking out his contract. And McNall slid him a number and Gretz said…no that’s too much.
The best player in the world saying that the owner was offering too much. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything like that since.
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Bill M. Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:35 pm
@Dan H., yeah that was in the book too. classy move. The best of the best know that no matter how good they are, they can’t do it all themselves. They recognize the value of being a team player, and being surrounded by other team players.
Kovalchuk is a reminder of what happens when you forget that.
Matt R Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:37 pm
@Dan H., In the salary cap era, it would be nice to see players doing that more often. If players would take a little less money, it would leave more room for more quality players and a better shot at winning a cup. Kovalupchuk is a perfect example. He wanted money. He got money. He also got a lousy team because they can’t afford to put a good team around him.
That being said, I think JJ might have done that to a certain extent. He could have gone for a shorter contract in the hopes that scoring 60 points this year could get him an even bigger contract later. I think he didn’t want the money as much as he wanted to win. And I think he’s going to get what he wants. Go Kings!
jom Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:38 pm
@Dan H., Lindros, belive it or not, did the same thing. Quebec offered $10 mil per year for 5 years and he said that is too much. “No one is worth that” was the quote I remember. For him, however, he simply did NOT want to play in Quebec.
spidey35 Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:26 pm
@Bill M.,
I guess I should have mentioned that you probably need to have a good head on your shoulders and I think JJ seems to have his act together.
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lvkingaholic Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:13 pm
@spidey35, sounds like they should get rid of all the agents…………payroll and all declines, maybe even cheaper beer!
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wow, TM was a defensman, go figure!
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I wonder how long it took him to walk around the rink.
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maybe that explains the sloppy defense… lol. congrats on the contract now lets focus on hockey
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Love the side burns Greaser look!
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Stuart Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:07 pm
@tornado12, love those 38-inch cuffs on those gloves!!! Those are bigger than Greatzky’s cuffs!!!
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It would be a lot better in pro sports if everyone was their own agent. Kudos for players like JJ and Ovechkin for representing themselves. It also saves them a lot of money as well.
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LBlocal Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:14 pm
@JayMiller, Agreed!
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Belexes Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:20 pm
@LBlocal,
LOL, you’d better agree with Jay Miller.
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LBlocal Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 7:33 pm
@JayMiller, I’ve got a Jay Miller 1993 game used hockey stick signed by the entire 92-93 team. Bid won at Tip-A-King. What is it worth to ya, Mr. Miller??
gKg!
t.m. has that same blank look on his face……….. mr emotion……lol
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So where are all those guys who were saying JMFJ would hold out until the end and demand a trade or go to a trade war?
I guess those dudes were about as wrong as wrong can be.
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lvkingaholic Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:19 pm
@Dan H., mr johnson is only going to better and better
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Jason Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:23 pm
@lvkingaholic, I hope your right, as of right now I see a player who has peaked, even taken a step back in his defensive game. Not a fan of JJ, think we signed him to too long of a contract at such a young age…hope I am proven wrong!
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rexmundi Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:36 pm
@Jason, peaked? the guys not even 24. playing at a high level at defense in the nhl could be the hardest job. given his age and skill set, 5 mill will be a bargain when he and dewey are the premiere pairing in the nhl for 3-5 years. patience skywalker, this will be a steal.IMO
Bill M. Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:42 pm
@Jason, Not according to the stats. Johnson is within reach of a plus season for the first time in his career. While the lapses are still visible at times, so is the improvement.
lvkingaholic Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:44 pm
@Jason, i’m sure he’ll still do his boneheads from time to time, but now being split up from drew will hopefully settle him down now he has another stay at home guy with him. just thinking positive, hope it rubs off on the lot of them.
Katy Perry Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:22 pm
@Dan H.,
Great point. There has been a lot of JMFJ hate on here, but now it’s like he’s the second coming of Luc Robataille. At least be consistent in your dislike of a player. For example, if hell freezes over and Frolov plays for the Kings again and scores 30 goals, I will hate him as much as I do now.
JMFJ has a swagger that more of the Kings players need. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was the captain someday, even with his cheek implants and raspy voice.
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:23 pm
@Katy Perry, hahahaha cheek implants…..thats a good one!
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Dominick Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:48 pm
@Katy Perry, If Fro came back at 2 mill a year and scored 30, I’d hate you for complaining.
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Niko Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:26 pm
@Dan H., So glad that is not the case! This is just shows JJ believes the Kings will be a contender for years to come, and that the Kings org. believes he is a necessary component of a championship club. The guys on NHLN today had nothing but great things to say about the contract, for both the Kings and JJ.
Kill Jack Kill!
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wavesinair Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:45 pm
@Dan H., I have to admit after the Dean-foot-in-mouth episode last year, I thought it was possible JJ would bolt. I’m very happy to see it’s the opposite. Glad he’s here and love the commitment. Very happy indeed.
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BluLiner Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 5:17 pm
@wavesinair,
As you say, just the opposite. It speaks volumes about DL also that JJ was able to trust DL and move forward.
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with the exception of the hair doo, TM looks alot like Jonathan Quick in that picture.
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lvkingaholic Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:40 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, twin sons of different mothers…….lol
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How much would you be willing to spend on DD and Simmer, assuming they’ll get btwn 5 and 8 yr contracts? I’d say 6m for DD and 3m for Simmer.
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Niko Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:30 pm
@Schoeny, The way Simmer is playing now, not over 2M. Doughty at 6M sounds about right in a few years, maybe structure it like JJ’s, but 4.5M/6M?
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rexmundi Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:40 pm
@Niko, dewey will get a two or three year deal id guess around 15-20 mil. after smyth, stoal and zues come off the books he’ll get his. remember DL’s philosophy:get younger and less expensive every year.that way he can sign a 30+ with injury problems.
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rick Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 4:44 pm
@Schoeny, No way is Simmonds going to get a 5+ year contract. He has regressed somewhat this year, and I believe there are many who still have questions about what kind of player he is ultimately going to be. Is he a star, an average to above average third line grinder, or somewhere in between? He will get a couple of years in the $1.5 million range, and will have to step up his game before his next contract comes around.
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The day players learn that they can negotiate their own contracts will be awesome. they do still need to be aware of their worth tho…in this case…it was done between the GM and the player. Some agents are just ridiculous…AKA the whole Kovulchuk thing…so sad.
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Rich,
Did Murray ever look up his old adress to see how much has changed since he was with the California Golden Seals?
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JJ is no dummy.. Not sure, but didnt he get his degree this past year at Michigan? not the AVERAGE hockey IQ player. I like TM’s talk of just concentrating on being BETTER… no more contract crap to worry about. stay healthy, and learn the game get better. congrats JJ and KINGS fans..
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wow…great picture there.
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ronso Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 7:46 pm
@sebastian, Boy does that picture bring back great memories! I grew up watching the California Golden Seals (in their white skates!) in the early 70′s and fondly remember Terry Murray, Reggie Leach & many others who went on to make names in the NHL. The Seals GM in 71-72 was Garry Young, a savvy former Bruins scout, who put together a fantastic young lineup very similar to what the Kings are doing now, that included future stars such as Leach, Gilles Meloche, Paul Shmyr, Dick Redmond, Ivan Boldirev, Gerry Pinder, Joey Johnston and Tommy Webster, who like Murray later became a Kings coach.I have no doubt the Seals might been one of the first expansion teams to win a cup! Unfortunately, the business climate TM so accurately describes is exactly what led to the Seals untimely demise. Charlie Finley, one of the cheapest NHL owners ever, made similar “take it or leave it” offers to Seals players in the summer of ’72. Unfortunately, the new WHA was offering players twice what Finley was paying and half the team jumped to the new league! The Seals were never the same and eventually folded. Glad to see the Kings locking up players like JJ. Hopefully we see finally see an LA cup!
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ronso Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 7:54 pm
@ronso, OOps! almost forgot about Bobby Sheehan, a little 5.07 bolt of lightning who electrified Seals fans that year. His feet moved like the roadrunner and he bought the crowd to their feet every time he touched the puck. He jumped to the WHA too. What a great young team.
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Ha ha. My first hockey game I saw was the LA Blades vs the California Golden Seals at the LA Sports Arena back in 1967.
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LBlocal Reply:
January 10th, 2011 at 8:35 pm
@UglyinLA, To add; By recollection. My first game was April 1974. Long Beach Sports Arena. Winnipeg Jets vs. Los Angeles Sharks. In the 2nd period. Dad caught a puck off a Bart Crashley deflect. Bobby Hull changed the game. And made it the millionaire ‘agent driven’ sport, it is today.
PUCK, leafs scored. GO KINGS GO GO KINGS GO
gKg!
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Rich really good story, hey can we get some more this going with players from the past, Awesome to comment on and have some fun with.
TM looked pretty young in the photo…….
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