Sportsnet: Vancouver Canucks head coach Travis Green is entering the final year of his contract. Both the Canucks and Green have said they’d like to get one done. Satiar Shah on the situation.
** NHLrumors.com transcription
“I certainly believe that the Canucks and Travis Green would love to get a contract extension done. The question is, how many years and how much money per year will get the deal done?
We have heard that there might be a correction when it comes to head coaches salaries but when you look at what Travis Green was making and the fact that he’s not going to be commanding the same type of money that Barry Trotz did, or that Mike Babcock did or that Joel Quenneville did. I’m not sure I quite buy that Travis Green needs a correction on his future salary.
But if I’m the Vancouver Canucks, the last thing I want to do is allow him to head into a lame duck season and only have one year left on his contract.”
Iain MacIntyre the Canucks cash flow and what it might be a factor free agency and for the Green in this situation.
“Yes, cash flow is generally a factor in free agency and right now in all of sports and especially in the NHL which is so gate driven, cash flow is a big issue.
I don’t really think there is any question that Travis has earned an extension for a pretty good bump in pay. I mean, he’s on an entry-level coaching salary of around a million dollars a year. Mid-range would put him in $3 million-plus. Jim Benning’s last extension was for three years as the GM. I think that would be fair for Travis as well, another three years, but there is just so much uncertainty about next season.
Nobody knows whether it will start in January or February or at all. Nobody knows if it’s going to be 80 games or 50 games and until there is some financial clarity, I don’t think the Canucks are the only team that’s reticent to hand out another contract to its coach. There is a handful of coaches in this position and not just Travis.”
MacIntyre on if a Canucks-Green extension gets done before the season starts – if there is a season.
“I think the contract has to get done before the season. I don’t think it would be fair to use whatever next season looks like as the measure as the key decision tool in whether you are going to re-sign Travis Green because his body of work from the last three years is pretty impressive even when the teams results were not.
And at Sat’s says, in this market, I just don’t think there needs to be that type of distraction, that kind of chaos. There is enough chaos in the world right now without it surrounding the head coach’s office.
So I think when there is some clarity, I would bet there would be a deal done before the season starts.”