Lucic's extension includes lockout insurance
When the Boston Bruins signed Milan Lucic to a three-year, $12.25 million contract extension, not many people raised eyebrows over how the deal included a $1 million signing bonus in 2012-13, which is the last year of the deal.
More people probably raised eyebrows that a player who scores, on average, one goal every six games somehow merited an almost 500 percent raise. (Sure, the guy brings intangibles, but, geez, $4 million worth of intangibles?)
It's amazing this contract passed the desk of notorious skinflint and ownership hawk Jeremy Jacobs. Because what the Bruins did, in effect, was help Lucic have a little more resolve if there is another lockout.
That's because the $1 million bonus is due to be paid July 1, 2012. For those of you not keeping score, that could very well be a couple of months before another labor disruption. The current collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2011-12 season, but the players have the option of extending it for another year, which means it could end after that season.
