Laich contract a good deal for Caps

After the Washington Capitals’ 2011 postseason came to a close, impending free agent Brooks Laich said some cryptic things about possibly returning to Washington. On exit day, Laich said that he had not spoken to his agent nor General Manager George McPhee regarding an extension, ending the conversation with, “Today I’m still signed as a Washington Capital.”

Fans were particularly worried after he said, “I just hope at the end of the day there’s a hockey team that allows me to play hockey next year.”

As a fan myself, I’d resigned myself to the idea of Laich hitting the free agency market and going to another team. Even with the salary cap rising for next season, it was expected that McPhee would be looking to sign a few new free agents to add some power for a Stanley Cup-bound team. General managers around the NHL had expressed interest in picking up Laich on July 1. After seven seasons with the Washington Capitals, it appeared that Brooks Laich was on his way out.

On Tuesday, days before the beginning of the free agent frenzy, the Capitals announced a six-year, $27 million contract for Brooks Laich. It was a surprise, but also a relief.

Even after the things that Laich said in his exit interview, after the contract announcement, he expressed that his desire had always been to remain in Washington. “Washington was easily my first choice. I gave my agent instructions that I fully intended to return to Washington and that was my only choice,” Laich told Mike Vogel of washingtoncaps.com. “I wasn’t looking to test the market.”

Locking up Laich was also a primary concern of McPhee’s. “He’s really important to this team,” said McPhee. “This guy is committed. I think lots of other teams were going after him. This is an important guy for us.”

McPhee knows his players, and he’s right about Laich. Aside from his play, Laich is an important part of the Capitals, and brings leadership and maturity beyond his 28 years. It’s tough to picture the Capitals winning a Stanley Cup without Laich on the ice and in the locker room.

Last season, Laich ranked fifth on the team in hits, fourth in scoring, and spent time on the powerplay, penalty kill, and five-on-five. He works incredibly hard and brings a great deal to the team, scoring the garbage goals, making passes, and providing extra defensive duties.

In terms of the financials of the contract, the details are on par with comparable players that mean a lot to their respective teams. David Legwand received an identical deal with the Nashville Predators in 2007 (six years, $27M). Fellow defensive forward Ryan Kesler is earning a bit more with his recent six-year, $30 million contract.

It’s a fair contract for a player who truly deserves it.

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