July 23: The Lightning have officially announced Smith’s two-year, two-way deal.
July 22: The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed forward Gemel Smith to a two-year, two-way contract extension, according to CapFriendly. The deal will carry an NHL salary of $750K, an AHL salary of $250K and a minor league guarantee of $350K in both seasons. Smith would have become an unrestricted free agent next week.
Smith, 27, laid five games for the Lightning this season, recording three assists in limited ice time. While he only has 88 career NHL games under his belt, Tampa Bay may need more and more to rely on these fringe roster players as they deal with the flat cap. Players like Ross Colton and Alex Barre-Boulet are both restricted free agents with arbitration rights, while other bottom-six bargains like Barclay Goodrow have moved on to greener pastures.
At the very least, Smith can continue to provide top-end scoring in the AHL, where he has 86 points over his past 100 games. Originally a fourth-round pick by the Dallas Stars, he now represents valuable depth for an organization that prioritizes it at all levels.
Yes,he and other fringe guys need to step up.I wouldn’t mind seeing the historic line of Smith,Walcott and Joseph be their 4th line this year.Not likely though as Maroon almost certainly stays on the 4th line.
Again, how are you guaranteed more than the reported salary, but it is not the reported salary?
“AHL salary of $250K and a minor league guarantee of $350K in both seasons”
It’s obviously bonuses bro. If you don’t like it, report it yourself lol.
So when you play in the AHL you get paid at a rate of 250 maybe that’s divided by game. So he’s paid at that rate for every game he spends in the AHL but he is garunteed a minimum of 350, also the idea is that he prob won’t spend every game in the ahl. So quick head math that like 3k a AHL game and 9k an NHL game with 350k being his low end garuntee
Thanks bro. Curious, do you report the $8.25/hour you were told you’re getting, or the $9.75/hour the manager promised you?
Thanks Murphy, did a search and came up with this:
Player is in the AHL
The AHL CBA was renewed in October, 2019, and an agreement was reached on June 2, 2020 regarding proration of salaries for this year. This applies to anyone on an AHL contract or an NHL two-way contract. The players on NHL two-way contracts are guaranteed at least 40% of their Paragraph 1 salary. That would be 40% of their minors salary amount.
AHL teams will not all play the same number of games, and with the season not yet begun, players on NHL two-way contracts have no idea how much money they can expect to receive. According to the NY Post, they won’t receive any money until the AHL season begins. Once it does, proration takes hold in an unknown formula. The Post claims no agreement is in force, but the NHL documentation quotes the 40% minimum from the June agreement, and the PHPA has a current CBA with the AHL that runs for several years, so this point is unclear.
“Our players are filled with anguish and anxiety. Our office has received numerous calls from players and their wives, crying about what is an unpalatable situation. Players may not be able to afford rent. They can’t get four-month leases on apartments. They’re eating fast food. Is this what anyone wants?” Larry Landon, the PHPA executive director.
Examples:
Adam Brooks is on an NHL two-way, and his contract allows for $100,000 in the minors. If he were to be in the AHL all season, he could be looking at only $40,000 in pay. In his case he has a clause in his contract that guarantees him at least $175,000, so he will not suffer that fate even if he is sent down off the Taxi Squad.
Joey Anderson is on a two-way deal that will pay him $175,000 in minors salary this year, he has a minimum guarantee for next season, but not this one, so he could earn as little as $70,000.
Mac Hollowell is on his ELC still, and those two-way deals have the minors salary capped at $70,000. He could see as little as $28,000.
The AHL sets a minimum salary in their CBA for players on AHL contracts. For this season it is $51,000. It’s not clear if that amount is overridden by the proration agreement, but if not, then NHL players in the AHL could be paid considerably less than the AHL thinks is a reasonable minimum for a minor-leaguer.
Players in the AHL on one-way NHL contracts will be paid the same way they are in the NHL with the 10% deferral and the 20% Escrow.
Sorry, just noticed this now. On a two-way contract, players earn different amounts each day based on where they are assigned. While on the NHL roster, Smith would earn his $750,000/180 each day (days in an NHL season, approx), while in the AHL he would earn $250,000/180 each day. Two-way deals can also have a minor league guarantee in them, meaning even if he spends enough time in the AHL to make his salary end up being less than $350K, he will still receive the difference at the end of the year.
As an example – Smith spends 150 days in the AHL, and 30 in the NHL this season. He’d be paid ~$208K based on his AHL salary and ~$125K based on his NHL salary–but then receive an additional payment to raise it to his $350K minor league guarantee.
Thank you.
Smith and Joseph are good players. I am hoping Smith gets in more NHL games this year. I think he could put up 40-50 points given the opportunity.
Whoaaaa….slow down there Buddy. 40 to 50 points??? Lets not get crazy. We’d be lucky if we got 25 points from him.
I don’t think 25-30 points would be out of the question.He did score 20 goals in 50 AHL games in 19-20.I was impressed with his physicality the few times he suited up.I’m actually excited about seeing the younger guys they will need to step up next year.
88 in his last 100 AHL games shows he can score. With the talent around him, he could score 40
Depth is is good and opportunities will be there. Time for minors guys to step up.