Music: {allcanada} 'PROVE IT' CONTRACT FOR FLAMES' BRODIE

Thursday, August 1, 2013

{allcanada} 'PROVE IT' CONTRACT FOR FLAMES' BRODIE

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The Calgary Herald notes that Flames GM Jay Feaster calls defenceman T.J. Brodie's new two-year pact a "bridge contract." The breakdown is $1.75-million in 2013-14 and $2.50-million in 2014-15.

"It says to TJ: 'We're very happy about the direction you're going," Feaster explained Wednesday evening. "You're an important part of this team. We need even more from you. We think you have more to give. We think you're going to become an even better player. But, before we pay you in that fashion, you have to step up and actually perform.

"I think it's a fair deal for T.J. and a fair deal for the club. It puts us in a position where we can evaluate T.J. at the end of this coming season or midway through the next season and see exactly where his development is and continues to go."

Feaster added this: "We recognize that the body of T.J. is not that great. It's only 104 games. So, it's very much a "prove it" situation for us. We talked about a one-year deal but we have to be mindful of what the marketplace is. We have to recognized next year, T.J. would be up for salary arbitration and so, we looked at the comparable contracts and if we went to salary arbitration next year, what would we be looking at if T.J. replicated the minutes played per game this year? All of that goes into it for us."