Let's suppose we weren't permitted to peek into a player's pay envelope.
You know, just like the old days before cap hits, salary floors and ceilings, CapGeek.com and full disclosure.
It's true. There was a time when we judged Doug Smail, Thomas Steen, Willy Lindstrom or any of the Winnipeg Jets by how they performed on the ice, not their pay stub. Since we didn't have access to their bank balance, we'd simply say, "I don't know how much they're paying Andrew McBain, but whatever it is he's overpaid."
That, however, is not the case today.
The first thing we want to know after a player puts his John Hancock on a National Hockey League contract is the dollar figure.
We see that Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec agrees to a deal that will pay him just south of $20 million over the next five years, and we note that he has more zeroes in his contract than on the ice (he only had four shutouts last season). Hmmm. Must be overpaid.
Similarly, Olli Jokinen joins the Jets and we wonder if he's worth all those zeroes in a $9 million, two-year deal. Ditto the Jets' other newby, Oleksiy Volodymyrovych (Call Me Alex) Ponikarovsky and his $1.8 million wage.
There's a train of thought that Jokinen, in particular, is overpaid.
Well, excuse me, but he hasn't even played a game in Jets linen. Thus, how can anyone possibly gauge his worth or his value to the franchise?
What if Jokinen is the determining factor in Winnipeg qualifying for the playoffs next spring? I realize you might have to stretch your imagination to accept this hypothesis, but play along with me here. Humor me. Let's say Jolly Olli scores the very goal that nudges the Jets into the Stanley Cup tournament.
How much is that worth to True North Sports & Entertainment in revenue from two guaranteed playoff dates at their Little Hockey House on the Prairie? Millions.
But this isn't about cents. It's about sense.
Going into this offseason, the Jets' needs were many, and becoming bigger and better at center was an imperative. Jokinen makes them bigger and better at the position. Only 18 NHL pivots produced more than his 61 points last season.
Ponikarovksy, meanwhile, addresses the overall need of additional size and gravel up front.
No, these two aren't Dustin Byfuglien big, but neither is a Zamboni. Both guys stand north of 6-feet tall and the Joker is 210 pounds while Poni Boy tips them at 225.
Also significant is the fact both have been to the beach and back, which is to say they'll lend experience to a team whose key components are long on youth and short on savvy.
Jokinen has played more than 1,000 games in an NHL career that began in 1997-98, while Ponikarovsky has 636 games and a trip to the Stanley Cup final on his resume.
Keep in mind, the Jets have to fill jerseys with live bodies until kids like Mark Scheifele and Ivan Telegin throw away their training wheels. So, yeah, Jokinen and Ponikarovsky are suitable fits.
There are, of course, negatives at play here. One of the main raps against Jokinen is that he's never had the time to grow a decent playoff beard, because he's only suited up for half a dozen postseason assignments. He also tends to disappear into the witness protection program on occasion.
But ask yourself this question: Are the Jets a better team today than a week ago? The answer, of course, is yes because of their two free-agent signings.
So, at the very least we should give Jokinen and Poni Boy the benefit of actually witnessing their performance in Winnipeg colors before writing them off as overpaid oafs.
And if they get the job done? Priceless.
Juan Miranda Colin Curtis Kevin Russo Curtis Granderson Nick Johnson Javier Lopez
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