2017 Free agency thread.

McDavid is worth at least $20M a year.

 

Sheary signed a three-year extension worth $9 million with the Penguins on Sunday...

 

Sheary will make the pen's tip toe with jordon's

 

Wild ink Niederreiter for five years, $26.25M

 

Islanders, de Haan agree to one-year, $3.3M deal

 

A source has told The Associated Press that the Buffalo Sabres and Jack Eichel are busy at work on an eight-year contract extension.
It shouldn't come as a surprise that the two sides are discussing a deal with the NHL maximum term length. Eichel has one season left on his entry-level contract and wants to be a long-time member of the Sabres. He led the team with 57 points and finished second with 24 goals in 2016-17 despite being limited to 61 games.

 

I think the market now makes Jack a $10MM AAV player. Eight years from now that could actually look cheap compared to where the market appears headed for a 1 point-average/game player.

It obviously won't be $12MM AAV like McJesus, but he actually gave EDM a discount. I won't be surprised in Jack extends for 8 at as much as $11MM AAV.

 

Jagr still out there, maybe a one year deal would've been a better move than a large 3 year with PM for the leafs.

 

Duchene is the big mocha in this offseason. Once he's been traded I think the other F's, like Jagr, will find teams quickly.

BTW, Stafford is still looking and I would not be surprised if he went to Denver.

 

Leon Draisaitl signs an 8 year deal.

AAV $8.5M.

 

after seeing what Kane makes now according to ESPN - $14 mil and the money McDavid got-$12.5 and what Eichel could get, I should be tickled pink at the over $8+ mil deals for Giroux and Voracek and be happy about it.

When do teams price themselves out and have too much committed to 1 or 2 top players and not enough for everyone else ?

 

After Draisaitl and McDavid contracts it would seem to me that the Oilers will have problems next year when they have to resign a few players.

 

I think he made a mistake, he could've held out for more next season.

 

yeah Will-you and I are on the same page there. Not everyone will get what they want and only a few will. Some players will be unhappy...

 

I'm happy with Draisaitl's $8.5MM AAV on a max. 8 year deal.

I think it actually lowers the bar for what Jack Eichel will get. I agree with skinny. The Oil actually got discounts from their star pair. Jack will probably sign for the higher side of the $8.5-9.5MM range; before the German contract I pushed that range up at least a half $mil.

Teams will find the way to pay their stars. It's the role-player vets that are going to be crunched. I won't like it if the Sabres have to trade Zemgus Girgensons a few years from now*. That's after Alex Nylander & Casey Mittlestadt get their big deals. I won't like it, but I won't really care that much either.

(* BTW, Gus remains an unsigned RFA, and I think he's a trade candidate. Every team is waiting to see the outcome with Duchene and the Avs.)

 

but Dan I thought you said the other day that Jack may sign for $11 mil +? $8.5-9.5 seems like a bargain in comparison.

as these teams are on the hook for tons of cash to their top guys like Chicago, i see teams like Buffalo and maybe even the Flyers creeping up in the standings as they have their money spread out more evenly among their players and not front loaded on 1 or 2 players. hell the Flyers will invite 6-7 rookies to camp and as many as 6 could make the team. nice cheap contracts there.

 

After more consideration and reading Dan's post... It seems as if the biggest concern for the Oil isn't the Draisaitl and McDavid contracts but maybe the role playing vets as he mentioned getting signed at what they think is fair. The deals for McDavid and Draisaitl arnt too far fetched, but that doesn't mean the 2nd tier players can look for big money raises either. They are going to have to resign at the norm or look for work elsewhere... that's probably what might cause issues in the not to distant future for Edmonton and teams like them.

I really think Chicago is going to miss Penarin, but it was necessary to let him skate. That's probably where you rely on the younger additions to pull their share.

 

Cat, I don't get why you ask "but...?"
I think that Draisaitl's deal lowers the bar for Eichel and similar young stars. I now expect they'll be below $10MM AAV on Jack's deal, and that may be an extra $mil that the team has for others.

As Will states, the problem is not that stars are getting too much. Hell, based on what they do for team and league revenue, McDavid and Eichel will be perpetually underpaid.

 

I think Jack is going to be a bargain even if he got McJesus money, (which of course he won't).

I think the lower bar obviously help the team make their other payroll objectives just a little easier to reach.

 

well as long as the cap exists, teams can't have too many $10-13 million dollar players or else reaching their payroll objectives will be tougher to do. Like I said above, the Flyers situation with the rookies and their 2 highest salaries being $8 mil and change isn't so bad. The bad thing is their 2 highest salaries are players on a decline. I do think the smaller payroll teams will come up big very soon.