You can say “that contract will suck at the end” about any 29 year old UFA getting a massive contract.
That’s a superstar UFAs for ya.
The rumored offer was 11x8, so the 8th year should help keep the AAV down a little.
Soros got $61.92m (7.74x8) vs Hellebuyck’s $59.50m (8.5x7)
Yeah, over 10% of your cap for a goalie is tough, and you do have to pay the back-up too.
You have to think about salary cap allocation as (very roughly):
60% Forwards 30% Defense 10% Goalies
I say roughly because ideally you want spend more on your forwards. And you have to consider the realities of dead cap space too.
But if you have a superstar goalie, then you have to suck it up and pay the guy.
The Cap is projected to be ~96.5m in 2026-27.
11% 10.62m
12% 11.58m
13% 12.55m
I get why they don’t want to go over 11m for an 8 year deal.
Soros got much more. -5 hearts, billions of money, and many many souls.
I think 10% for the top goalie was some kind of norm some years before. And even more. We saw Bobrovskiy and Price deals. We saw it before. 6mil for 60 mil cap, 8 mil for 80 mil cap, etc
And Shestyorkin is much better goalie than Saros, like two levels better, and he is at least level above Hellebuyck. 12 mil still is way too much, but still - top goalie of the period. Number one. Numero uno. Nomer odin. So rags should suck it up like you said. Or any other team. Shestyorkin did something crazy and I think there would be a huge chance he could play 3 ECFs in three years if we would be not so lucky. In front of Jones, Trouba, Schneider, Miller etc. Some of them are okay defensemen in some situations, but they are not great defensive core at all.
I would prefer to not sign him. For 11 and definitely not for more. But he deserved it. So if rags don't want to spend so much money they can trade him. Or just leave him alone. I would like to see it.
