Canadiens Ghost
Mr. Objectivity
You're not. Unless I am also...Am I crazy to think that we're building a damn good team here? Maybe no elite franchise level player but a pile of great pieces at great prices
You're not. Unless I am also...Am I crazy to think that we're building a damn good team here? Maybe no elite franchise level player but a pile of great pieces at great prices
Am I crazy to think that we're building a damn good team here? Maybe no elite franchise level player but a pile of great pieces at great prices
My first instinct was that this is high and then I remembered the deals handed out today.
That’s peanuts in today’s day and age when it comes to contracts. The biggest stars gets paid almost double that amount (some even more) and not just in the NBA, also in the NFL, MLB and soccer.It is absolutely insane.
Some NBA player just got like a 212 million dollar contract or something stupid.
All for playing a game....
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Unlike Slaf, Guhle is unlikely to break the bank if we bridge him first. D-men typically get bigger bucks when they are 30+ pt players, Guhle has benefitted from low expectations so far, but he really hasn't proven he is star quality yet, nor consistently healthy.Now sign Ghule to 45/8
In fairness, Subban and Price were at the top of their games, when they signed their contracts. Suzuki, Caufield and Slafkovsky are all just scratching the surface of theirs.PK - 9m+
CP - 10.5m+
This was almost 8 years ago. And now you see the diff btw a money manager, and a riverboat gambler.
This is where I will disagree.Unlike Slaf, Guhle is unlikely to break the bank if we bridge him first. D-men typically get bigger bucks when they are 30+ pt players, Guhle has benefitted from low expectations so far, but he really hasn't proven he is star quality yet, nor consistently healthy.
I would aim to settle at one of:
2 x $3.0M or
3 x $3.6M or
4 x $4.2M or
5 years or longer at $4.75M (below Matheson internal cap level)
Thats disingenuous, not comparing apples to apples, what about longterm pre-UFA contracts to Pacioretty, Price, Gallagher? All were team friendly sweetheart deals.PK - 9m+
CP - 10.5m+
This was almost 8 years ago. And now you see the diff btw a money manager, and a riverboat gambler.
I just don't see the danger in a 2 to 4 year deal for Guhle at lower AAV. Even if he hits his potential as a 30 to 35 point 2 way D, he won't command much more than you want to gift him now with.This is where I will disagree.
I'd say now is prime-time to try to lock in a "core" at a good price for 8-years. It would really make it easier to navigate the ups & downs of other prospects exceeding expectations and/or others not meeting them and being replaced by pricey UFAs.
I'd say:
Guhle for 45-48M range over 8-years (5.625-6M).
Xhekaj for 30-32M over 8 years (3.75-4M).
Give the kids certainty in exchange for a potential discount in 3-6 years' time when the team will be pushing for deep runs.
*If* both Hutson and Reinbacher (or replacement/UFA) somehow exceed Guhle slightly, say average of 7M AAV each and Mailloux exceeds Xhekaj, say 4.5M.
add 3M for the Ds 6-8th.
Goalie-wise, I doubt we have any guy likely to make big bucks any time soon, so the combo can easily be considered that D + G will cost us up to 40M on the cap.
That leaves +/- 55M for the forward group of 13.
The first line is signed at 23M.
4th line + 13th F will combine for +/- 5M.
That leaves +/- 27M for the middle 6.
Even if say Demidov breaks the bank at 10M AAV, Dach goes up to 7M, and you have a 3C at around 4M, that still leaves +/- 6M for the remaining 3 guys. If you look at most championship teams, their 2nd/3rd lines are filled with guys on 1M deals/ELCs chasing cups.
And that's assuming the cap only goes up to 95M in 3-seasons from now, with some of the guys mentioned above (i.e. Demidov) still on bridge deals/ELCs still so not at full value yet before the cap goes even higher.
Honnestly, that's a great distribution of salaries if Kent can achieve that.
Not to mention Price and Subban had agents who were in control............the habs had a clown GM who knew nothing about negotiating contracts....this we know.In fairness, Subban and Price were at the top of their games, when they signed their contracts. Suzuki, Caufield and Slafkovsky are all just scratching the surface of theirs.
This reminds me of funny enough the player Suzuki is most compared to, Bergeron. It shows just how much respect everyone has for Suzuki to respect that ceiling.I wonder how long the Suzuki ceiling will last. By the time Demidov's new contract (not ELC) comes into play, it would have been what, 6 years sinze Suzuki set the ceiling?
I think it will hold more or less until the end of his contract unless we splash into FA. Not because it has to, but because the players to be signed are lesser players and the ones who has the potential to be better signed their deal. Demidov will probably not be better than Suzuki for a while. And by the end of the Demidov ELC, if Suzuki is up for renewal, he may sign his new pact, creating a new standard, allowing for Demidov's contract to be what it needs to be, hypothetically, if he deserves more.I wonder how long the Suzuki ceiling will last. By the time Demidov's new contract (not ELC) comes into play, it would have been what, 6 years sinze Suzuki set the ceiling?
Hopefully you are right. I think it also shows an amount of respect for the team that they agree to take a hometown discount and a belief that they can win at the top echelon.This reminds me of funny enough the player Suzuki is most compared to, Bergeron. It shows just how much respect everyone has for Suzuki to respect that ceiling.
Hopefully you are right. I do agree with the FA but knowing KH, he would justifiably offer more than this ceiling for an established and successful 27 or 28 year oldI think it will hold more or less until the end of his contract unless we splash into FA. Not because it has to, but because the players to be signed are lesser players and the ones who has the potential to be better signed their deal. Demidov will probably not be better than Suzuki for a while. And by the end of the Demidov ELC, if Suzuki is up for renewal, he may sign his new pact, creating a new standard, allowing for Demidov's contract to be what it needs to be, hypothetically, if he deserves more.
Am I crazy to think that we're building a damn good team here? Maybe no elite franchise level player but a pile of great pieces at great prices
There is very little risk. All indications point to Slaf being a student of the game with an insane desire to compete and be the best. There is very little risk here, I mean sure he could become addicted to blow and become an alcoholic, but it would be out of character for him. So you right, the risk isn’t zero, but it’s damn close.
Amazing to see Slafkovsky buying into the culture of this core. I'm sure his agent advised him to wait and demand a bigger payday. The kid opted to be part of the benchmark set by Suzuki. It speaks to the strong sense of loyalty in the locker room, which will translate onto the ice. Hopefully, the same will translate to Guhle, Dach, and other key signings.
The Habs get huge cap benefits and the kids will still get paid, thanks to the sponsorship opportunities in our insane market.
Agreed – the risk is low and the upside is huge. Hughes is investing in players ahead of their curve, which is a much smarter way to build a roster than knee-jerk contracts that pay for past accomplishments. Even if one player doesn't play up to his contract, the savings from another contract will probably compensate in the big picture.Agreed. This contract has low risks. 20 goals and 50 pts at age 19 and I don't see him going backwards.
Fans need to consider that even if he is just a good top 6F, $7.6M is the old $6M top 6F rate. Cap is going to rise fast.
I feel he has 30 goals and 70 pts in him. Anything north of that is gravy for a contract like this in a growing cap.
Some fans were talking $9M+ for Caufield and also talking north of $8M with Slaf before this contract came out.
20 goals and 50 pts is what it is but Slaf also knows he needed Suzuki help. Certainly not a selfish self centered type thinking about "it's all me". Good sign of character and the core is starting to take shape.
Agreed – the risk is low and the upside is huge. Hughes is investing in players ahead of their curve, which is a much smarter way to build a roster than knee-jerk contracts that pay for past accomplishments. Even if one player doesn't play up to his contract, the savings from another contract will probably compensate in the big picture.
As mentioned, I'm most impressed with these young guys investing in their future as a roster, rather than simply grabbing their own payday.
It was more like 50 good games.I had a friend tell me “8mil for a guy that’s played 35 good games seems steep”. I don’t agree but I can see why someone would say that
I had a friend tell me “8mil for a guy that’s played 35 good games seems steep”. I don’t agree but I can see why someone would say that