Confirmed Signing with Link: [MIN] Eric Staal (3 years, $3.5M AAV)

[Bookman]

Not a Minnesotan coming home, but Thunder Bay is pretty close.

 

[Slush]

I thought Staal would get way more money. Minnesota won on this deal! Especially if he won't be on the top line.

 

[SmellOfVictory]

Can we trade Brouwer for him?

 

[Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk]

Probably the most reasonable contract given today. Staal will help with leadership and depth etc, not bad at all.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

He won't get back to "top level" numbers any more than Lecavalier did in his 30s.

Can he be a 60 point first liner? Sure. Do you really want to force feed him minutes to make that happen? No.

He's a good option as a possession LW and can flexibly play center in your middle-6. That's not bad for $3.5M.

He'll most definitely be a center here, likely playing between Parise and Coyle.

 

[Menzinger]

Well done to the Wild - likely the best and most reasonable deal of the day

 

[PensBandwagonerNo272*]

I had Staal pegged as the player that was going to get most overpaid above their true value. That's actually pretty decent. Even if he just plays a passable 3C role that's fine, and obviously there's greater potential upside than that.

 

[HamiltonOHL]

even if staal was bad in nyr last yr we have a different coach and different group of players anything can happen

 

[tarheelhockey]

He'll most definitely be a center here, likely playing between Parise and Coyle.

I don't think you want to hitch Staal to a 19/20-minute winger like Parise.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

Pressure is off him, I think he'll bounce back.

I don't think you want to hitch Staal to a 19/20-minute winger like Parise.

Agreed. I think people still largely don't know/don't remember that Edler wrecked Staal's knee and he's just not been the same since.

 

[izzy]

He'll most definitely be a center here, likely playing between Parise and Coyle.

I think they'd be better off letting him play on a less used line and throw him out on the PP at this point in his career.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Seems like a strange deal. I would have though Staal would want a shorter deal if he was confident that he'd bounce back, and justify a higher salary. Just seems to me that ES wasn't confident that would happen, so he locked in as much security as he could.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but that wouldn't be a good situation for the Wild.

 

[SmellOfVictory]

He'll most definitely be a center here, likely playing between Parise and Coyle.

Staal/Parise would've been a dank pairing five years ago.

 

[Roboturner913]

Not a bad deal at all. He'll get around 40 points and still has an excellent cycle/board game. Just doesn't have the legs anymore, but you could do a ton worse for that contract which is extremely reasonable. I might even call it a bargain.

 

[rynryn]

Not that he's going to light the world on fire or anything but for the term and money, this is a really great signing that doesn't cripple us in the future. Even if his wheels are gone, Parise and Coyle have plenty.

 

[Team_Spirit]

Paying for reputation here. Or 'intangibles' as they say.

Guy is slower than a turtle.

 

[rynryn]

Most importantly this means we should get to keep our D together.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Weird move for Minnesota... That team needs to get younger and they go get one of the most lacklustre players available.

Very reasonable contract though so full marks there.

 

[thekernel]

Wow, one bad season on your UFA year and it comes to this. I like Staal, I hope he proves himself to be more than this contract. Though, it should be interesting if Coyle and Granlund outrank him in top 6 minutes.

 

[Lapa]

Wow, one bad season on your UFA year and it comes to this. I like Staal, I hope he proves himself to be more than this contract. Though, it should be interesting if Coyle and Granlund outrank him in top 6 minutes.

Coyle and Granny are most likely wingers this season.

 

[Minnesota]

Weird move for Minnesota... That team needs to get younger and they go get one of the most lacklustre players available.

Very reasonable contract though so full marks there.

They're searching for a #1C - Staal used to be one. He just needs to be better than Koivu, who's struggling to score 40+ points in his current role while making double what Staal just signed for.

I'm happy about the dollar amount. Wanted to see shorter term. Oh well. Worst case scenario, it's another Dany Heatley / Thomas Vanek experiment.

Another former Captain comes to Minnesota. We've got "leadership" oozing from places I never knew we had.

 

[Mr Positive]

definitely a half measure for the Wild

 

[Bronson]

Typical Wild move. Fletcher is continuing what Risebrough started.

 

[DelZottoHitTheNetJK]

I would definitely not be surprised to see him put up 50 points with MIN. I actually thought he was very good in his stint with NYR, but he is a very slow player these days. Can still win faceoffs, drive the net and cycle the puck though. Good signing

 

[ThatGuy22]

I think they'd be better off letting him play on a less used line and throw him out on the PP at this point in his career.

Wild's top 9 will be very fluid. It's basically 9 guys that will get between 40-55 points. Wingers/Centers will rotate throught the season.