After the trade hysteria of the week, and poster's talking about Stone, I've come to certain conclusions on the matter. It just may be a better deal all around for the Jet's to sign Hayes --as he'd be way less expensive.
On STONE -- He's good, and in the Top 20 in NHL scoring right now, and is a real good 2 way player, that the Jet's would love to have. ( on pace for 80-90 points)
1) Problem is he'd want $ 9-10 mil per year to resign, or thereabouts ( very expensive)
2) Apparently he'd want "lock out" guarantee money, if there was a shutdown. This could cost the Jets about $ 6 - 8 mil -- lot of money. How will this affect the other Jet's players who don't have this ?? Also can the Jet's afford this ?? Who's going to want to step up and pay this "huge amount" of lockout money protection ??
3) From what I hear, he wants a huge "signing bonus", which requires a lot of cash upfront. I don't think the Jet's can --or want to afford this.
Also, do the Jet's want to set a precedent here ? and make "special exceptions" for Stone, and cause themselves a lot of grief signing their up and coming players they have to sign. These players will all want this as well. ( dangerous road to travel)
Also -- Wheeler and Scheifele are both ahead of Stone in the scoring race, so we'd be getting a player that will score around 80-90 points this year -- is he worth all that extra cash, and is he worth all that much more money than our other stars. I see a lot of headaches resigning this guy, when the money can be used elsewhere. What if we get in a bidding war , and he's offered $ 9.5 to 10 mil per year -- do we pay that ?? If we do not, we lose a 1st round pick, and a guy like Roslovic, or Vesalainen.
We could sign HAYES -- he's much cheaper, at around $ 5 mil per year, and would fit in fantastic as a 4th line center, and can fill in for Little, should Little get injured. Hayes is on pace for a 60 point season this year, and Little is on pace for about 48 to 52 points. So, in Hayes we get a "young guy" who'll fit in nicely with the club, who's fast, and a great playmaker, and will produce more than Little. ( a little bit more)
Hayes is 27 years old - 6'5 tall, and weighs 220 lbs --so he is a very big player.
Hayes would also be a lot easier to resign, and would be half the cost of Stone, and we wouldn't have to blow away 2 potential 1st rounders, and a great prospect like Roslovic to acquire him -- the price would be much less.
On HAYES or STAAL-- well Staal is 35 years old, and I believe Hayes is around 27 years old, so I think Staal is to old to resign. Both of these guys production this year is similar, and both are on pace for 60 point seasons.
When you think about the big picture, and being squeezed up tightly to the Cap, and having little money to sign new defenseman, and other players, HAYES makes a lot of good sense for the Jets to sign.
Note -- if another team wants to get all greased up in their Santa Claus suits, and pander to this guys huge contract demands--maybe we should just let them.
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