Confirmed Signing with Link: [SEA] F Matty Beniers re-signs with the Kraken (7 years, $7.14M AAV)

[kihei]

As a Kraken fan, I'm totally happy with this deal. The risks involved seem reasonable ones at this price and duration.

 

[Ghost of Murph]

Big fan of this deal. Smart to commit to a major piece of the franchise for years to come.

 

[norrisnick]

I don't like this deal. I don't understand why teams don't take advantage of bridge deals.

Sign the player for 2-3 years at a lower cap hit, make sure he's the real deal and then sign him to the 7 year deal when he's closer to free agency. You get some cap savings and control the player longer.

This deal pays him big money before producing big numbers and he's a UFA in 7 years.

Bridge deals are only useful to keep a competitive window open. In Seattle's case they aren't there yet. They have no need for cap space in the next couple years so a it doesn't matter if the AAV is a bit high now. It'll pay for itself in the back half when Beniers, hopefully, is $1-2-3M under market rate.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Once again the majority are proclaiming it's a great deal for the team, so if these long-term deals based on promise are always great deals for the team, why does the player agree to them?

This should be looked at as a great deal for Beniers. He's proven nothing to earn $50m. What happened last year erases his early success and puts him back into needing to prove himself to earn this much money. I think the broader question is whether or not Beniers is even that good in the first place. That Michigan team was so deep that the danger is automatically believing that all of them are good independently of each other. And it's been a similar story in Seattle. Their high tide lifted all boats in his rookie year. His boat sank the hardest when the tide rolled out last season.

Exactly. The reason the player signed this is because it's an overpay. Massive financial security for a player who could easily be worth it eventually. For Seattle it probably makes sense to overpay for the next 3-4 years though and have him on a potentiall underpaid deal in years 5-7 when they might make the playoffs.

 

[CanadienShark]

Maybe a little much now, but he should live up to it and then some.

 

[PocketNines]

Nice deal.

Beniers is the guy who I will use to follow the Kraken better, he is fun to watch

 

[StreetHawk]

Exactly. The reason the player signed this is because it's an overpay. Massive financial security for a player who could easily be worth it eventually. For Seattle it probably makes sense to overpay for the next 3-4 years though and have him on a potentiall underpaid deal in years 5-7 when they might make the playoffs.

it's an overpay based on what he has accomplished so far, taking a massive step back this past season. Seattle banking on a return to his rookie form and improvement. Rather use up cap room now when they have it, to hopefully save on the cap in years 4-7 of this deal vs just doing a bridge with him now and then doing a $8.5 mill or higher AAV on the next contract.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I don't mind the bet Seattle is making, but I also wouldn't have been afraid to see a little more first.

 

[Mcdonaldz]

Pretty sure if he produced more last season… he could’ve got more $.

The « I wish he produced more before getting that deal » is a double edged sword

 

[amikaro]

Good day to be a Kraken fan. What do you want more? Very fair price for the risk they take. I bet it's gonna be a great deal in 2-3 yrs. Similar to what Jersey did to Hischier/Hughes/Brat. Those are the deals that make a difference and open cap possibilities to get a great team.

 

[PlayMakers]

Bridge deals are only useful to keep a competitive window open. In Seattle's case they aren't there yet. They have no need for cap space in the next couple years so a it doesn't matter if the AAV is a bit high now. It'll pay for itself in the back half when Beniers, hopefully, is $1-2-3M under market rate.

I don't agree. I think bridge deals also lead to longer terms of service and lower AAV's over the life of the contract. When you give a 21 year old a 7 year deal he's a UFA at 27. When you give a 21 year old a 3 year bridge and then do the big long-term deal he's yours at a reasonable rate for 11 years.

 

[PlayMakers]

With the cap going up in the next few years, that deal is almost a guaranteed bargain. In 2-3 years, he ends up signing for 9-10M because the cap has gone up, he has nothing to prove and your buying off more UFA years.

What do you think he's going to cost when he's a 27 year old UFA and the cap is $110m? $12m per? I'd rather have him for 3 years at a bridge number and then 7 years at $9m (if he proves over the next 3 years that he's actually a $9m player) than risk losing him in the prime of his career.

 

[norrisnick]

I don't agree. I think bridge deals also lead to longer terms of service and lower AAV's over the life of the contract. When you give a 21 year old a 7 year deal he's a UFA at 27. When you give a 21 year old a 3 year bridge and then do the big long-term deal he's yours at a reasonable rate for 11 years.

Not if he blows up during his bridge.

 

[22 The Maestro]

Good deal both ways. A smidge high now, could look really good in 3 years. The whole team regressed last year, not just Beniers. He'll get back to form.

 

[biturbo19]

This is one of those deals that will probably age well, but does carry some risk in the moment.


If you get even a #1B type Center out of him, which he's eminently capable of, it's a steal early in the deal and grand larceny later in the deal. But he really didn't have a great season last year. So there's risk. But this is one of those bets i'd make every time if i'm Seattle.

 

[BCNate]

Should work out for Seattle, but not without risk. Beniers had a huge sophomore slump last year, and was far from a 7+ mil player.

 

[Face Of Bear]

why did he regress last year?

 

[centipede2233]

I don't like this deal. I don't understand why teams don't take advantage of bridge deals.

Sign the player for 2-3 years at a lower cap hit, make sure he's the real deal and then sign him to the 7 year deal when he's closer to free agency. You get some cap savings and control the player longer.

This deal pays him big money before producing big numbers and he's a UFA in 7 years.

I’m with you. Seattle takes all the risk. So let’s hurry and sign him to a 7.14 mil AAV before he breaks out then we will have to pay him an 8 mil AAV? This deal made no sense for Seattle.