Confirmed Signing with Link: [UTA] D Sean Durzi signs extension with the Utah Hockey Club (4 years, $6M AAV)

[Steve Zissou]

 

[Danarqhy]

LOL what kind of crack are they smoking up there in Utah??

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

Seems rich but not my money

 

[BKarchitect]

The other thing I tihnk people are missing is that the 4 year length is extremely beneficial to Utah. Why would the team want to extend an OFD past the tried and true years of his mid and late 20's? Isn't that what people always complain about during free agency? Deal length? Or even with some extensions?

I can hear my dad in my head - "negotiate the price of the car, not the payment".

The current environment is very fixated on AAV...on the "monthly payment" of the player. And for some teams, this is impossible to ignore because they are cap crunched. But for Utah - there's very much a benefit in essentially creating a shorter, more front-loaded type of deal. It starts to waterfall their bigger D contracts off the table when their big prospects and perhaps other additions should be coming into play. Marino after 3 years. Durzi after 4 years. Sergachyov is the one guy they've really locked themselves into.

Ultaimtely, this is a $24 million deal. That's the price of this "car". If it were $4 million x 6 years, I doubt very much people would be so gobsmacked by the number. Thats the same "price" as the deal he got. Now - obviously - it takes two to tango and the player will want to make his money in the shorter amount of time. So extended over 6 years, it's logical, the overall price would go up.

So what if Durzi got $4.75 million over 6 years? That "4" in front of the AAV - I guarantee you - makes a big differnece over the "6" you see in terms of reaction. But the "price" of that contract is $4.5 million - or almost 20% more than what he got. But nobody thinks of contracts in this way. Until it's time to pay those extra years and you are competing and now you have to spend assets to dump the guy or consider drastic moves like buyouts.

I'm not saying Durzi is guaranteed to fall off a cliff after year 4 - but the bet here is on the price of the car and the staggering of contracts for future years of cap management - not strictly on the AAV.

 

[ViD]

Zadorov gonna get paid

 

[Fripp]

Good for Sean. Dude is a train wreck in his own end, but stellar offensively and seems like a really good character guy to have around if you're culture building.

 

[Mr Positive]

Seems like when Seattle paid up to snag Oleksiak. When you have cap to burn you may as well use it.

And honestly it isn't a huge overpay . Cap inflation is real and Durzi is a top 4 Dman with offense

 

[BLNY]

Seems expensive.

 

[Bounces R Way]

People have already forgot that this was the Arizona Coyotes a couple months ago. They weren't even that close to the cap floor for this season.

People also clearly didn't watch a lot of Sean Durzi last season. He's got game.
Wouldn't call it a steal by any means, but not at all a crazy overpay either.

 

[Osprey]

What do you think the going rate for a top 4 D-man with great underlying numbers is?

I wouldn't say that his underlying numbers were "great." He was on the ice for as many even strength goals against as for and led the team in minor penalties taken and giveaways (while also being near the bottom in takeaways). He did have one of the better SAT% on the team, but 51.5% still isn't great. He also had the 63rd-most blocked shots per 60 in the league, which is pretty good, I'll admit, but just behind Simon Benoit, who recently re-signed for only $1.35M AAV. I just don't see how his underlying numbers justify close to a $6MM AAV, but if you fans are happy, that's what matters.

 

[Barnaby]

Maybe Trouba has positive value after all…

 

[hamzarocks]

Straight terrible deal

 

[MCR74]

LOL what kind of crack are they smoking up there in Utah??

Obviously they have money to burn, and are burning it.

 

[Dog]

Durzi throwing money around on his bed is coming!

 

[ijuka]

Don't know that much about him but my instinct is that this is a lot of money.

 

[Remparts666]

good offensive game but you simply don’t win consistently with guys like him in your top 4.

 

[Schemp]

good offensive game but you simply don’t win consistently with guys like him in your top 4.

We'll see!

 

[Half Clapper]

I wouldn't say that his underlying numbers were "great." He was on the ice for as many even strength goals against as for and led the team in minor penalties taken and giveaways (while also being near the bottom in takeaways). He did have one of the better SAT% on the team, but 51.5% still isn't great. He also had the 63rd-most blocked shots per 60 in the league, which is pretty good, I'll admit, but just behind Simon Benoit, who recently re-signed for only $1.35M AAV. I just don't see how his underlying numbers justify close to a $6MM AAV, but if you fans are happy, that's what matters.

Read what BKarchitect said above. If he was getting 4.75*6 would you still see it as a horrible contract?

He also was playing as the number 1 d-man on the team last year. He will be sheltered this season in a role that actually suits him, which will help with those underlying numbers

 

[CanadienShark]

Big deal. See if he lives up to it though.

 

[thrillhous]

Like close enough...39% is almost.
Either way paying a guy for 41 when he's more likely to score 25-30 next year is meh, IN MY OPINION (added for your benefit).

You think Serg will get all of the PP1 time this season simply because he gets paid the most, I assume. Thing is, Durzi is a very good PP quarterback. Serg has also shown flashes in past seasons but has had Hedman to compete with. I think you are crazy to assume anything, especially with one being a righty and one being a lefty. Could go either way and wouldn’t be surprised to see them alternate/share.

 

[KJoe88]

I like his offense. However that’s expensive.

Perhaps it works out really well.

 

[biturbo19]

Awkward situation where Utah can't really afford to not pay him...but that's way too much. At least it's not a super long deal, but it's not that short either if it starts to look sour as his role is reduced if they can actually make some improvements to their blueline over the next couple years.


Still don't like that the Canucks had to go to so much term to get there with Hronek, but this deal makes that $7.5M cap hit look like an absolute steal. As a guy who doesn't give up much offensively, and is worlds better in terms of his defensive play.

 

[Osprey]

If he was getting 4.75*6 would you still see it as a horrible contract?

Yes, but I'm not a fan of him at any price, to be honest.

He also was playing as the number 1 d-man on the team last year. He will be sheltered this season in a role that actually suits him, which will help with those underlying numbers

He was sheltered in LA and his numbers were similar, so I wouldn't assume that they'll be better.

 

[bossram]

The other thing I tihnk people are missing is that the 4 year length is extremely beneficial to Utah. Why would the team want to extend an OFD past the tried and true years of his mid and late 20's? Isn't that what people always complain about during free agency? Deal length? Or even with some extensions?

Ultaimtely, this is a $24 million deal. That's the price of this "car". If it were $4 million x 6 years, I doubt very much people would be so gobsmacked by the number. Thats the same "price" as the deal he got. Now - obviously - it takes two to tango and the player will want to make his money in the shorter amount of time. So extended over 6 years, it's logical, the overall price would go up.

So what if Durzi got $4.75 million over 6 years? That "4" in front of the AAV - I guarantee you - makes a big differnece over the "6" you see in terms of reaction. But the "price" of that contract is $4.5 million - or almost 20% more than what he got. But nobody thinks of contracts in this way. Until it's time to pay those extra years and you are competing and now you have to spend assets to dump the guy or consider drastic moves like buyouts.

I'm not saying Durzi is guaranteed to fall off a cliff after year 4 - but the bet here is on the price of the car and the staggering of contracts for future years of cap management - not strictly on the AAV.

This guy knows puck. The Durzi deal is pretty fair. It's a $24M deal for a guy who functionally was played as their 1D last season and held up reasonably. Utah his getting him through his prime years and no longer. That's a TBOB from the management group there. Your point is 100% correct. If it were a $4M x 6 deal, no one would care. Except Utah would potentially have a couple years hanging around where Durzi's play starts to fall off.

I wouldn't say that his underlying numbers were "great." He was on the ice for as many even strength goals against as for and led the team in minor penalties taken and giveaways (while also being near the bottom in takeaways). He did have one of the better SAT% on the team, but 51.5% still isn't great. He also had the 63rd-most blocked shots per 60 in the league, which is pretty good, I'll admit, but just behind Simon Benoit, who recently re-signed for only $1.35M AAV. I just don't see how his underlying numbers justify close to a $6MM AAV, but if you fans are happy, that's what matters.

His RAPM (from EH) and Isolated Impact (HockeyViz) metrics were overall positive. And those metrics try to account for usage, QoC, teammates, etc. His raw xG% was third among Arizona defensemen, despite being used as their functional 1D. His xGA impacts were roughly neutral. Honestly, I'm surprised and impressed he held up that well with that usage.

Straight terrible deal

Wrong.

Awkward situation where Utah can't really afford to not pay him...but that's way too much. At least it's not a super long deal, but it's not that short either if it starts to look sour as his role is reduced if they can actually make some improvements to their blueline over the next couple years.


Still don't like that the Canucks had to go to so much term to get there with Hronek, but this deal makes that $7.5M cap hit look like an absolute steal. As a guy who doesn't give up much offensively, and is worlds better in terms of his defensive play.

I think Hronek is a better player, but honestly not by much (if at all...). People would view Hronek and Durzi very differently if they swapped teams and usage. I think you'll look a lot better with Hughes next to you full-time than JJ Moser or Kesselring.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

When you consider Durzi is going to be 26 in October, and was going to be a UFA soon after that. 6M per is fair IMO. He was Arizona's #1D man, he is better placed as a #2 pairing, PP guy. Think there is still room for him to grow, if Utah can improve. Not the worst deal.