Quote:
Originally Posted by The Yen Man
I still think he's only going to be interested in signing for 6 years. That leaves him hitting UFA at 28, which is when he's probably at his peak and when he can really cash in on his next contract. Signing for 8 years means he's UFA at 30 and off his peak. He could potentially mess up his next contract.
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This kind of brings up an interesting argument on when a player like Gaudreau will peak, and how long his career can last.
He's a lightweight who doesn't engage physically or rely overly on physical attributes (speed, weight, power, etc.) so his body should hold up longer than most other NHL players.
His main attributes (hand speed, vision, smarts) should stay the same or improve with experience, so he could be at his best in his late 20s or early 30s, in theory. That was the case with Marty St. Louis who, admittedly, isn't a perfect comparable (but who is?).
Generally I agree though: he'll want his next contract to be negotiated while his age still starts with the number 2.