Quote:
Originally Posted by SebC
Re: Bennett vs. Pastrnak
21-year old RFA coming off his ELC vs. 21-year old RFA coming off his ELC
Both are young and cost-controlled. One is just anticipated to be more expensive because he's better. Heck, the value of the discout you get on an RFA should increase as the player's value increases because the value of the discout should be the value of the draft picks required to make an offer sheet.
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We'll just have to disagree on who is better, because I think this book is not yet fully written. Points is not the best measure of the efficacy of players as opportunity is not always the same. We are quite uncertain what Bennett is right now because the Flames made a commitment, a very painful commitment to the fans, to turning Bennett into a center. It could have been easy to shift Bennett to the wing and let him gain the benefit of his linemates' play. But the Flames recognized they drafted one of the best centers in his draft class and that is what they believe he will be - a center ice man. They have made this commitment because they see long term benefit to the investment of letting him develop at the toughest position on the ice, rather than riding shotgun with the two best players on the forward lines and racking up points. You win with depth, and you win with depth up the middle.
People fall in love with guys who put up points way too quickly. Draisaitl is the best example, but Pastrnak is a close second. Both were cast in exceptionally beneficial roles when it comes to scoring points. Both were played on the top lines of their respective team, and both played with top centers in the game. Neither had any worries of playing a two way game and could focus on one thing - scoring points. Now both are expecting big paydays, when it is uncertain if this performance is their own or a result of their situation. Are they really all they are cracked up to be, or are they more Devin Setoguchi or Tomas Hertl? We may not find out immediately with Pastrnak, but the Oilers are expected to move Draisaitl to the second line. I wonder what people are going to say when his production plummets and he's still a defensive liability out there? He's going to have to learn the game the way Bennett has, or he's going to be a long term disaster, like so many overrated Oilers.
I like the guy, but I'm still extremely skeptical of Pastrnak. I would not want to be paying him the kind of scratch he is demanding without a little more certainty about the player he is going to be. If I'm paying $6M+ I want a guy that can a helluva lot more than ride shotgun with the team's best players. I want a guy that can drive the play and not be more of a passenger who succeeds because of the talent of his linemates. If Pastrnak can do that, then I have no problem paying that money and comfortable losing one of my other players. Without that confidence, I think you run the possibility of buying high on a player who may not maintain that level of play, and selling low on a guy who has better days ahead of him.
One last thing to consider about the acquisition of Pastrnak is the immediate impact and long term he is going to have on the cap situation and salary structure. You bring in Pastrnak, the acquisition cost is going to be high. You're losing players to bring him in. People accept that. What is missing is the loss the team is going to feel when it comes to future contracts. With Pastrnak on the books for $6M+ that guarantees Backlund is unsignable. That is another player gone within the year, and the guy you hope to backfill that loss was traded to get Pastrnak. All of a sudden you're down another player from the roster and that depth you hoped to build was cut out from under you in one acquisition and contract extension. Just another angle to think about when you consider trading for someone with a big salary. I suspect this is why Treliving has stayed away from deals like that.