Quote:
Originally Posted by Huntingwhale
I was one of those posters thinking the team might regret it. But it certainly wasn't because I'm a Debbie Downer. Show me a list of players who sign 6 year deals at age 33, and I'll show you maybe a handful that actually live up to it. I'll show you even less that outperform it. Hardly a DD mentality, and more a realistic observation.
Gio looks like he might be one of those incredibly rare players who outperforms his contract at that age. Nothing is guaranteed. But it looks good so far.
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I don't know why this is, but defensemen seem to be able to be effective far longer than forwards. The league is full of 35+ D who know how to battle and teams love them. Hal Gill, Ron Hainsey, Brent Sopel, Michael Roszival, Deryk Engelland types are always in demand.
Elite guys don't even decline the same. At 36, Chris Pronger and Niedermayer were a pairing on the Olympic team, and prior to a concussion ending his career, 37 year old Pronger was the best defenseman in the league.
Lidstrom won four Norris trophies after he turned 35. Chara has maybe not been Norris level since he turned 38 but he's still a fabulously effective player.
Brian Campbell is a guy who doesn't get enough respect because he signed a massive contract that had to be exiled to Florida, but he was effective until he was 38.
Maybe it's just easier to create than destroy, maybe it's getting to play the whole game with the play in front of you, but defensemen age differently.
Is Gio going to be Norris Gio at 38? Who knows. Is he going to be less than a top-4 NHL defender? I would be shocked. And in that case, he might be overpaid by a million or two. Who cares. He's earned every cent the Flames ever gave him.