[VilleN]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I don't have that available, but I can give you an answer from this. This was the 2019/20 season. If you look at EVERY player on this list that is in their 30s, every single one of them only hit 80 points one more time in their careers (and Kopitar and Carlson have none, Kane actually hit 90). Every one of these players averaged something in the 60-80 point range for the remainder of their careers (or worse).

Gretzky's first couple years in LA were effective, but after that, he was basically a show piece. Lemieux and Crosby have been effective were into their mid-thirties, but the number of players who are truly valuable (greater than 12% of the cap, valuable), well into their 30s, is really low.



That stats don't lie: you pay people in their 30s for past production, and you do not get value for your money.

(I agree the Oilers had no choice, and I agree it's done for the first few years, but it is difficult to argue against the fact that, for the life of the contract, it is likely to have very poor value)

You definitely get better value with younger players, I don't necessarily agree that you are paying for past production. I think you are paying a player with a lot of leverage vs. a player with very little. In both cases you are looking at their resumes to determine salary.