Quote:
Originally Posted by CN10
I like that the Tkachuk negotiation hasn't played out via the media as much as the Nylander & Aho one did (a function of the hold out and offer sheet respectively) and the Marner one is (a function of it being a Leaf player). It seems like nobody wants to be the first to sign (except Aho who looks like he wanted to get it done fast on his terms by using Montreal as a pawn). I feel like the Flames can probably wait a bit longer to get it done, but will probably want to be close to the final number ahead of signing Bennett & Rittich prior to their arbitration hearings.
Tkachuk is obviously a valuable player to the team and both his camp and Treliving know that. I just also think that it would be hard for the GM to say to the rest of the team that he is more valuable that Gaudreau and Giordano by giving him a higher % of cap hit. Both those guys signed for 9.25% of the cap for 6 years at the time they put pen to paper. I think that based on this the Flames offer is likely 6 x $7.54M which seems fair. If Tkachuk is pushing for less term which I expect he may be given his comments about the Mathews deal, I expect that the Flames will want to lower the cap hit and that is likely the sticking point. We can thank Dubas for paying UFA price for RFA years on the Mathews deal for complicating all RFA negotiations this off season.
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Fortunately, Treliving does not have any obligation to consult nor offer explanations to anyone on the Flames roster for the deal he will negotiate with Tkachuk. But more to the point, I think it is fairly well established by now that players accept the reality of the current NHL marketplace: they are well enough aware of how quickly things change, and they can surely see that each player and every team is going to negotiate the deals that make the most sense on a case-by-case basis. Gaudreau and Giordano and Monahan know what's going on; they can see what Tkachuk is presently worth; they understand the current market and the type of deal that Treliving is working to consummate.