[Signing] Panthers sign Barkov to 6 year extension ($5.9mil AAV)

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

but Gaudreau will only get better.

I shudder to think what will happen to this forum if Gaudreau struggles for any stretch next season, especially with a brand new massive contact. This fickle fan base is going to lose it.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

I don't disagree. I just said I will be disappointed if Monahan gets a higher AAV than this at a similar term.

I think you need to expect a bit more. While I agree with the crux of your argument something that needs to be considered is that Florida doesn't have a state income tax so Monahan could sign for a bit more and still have less in terms of take home pay.

Regardless, I'm more in favor of giving Monahan a bridge deal until his defensive game takes a step and he proves that he can excel in tougher circumstances.

[Phanuthier]

I don't mean to rag on Barkov (even if he signed a 6 year, $8M AAV I'd think he's worth it... wouldn't really argue saying I'd take him #1 in a re-draft, though 4 of the top 6 are quite close IMO)..... but in comparison to Kopitar:

(1st year omitted, but Kopitar is significantly better)

Kopitar's 2nd year in the NHL : 32 goals, 77 points, 82 games
Barkov : 16 goals, 36 points, 71 games

Kopitar's 3rd year : 27 goals, 66 points, 82 games
Barkov's (current) 3rd year : 12 goals, 30 points, 38 games

Both below Kopitars... and Kopitar is a playoff monster, on par with Toewes as one of the most clutch players in the league. Will Barkov be? He could but he hasn't yet. I do think Barkov is better than the points above show, and he probably in some 10 way tie as the best young center in the NHL... but he's no league above any of them IMO. Debatable at best.

[StrykerSteve]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

I shudder to think what will happen to this forum if Gaudreau struggles for any stretch next season, especially with a brand new massive contact. This fickle fan base is going to lose it.

Spot on.

I just finished watching Sportsnet's countdown of the best moments from the 2000's. Watching the goals that guys like Kiprusoff and Lundqvist were giving up, today's CP would have gone ballistic.

This forum needs to relax and learn how to enjoy the games for what they are... a game. Guys will make a dozen mistakes throughout a game, what we need to appreciate are those 1-2 moments where they do something special.

If a player can consistently generate those 1-2 moments a game, that's what makes them superstars. Even the best don't generate something every shift.

Barkov and Monahan are both excellent young Centers that any team in the NHL would kill to have on their roster.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Kopitar went back to Sweden a year before coming over to NA whereas Barkov came straight over so you aren't comparing the correct years.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Kopitar went back to Sweden a year before coming over to NA whereas Barkov came straight over so you aren't comparing the correct years.

He said in the NHL...so yes, it's the correct years.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Kopitar went back to Sweden a year before coming over to NA whereas Barkov came straight over so you aren't comparing the correct years.

My bad, shift the years 1 off then... his numbers are still better. Not saying Barkov is necessarily worse than Kopitar in comparing the 2 in a time capsule, but the stats don't really show that Barkov is better.

(Reply to above : I meant to say years, so I stand corrected by what FDW says. Maybe I should go by age too... but by that point its really hard to compare apples to apples. Especially since the 2 are in totally different circumstances. Not trying to tear down Barkov, once again, but Kopitar with better hands and vision is very ambitious to me. Thats got to be Peter Forsberg in his prime, which I don't think Barkov is.)

[PepsiFree]

All this "Barkov is superior!" and "Call me when Barkov puts up points like Monny!" talk is no good. Why is there even a debate going on? Because a Panthers fan took a shot at Monahan?

These are incredibly comparable players. If you think one has a clear edge, it's an edge your bias created.

These are two of the best young centres league-wide. We're incredibly lucky to have one of them and while some fans can hate on Monahan or Barkov all they want, we're just going to see the same convo that people have about Toews/Kopitar/Crosby in 5 years.

[Fire]

Monahan did benefit a lot from playing with Gaudreau and a healthy and very good Hudler last season. So I do believe Barkov is as good if not better than Monahan. I wouldn't want a contract for Monahan any higher than $6 mil/yr for 6 years or $6.75 mil/yr for 8 years.

[sharkov]

I want this for monahan

[wingmaker]

nvm

[corporatejay]

Monahan is the best and barkov is the worst. Did I get that right?

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

All this "Barkov is superior!" and "Call me when Barkov puts up points like Monny!" talk is no good. Why is there even a debate going on? Because a Panthers fan took a shot at Monahan?

These are incredibly comparable players. If you think one has a clear edge, it's an edge your bias created.

These are two of the best young centres league-wide. We're incredibly lucky to have one of them and while some fans can hate on Monahan or Barkov all they want, we're just going to see the same convo that people have about Toews/Kopitar/Crosby in 5 years.

Yeah, no. I never did anything like that. I hold Monahan in high esteem. I have his jersey for crying out loud. I just happen to believe that Barkov will be the better player, and he might be better right now. The rest of your post I agree with though.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Fire

Monahan did benefit a lot from playing with Gaudreau and a healthy and very good Hudler last season. So I do believe Barkov is as good if not better than Monahan. I wouldn't want a contract for Monahan any higher than $6 mil/yr for 6 years or $6.75 mil/yr for 8 years.

Monahan may benefit from playing with Gaudreau, but one to one faces tougher competition in the West. (Looking mostly at the past 2 years, not just the junk show in Anahaim this year.) Against the established, top centers in the NHL, he is consistent, he performs and is rarely out matched by the other center that night (most of which are the best in the league). While Gaudreau is a nice offensive catalyst, you got to play a pretty solid 2 way game (especially a center) in this division otherwise the other team's top line in the Pacific can really rail road you.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

@ Phanuthier,

Ok, so maybe me saying he would have much better hands and vision compared to Kopitar is a little too much, but I do think he's more skilled than him, especially when it comes to puck distribution. So sue me.

Maybe people would be less upset with my Kopitar comparison of Barkov if they knew that when I look at Monahan I see something similar to Jeff Carter. High end goal scoring potential center with size, and decent to better than average defensively...maybe not quite as fast.

[wingmaker]

Not sure why people feel the need to knock Monahan's defensive game. If you watch him work in the defensive zone he is by far the most involved forward the Flames have. He consistently separates players from the puck and turns the puck back up the ice. Honestly not sure what else people expect from him.

[Phanuthier]

No need to sue, I think people get way too serious about a message board. Being a hockey fan is just a hobby and a distraction from work. (Maybe too big of a distraction)

Obviously, I have a bias towards LA if it wasn't already obvious here or previous posts (wouldn't call myself a "fan" though, but bias I am)... Kopitar plays under a very suffocating system under Darryl Sutter. I think he's a lot more skilled than his point comparable show.

I can maybe see what you mean in Jeff Carter, not that its a fancy name(s) but I think Daymond Langkow and Joe Nieuwendyk are a better comparable. And that is right now, at 20 and 21 he was as good as they are (not interested in going on to compare Joe's 52 goal rookie season and such, so its a very loose and broad comparable based upon how they play; my memory isn't good enough to break down 1 vs 1 at each facet of the game). I say this in the context of thinking he is just as good as Barkov, McKinnon, and so on.

Anyways... after everyone's taken a deep breath, good contract for Barkov, a good comparison for Monahan and they are both very good young C and amazing mature players.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Are those posts equally laughable in which Monahan is rated as clearly better? I think a good case can be made that Barkov projects to be a better player than Monahan, but that is not necessarily the case right now.

Well at least Monahan has superior numbers in terms of goals and points so not quite as laughable. I think both players are the same tier. As of today Barkov has not scored 20 goals or 40pts in a season though where Monahan has had 31 and 62pts already.

Barkov's half season sample is better than Monahan this year but still only on pace for 64pts if he played a full year but he has already missed time due to injury.

[Saqe]

I also have watched Barkov quite a bit and he is the better player compared to Monahan expect maybe his shot. The biggest difference is his defensive game, he thinks the game as well anyone in the league.

In the end this is good news for the Flames, Monahan should get the same deal or at least not much more.

[Aarongavey]

So when Barkov was 19 he had 36 points in 71 games 0.51 points per game

When Monahan was 19 years old he had 34 points in 75 games 0.45 points per game

In his 20 year old season Barkov has 30 points in 38 games 0.79 points per game

In Monahan's 20 year old season he had 62 points in 81 games 0.77 points per game.

And Monahan is a much better player and should get more money despite scoring at a lower rate? Do I have that right?