[Signing] Kessel to sign contract extension with Leafs ($8Mil AAV, 8 years)

[カナダ人です]

Considering the numbers he has put up the last couple seasons, I actually think $7.5M is fair. $8M is pricey and $8.5M is maybe too pricey.

If he had some intangibles (leadership, toughness, defensive play, faceoffs, not being chubby) then maybe people wouldn't be so adverse to giving him $8M+ on a long term deal.

[dino7c]

he will get that as a UFA if not in TO...not saying he is worth it because I don't think he is

[MisterJoji]

Originally Posted by WilderPegasus

I hope Toronto shells out similar money for Dion as well. Good for them to spend big money on guys lacking character.

I actually hope he makes it to free agency next summer and that Feaster/Burke make a legit offer. I'd love to have Phaneuf back barring a massive overpayment. Can't see him wanting to come back though.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Ridiculous. Rate of inflation or not, there's no way in my opinion he should be paid up there with Crosby, malkin, getzlaf,perry or ovechkin. Am I missing anyone here?

Everyone would still take Malkin but he will be making 9.5M a year, so he's getting out of the comparable player area.

Crosby was able to sign pre-CBA but his contract will see him make an average of 11M over the next 7 years, even then that's a contract people consider a hometown discount. Again, at 3M more a year more it's definitely getting out of comparable player territory.

Ovechkin's contract is only his second contract, he was given 124M after 3 seasons in the NHL. Another not so great comparison, especially factoring in the cap being 56M when he signed and the upwards of 70M cap when Kessel's extension will take place.

Perry and Getzlaf are the fairest comparisons but they were a little bit older when they signed them. Depending on the term of Kessel's contract they may be playing a couple seasons outside of their prime years that Kessel wont be. But yeah, I agree that's why the upper limit should be set under 8M because of those 2 players.

But then you compare him to Parise, Kovalchuk, Richards, and Lecavalier who all had contracts that saw them getting 10M or more during their prime years (and beyond) despite the actual cap hit. Compare Kessel's hypothetical contract to those contracts' actual salaries and it stops looking so brutal. It's a balancing act where teams are concerned heavily on cap but players and their agents care about salary. Again I would be hesitant in hoping my team got Kessel at anywhere near that price, but without the retirement years we're going to get to a point where the contracts reflect salary for the star players which will come with higher cap hits.

[doctajones428]

The new CBA seems to have been slashed apart as it's changed nothing

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

It's also easy to forget that he's yet to reach his 26th birthday, 8 years will encompass his entire prime years unlike Perry and Getzlaf.

If he follows the average path for a forward, it's all down here from here... at least as far as scoring is concerned. Which isn't to say that he shouldn't be in his highest paid years, his prime years for salary don't have to coincide with his best scoring years due to UFA considerations.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by doctajones428

The new CBA seems to have been slashed apart as it's changed nothing

Biggest change was the revenue split. The Old CBA was 57-43 in favour of the players, it's now 50-50. That's a huge difference that wont be reflected in the contracts' cap hits...

With 3B in revenue, that additional 7% difference is worth more than 200M for the owners.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by SebC

If he follows the average path for a forward, it's all down here from here... at least as far as scoring is concerned. Which isn't to say that he shouldn't be in his highest paid years, his prime years for salary don't have to coincide with his best scoring years due to UFA considerations.

I guess poor wording, the point was that Kessel's contract wouldn't bring him to the same age as Perry and Getzlaf. I didn't realize Kessel's birthday was so soon so the contract would still bring him to 33-34 but that's still not as bad as Getzlaf and Perry contracts that will see them turn 36 by the time they expire.

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by WilderPegasus

I hope Toronto shells out similar money for Dion as well. Good for them to spend big money on guys lacking character.

Wow, plz explain how Kessel lacks character? Burke suing those internet posters, Kessel should come after you for a baseless shot.

Anyways on the news, I was hoping he'd make it to UFA and Burke would go after him. Good deal all around, worth the price.

[savemedrzaius]

CTV London reports Kessel has signed, 8 years for 64 million.

https://twitter.com/CTVLondon/status...94079349555200

[metallicat]

Is he really an elite point producer at .74 points per game over his career?

[Murph]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

Is he really an elite point producer at .74 points per game over his career?

He's 8th in league scoring over the last three years, so yeah, he's an elite point producer. Kessel's ability to put up points is not in question. Intangible and attitude issues aside (not saying he has any), he is a dynamic offensive threat.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

Is he really an elite point producer at .74 points per game over his career?

Same as RNH.

Unfair considering he entered the league as an 18 year old. So he didn't put up numbers when he was 18 and 19, players like Eberle wouldn't even see NHL time until they were older. Over the last 5 years he's in the top 10 for goal scoring, only significantly outscored by Stamkos and Ovechkin, while potting more than Iginla and Daniel Sedin.

So yes, since celebrating his 21st birthday he's put up elite numbers and it would be pretty hard to argue against it.

[Erick Estrada]

On one hand you can't argue that he's a consistent 30+ goal scorer on the other hand he is probably one of the most hollow top players in the league and brings nothing else to the table than goals so the investment is linked solely to his goal production and nothing else. Seems too long to me especially with the current CBA outlasting the deal which means no more compliance buyouts.

[Brannigans Law]

Originally Posted by doctajones428

The new CBA seems to have been slashed apart as it's changed nothing

Ugh. This basic misunderstanding of the CBA works is an endless gear grinder in these types of threads.

It's really on par with people using the non-word irregardless.

[the_only_turek_fan]

IF...they let Kessel go who replaces his 30+ goals a year? Don't see any 25 year old 30+ goal scorers available right now.

[Enoch Root]

I agree that Toronto has to sign him because if they don't they just have to take that money and go buy those points with a UFA - and they are likely worse off.

And I agree that this is fair market value for Kessel's numbers.

But all I can say is that I am REALLY glad the Leafs signed him because if he went to free agency, there is a very strong chance he would have ended up as an $8.5m guy on the Flames. That would have been some kind of horrible.

[FlamesAddiction]

I think Kessel gets a bad rap outside of Toronto. As others have mentioned, he is in the top 10 of league scoring over the past few seasons. He's definitely the best player on the Leafs and is reasonably consistent.

He is also turning into a decent leader and is well liked on his team it seems.

[ComixZone]

I love that everyone scoffs at every single high profile player signing.

"They're not worth it"...except they are. If you want elite talent, you need to pay for it. Despite Kessel's bad rep among visiting team's fans, he has been an elite scorer for the Leafs.

All big contracts like this have years at the end where the player isn't really worth it - and we should know this better than anyone as we just went through that stage with Iggy and Kipper. This is how it works. There are no teams exempt from it.

[Parallex]

I hope the reports are wrong... I kind of want to see what a 26yo top 10 scorer get's on the free market. Just to satisfy my curiosity.