[Signing] Stars ink Klingberg 7 years 4.2 per

[GioforPM]

It's a huge risk IMO. It's less money than the 6X6 we make fun of the Oil for signing, but the same concept. And a year more.

Obviously if he keeps it up it's a good deal for the team. But it's not exactly unheard of for rookies to not pan out. Tyler Myers is now playing well, but between now and his rookie year, not so much.

[OzSome]

Originally Posted by InCoGnEtO

If you are Klingberg, why do you accept a 7-yr deal. Shouldn't have gone more than 4 yrs.

Why not? How many young guys get the chance to get that type of contract?

[OBCT]

Really good deal. I would gladly take Klingberg @ that price and term on the Flames.

The Stars may still have issues keeping the puck out of their net next season, but it won't often be because of Klingberg.

[the_only_turek_fan]

Originally Posted by Cheerio

That is INSANE for a guy who has only ~60 career games under his belt.

Yeah....Monahan might get 8M next summer at this rate.

[JiriHrdina]

It is the choice the team and player are making between a bridge deal and a long-term deal.
There is risk here, but there is also upside that if he continues to play like he has - this will be an amazing deal in the back half. That's the trade off. They could have signed him to say 2x3.5 - and then have to do a 5x6 deal after that. Those are the projections they are likely making.

[speeds]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

It is the choice the team and player are making between a bridge deal and a long-term deal.
There is risk here, but there is also upside that if he continues to play like he has - this will be an amazing deal in the back half. That's the trade off. They could have signed him to say 2x3.5 - and then have to do a 5x6 deal after that. Those are the projections they are likely making.

Part of the issue, particularly for D, is that points still seem to get players paid. If DAL is assuming that Klingberg is a guy that will put up more than his share of points going forward, well, he's a guy that's likely to get decent money in arbitration, so the idea of having him go shorter term now might not be the money saving route that it would be for a D of equal quality, but one who doesn't post as many points.

[automaton 3]

The Stars are really rolling the dice here. For the Flame's sake, I hope he is a bust.

[The Fonz]

Hope he fizzles out next year.

What a stupid contract to hand a rookie...

[JiriHrdina]

I have a feeling that people that are saying this is stupid - didn't watch much of the player.

[MisterJoji]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

I have a feeling that people that are saying this is stupid - didn't watch much of the player.

The risk here is if his play is ... (bear with me as we are one of the last fan bases who should be using this term) ... sustainable. Evidence:

20 year old rookie D-man puts up 48 points and a +13 also wins the Calder.

Since then:

37 points +/- 0
23 points (34 points over 82 games) +5
8 points (17 points over 82 games) -8
22 points (29 points over 82 games) -26
28 points (32 points over 82 games) -6

Tyler Myers, making 5.5 million per year.

I think its much smarter/safer (for upper management) to go the PK Subban route and do a short, but still lucrative, short term contract. After that contract expires, the player is still an RFA and if they look to be consistent then give them the long term contract. Johnny as an example. If I recall correctly, you don't become and UFA until you are 27 or have been in the league for 7 years, meaning Johnny is an RFA until 2020. Sign him to a 2 or 3 year deal at 6 million+ and see if he can maintain or improve his current level of play, then sign him to the 7+ year deal. I get the argument that you may be able to get a slightly lower AAV if you sign him to a long term contract immediately after his ELC, but the cap should continue to rise and I'm confident Treliving can maintain a quality roster without going into "cap-jail."

[AC]

It seems a little crazy, but if he has another similar season next year they probably saved $5-10M overall.

They eat up 2 UFA years too I believe.

The fact that he's almost 23 now, and not an 18 year old rookie helps justify this more too.

[dammage79]

From the Stars POV this is a no brainer. Their D corps is one of the weakest in terms of depth. Klingberg should only get better and he put in a very solid Rookie season. Not a guy I would have expected to hear floating around ROTY conversations.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

I have a feeling that people that are saying this is stupid - didn't watch much of the player.

You're probably right. I honestly haven't seen much of Klingberg myself. But I have seen time and time again players coming out of entry-level deals, not signing a bridge contract and instead signing massive long term deals and not living up to them. Then those teams get handcuffed down the road. Myers (although he seemed to have turned it around) and Phaneuf are a couple defensemen who signed deals like that and there are plenty more.

[squirtle]

If we could lock mony down long term for a lower dollar amount that would make me a happy fan

[cannon7]

Considering how porous the Stars' defense has been, I'm not surprised they're clinging to their young stud d-man.