[Signing] Oilers re-sign RNH (8yrs, $5.125 mil AAV, full NMC)

[Ashasx]

This is a really good contract. It probably won't be good in years 6-8, but until then, they save some money when they need it.

With that said, as much as it seems like the Oilers are able to give their big guys good, long-term contracts, it's even more amazing that they've made so many blunders trying to fill others holes, essentially making the good contracts moot.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

Who would they have taken?

The Flames were crap, anyone else would have been a wasted contract spot.

The Flames protected Curtis Lazar He had 3 pts in 4 games with the Flames after 1 assist in 33 games with the Senators. AND he played 7:16 of a playoff game against Anaheim with a plus/minus of 0 He and Freddie Hamilton lead the team with a 0 plus minus.

[topfiverecords]

Decent money for a 3rd line center top line winger.

[1991 Canadian]

That is a pretty good deal. RNH is 28, but he plays a soft game and has stayed relatively healthy. He'll likely be putting up decent production for most of this contract.

That said, he will go down as the poster child of Oilers failure if the Oilers keep going they way they are. He's the bridge from the failed Hall-Eberle years to the McDavid-Draisaitl years to the Hoolihan-Marmaduke* years.

*Just guessing on the next names of the next generation of failed Oilers draft picks

[activeStick]

Term is longer than you'd want, but the dollar value is solid. He's a guy who can be their second line pivot if there's an injury to their big 2, and if not, he'll be one of the better third line centers out there who plays on both special teams. He's a bit like their Backlund, but better offensively and worse defensively.

The cap will go back up over that term and when it does, the value will get better and better unless he drops off the map, which I don't think he will.

[memphusk]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

This is a good contract. I don't see RNH slowing down much into his mid-thirties. AAV is quite low. Lower than Backlund's.

Absolutely wrong. This contract is bad. After year 3 its over.

[alan21]

You finally earn your freedom and you ask for 8 more years?
I've always questioned him as a hockey player but now I question his entire existence.

[burn_this_city]

Not enough money for 8 years of crushing existential dread.

[PaperBagger'14]

A NMC in Edmonton, wow. That's like an Eskimo asking for an AC unit.

[Bingo]

I'm with most ... good contract, but it's not an add to a thin forward core, it's just bringing the gang back.

Essentially it's the longer version of the Backlund contract for similar dollars.

If you look at the last three years they have been very similar players ... Backlund now with 3 years to go at 32, Nugent Hopkins with 8 more at 28.

Backlund is 4 years older, but here are the last three seasons in 5 on 5 production rates (combined).

Backlund
14min/game
0.67 goals/game
1.25 assists/game
1.91 points/game
Backlund higher in all play driving stats

Nugent Hopkins
14min/game
0.79 goals/game
0.96 assists/game
1.75 points/game

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

A NMC in Edmonton, wow. That's like an Eskimo asking for an AC unit.

Actually this deal potentially makes him pretty attractive as a trading commodity. At least now when they inevitably trade him to try to take the heat off during one of their frequent bad stretches, he'll get to decide where to.

[dino7c]

Bring back the same team!

With Nurse up next year they don't have as much money as people think. They will spend the entire cap to bring back more or less the same roster.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I'm with most ... good contract, but it's not an add to a thin forward core, it's just bringing the gang back.

Essentially it's the longer version of the Backlund contract for similar dollars.

If you look at the last three years they have been very similar players ... Backlund now with 3 years to go at 32, Nugent Hopkins with 8 more at 28.

Backlund is 4 years older, but here are the last three seasons in 5 on 5 production rates (combined).

Backlund
14min/game
0.67 goals/game
1.25 assists/game
1.91 points/game
Backlund higher in all play driving stats

Nugent Hopkins
14min/game
0.79 goals/game
0.96 assists/game
1.75 points/game

Except Backlund is a full time C (and usually a shutdown C at that), whereas RNH plays wing a lot, and that’s where he picks up his points. RNH is supposedly good defensively but IMO it’s a perception because of the size of the pond he swims in.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I'm with most ... good contract, but it's not an add to a thin forward core, it's just bringing the gang back.

Essentially it's the longer version of the Backlund contract for similar dollars.

If you look at the last three years they have been very similar players ... Backlund now with 3 years to go at 32, Nugent Hopkins with 8 more at 28.

Backlund is 4 years older, but here are the last three seasons in 5 on 5 production rates (combined).

Backlund
14min/game
0.67 goals/game
1.25 assists/game
1.91 points/game
Backlund higher in all play driving stats

Nugent Hopkins
14min/game
0.79 goals/game
0.96 assists/game
1.75 points/game

Wow, thanks for doing the work! I assumed RNH was the more productive player, but clearly, over the last 3 years at least, that's not the case.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by activeStick

Wow, thanks for doing the work! I assumed RNH was the more productive player, but clearly, over the last 3 years at least, that's not the case.

I was going to say that RNH’s numbers last year weren’t great. 35 points in 52 games, but over half came on the power play (9G + 11A). That’s not a lot production at 5-on-5.

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I'm with most ... good contract, but it's not an add to a thin forward core, it's just bringing the gang back.

Essentially it's the longer version of the Backlund contract for similar dollars.

If you look at the last three years they have been very similar players ... Backlund now with 3 years to go at 32, Nugent Hopkins with 8 more at 28.

Backlund is 4 years older, but here are the last three seasons in 5 on 5 production rates (combined).

Backlund
14min/game
0.67 goals/game
1.25 assists/game
1.91 points/game
Backlund higher in all play driving stats

Nugent Hopkins
14min/game
0.79 goals/game
0.96 assists/game
1.75 points/game

People act like Backlund has negative trade value, but really, his contract is fine. He earns it. I think most GMs around the league know that he's the type of player that helps teams win.

I'm guessing the team salary cap will be quite a bit higher for RNH's contract than it has been for Backlund's contract. I honestly don't think Hopkin's contract will be that bad, even during its final years.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Except Backlund is a full time C (and usually a shutdown C at that), whereas RNH plays wing a lot, and that’s where he picks up his points. RNH is supposedly good defensively but IMO it’s a perception because of the size of the pond he swims in.

For sure.

Backlund actually generates more and gives up less five on five over three years.

Backlund has an xGF60 of 2.54 (NH 2.34), and an xGA60 of 2.23 (NH 2.40).

Backlund at 53.3% and NH at 49.4%, that's not a small gap. There time against elite competition was pretty much identical.

Same usage, different results.

And Backlund is post apex and still besting NH, who could see that 29+ decline as well.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Bingo

For sure.

Backlund actually generates more and gives up less five on five over three years.

Backlund has an xGF60 of 2.54 (NH 2.34), and an xGA60 of 2.23 (NH 2.40).

Backlund at 53.3% and NH at 49.4%, that's not a small gap. There time against elite competition was pretty much identical.

Same usage, different results.

And Backlund is post apex and still besting NH, who could see that 29+ decline as well.

Yet there are people here who insist Backlund is way overpaid (and I’d bet they include people who think $5M for RNH is good value).

[TheIronMaiden]

I look forward to watching a 36 year old Nugent Hopkins try to play hockey.

[blankall]

The term is pretty shocking, but in 3 years that contract will look like an absolute steal. The Oilers will probably be stuck with 2-3 years of overpayment on the back end. RNH seems like he has enough hockey smarts, that he'll still be serviceable in his mid-30s.

I'd like to see the breakdown, to see if this contract is front loaded. Whatever the case, this certainly helps Edmonton put together a better team over the next 4-5 years, which I'm assuming they think is the McDavid window.