[Signing] Philly signs Kevin Hayes (7 years, $7.14 mil AAV)

[CanadaMatt]

Originally Posted by Buck Murdock

Kevin Hayes makes more than James Neal...let that sink in....

I’m not sure if this post is hilariously ironic or woefully misguided?

[カナダ人です]

Originally Posted by Buck Murdock

Kevin Hayes makes more than James Neal...let that sink in....

He's also way better and 4 years younger.

[gunnner]

Originally Posted by Moneyhands23

At this point BT will be very smart to avoid free agency this year.

I dont get why owners dont handcuff GM's more when it comes to UFA deals, and maybe even RFA's now....9/10 UFA signings over 4 years are probably awful deals for the team. I hope Brad pulls a Chevy and heads to the cottage after the draft and drinks rum till his cant remember where his blackberry is. Trade Brodie for picks, draft some players, hideout somewhere till its time to sign Tkachuck and Bennet.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

At least $1 million too much, and definitely 2 or 3 years too many. It's not so much that he's getting a big contract, it's the term. As always, a few years in teams will cringe looking at what Hayes brings for that price point. This contract takes him to 34, and the big, not-overly-fast players often don't perform as well into their 30s.

Again, if you had done this deal on 3 or 4 years, I'd have said "sure, I get it". But not 7. It's just ridiculous.

Think about all the deals so far this summer: Skinner, Karlsson, Hayes etc. None of these have anything close to a bargain price, even though all the players were technically under team control for a while longer. Just imagine the prices for players completely on the open market!!!

This off-season is going to necessitate a lockout. GMs are making their own problems, yet again.

[savemedrzaius]

That Nylander deal all of sudden seems pretty pretty sweet.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Philly06Cup

Anyone want to discuss Hayes as a player?

Can play all forward positions, but mostly center. Played with Alain Vigneault in NY and was used primarily a defensive specialist. He fits the Flyers' biggest need of 2C and of defensively aware players. I can see why the Flyers targeted him.

Re: Contract term. "Worst contract ever" and comparisons to Holik are pretty unfair. The number being thrown around was 6x6.5 -- this isn't that off. The Flyers are definitely overreacting to ownership wanting flashy moves, but this is hardly outrageous. They're lucky enough to have other players on good / EL contracts they can afford to make some overpayments on their way to being a contender.

Holik was a better player so I agree the comparisons are unfair. He's just so average at everything and considering he's in his prime there's little indication that he's anything more than an 18 goal, 40 point player. There's no way you can sugar coat this contract as it's awful as it now defines what average players are going to seek in contract negotiations. One of the worst contracts handed out in some time when you consider salary and term. We were up in arms about the Skinner contract but it looks downright reasonable in comparison to this one.

Does this mean Mark Jankowski is a $5 million player because it you look at the position, size, stats you can argue he's 80% the player Hayes is.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

I'm hoping Brad doesn't pick up the phone until July 2. These UFAs getting way overpaid.

Brad should take his family on an annual vacation from June 30 until July 5th. No phones, no internet, a family camping trip every year where he has no ability to communicate with anyone.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Buck Murdock

Kevin Hayes makes more than James Neal...let that sink in....

He is a much better hockey player than Neal. If Neal is the comparable Hayes should be making 11 million a year.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by savemedrzaius

That Nylander deal all of sudden seems pretty pretty sweet.

No, no it doesn't. One bad contract doesn't make another look good. It means they are both bad.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

No, no it doesn't. One bad contract doesn't make another look good. It means they are both bad.

I think in general the last calendar year has been pretty bad for the NHL in regards to the long term contracts handed out and it's getting worse. Where's the hard bargaining and discounts for term as it seems like player agents are dictating these deals. GM's need to understand that when they give a contract like this out for a 2nd/3rd line player that would not be considered a core player that they have just raised the cost of retaining their core pieces making their jobs considerably more difficult in the future. Say Johnny hits UFA in three years and the Flyers want him based on what they gave Hayes they are going to have to probably make him the highest paid player in the NHL and the way they are going giving supplementary players like JVR and Hayes this type of dough they aren't likely going to have near the cap room to accommodate that.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I think in general the last calendar year has been pretty bad for the NHL in regards to the long term contracts handed out and it's getting worse. Where's the hard bargaining and discounts for term as it seems like player agents are dictating these deals. GM's need to understand that when they give a contract like this out for a 2nd/3rd line player that would not be considered a core player that they have just raised the cost of retaining their core pieces making their jobs considerably more difficult in the future. Say Johnny hits UFA in three years and the Flyers want him based on what they gave Hayes they are going to have to probably make him the highest paid player in the NHL and the way they are going giving supplementary players like JVR and Hayes this type of dough they aren't likely going to have near the cap room to accommodate that.

Or you know talented players are realizing the shouldn't be paid only a couple million more than 4th line pluggers?

The biggest problem is that GM's can't seem to learn you shouldn't pay more than $1.5 million for anyone on the bottom 6 or bottom D pairing.

[savemedrzaius]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

No, no it doesn't. One bad contract doesn't make another look good. It means they are both bad.

Wait till you see what Tkachuk gets

[oldschoolcalgary]

pretty surprising to be honest...no way i thought he be a 7 AVV player.

bad news for calgary with the free spending ways of Buffalo and Philly so far...

[The Cobra]

Philly is a better team today than they were yesterday.

That’s the cost to play the UFA market.

They are at least getting a young player with some projection left. And getting what should be his prime years.

But I was also surprised by the amount. And I thought I was getting used to the increased UFA amounts.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Locke

Why is everyone taking the crazy-pills and and why am I not getting paid?

Too many dumplings? What could have been...

[locsofblu]

That's just an awful awful deal for a meh player.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Or you know talented players are realizing the shouldn't be paid only a couple million more than 4th line pluggers?

The biggest problem is that GM's can't seem to learn you shouldn't pay more than $1.5 million for anyone on the bottom 6 or bottom D pairing.

The problem is that with these long term deals players like JVR and Hayes will be 3rd/4th line players on the back ends of their deals and the deals don't shrink to $1.5 million when these players are in their 30's so you are paying $6+ million for players that are no longer in your top 6. The issue with these deals really isn't money and it's the term.

[getbak]

Uh oh, cue the hand wringing.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1141367025140490240

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by savemedrzaius

Wait till you see what Tkachuk gets

Tkachuk is (a) not a UFA and (b) not a guy that the team already spent a draft pick to get into the room with. The Flyers had already committed to making some sort of deal, and the fans would have been upset if they spent the pick for no result. I think getting in the room a little early may not have been worth it.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Normally, as is customary, I would come in and argue that not every UFA signing of a decent player can be over-payment. But yeah, even this a lot more than expected by me.