[Signing] Flyers sign Voracek to multi-year extension (8 yrs, $8.25 mil AAV)

[Strange Brew]

[QUOTE=heep223;5382786]Phil Kessel says, hi eat $8.4M of my contract and then yes I'm tradeable[/QUOTE

Hmm... wish I had thought of saying that.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by heep223

Phil Kessel says, hi eat $8.4M of my contract and then yes I'm tradeable

But Kessel proves StrangeBrew's point...

Kessel got $8M as a winger and it turned out that building a winner around him was a failed exercise.

Then trading him became a difficult and lengthy distraction. And it/he was one of the reasons that the Leafs have had several years of futility and have been forced into a full rebuild.

Not saying everything was Kessel's fault but... the fact remains that there is only room under the cap for 2 or 3 elite-player contracts.

Choose wisely.

[PepsiFree]

There is only room under the cap for 2-3 elite players, but what is a team to do?

There are not 2-3 elite players for every team, and the market dictates that players deemed to be in a "top 30" type skill level will demand incredible money.

Do you pay an great winger 8 million because the elite ones are getting 10? Or do you simply let him go and wait, hoping that one day you have the opportunity to draft someone elite? Couldn't that be forever?

I think you pay up for the best you've got and try to make it work around them. Right or wrong that's the best many teams can hope for.

[burnitdown]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

But Kessel proves StrangeBrew's point...

Kessel got $8M as a winger and it turned out that building a winner around him was a failed exercise.

Then trading him became a difficult and lengthy distraction. And it/he was one of the reasons that the Leafs have had several years of futility and have been forced into a full rebuild.

Not saying everything was Kessel's fault but... the fact remains that there is only room under the cap for 2 or 3 elite-player contracts.

Choose wisely.

You do realize that Year 1 of Kessel's 8 year deal was last year? Pretty hard for his $8M deal to be one of the reasons for several years of Leafs futility then.

You have to separate the contract from the player...choosing to build around Kessel was the issue, even when he was paid less. The $8M contract wasn't the issue.

[Enoch Root]

It made it difficult for the Leafs to trade him. And it had an impact prior, as they knew it was coming and had to plan for it (just like Giordano's is already affecting Flames' decisions)

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

There is only room under the cap for 2-3 elite players, but what is a team to do?

There are not 2-3 elite players for every team, and the market dictates that players deemed to be in a "top 30" type skill level will demand incredible money.

Do you pay an great winger 8 million because the elite ones are getting 10? Or do you simply let him go and wait, hoping that one day you have the opportunity to draft someone elite? Couldn't that be forever?

I think you pay up for the best you've got and try to make it work around them. Right or wrong that's the best many teams can hope for.

Exactly.

If you have Kessel instead of Toews you have to keep the talent you have and try to win.

You can't do a rebuild every 3 seasons when it comes time to pay a great, but imperfect player on your team. Fans outside of Canadian cities won't stand for it.

[Strange Brew]

Kessel's contract was one of the issues unless you think the guy is so useless he should not be on an NHL team. That is not my take - he just should not use up so much of your cap that you are hamstrung in making other moves.

Pepsi Free makes a good point about the market in general. Salaries for so called top guys are being driven upwards and young players are getting big money deals earlier and earlier. Flames highest paid player is what, 23? I question what some of these teams are doing, almost acting like its the NFL where much of the contract is not guaranteed and can be dumped easily.

[Hackey]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

But Kessel proves StrangeBrew's point...

Kessel got $8M as a winger and it turned out that building a winner around him was a failed exercise.

Then trading him became a difficult and lengthy distraction. And it/he was one of the reasons that the Leafs have had several years of futility and have been forced into a full rebuild.

Not saying everything was Kessel's fault but... the fact remains that there is only room under the cap for 2 or 3 elite-player contracts.

Choose wisely.

What's the alternative though? Are you going to trade the 4th leading scorer in the NHL last year because you don't want to give him the money even if he is worth it? Don't think fans would take that too well. Paying your center/wing combo seems to work fine for Anaheim and Chicago. Obviously there are more pieces to the puzzle but I don't think there is anything wrong with giving a star winger big bucks. The issues with Kessel I think are more to do with him as a person/player than the position he plays.

[Enoch Root]

They're tough decisions. That's the beauty of the cap - you have to make choices.

And has been said many times, you have to have a constant stream of contributing ELCs.