Quote:
Originally Posted by Geeoff
5x5.5. Lock it in!
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If he would sign that, he'd be signed by now.
You can assume he wants a contract at about 8 years. It's his one chance at UFA on his terms, you gotta think he'll maximize that leverage.
He'll only sign a 5-year deal if he desperately wants to be here and Tre plays hardball.
I do know that Calgary won't be a better team without him.
At some stage, in a cap world, al teams have to choose when to "go for it", which generally means forgetting about the cap consequences 5 years down the road when their window has closed.
I don't think its feasible to think you can have a healthy cap situation all the time when contending in a cap world. At some stage, you have to sign some contracts with pending UFA's that you know will stink at the end of the term.
I think that time has come for Calgary.
If Backlund wants 8-years at $6M, I think you need to plug your nose and give it to him. Letting him go will seriously decrease your chances of winning the Cup. He's your shut-down guy and is not readily replaceable.