His evolving hockey contract project was something like 2 years at $1.75M AAV.
Confirmed with Link: Middleton signs for 3 years x $2.4m AAV
- Thread starter Bazeek
- Start date
Spurgeon
Registered User
Brodin - Dumba
X - Spurgeon
Merill - Addison
$6.7M to fill in X instead of Goli/Kulikov/Middleton feels like a better defense than what we’re going to roll with. Although I don’t think this group of UFA LDs is very good.
Obviously Guerin can still move Kulikov and sign somebody in FA that bolsters our forward group, but I don’t see it happening. Think he’s going to give Fleury too much and roll with a Goli - Kulikov 3rd pairing with Addison in the minors.
X - Spurgeon
Merill - Addison
$6.7M to fill in X instead of Goli/Kulikov/Middleton feels like a better defense than what we’re going to roll with. Although I don’t think this group of UFA LDs is very good.
Obviously Guerin can still move Kulikov and sign somebody in FA that bolsters our forward group, but I don’t see it happening. Think he’s going to give Fleury too much and roll with a Goli - Kulikov 3rd pairing with Addison in the minors.
DeagleJenkins
Registered User
It’s also a good thing we have a nice group of dmen that will be pushing the NHL roster pretty soon.
Dr Jan Itor
Registered User
Dr Jan Itor
Registered User
So they're hitting at pretty nice percentage then?
I don't know if they have archives or anything, but can you dig up what they had Kaprizov, Brodin and Fiala at?
Their projections have been pretty close the last few years for most players. They do have some holes in their process for players without a lot of compatibles. I think Middleton falls into one of these holes.
DeagleJenkins
Registered User
Gaps are generally largely terrible which is a bit of an issue. But he’s the one defender that showed any sort of physical willingness to get on the right side of an offensive player in a scoring chance with any sort of consistency. Also showed more and more ability in transition and in the offensive zone than what we may have known three were getting as he got more comfortable in the system so it will be interesting if he can build on that.
In a vacuum, it’s a very good contract. Taking into account all of the contracts on the back end, something sure seems like it would need to give. Beyond Spurgeon and Brodin (can probably throw Dumba into that mix sort of as well), he’s really about the only one you would like to see them roll with beyond this year for certain without seeing how it all will play out.
In a vacuum, it’s a very good contract. Taking into account all of the contracts on the back end, something sure seems like it would need to give. Beyond Spurgeon and Brodin (can probably throw Dumba into that mix sort of as well), he’s really about the only one you would like to see them roll with beyond this year for certain without seeing how it all will play out.
They had 7x$8.6M. LA signed him for $700k less and most Wild fans would love Fiala at that contract if we had the cap space for it.
Regardless, I’d rather be under the projection than over the projection.
- Dec 10, 2012
- 39,649
- 18,066
I don't think Middleton is as good but that's kinda where I was at as well
DeagleJenkins
Registered User
I know for a fact evolving hockey had him at 8x9.5 and the aav got lower as the years decreased but not by much. I should of bookmarked that one.
IIRC the only big jump was for the 7 and 8 year deals. The 3-6 year numbers were all pretty close.
Sure, but he signed a 7 year deal. They give all 1-8 year deals.
Here are Fiala's according to twitter:
1 x $6.86M
2 x $6.894M
3 x $7.703M
4 x $7.502M
5 x $7.787M
6 x $8.24M
7 x $8.661M
8 x $9.444M
Fiala is not worth his contract he got from LA.
He is not a $1M dollar a year less than KK player. Not even close. These scoring wings like Fiala get way overpaid every year.
Your logic proves faulty when you realize that Kaprizov is closer to an $11M player than a $9M player.
Dr Jan Itor
Registered User
Can both of you dig up your posts where you said that his contract was too low when he signed it? Just curious?
ThatGuy22
Registered User
- Oct 11, 2011
- 10,521
- 4,205
Pre covid cap restrictions they were pretty spot on. Hasn't adjusted well to the limited cap.
Dr Jan Itor
Registered User
Jesus comma Brodin
Effing Norris-Byng Brodin
I think for the next few years, I agree that’s the case but this season the stats show otherwise.
xGA/60
Spurgeon/Goli = 2.05
Spurgeon/Middleton = 2.41
xGF/60
Spurgeon/Goli = 2.65
Spurgeon/Middleton = 2.45
But the more I think on this since the announcement, the more I think we’ve just mismanaged the defensive situation as a whole.
Right now, Middleton is not a $2.5M/year player. In fact he isn’t close based on every analytic, projection, and fancy stat there is. Could he be? Maybe he will be, but the only reason I’m seeing anyone justify this contract is because he’s the best option out of what we have to play with Spurgeon. That’s the core issue.
At this point, we had to solidify someone in that role, and we overpaid an RFA to do it but what if we didn’t have $3.2M tied up in Goligoski/Merrill, or $4.25M in Goligoski/Kulikov?
Middleton would be a GREAT bottom paring defensemen with Addison, and we would have a good chunk of cap to sign/trade for an actual top 4 defensemen. Now we’re relying on a 26YO with less than a full NHL season of service and has 17 career points. Like I said in my original post, it could end up being valuable and I don’t blame Middleton for this, but rather our infatuation with old vets that I’m sure are good locker room guys.
Kulikov move would be helpful, but he’s an expiring UFA, makes too much, and has a M-NTC. Not getting much there.
Dr Jan Itor
Registered User
Oh got it.....
I’d just wait and see what Gaudreau and Forsberg sign for, and what Huberdeau and Pastrnak extend for, before settling on Fiala not being worth less than $8M.
Yeah, even outside any connection to Fiala, the Goligoski signing is still pretty annoying.
