The Athletic - Boston Sean McIndoe (Down Goes Brown) has a question for Bruins fans

[Fenway]

Weekend NHL rankings: Who's been the most mediocre team so far?

Let's see if the Blues have finally decided to start making any sense.

theathletic.com

I’ve got a question for Bruins fans: If David Pastrnak told the team that he’d only sign an extension that made him the highest-paid player in the league (by AAV), would you do it?

That would mean he’d have to get something north of Nathan MacKinnon’s $12.6 million extension that kicks in next year, not to mention Connor McDavid’s $12.5 million. Pastrnak isn’t McDavid, obviously, but that contract was also signed five years ago. Is he better than MacKinnon? Probably not, especially considering he’s a winger, but it’s not an impossible case to make right now.

On the one hand, that price tag would feel steep, especially for a team that’s used to having its stars playing under significant discounts. On the other, I mean … he gets that as a UFA, right? If Artemi Panarin got $11.6 million in 2019, Pastrnak would be able to get more than that with the cap about to start going up again. If you’re the Bruins, you’d been underpaying the guy for years and you know you’re not going to trade him, so if it’s either pay up big or watch him walk, you’d need a ton of discipline to choose the latter. But I want to hear from Boston fans, so let me know what you think: Eight years at let’s say $12.7 million, do you sign that deal today?

The core issue is how much can you really pay a player when dealing with the salary cap?

Click to read more...

 

[smithformeragent]

He’s got them over a barrel.

The cap isn’t going up much, which makes it more difficult to justify.

It’s going to be interesting to see what happens with the bonus penalties for next season.

Assuming both Bergeron and Krejci want to come back next season (or that you have to replace one or both), can you even swing it?

They’d better make this opportunity count this season because the cap cliff is on the horizon.

 

[LouJersey]

8/104, I do it.

 

[Patdud]

Caps going to be 90+ in like two years and he still won’t be thirty… HARD YES

 

[08SeaBass08]

Absolutely. All day, everyday. For all the reasons above and because he's the face of the franchise going forward. He's the most exciting, dynamic guy they have. He's got tremendous character, personality and charm. He's already a superstar in the league. Complete no-brainer to me. Might make for a rough roster for one season, but not likely longer than that.

 

[Bmessy]

Yes. We have like 9 mil in waived players this year. I won't squabble over an additional 1 mil for a top winger in the league.

 

[bp14]

Money wise you probably have to pay him given I’m not sure you could use the money more wisely.

Principally, he’s clearly not the best player in the league. So it would suck to pay him as such, but whatever.

 

[UConn126]

I pay Pasta whatever he wants. Cap will be super tight next year but he's worth it. Once in a lifetime player, unreplaceable.

 

[Alicat]

All day every day. Pay him

 

[whatsbruin]

Say you pay him.
Bergie and Krecji retire.
No new #1 center, and it's either Coyle or more likely Zacha.
Now Pasta is a 30 goal scorer and 70 pt player, and you have 12 mill tied up.
Will people still be happy ?
Any future trade of Pasta would never get you what he is really worth because he isn't putting up the pts
like he can with a #1.

 

[weaponomega]

Yes I would.

 

[Ozamataz Buckshank]

Bruins better pay the man. The other highest paid players in the league signed their contracts a few years ago, it doesn't seem innapropriate at all for him to have a cap hit at $12.5 million or higher.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

Pay the man. It’s not difficult.

 

[Therick67]

Even with the discounts this teams stars signed for, they still managed to screw up the cap.

Pay him and deal with it.

 

[StonedZboril]

Yeah probably, but Pasta has never been about the money. This hypothetical almost definitely isn’t gonna happen.

 

[BradMarchandismydad]

It would be terrible asset management not to sign him.

 

[The Hockey Tonk Man]

I'm still hoping he takes $10~ish/year
$80mil + endorsements ain't bad at all.

 

[Shaun]

we finally draft and develop an elite goal scorer, can’t let him walk

 

[Walkenthewalk]

B's start at 8 yrs/$88m for #88 and work from there until deal is done.

 

[RoccoF14]

Its a good question. I don't think its a realistic scenario, but hypothetically: If his number is 8/12.7mil and I'm faced with a "take it or leave it" offer, I'm not so sure I take it. Its a tough decision, though.

I'd hate to lose him. He's an NHL Superstar, no question. But I have an issue paying ANY winger that kind of salary and term. To me, that's elite Center money, and he's not an elite Center like McDavid or MacKinnon.

The real question is whether or not you think he's gonna continue to produce at his current levels when he no longer has #37/46 as his center and #63/71 on his wing. The Hawks gave Kane an equivalent offer back in 2015 after they won their last Cup. Over that 8yr stretch, they'll have made the playoffs 3 times, and never got out of the first round.

Food for thought.....

 

[Gee Wally]

I hate, hate, hate it.
But I’d do it.

My hope is he bends a bit. 8 x 11 per.

 

[Sheppy]

Sign him.

 

[Ludwig Fell Down]

My instinct was no. Can't pay that much to a winger. But they have a solid core going into next season, and a fair amount coming off the books (Foligno, Frederic, Nosek) that can be replaced with youth.

Still need #1 and #2 centers, but they have that problem with or without Pasta with no obvious solutions other than resigning Zacha and moving him to C full-time.

So yes, I'm with GW and hoping that 8/88 gets it done. I'd pay that.

 

[RoccoF14]

My instinct was no. Can't pay that much to a winger. But they have a solid core going into next season, and a fair amount coming off the books (Foligno, Frederic, Nosek) that can be replaced with youth.

Still need #1 and #2 centers, but they have that problem with or without Pasta with no obvious solutions other than resigning Zacha and moving him to C full-time.

So yes, I'm with GW and hoping that 8/88 gets it done. I'd pay that.

Kane got 8/$84mil back in 2015, so I don't think that's a realistic number. If it is, you do it in a heartbeat.

 

[bp14]

Related, I don’t see Krejci or Bergeron retiring after this season. Both have at least 1-2 years left and I suspect they’re happier with this current coach. Zero reason this team can’t come back next year and be excellent if those two guys want to do it.