Are FAs in for rude awakening with reports of McDavid deal?

[Quiet Jack]

Seems like spending was down quite a bit this July 1st. Not surprising.

 

[NeutralFan88]

Spending was down, but we had quite a few idiotic contracts handed out today....

I hope the landscape changes and the top guys make the top money and the middle to bottom guys make less. That's how it should be.

Too many average players in the NHL who are way overpaid on every team.

 

[TheDoldrums]

Seems like spending was down quite a bit this July 1st. Not surprising.

It was also known as one of the weakest FA classes in recent memory though. Not sure that proves anything.

 

[Street Hawk]

Every July 1st a bunch of free agents get signed to contracts that are just absurd. Now with McDavid looking at a deal north of 13 million a year other teams are going to have to look at that and figure out if joining the free agent frenzy is worth it. You have young stars like Laine and Eichel that are going to want to get PAID.

If the Sabres could do it all over again I doubt they'd sign Okposo. Probably same for Oilers and Lucic.

Or will it be business as usual and GMs just lose their collective minds like they do every year?

What the McDavid deal should do IMO, is create a greater separation between the top end players and the mid level players. On the heels of the $13 million average, starting to hear the amounts go up for other players. Price just inked for $10.5 million ($2 million higher than Lundqvist). Reports are that Ryan Johansen is looking for $8.5 million per. Vlasic just signed for $7 million per.

What it means is that teams have to make sacrifices elsewhere. For Edmonton, they perhaps should NOT afford Russell at $4 million with Klefbom and Larsson signed for $9.5 million combined, and Sekeras at $5.25, plus Nurse a year from completing his ELC.

Why did Toronto ink Marleau a year into the 2nd contracts of Mathews and Marner? That was strange.

Teams need to be smarter on term and dollars. Shouldn't give early 30 year olds who are not core players both. Do the big dollars, but go 4 years as opposed to 6.