Mr Snrub
I like the way Snrub thinks!
- Oct 12, 2016
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What folks here are neglecting to consider, and the reason why I am not concerned about the Tkachuk contract, is that players are not actually paid for how much they score or the quality of their play, they are paid for their value to the team.
Matthews is making upwards of 10 million because he is the Leafs' long-term #1C, until he retires or is a shadow of the player he used to be. Draisaitl is being paid 8.5mil partially because Chiarelli was a poor GM, but also largely because the Oilers see him as the long-term sidekick to McDavid, whether at RW or C. Tkachuk's impact on the franchise is nowhere near either of those two players' impact on their respective franchises.
Look at the Flames for another example. Gio and Gaudreau have the biggest contracts because they are the two most important players to the Calgary Flames. Monahan gets a contract that is just slightly less heavy than Gaudreau's because as the team's #1C, he is the second-most important forward on the team. Likewise, Brodie's contract reflects his value relative to Giordano and Backlund's contract reflects his value relative to Gaudreau and Monahan.
Which of course leaves us with the question - what is Tkachuk's value to the Flames? He is a forward scoring at over a PPG pace and provides an excellent, well-rounded game - but he is a second-line player for us, barring a trade. At the end of the day, I put his value somewhere between Monahan and Backlund's. Given increases in the cap limit and a certain amount of contract inflation from the McDavid contract, I think Tkachuk signs for pretty close or just over Monahan's cap hit.
Matthews is making upwards of 10 million because he is the Leafs' long-term #1C, until he retires or is a shadow of the player he used to be. Draisaitl is being paid 8.5mil partially because Chiarelli was a poor GM, but also largely because the Oilers see him as the long-term sidekick to McDavid, whether at RW or C. Tkachuk's impact on the franchise is nowhere near either of those two players' impact on their respective franchises.
Look at the Flames for another example. Gio and Gaudreau have the biggest contracts because they are the two most important players to the Calgary Flames. Monahan gets a contract that is just slightly less heavy than Gaudreau's because as the team's #1C, he is the second-most important forward on the team. Likewise, Brodie's contract reflects his value relative to Giordano and Backlund's contract reflects his value relative to Gaudreau and Monahan.
Which of course leaves us with the question - what is Tkachuk's value to the Flames? He is a forward scoring at over a PPG pace and provides an excellent, well-rounded game - but he is a second-line player for us, barring a trade. At the end of the day, I put his value somewhere between Monahan and Backlund's. Given increases in the cap limit and a certain amount of contract inflation from the McDavid contract, I think Tkachuk signs for pretty close or just over Monahan's cap hit.
