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[sabrebuild]

Somewhere, Sekera and his agent are high fiving each other.

I wonder, how much on the higher side is Sekera getting? 6, 6.5?

I'm not against 5x6 for Sekera. Don't love it, but it would fit a huge hole.

 

[30Yonge]

Genuine question: How did LA's crowds do when they were a losing team seven years ago? Did they still draw a good crowd? I think the southern markets you listed have a strong fanbase, when the team is actually competing and playing well.

Attendance has never been a problem since the Kings moved to Staples Center.
Team still sold over 90% of their seats when they first moved and when the team really sucked for for three years.

It could be really quiet in that building though as it has three layers of suites and a portion of the lower bowl wouldn't bother showing up.
You could pick up $10 tickets for the nose bleeds or half price tix for the 100s for early afternoon weekend games back in the day.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

I wonder, how much on the higher side is Sekera getting? 6, 6.5?

I'm not against 5x6 for Sekera. Don't love it, but it would fit a huge hole.

UFA D with experience playing in the top pairing hitting the markets gets bigger deals than that

 

[sabrebuild]

UFA D with experience playing in the top pairing hitting the markets gets bigger deals than that

Probably, tho Sekera doesn't necessarily fit the mold of a guy who gets paid huge necessarily. Not really a huge offensive guy, certainly not a big hitter. I doubt he gets a ton more than Staal. Lets say 6x 6.5? So if that's reasonable someone inevitably gives him 7x7.5. Which is insane, and now that I wrote it, I can't believe that will be given, I'm gonna throw up in a bag.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

Probably, tho Sekera doesn't necessarily fit the mold of a guy who gets paid huge necessarily. Not really a huge offensive guy, certainly not a big hitter. I doubt he gets a ton more than Staal. Lets say 6x 6.5? So if that's reasonable someone inevitably gives him 7x7.5. Which is insane, and now that I wrote it, I can't believe that will be given, I'm gonna throw up in a bag.

I dont think Id be supised at all if someone gave him 7. If Toronto could get ROR and have the cap space to sign Sekera it would be quite good for them.

 

[joshjull]

The Hockey News ‏@TheHockeyNews 2h2 hours ago
Multiple reports say next Winter Classic will be Montreal vs. Boston at Gillette Stadium: http://*******/1Ct7pJy

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

The Hockey News ‏@TheHockeyNews 2h2 hours ago
Multiple reports say next Winter Classic will be Montreal vs. Boston at Gillette Stadium: http://*******/1Ct7pJy

It'll be nice to see a new team (not counting the heritage game) in Montreal get to play in the winter classic. I am getting a little tired of these repeat teams: boston, washington, chicago, pittsburgh, etc.

 

[Clock]

It'll be nice to see a new team (not counting the heritage game) in Montreal get to play in the winter classic. I am getting a little tired of these repeat teams: boston, washington, chicago, pittsburgh, etc.

I don't even care about it anymore. Played out.

 

[JThorne]

I don't even care about it anymore. Played out.

I didn't even watch this year's game. I'm right there with you.

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

I don't even care about it anymore. Played out.

Every couple of years would have been nice. It'll never have that "super bowl feel" that the league is going for. Why would it? Add the stadium series from last year and it's no surprise that people find the whole thing played out.

 

[Paxon]

The outdoor games may not have the same excitement level anymore but they're still a great thing for the league. For one thing, it's still damn exciting for the fanbases involved. To the general public, it's still an event. To hockey fans, it's still more interesting to replace a couple national regular season games with outdoor games. I'm sure it generates a fair amount of revenue as well. The magic may be diminished but it's a great celebration of the sport, from taking place in its outdoor beginnings to the alumni games and other events. For what it's worth, this year's game was probably the best since ours.

 

[ZeroPT*]

Oh god the Sabres v Pens winter classic was the best thing ever

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

Oh god the Sabres v Pens winter classic was the best thing ever

It's just a shame that the Sabres v. Pens game didn't happen the year before, when we were a dominant team in the league. Otherwise, i totally agree. Between the snowfall and the novelty of an outdoor game, that was great.

 

[yahhockey]

Not to mention it being a new event and the ticket prices were reasonable. I could find the ticket stub but off the top of my head it was under $100 to sit in the upper bowl or at least the upper upper bowl. Many of the stadium series games today have an average ticket price in the $200s. The novelty of it was great and tailgating with Pens fans was fun but I don't think it would be worth attending with today's inflated prices.

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

Andrej Sekera is not getting 7 mil a season or even 6, come on. Sekera has not been playing as good as he was last year, pretty much showing it was an overachieving season. And even with Sekeras awesome year in 13-14 where did he take the Canes again? Not a surprise that every team Sekera is on is not a playoff team. He's a #3 at best who was wildly loved here for no reason. Gee, sounds just like another #3 dman on the club who gets vastly overrated around here.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

With Staal off the market Sekera just became the top D target for most teams. He'll get more than Orpik got if he gets to free agency for sure. Some GM will throw a crazy deal his way. It'll be maybe 500k to 1M above his true worth but he'll get it for sure.

 

[Tapu Coco]

Andrej Sekera is not getting 7 mil a season or even 6, come on. Sekera has not been playing as good as he was last year, pretty much showing it was an overachieving season. And even with Sekeras awesome year in 13-14 where did he take the Canes again? Not a surprise that every team Sekera is on is not a playoff team. He's a #3 at best who was wildly loved here for no reason. Gee, sounds just like another #3 dman on the club who gets vastly overrated around here.

He was on our 2011 playoff team...

And you're really pinning the entirety of Carolina's success (or lack thereof) on one player? They didn't get anywhere because their roster is low quality, not because of sekera. I didn't like him when he was with us, I thought his decision making with the puck was horrendous, but I didn't watch the game as critically back then as I do now. Regardless, since then, he's blossomed. I don't think he'll get 7 per, but I could see 6. It's how the UFA market works, gotta give to get

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

He was on our 2011 playoff team...

And you're really pinning the entirety of Carolina's success (or lack thereof) on one player? They didn't get anywhere because their roster is low quality, not because of sekera. I didn't like him when he was with us, I thought his decision making with the puck was horrendous, but I didn't watch the game as critically back then as I do now. Regardless, since then, he's blossomed. I don't think he'll get 7 per, but I could see 6. It's how the UFA market works, gotta give to get

Yes he will get overpaid but he will get 5 per. Maybe 5.5. And no I'm not going to say Sekera is the reason the Canes didn't make the playoffs. But anything over 5 mil for a defensive dman who isn't a bruiser like Staal is overpayment. Sekera had a fluke year last year. He scored 11 goals last season when he has 18 goals in the other 370+ games in his career. He put up 33 assists last year when he has only scored more then 19+ points in a season once before that. He is a 25 point type dman. He's a solid defensive dman but isn't a top pairing guy and he doesn't belong on a #1 PP unit. Sekera will probably get a 6-7 year deal at 4.5 to 5 mil per which is a lot for a guy like him. He turns 29 before the season ends. He isn't young anymore. On a cup contender Sekera is a #3 or 4 dman, which means he shouldn't be paid more then 4.5 per season.In today's day and age where top pairing dmen are great in their own end and are putting up 35-40+ points a season that means you need to excel both ways. There are exceptions, if you don't have the offense then you need to be an elite defensive dman and usually guys like that are bruisers. Think Scott Stevens in his 30s, Orpik, Staal, Adam Foote etc.

I know so many here hate using offense and point production as a barometer to judge dmen in order to make Myers look better but if a player is truly a top pairing dman and one of the best in the game then they should be putting up some points too. Look at Lidstrom, one of the best ever in his own zone and also an offensive whiz. Chara, elite in his own zone and puts up points. Weber, Suter, etc etc. All proven #1 dmen who are great in their own zone and produce offensively. A true franchise #1 dman can play great in the defensive zone, QB a PP and rack up assists at ES. There are very few top pairing guys who don't hit at least 30 points a season and that's a fact.

 

[Zman5778]

Yes he will get overpaid but he will get 5 per. Maybe 5.5. And no I'm not going to say Sekera is the reason the Canes didn't make the playoffs. But anything over 5 mil for a defensive dman who isn't a bruiser like Staal is overpayment. Sekera had a fluke year last year. He scored 11 goals last season when he has 18 goals in the other 370+ games in his career. He put up 33 assists last year when he has only scored more then 19+ points in a season once before that. He is a 25 point type dman. He's a solid defensive dman but isn't a top pairing guy and he doesn't belong on a #1 PP unit. Sekera will probably get a 6-7 year deal at 4.5 to 5 mil per which is a lot for a guy like him. He turns 29 before the season ends. He isn't young anymore. On a cup contender Sekera is a #3 or 4 dman, which means he shouldn't be paid more then 4.5 per season.In today's day and age where top pairing dmen are great in their own end and are putting up 35-40+ points a season that means you need to excel both ways. There are exceptions, if you don't have the offense then you need to be an elite defensive dman and usually guys like that are bruisers. Think Scott Stevens in his 30s, Orpik, Staal, Adam Foote etc.

I think you're ignoring the rise in the cap.

Guys like what you're describing are making 5.5-6 million on the open free agent market now, not 4.5-5.

Matt Niskanen's contract is going to be the comparable for Sekera in this offseason.

 

[Ralonzo]

Ryan Miller with back to back shutouts - back to back nights.
...
He would have so many more shutouts if games were only 58 mins-59 mins long.

And right on cue... the traditional Miller Shutout is registered against the Panthers.

 

[Beerz]

NHL Public Relations ‏@PR_NHL 32m32 minutes ago

Ryan Miller's 200:45 shutout streak is a career-high & eclipsed his previous best of 161:35 set Nov. 27-Dec. 7, 2010 while with BUF (Elias).

 

[Ralonzo]

I don't really have a dog in this fight for the Philly-Pitts game, but Flyers are disgracing themselves on national TV. All the cheap and dirty stuff from years gone by, even if they have gotten rid of all their goons, in theory.

 

[Timbo Slice]

The Flyers really are such a disgrace. This game is fun though, so I won't complain.

 

[ZeroPT*]

mfw watching sens v rangers and forgetting about the pit-philly game

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

I think you're ignoring the rise in the cap.

Guys like what you're describing are making 5.5-6 million on the open free agent market now, not 4.5-5.

Matt Niskanen's contract is going to be the comparable for Sekera in this offseason.

The cap is projected to be $73m next year. At $6m per , Sekera would take up over 8% of a teams cap hit. Considering he is a #3 on most playoff teams, and those teams have at least 2 dman making the same or more, that's committing a quarter of your cap space on one half of your D core.Thats a hefty price. Even still, while there has been some stupid contracts given out, there has been a tempered response in giving out mega deals which is what some people have predicted for Sekera. Someone said he may get 7x7.5 per. That is absolutely outrageous and will not happen. Sekera will turn 30 at the end of the first year of his next contract. He misses a lot of games. He has never played 80 games in a season before let alone a full 82 games.$7m per is 10% of the projected cap. That is not going to be given to a player of Sekeras caliber. He isn't a guy that will put you over the top. He is a good piece to add but not a top pairing dman.

And yes Niskanens deal was bad. But he still had a more proven track record then Sekera does. He also has 7x as many playoff games under his belt also. I see Sekera getting a Wideman type deal. A fair contract for Sekera is 5x5. That's almost doubling his current salary.11 dman have a cap hit of 6m or higher. Sekera is nowhere close to being that good. Whoever gives him more then $5.5m per is making a huge mistake and that's taking into account the craziness of UFA deals in today's era.