Confirmed with Link: Craig Smith 5 years, 4.25M AAV

[AdmiralsFan24]

http://predators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=775219

Wasn't expecting 5 years. Price seems reasonable to me.

Click to read more...

 

[Enoch]

As noted in the other thread, given his production, solid deal. If he returns to post-lockout year Craig Smith, we will hate this deal. If he has similar production as the last two years, this will be an excellent deal for both parties. If his game progresses, it will be a great deal.

 

[BonMorrison]

Happy with this deal, he's been great the past two seasons and in the playoffs this year. Hope he can keep up that pace.

 

[Viqsi]

I assume that low, loud sound I heard was byrddog's groan of disappointment.

Good deal all around IMO.

 

[Armourboy]

Could of been better, could of been worse.

 

[Drake744]

Could of been better, could of been worse.

I mostly disagree with the first part of this.

 

[codeman00]

I approve. And my Craig Smith jersey has a few more years of life.

 

[Byrddog]

I assume that low, loud sound I heard was byrddog's groan of disappointment.

Good deal all around IMO.

Not really at all. But I will say this you guys are going to regret this contract. Perhaps not now you can poke at me but before the contract is over it will have implications that more than I will be jumping up and down about. So celebrate you now for things are coming that you will not like.

 

[RaiderDoug]

Could of been better, could of been worse.

That probably means that it's actually just right.

Personally, I believe this is about what you pay for a 20 goal 50 point player.

 

[Byrddog]

That probably means that it's actually just right.

Personally, I believe this is about what you pay for a 20 goal 50 point player.

So Wilson with 20-22-42 will get 3.5 right?

 

[RaiderDoug]

So Wilson with 20-22-42 will get 3.5 right?

No idea what Wilson will get.

I would say it's probably within 500k of this deal, depending on term.

 

[I Will Son]

Perfect deal for him.

 

[TootooTrain]

Seems perfectly reasonable given his production.

So Wilson with 20-22-42 will get 3.5 right?

He has a higher ceiling. Alot of contracts these days pay for what you can do rather than what you have done. I'd expect his deal to reflect that. Slight bump over Smitty, but not much. If I was him, if I can't cash in on something right now, I'd take a short 1-2 year deal and see if you can re-establish your value to something more significant.

 

[Byrddog]

No idea what Wilson will get.

I would say it's probably within 500k of this deal, depending on term.

Well I think that would be a little high so lets just assume Wilson gets 3.25 this leaves 12 mil in cap space going into next season.

F/A's next year
Jones
Foresberg
Goose
Hodgson
Moses
Borque
Ekholm
Bartley
Jarnkrok
Hutton
there are some hefty raises going to be needed. Jones, FF9, Ekholm, are going to eat up most of the cap left but there are going to be positions open that will have to be filled or paid for. Jones FF9 and Ekholm right now only occupy 2.0 mil between the three in cap. Next year at minimum they will require 14 mil 5 each for Jones FF and 4 for Ekholm. Therefore 6 more players are going to be needed on the cheap. Goose will be gone, Poile will not be able to afford 2 mil for him, Hodgson and probably Moses are going to require a decent raise the others can sign less than 1 mil per or they play more rookies.

Then is 2017 the team has no 1C or 2C and has Neal in need of a contract. People wanted this team to spend at the top of the cap well you now have it. The question is How do you make the team better at this point. Move Jones or FF9 to prevent a cap crunch? Sign them and fill out the roster with Poiles reclamation projects?

So celebrate all you wish bad things are coming and its going to disappoint more people than me.

 

[PredsV82]

On the one hand, I wish Smith was more consistent, but on the other hand, I certainly didnt want to let him go for nothing. Was hoping he would be packaged in a deal for a 1C but looks like he's in our plans as a Top 6 forward. As long as the cap continues to go up, even just a bit, this deal wont be crippling even if Smith regresses.

If you think about it, Smiths most recent comparable in preds history was Martin Erat of ten years ago. Streaky as hell but usually always managed to put up at least 20. Well, we just signed him to essentially the same deal Erat got ten years ago, except for a couple less years and a little less cap hit.

Im Ok with it.

we just need to make sure we stock up on the Turd Polish

 

[Drake744]

Jones FF9 and Ekholm right now only occupy 2.0 mil between the three in cap. Next year at minimum they will require 14 mil 5 each for Jones FF and 4 for Ekholm. Therefore 6 more players are going to be needed on the cheap.

So celebrate all you wish bad things are coming and its going to disappoint more people than me.

So Jones and Ekholm will be making more than Josi? That's what I'm getting here.

 

[PredsV82]

So Jones and Ekholm will be making more than Josi? That's what I'm getting here.

Poile would be crazy to give Jones a 4 years deal. that would take him right to UFA status. Im thinking Poile either goes 3 years with Jones to leave him an RFA or if he will sign for reasonable money he goes ahead and signs him for 7-8 years.

If Jones is dead set on a 4 year deal that should tell us he's looking to leave ASAP.

 

[Byrddog]

So Jones and Ekholm will be making more than Josi? That's what I'm getting here.

Ekholm is playing 2nd pair its not going to be a surprise if he gets 3.5 to 4 and if Jones is not locked up early long term you can bet yer bippy theres more than one GM out there that will offersheet him over 5 mil to get a 1st pair guy. Pretty much the same with Foresberg they are going need to pay this guy or he will draw those offersheets. Just look at HF who are the players that everyone wants off this team??? Smith Wilson, Ellis????? Nope its Jones Failia and Forsberg and rightly so they are the closest to elite p[layers we have coming up. Neal is there as well as Weber and Rinne so if a GM wants to snag one of them next summer is the prime time. Like I said some time ago I can care less if Jones is here or not but Ekholm (LHD) and Foresberg we can't lose right now.

If you have a scenario where he can keep Eck, Jones and Forsberg and still have the ability to have a 1C and 2C and sign Neal the following year I would love see it because if Wilson gets 3.5 for multiple years I see no way. To retain all the players we want to.

 

[Infinite Jest]

Ekholm is playing 2nd pair its not going to be a surprise if he gets 3.5 to 4 and if Jones is not locked up early long term you can bet yer bippy theres more than one GM out there that will offersheet him over 5 mil to get a 1st pair guy. Pretty much the same with Foresberg they are going need to pay this guy or he will draw those offersheets. Just look at HF who are the players that everyone wants off this team??? Smith Wilson, Ellis????? Nope its Jones Failia and Forsberg and rightly so they are the closest to elite p[layers we have coming up. Neal is there as well as Weber and Rinne so if a GM wants to snag one of them next summer is the prime time. Like I said some time ago I can care less if Jones is here or not but Ekholm (LHD) and Foresberg we can't lose right now.

If you have a scenario where he can keep Eck, Jones and Forsberg and still have the ability to have a 1C and 2C and sign Neal the following year I would love see it because if Wilson gets 3.5 for multiple years I see no way. To retain all the players we want to.

I think you are waaaaay overstating the cap issues that might crop up. Gaustad's money will more than cover Ekholm's raise and they can replace the 4C position cheaply if necessary. Nystrom could be bought out for a cap savings of 2 million next year and the cap will likely rise by another 2 million or so. The Preds will be fine.

 

[Byrddog]

I think you are waaaaay overstating the cap issues that might crop up. Gaustad's money will more than cover Ekholm's raise and they can replace the 4C position cheaply if necessary. Nystrom could be bought out for a cap savings of 2 million next year and the cap will likely rise by another 2 million or so. The Preds will be fine.

Don't talk I circles do the budget and get Jones,FF9,l Ekholm Neal all signed. There will be no one bought out now no matter how much you would like it. There is no more dead space for this teams cap, talking out your arse about trimming 4th liners does not get you a 1C a 2C resign Neal,Jones, Forsberg, Ekholm and perhaps Moses and Hodgson.

These are the points I have been making for over a month and nobody can put a logical pot here how to get it done without losing the LHD(Eck) or one of the must resigns Jnnes or FF9 that all of you demand can't be traded. Th numbers do not work. And even if you lowball some of them to stay under you do not improve the team. It makes no matter if I were Smith or Wilson hat got this contract the results are the same. Ok Smithis signed to score 25 goals d have 50 point if he does not how are you going to feel.

 

[Infinite Jest]

Don't talk I circles do the budget and get Jones,FF9,l Ekholm Neal all signed. There will be no one bought out now no matter how much you would like it. There is no more dead space for this teams cap, talking out your arse about trimming 4th liners does not get you a 1C a 2C resign Neal,Jones, Forsberg, Ekholm and perhaps Moses and Hodgson.

These are the points I have been making for over a month and nobody can put a logical pot here how to get it done without losing the LHD(Eck) or one of the must resigns Jnnes or FF9 that all of you demand can't be traded. Th numbers do not work. And even if you lowball some of them to stay under you do not improve the team. It makes no matter if I were Smith or Wilson hat got this contract the results are the same. Ok Smithis signed to score 25 goals d have 50 point if he does not how are you going to feel.

It is really hard to read your posts sometimes, do you use your phone or something? Anyway, Neal is signed for three more years. Here you go, I even went pretty high on Jones/Forsberg IMO:

Forsberg (6.0) - Ribeiro (3.5) - Smith (4.25)
Wilson (4.0) - Fisher (4.4) - Neal (5.0)
Jarnkrok (1.5) - Hodgson/Whoever (2.5) - Fiala (.895)
Watson (.575) - Gaustad or replacement (2.0) - Borque/Whoever (.875)

Weber (7.86) - Josi (4.0)
Ekholm (3.5) - Ellis (2.5)
Jackman (2.0) - Jones (6.0)

Rinne (7.0)
Backup (1.0)

Buyouts
Clune - .283
Stalberg - .667
Nystrom - .5

Just a random quick roster, but it comes in around 70 million, still leaves room for a 13th forward and 7th D-man. I don't think Jones/Forsberg will be 12 million combined either, I just went high on them on purpose.

 

[Viqsi]

Don't talk I circles do the budget and get Jones,FF9,l Ekholm Neal all signed. There will be no one bought out now no matter how much you would like it. There is no more dead space for this teams cap, talking out your arse about trimming 4th liners does not get you a 1C a 2C resign Neal,Jones, Forsberg, Ekholm and perhaps Moses and Hodgson.

These are the points I have been making for over a month and nobody can put a logical pot here how to get it done without losing the LHD(Eck) or one of the must resigns Jnnes or FF9 that all of you demand can't be traded. Th numbers do not work. And even if you lowball some of them to stay under you do not improve the team. It makes no matter if I were Smith or Wilson hat got this contract the results are the same. Ok Smithis signed to score 25 goals d have 50 point if he does not how are you going to feel.

Why are we suddenly talking about resigning Neal? His deal isn't up for another three more years.

Worst case scenario, Jones and Forsberg both go for Tarasenko money - $15m combined. But if they put up the kind of absurdly amazing performances necessary to secure contracts like that, then we're probably headed for the SCF.

 

[Armourboy]

Seems perfectly reasonable given his production.



He has a higher ceiling. Alot of contracts these days pay for what you can do rather than what you have done. I'd expect his deal to reflect that. Slight bump over Smitty, but not much. If I was him, if I can't cash in on something right now, I'd take a short 1-2 year deal and see if you can re-establish your value to something more significant.

There is no way Wilson gets more than Smith, his numbers simply don't back it up. If he asks for more, Poile just lets it go to arbitration, selects two years and Wilson comes in at a lower contract.

While GM's may pay a bit more for future, arbitration looks at what you have done compared to what the rest of the league is making. Frankly, if Wilson is asking for more than 3.5, you let it go to arbitration because that will be what he gets at best.

Wilson has had one 20 goal season and a decent playoff series, if he gets more than 3.75 for a long term deal then Poile is a fool.

 

[TootooTrain]

There is no way Wilson gets more than Smith, his numbers simply don't back it up. If he asks for more, Poile just lets it go to arbitration, selects two years and Wilson comes in at a lower contract.

While GM's may pay a bit more for future, arbitration looks at what you have done compared to what the rest of the league is making. Frankly, if Wilson is asking for more than 3.5, you let it go to arbitration because that will be what he gets at best.

Wilson has had one 20 goal season and a decent playoff series, if he gets more than 3.75 for a long term deal then Poile is a fool.

Makes me think it's highly unlikely we see a long term deal here. A 1yr deal prior to the hearing could be the best for both sides. I'm sure Wilson thinks he's worth more than what's being thrown around despite the lack of statistical performance to back it up.

 

[NSH615]

Makes me think it's highly unlikely we see a long term deal here. A 1yr deal prior to the hearing could be the best for both sides. I'm sure Wilson thinks he's worth more than what's being thrown around despite the lack of statistical performance to back it up.

It would be 2 years. 1 year makes him an UFA, Poile would want to capture at least 1 year of that.