Player Discussion Jean-Gabriel Pageau

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

It's crazy to say, but I don't think I'd accept the Brassard package (late 1st + solid prospect) for Pageau at this point. He's so versatile, valuable, and still seems to be growing. Easy to forget he's only 26.

I wonder how much the team would be willing to pay him and how long we'd be willing to go. Would we go 8 years? Would it be silly to do so? Personally, I find an 8yr deal under 4m to be palatable. 6 years, I'd be okay with 4 - 4.5m.

Pageau is 27 in less than a week.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

Pageau is 27 in less than a week.

Yeah, it's easy to forget he's still only 27 in less than a week

 

[coladin]

Not sold yet. I am wavering between the "sell-high" and keeping him. He just hasn't played well in quite a while, so not sure if this is more opportunity/contract year/maturity/new coach...not sure yet. Ottawa still has Brown and White in the middle, so Pageau should have a home on the 3rd line, but at what cost?

 

[Sensinitis]

Love him but you gotta sell high. If you’re trading Stone, Karlsson, etc you gotta sell Pageau too, especially if you’re able to get a 1st.

Norris, Pinto, White are all potential replacements.

 

[GCK]

Love him but you gotta sell high. If you’re trading Stone, Karlsson, etc you gotta sell Pageau too, especially if you’re able to get a 1st.

Norris, Pinto, White are all potential replacements.

The likelihood of getting a 1st is very low. To me he is a definite re-sign if it’s 4 or less years and under 5M if he wants more term or money then move him. The potential trade return should have no bearing on the decision.

 

[Icelevel]

Andre Tourigny a big fan. On 1200 just now. Looooves the pager.

 

[Sensmileletsgo]

Not sold yet. I am wavering between the "sell-high" and keeping him. He just hasn't played well in quite a while, so not sure if this is more opportunity/contract year/maturity/new coach...not sure yet. Ottawa still has Brown and White in the middle, so Pageau should have a home on the 3rd line, but at what cost?

I've read this a few times from posters and I dont get it, Pageau has been one of the most consistent players on this team for a long time. Night in night out I find he brings the compete level.

 

[Sensmileletsgo]

The likelihood of getting a 1st is very low. To me he is a definite re-sign if it’s 4 or less years and under 5M if he wants more term or money then move him. The potential trade return should have no bearing on the decision.

Playoff beast, decently low cap hit, one of the best bottom 6 forwards and PKers in the league. I think we could get a pick in the 25-31 from a contending team that feel they have a good shot at the cup this year.

If not a 1st than a couple of 2nds like Dzingel got. If I was a GM I'd trade for Pageau at the deadline way before I'd trade for Dzingel.

 

[swiftwin]

Keep him. He's the kind of player you want to keep.

• He's a hometown hero
• Wants to stay
• Will probably take a small discount
• He's still only 26
• Probably the clutchest playoff performer in franchise history

We can't just roll with 18 players who are under 24 years old. You need vets like him. He's our Gary Roberts. He terrorizes the Habs and Rangers.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

I've read this a few times from posters and I dont get it, Pageau has been one of the most consistent players on this team for a long time. Night in night out I find he brings the compete level.

He didn't play well when he was on IR for a torn Achilles. Lynch him.

 

[swiftwin]

Playoff beast, decently low cap hit, one of the best bottom 6 forwards and PKers in the league. I think we could get a pick in the 25-31 from a contending team that feel they have a good shot at the cup this year.

If not a 1st than a couple of 2nds like Dzingel got. If I was a GM I'd trade for Pageau at the deadline way before I'd trade for Dzingel.

We have too many picks. We already have two 1sts and three 2nd round picks this season, and three 2nd round picks again next season. How the hell are we going to develop all these players?!?! Drafting a player is only half the battle. We need to develop them too. We have guys like Verroneau and Abramov being healthy scratches in Belleville because we're overflowing with young players.

I'd rather keep a vet like Pageau, than to trade him, then have to look for another playoff beast in 4-5 years when we're in the playoffs again.

 

[SixthSens]

I'm leaning more towards keeping him, but if PD can return a 1st for him at the deadline I'd strongly consider it (with the off chance of circling back to him on July 1st). Anything less than a 1st and I would rather attempt to re-sign him. We need decent "vets" like Pageau to stay around and help insulate our youth.

 

[Mark Stones Spleen]

Agreed.

I really do like Pageau....but man, he is really at his highest value now, and I have some serious doubts about what he will look like at 30. He is an easy player to fall in love with, but also one who could easily end up as the worst contract on the team in 3 years if management uses their hearts instead of their heads.

I don't see him becoming the worst contract on any team while he's still in his 20s/early 30s.

Kid straight up battles, works his ass off, and is a really smart player. He doesn't strike me as someone who is just going to lose his passion all of a sudden.

 

[coladin]

Keep him. He's the kind of player you want to keep.

• He's a hometown hero
• Wants to stay
• Will probably take a small discount
• He's still only 26
• Probably the clutchest playoff performer in franchise history

We can't just roll with 18 players who are under 24 years old. You need vets like him. He's our Gary Roberts. He terrorizes the Habs and Rangers.

Sure, let's keep him...but he is not taking a discount. How much will Ottawa pay him, or what will his market be?

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Sure, let's keep him...but he is not taking a discount. How much will Ottawa pay him, or what will his market be?

I would go 5 x 4.5AAV . Not sure if Pageau would take that. I want to keep him but max 5 years and something under 5 aav

 

[Mark Effin Stone]

Sign JGP and get whatever we can from Tierney at the TDL, bring out the money bags Pierre

 

[Sensmileletsgo]

We have too many picks. We already have two 1sts and three 2nd round picks this season, and three 2nd round picks again next season. How the hell are we going to develop all these players?!?! Drafting a player is only half the battle. We need to develop them too. We have guys like Verroneau and Abramov being healthy scratches in Belleville because we're overflowing with young players.

I'd rather keep a vet like Pageau, than to trade him, then have to look for another playoff beast in 4-5 years when we're in the playoffs again.

Oh totally. Im not advocating for trading him, I was just discussing his value. We do have to keep in mind though that he is a pending UFA and it has been a very long time (i believe since Bobby Ryan) that Ottawa was able to extend a pending UFA.

At the end of the day if Pageau wants to move on and play for a contender trading him is the teams only choice.

 

[bert]

He didn't play well when he was on IR for a torn Achilles. Lynch him.

Its shocking how many posters cant wrap their heads around the fact injuries impact a players performance. Same people that were ripping on pageau were all over Stone for the 2017 playoff run.

 

[Caeldan]

Sure, let's keep him...but he is not taking a discount. How much will Ottawa pay him, or what will his market be?

I'd go as high as 5.5AAV for him for as long as he's willing to sign at that number. He's a solid middle forward, and barring injury it's not like he's got the type of game that will just go off a cliff once he gets 'old'. He plays as much with his head as he does his speed. So while right now he can be an excellent #2C, I don't see there being any risk of him hitting a point where he's ineffective for even strength shutdown/PK roles at 35.

Also remember not only is he a hometown boy, but he grew up across the river and that's a market Ottawa has always had issues taking from the Habs. So if he keeps up his game long term, he could actually make an impact marketing wise if the team ever smartens up in general.

On top of that, he's ended up with his own name chant that happened organically... and how many 2nd/3rd line players across the league ever see that happen?

 

[Gil Gunderson]

I'd go as high as 5.5AAV for him for as long as he's willing to sign at that number. He's a solid middle forward, and barring injury it's not like he's got the type of game that will just go off a cliff once he gets 'old'. He plays as much with his head as he does his speed. So while right now he can be an excellent #2C, I don't see there being any risk of him hitting a point where he's ineffective for even strength shutdown/PK roles at 35.

Also remember not only is he a hometown boy, but he grew up across the river and that's a market Ottawa has always had issues taking from the Habs. So if he keeps up his game long term, he could actually make an impact marketing wise if the team ever smartens up in general.

On top of that, he's ended up with his own name chant that happened organically... and how many 2nd/3rd line players across the league ever see that happen?

I love Pageau, but that's too much. His career high is 43 points.

We've given out overpayments due to contract years before.

 

[Caeldan]

I love Pageau, but that's too much. His career high is 43 points.

We've given out overpayments due to contract years before.

He's playing as he always has, I don't see his game as being elevated due to it being a contract year. And 4.5-5.5 would be the number I'd be happy with. That'd probably have him land somewhere between 5.5-6.5% of the cap depending on how much it adjusts next season. Which might be a little bit high for a player of his calibre initially, but then you incorporate some of those intangibles (like getting him to be the face of the franchise instead of Boro) and I think it's worth it. And by the end of the contract it's a small number.

 

[GCK]

If all goes really well for the rest of the year and at the draft we may have 2 high end RFAs (at least) to pay 4 years from now. We have Chabot at 8M, Tkatchuk will likely be over 7M cap space can get tight quickly. We can’t overpay on term for 3rd liners or bottom pair D.

 

[slamigo]

As much as I like Pageau, I'd also like to see what would happen with him on a team like Boston. I think he'd fit in really well there. It'd be nice for him to get a chance to shine in playoffs on a bigger stage.

 

[Langdon Alger]

We have too many picks. We already have two 1sts and three 2nd round picks this season, and three 2nd round picks again next season. How the hell are we going to develop all these players?!?! Drafting a player is only half the battle. We need to develop them too. We have guys like Verroneau and Abramov being healthy scratches in Belleville because we're overflowing with young players.

I'd rather keep a vet like Pageau, than to trade him, then have to look for another playoff beast in 4-5 years when we're in the playoffs again.

There’s no such thing as having too many picks. Keep in mind we can always trade picks for nhl players. Has to be a younger guy though. No trading picks for older players that won’t be here very long.

 

[Answer]

Keep him. He's the kind of player you want to keep.

• He's a hometown hero
• Wants to stay
• Will probably take a small discount
• He's still only 26
• Probably the clutchest playoff performer in franchise history

We can't just roll with 18 players who are under 24 years old. You need vets like him. He's our Gary Roberts. He terrorizes the Habs and Rangers.

So irrelevant. This team can scope a 'playoffs' sighting even with a Hubble Telescope