News Article: Maatta re-signed, 6 years, $4.083M/yr

[ColePens]

This is only a good signing if and only if Maata improves his skating. There has been no evidence of this happening this season.

The only real issue with his skating has been random spots in this season. I did not have a big issue with his skating otherwise. I have zero reason to believe he won't get much stronger and better, either.

I think the whole skating thing is a big overblown. The kid just needs an offseason to train and get back to himself.

 

[Old Gregg]

no, i seriously doubt it.

I expect we'll see a Dumo extension over the summer and that's your core for the next 6 years

haha ok good....i can never tell when you are being sarcastic or not

 

[AR5]

Excellent contract. I'm happy with this.

GMJR allayed my fears. I was nervous about a 5 year/5M contract.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

The only real issue with his skating has been random spots in this season. I did not have a big issue with his skating otherwise. I have zero reason to believe he won't get much stronger and better, either.

I think the whole skating thing is a big overblown. The kid just needs an offseason to train and get back to himself.

It's definitely overblown but it's definitely his weak point that needs to be addressed. I expect a healthy off season will help in that regard and help him add muscle in general. I've taken to looking at this season as him putting his game back together after that stretch of the universe hating him.

 

[DaJackal]

I'd say this is a good deal. If Määttä can regain his pre-injuries condition (like he should) then those injuries were surprisingly a good thing for the Pens. Otherwise he would have been a lot more expensive.

For comparison, Ristolainen will cost the Sabres 6M+ AAV for same or longer term when his contract is due. An he will still not be overpaid.

 

[PensandCaps]

Why are some people complaining about the years being too long? Lol. Theyre acting like hes 33 or something. He'll still be in line for another good contract by the end of this deal.

 

[DegenX]

I like it. Hopefully I'll still like it when this thread gets dug up 35216541351654654131 times over the next six years.

 

[ColePens]

It's definitely overblown but it's definitely his weak point that needs to be addressed. I expect a healthy off season will help in that regard and help him add muscle in general. I've taken to looking at this season as him putting his game back together after that stretch of the universe hating him.

Exactly. Knowing his work ethic, I definitely have no problems with it now. If it's a problem in 3 years, it's not an "I told you so" moment, it's just an unfortunate lack of improvement, IMO.

 

[IcedCapp]

Exactly. Knowing his work ethic, I definitely have no problems with it now. If it's a problem in 3 years, it's not an "I told you so" moment, it's just an unfortunate lack of improvement, IMO.

EVERY moment is a "I told you so" moment, dammit.

Maatta's skating will define his ceiling. If it remains where it is now, he's a complementary piece to a superstar. If it improves, HE'S the superstar. To me, it's that black and white

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Exactly. Knowing his work ethic, I definitely have no problems with it now. If it's a problem in 3 years, it's not an "I told you so" moment, it's just an unfortunate lack of improvement, IMO.

Yeah, if his work ethic was in question it would be a much bigger concern. It's similar with his hockey iq, if he was an idiot we'd be in high alert about him and his skating. If in a few years his skating is where it's at now then you assume it's a physical limitation that can't be overcome or he got lazy with that contract.

EVERY moment is a "I told you so" moment, dammit.

Maatta's skating will define his ceiling. If it remains where it is now, he's a complementary piece to a superstar. If it improves, HE'S the superstar. To me, it's that black and white

Nah, it's never that black and white. It depends on how much it improves, there's stages between complementary piece to a super star and super star.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Cool.

 

[EliteGoaltending]

I was hoping for a bit less from what Josi and Klingberg are doing, something around 3.3m - 3.7m. But this isn't a bad deal at all. I hope Olli will be progressing in years to come.

 

[Shady Machine]

Shero strikes again. When the cap is 400 bazzion in three years, this cap amount will look good and gives us room to add. Really? Pens better draft well and have options in the next couple of years. Dumo at over 3 million next year and there goes the cap space. Their has to be a master plan somewhere in GMJR's desk drawer.

Huh?

 

[flaneur]

Congrats Olli.

At first I thought it was a smidge too much. But then realized that it was for 6 years and not a bridge contract.

 

[crossicepass]

I'm not sure he's a 4MM player yet, but he will be soon.

Hope so because Olli Maatta v. 15-16 is worth what, 900k?
Cannot one say his skating and decision making having been heading in the wrong direction for awhile now?

 

[Zen Arcade]

Horrible signing that will haunt the team for years!

Excellent signing that will pay dividends in the future!

Now to bookmark this thread so I can edit one of those out in a couple of years.

 

[Shady Machine]

Hope so because Olli Maatta v. 15-16 is worth what, 900k?
Cannot one say his skating and decision making having been heading in the wrong direction for awhile now?

One can say that, but they wouldn't really be correct.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Horrible signing that will haunt the team for years!

Excellent signing that will pay dividends in the future!

Now to bookmark this thread so I can edit one of those out in a couple of years.

Well, now you're thwarted.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I was fully expecting him to sign a 2-3 year bridge deal at around this cap hit, so getting 6 years of this makes me ecstatic.

I would have preferred the "prove it" bridge contract given all Maatta's health issues (thyroid for life, 2 shoulder surgeries), but if he stays off the IR it'll be a good deal.

 

[Zen Arcade]

Well, now you're thwarted.

I didn't account for this.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

He's self aware.

http://blogs.post-gazette.com/sport...ns-sign-maatta-to-contract-extension-02-26-16

Are there parts of your game which could be improved?

"There's obviously lots of things. I'm 21. Definitely there's improvement in my game. One of the biggest things is skating for sure. A lot to do."

Saying all of the right things in general.

 

[Zirakzigil]

Love this deal. I was expecting a 2 year bridge deal for that amount not 6 years.

 

[MrWilson*]

I would have preferred the "prove it" bridge contract given all Maatta's health issues (thyroid for life, 2 shoulder surgeries), but if he stays off the IR it'll be a good deal.

Are there parts of your game which could be improved?

"There's obviously lots of things. I'm 21. Definitely there's improvement in my game. One of the biggest things is skating for sure. A lot to do."

All kinda makes you wonder what the Pens are thinking? Maata needs to learn to skate. Strength or conditioning (thyroid) are for sure an issue but his skating, technically, is really bad. Won't change unless he's got a whole lotta help in the off season. All of which begs the question--why so much for so long?

 

[AjaxTelamon]

He's self aware.

http://blogs.post-gazette.com/sport...ns-sign-maatta-to-contract-extension-02-26-16



Saying all of the right things in general.

If you're going to commit long term to a guy, you'd sure like it to be somebody like Olli that has his head screwed on right, and has the work ethic to improve. And as sound as his game is, he doesn't need to be a speedster out there to be really really good, he just needs to be marginally better.

 

[High Flying Birds]

Good deal. No problems with it whatsoever. A lot of young dmen have comparable deals for roughly the same amount. Olli knows his skating isn't his best trait. Thankfully it's a thing that can be improved. He doesn't have to be Letang out there. A marginal improvement would go a long way into cementing himself as a true top pairing guy.