Speculation: Nikita Kucherov's next contract - Part 2

[DFC]

While I'm always a fan of having some vets kicking around, our needs in that department have definitely changed.

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[Byrddog]

I mean an offer sheet becomes much more of a possibility for a 25 FRA with arbitration rights. GMs aren't willing to rock with boat for a guy coming of the ELC, it's considered to be unethical. After the bridge deal, Kucherov does not have to choose arbitration. And at that point, other GMs will not hesitate to extend offer sheets. Tampa's cap situation ain't getting any better, with all the tremendous talent on the team that needs to be retained. But if you think that it's 'ideal' to give a player of Kuch's caliber a bridge deal (which I am sure is the last thing he wants), that's fine. We'll agree to disagree.

You are spot on. And for those who do not think this happens. Shea Weber and Ryan O'Riley say hello. Philly screwed Nashville and Calgary made a stupid offersheet to O'Riley too bad that one did not destroy Calgary.

 

[CupsOverCash]

I mean an offer sheet becomes much more of a possibility for a 25 FRA with arbitration rights. GMs aren't willing to rock with boat for a guy coming of the ELC, it's considered to be unethical. After the bridge deal, Kucherov does not have to choose arbitration. And at that point, other GMs will not hesitate to extend offer sheets. Tampa's cap situation ain't getting any better, with all the tremendous talent on the team that needs to be retained. But if you think that it's 'ideal' to give a player of Kuch's caliber a bridge deal (which I am sure is the last thing he wants), that's fine. We'll agree to disagree.

Nobody says it's ideal. It's just what works with this team right now. Because in a few years when we get some bad contracts off the books we have a lot more space to give players what they want.

 

[Absolut]

Nobody says it's ideal. It's just what works with this team right now. Because in a few years when we get some bad contracts off the books we have a lot more space to give players what they want.

I was responding the a guy who said 5x2 is a better deal for Tampa then 6x6. When we all know it's not. But without any doubt, if that's what works - that's the deal you take.

 

[Bobby Orr's Knees]

Ryan Kesler, Thomas Vanek, Dustin Penner, David Backes, Steve Bernier, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Shea Weber and Ryan O'Reilly. These are your NHL offer sheets since 2005. Whether those offer sheets were made in order to sign the player or two screw over the other team - who knows. As people have said, Kucherov's value to high-profile teams (NYR, Detroit, Toronto and the list goes on) is higher then it is to Tampa. With NYR a guy like Kucherov would be godsend. And it's not going to change in 2 years.

 

[HoseEmDown]

I mean an offer sheet becomes much more of a possibility for a 25 FRA with arbitration rights. GMs aren't willing to rock with boat for a guy coming of the ELC, it's considered to be unethical. After the bridge deal, Kucherov does not have to choose arbitration. And at that point, other GMs will not hesitate to extend offer sheets. Tampa's cap situation ain't getting any better, with all the tremendous talent on the team that needs to be retained. But if you think that it's 'ideal' to give a player of Kuch's caliber a bridge deal (which I am sure is the last thing he wants), that's fine. We'll agree to disagree.

We can worry about an offersheet in two years. If he's making 5mil already an offersheet will most likely have to be huge for us to even not consider it so we could be in line for 4 1sts or trade him then. It's also gonna be hard for contenders to have 8-9 in space just laying around in a couple of years. We have roughly 18mil coming off the books in 4 players the next 2 years in Bishop, Filppula, Garrison and Boyle. We have cheap replacements for all them already.

How do you know if he wants an 8 year deal or a bridge? Going from less than a million to even 5 is a huge raise and he's going to get his huge contract still just a couple years later.

 

[Bobby Orr's Knees]

How do you know if he wants an 8 year deal or a bridge? Going from less than a million to even 5 is a huge raise and he's going to get his huge contract still just a couple years later.

You asked another poster, but I will give you my opinion. Nobody wants a bridge deal. Players want security. They can be forced into a bridge deal - but for any professional athlete who risks a career-ending injury every time he steps on the ice/court/field a long-term contract is much more appealing then a short-term one. All it takes is one bad concussion.

 

[HoseEmDown]

Ryan Kesler, Thomas Vanek, Dustin Penner, David Backes, Steve Bernier, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Shea Weber and Ryan O'Reilly. These are your NHL offer sheets since 2005. Whether those offer sheets were made in order to sign the player or two screw over the other team - who knows. As people have said, Kucherov's value to high-profile teams (NYR, Detroit, Toronto and the list goes on) is higher then it is to Tampa. With NYR a guy like Kucherov would be godsend. And it's not going to change in 2 years.

So less than 1 offersheet a year, not worried about one that much. Not sure how a Toronto will have space in two years, New York will be on the decline same as Detroit. I also don't know why his value would be higher with a high profile team like you say? If that was the case McDavid would sign an offersheet with those teams in two years and not stay in Edmonton.

 

[Bobby Orr's Knees]

So less than 1 offersheet a year, not worried about one that much. Not sure how a Toronto will have space in two years, New York will be on the decline same as Detroit. I also don't know why his value would be higher with a high profile team like you say? If that was the case McDavid would sign an offersheet with those teams in two years and not stay in Edmonton.

You are not making any sense. Other then the simple fact that he'll be coming off ELC, McDavid is a Canadian superstar. He is extremely important to his team - not only on the ice, but also off the ice. He isn't going anywhere, and nobody is extending an offer sheet to him. He will get paid what he deserves to get paid in Edmonton. He is the organization, don't you get it?

Toronto will have space in two years. And if the Rangers and Detroit are on the decline, being two hugely important hockey markets - don't you think they would do whatever it takes to keep their fanbases happy? Btw, I think the NYI are the most likely team to extend an offer sheet to a player in a foreseeable future. They need to do something, anything, to get the fans excited.

 

[HoseEmDown]

You asked another poster, but I will give you my opinion. Nobody wants a bridge deal. Players want security. They can be forced into a bridge deal - but for any professional athlete who risks a career-ending injury every time he steps on the ice/court/field a long-term contract is much more appealing then a short-term one. All it takes is one bad concussion.

You're only looking at it from the players perspective, what about the teams? Of course a player wants security and it helps all contracts are guaranteed in the NHL unlike say the NFL. But it's not wise for teams to not do bridge deals just because a player wants security. The team needs to be competitive and it can't give out long term deals to every player because there's no guarantee the player will live up to that contract for all the years of it. It's still a business and the team needs to look out for themselves and it might upset a player or two.

 

[Bobby Orr's Knees]

You're only looking at it from the players perspective, what about the teams? Of course a player wants security and it helps all contracts are guaranteed in the NHL unlike say the NFL. But it's not wise for teams to not do bridge deals just because a player wants security. The team needs to be competitive and it can't give out long term deals to every player because there's no guarantee the player will live up to that contract for all the years of it. It's still a business and the team needs to look out for themselves and it might upset a player or two.

Your exact question was "How do you know if he wants an 8 year deal or a bridge?". I answered your question by stating no player wants a short-term deal. Where is the disconnect here? Of course it's a different story from the team's perspective. There is only so much money available under the cap, and what's best for the player isn't always what's best for the team.

 

[Todd1a]

he still has no signed yet wth is going on ?

 

[LightningStrikes]

Still enough time.

 

[DFC]

he still has no signed yet wth is going on ?

Jet lag?

He'll be in the lineup Thursday. That's all that matters.

 

[Bobby Orr's Knees]

Lets drink to this thread getting locked by end of the day and getting replaced by Confirmed with link - Kucherov signs a 6 year deal with Tampa Bay Lightning.

 

[HoseEmDown]

You are not making any sense. Other then the simple fact that he'll be coming off ELC, McDavid is a Canadian superstar. He is extremely important to his team - not only on the ice, but also off the ice. He isn't going anywhere, and nobody is extending an offer sheet to him. He will get paid what he deserves to get paid in Edmonton. He is the organization, don't you get it?

Toronto will have space in two years. And if the Rangers and Detroit are on the decline, being two hugely important hockey markets - don't you think they would do whatever it takes to keep their fanbases happy? Btw, I think the NYI are the most likely team to extend an offer sheet to a player in a foreseeable future. They need to do something, anything, to get the fans excited.

Kucherov is not important to us? You make it seem like we don't care about him because we want to offer him a bridge deal which we did with all of our players who came through the system. There literally isn't a player we drafted, Stamkos, Hedman, Vasilevskiy, Killorn, Palat, Namestnikov or signed as an undrafted FA, Johnson, Sustr and Brown who we haven't bridged. Kucherov shouldn't be the exception.

If McDavid wanted to be a real Canadian superstar he would leave Edmonton. It doesn't make sense that you think all 3 of those teams would do anything to sign Kucherov but not McDavid. If we do a two year bridge there's lots of other players coming off their ELC or deal up that Kucherov shouldn't be the #1 offersheet option so it would be wise for us to do 2 years.

 

[Fro]

 

[Bobby Orr's Knees]

Kucherov is not important to us? You make it seem like we don't care about him because we want to offer him a bridge deal which we did with all of our players who came through the system. There literally isn't a player we drafted, Stamkos, Hedman, Vasilevskiy, Killorn, Palat, Namestnikov or signed as an undrafted FA, Johnson, Sustr and Brown who we haven't bridged. Kucherov shouldn't be the exception.

If McDavid wanted to be a real Canadian superstar he would leave Edmonton. It doesn't make sense that you think all 3 of those teams would do anything to sign Kucherov but not McDavid. If we do a two year bridge there's lots of other players coming off their ELC or deal up that Kucherov shouldn't be the #1 offersheet option so it would be wise for us to do 2 years.

Did you just seriously compare McDavid's status in Edmonton (superstar, team captain, face of the franchise, marketing dream) to Kucherov's status in Tampa? Sure he's important to the team. But McDavis IS the team.

Psssst. A guy called Gretzky did pretty good for himself in Edmonton. And if you don't know, they live and die with the Oilers, hockey is religion in Alberta. Anyway, lets not continue this back and forth becomes we don't seem to live on the same planet.

 

[HoseEmDown]

Did you just seriously compare McDavid's status in Edmonton (superstar, team captain, face of the franchise, marketing dream) to Kucherov's status in Tampa? Sure he's important to the team. But McDavis IS the team.

Psssst. A guy called Gretzky did pretty good for himself in Edmonton. And if you don't know, they live and die with the Oilers, hockey is religion in Alberta. Anyway, lets not continue this back and forth becomes we don't seem to live on the same planet.

I'm not comparing the two but some people are acting as if offering him a bridge deal is a slap in the face and a sign of disrespect towards him. We want him here just like every other player we bridged but we want to pay them what we think is far to them and the team not just them.

Different era in the 80's and Gretzky as well as the NHL didn't become household names in America till he went to LA. If the NHL wants to bring viewers back and McDavid wants to be bigger than Crosby he'd go to a big market. Edmonton and Pittsburgh aren't huge markets.