Confirmed Signing with Link: [NYI] Mathew Barzal signs extension (3 years, $7M AAV)

[beach]

Interesting that it took this long and that they let him miss so much of the shortened camp in a no pre-season year considering this deal seems like one that should have been the blatantly obvious signing all along. 2-3 years between 6.5-7.5M.

As stated, LL and Barzy were trying to work out a six year deal contingent on Lou being able to move a Hickey or Komarov. They waited as long as they could and when trades couldn't be worked out, pulled the trigger on a three year bridge.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Exactly what everyone thought it was going to be. Good deal for everyone. Happy isles still own his rights when this expires.

First time I’ve seen your avatar. Love it.

 

[DistantThunderRep]

So Barzal QO would be 12 million?

120% of the AAV, not the final year. So 120% of 7M.

 

[Fatass]

His QO will be $7M. In new CBA the QO is always the same as the AAV on the expiring contract.

Holy crap! That’s even better for the Isles. Damn, Lou Lam is building another winner.

 

[Weezeric]

Blame Buffalo and Eichel for that problem.

Nah, big difference between buying 4 UFA years and buying 1

 

[Ledge And Dairy]

So us north of the border teams will never win a Cup because we have to pay way more for our young star players on their second contracts than the US teams do? Maybe it’s not a border thing, but a GM thing?

Oh are you not an Islanders fan and instead a Leafs fan? Also idk what you are arguing here, there are plenty of Canadian star players on deals similar to this.

 

[Beacon Isles]

I mentioned the entire D as well which needs to be replaced.

But a lot of their big money forwards will still be under contract.

In three years $3.5M will have been freed up as well with Clutterbuck having been off the books and assuming Sorokin isn’t a bust, Varlamovs $5M comes off the books in 3 years as well.

 

[Fatass]

Oh are you not an Islanders fan and instead a Leafs fan? Also idk what you are arguing here, there are plenty of Canadian star players on deals similar to this.

Not arguing. Just thinking Petey and Hughes are coming up to their second contracts and hoping Benning can get them on super deals like Lou Lam just did with Barzal. Don’t want to waste cap dollars (on second contracts) that could be used to build the supporting players. I’m hoping Benning can follow Lou Lam’s lead on how to negotiate these second contracts, so the team I pull for doesn’t mess up.

 

[Deadly Dogma]

Here come the leaf fans...

gimme a break, we have the largest contingent on here so if 1% comes it looks like a flood of us.
Anyway good signing, if we end up playing you it will be in the semi's and I am cool with that!!

 

[pld459666]

Great deal here

Both parties do very well with this contract.

Cost certainty for the Islanders during a flat cap period for their star center.

Less than 9% of the total cap? Great deal

 

[The Winter Soldier]

As opposed to giving him $10M+ right off the bat? Only schmucks who don't know how to negotiate do idiotic things like that...

What GM would be dumb enough to do this?

 

[I am Canadian]

Covid-19 easily cost Barzal 4-6M over these 3 years. Can't really feel bad for the upper tier players who are making bank, it more hurts the 1-2M range players who are stuck at 800k for the next little while

 

[Ignite111]

Yeah Matthews and Eichel who are the 3rd and 4th best centers in the league. Barzal is not close to that.

We get it you love to hate on the islanders but you don’t have a clue if you think Matthew’s at 11.6 for the next 3 years is better than Barzel at 7 for the next 3. Matthew’s is better but he’s no where near 4.6 mil a year better hahaha.

 

[JT Kreider]

We get it you love to hate on the islanders but you don’t have a clue if you think Matthew’s at 11.6 for the next 3 years is better than Barzel at 7 for the next 3. Matthew’s is better but he’s no where near 4.6 mil a year better hahaha.

what???? I never said anything like what you are suggesting.

 

[The Podium]

Quit being ridiculous to poop in the Islanders cornflakes.

Islanders: 5 players, $33 million committed to 2024.
The Leafs have $52 million dollars tied up in 6 players, need to sign another 17 with the remaining cap in 2024.

I dont get why everything has to be compared to the Leafs... A Leaf fan can comment on another team without having it compared to the Leafs.

All I am saying is that the timing is a bit poor. The Islanders have all that money committed with a big contract to sign. Now add to that Pelech and Pulock need deals between now and then, you need to fill 4 other D, an entire bottom 6 and 2 goaltenders (might save a ton here if Sorokin works out), the cap will be tight again the next time around.

The difference between now and then, Barzal will have 3 more years of top line production and will be arbitration eligible. It might be a messy negotiation so close to UFA.

If I were Lou I wouldve pushed for a 1 year deal. Barzal wont have as much negotiating power with less years of production, Boychuck LTIRetires giving them his 6 mill buffer next offseason and he has a full year to shed money before signing Barzal long term. He basically would have bypassed arbitration and buys his prime UFA years.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I wanted a 2-3 year Bridge(if not long term) for 6-6.5milAAV. I thought Barzal would want 8-8.5 AAV. 7-7.5 seems like it was a fair compromise.

I had a feeling with most JP Barry clients, they had the bridge on the table but were working to try to hammer out a longer deal. This is an obvious message that Barzal likes the Mgt, Coaches, and players on the Island. He also could have been difficult by holding out, this really shows other players when a star player is not after every last cent, how a player can help out a team. It speaks volumes that Barzal bought in. Brilliant of Lou to sell this team approach to his core players, esp one they could not lose.

 

[Ignite111]

what???? I never said anything like what you are suggesting.

Matthew’s top 4 center in the league as you said. So he’s worth that 11.6 or not?

 

[chethejet]

good deal for both as the inability to sign him to a 6 year deal is buying time and cost savings which is important during the revenue shortfall. But is things return to normal revenue wise, he will cost them big time.

 

[JT Kreider]

Matthew’s top 4 center in the league as you said. So he’s worth that 11.6 or not?

I think he is worth more than that, I also think Barzal is worth more than $7 million.

I also think McDavid is worth more than $12.8 million or whatever his contract is.

Matthews is a top 5 player in the league, Barzal is not and the pay gap between them is appropriate.

 

[SI90]

2nd best place on Barzals heart. Only behind Seattle

 

[Pure Slaughter Value]

Just so we are on the same page, you know that last year was shortened right? He scored 60 points in 68 games and then 17 in 22 playoff games. The last two seasons aren't in the same bucket.

It's more like... offensive run and gun style and he scored 85 points as a rookie. Then Trotz slowed everything down and he scored 62 points while leading a 103-point team. And then the following year he figured out how to play in Trotz style and how to push offensively a bit more, even though his PP pts went down, he was better at ES

Addition above

 

[McSuper]

Oilers drafted in the Top 10 in 9 of 11 years including 4-1sts. I understand mistakes were made, but few fans would have any sympathy for so many missed opportunities. There are no guarantees Barzal or Tkachuk would have been as good with the Oilers.

Fans that rip on the Oilers for winning draft lotteries need to look at the NYI and Panthers. They had so many high picks as well . Remember the Oilers weren’t last for all of the 1st OA picks . It’s also not the fans fault they were ran into the ground by incompetent management. Avs also have had their share of high picks . Let’s hope those high picks are behind us for the next 15-20 years .

On a side note . I really like the way the Avs D is shaping up . Going be awesome in about 3 years . Good luck on the upcoming season . I still think the Oilers are about a year away from being a threat

 

[aessi]

Barkov had one good injury shortened season before getting his extension at a time where every RFA was getting bridge deals. Since then mediocre players got the same long term deals. Hoping to catch them before they truly break out and become extraordinarily expensive. Skjei, Severson, Dvorak, etc.

MacKinnon worked fine.

 

[DANTHEMAN1967]

Solid deal. Lou Lam is never going to pay above market for young guys.

He loves to over pay his old declining guys though.

 

[Bedards Dad]

Don’t want to make this one of those types of threads, but look around the league at the cap cost some young star plays signed for, and notice Barzal comes in 3-4 million per less. That’s why Lou Lam is the King. He’s leaving cap room to round out his roster. Sure wish he was my team’s GM. With Pettersson and Hughes coming up to their contracts Lou Lam would keep the cap dollars reasonable.

In general Lou is not a King, just an old a-hole.