Confirmed with Link: Oskar Sundqvist re-signs: 4 years, 2.75 AAV

[Chojin]

Too long IMO, but as long as there's no trade protection, it's not the end of the world.

 

[BrokenFace]

Got a versatile forward who kills penalties for his entire prime for under 3 mil per. I like it.

If you're worried about the cap hit, then just compare it to the contracts we have given previous depth forwards (Berglund, Sobotka). It should make you feel better.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Too long IMO, but as long as there's no trade protection, it's not the end of the world.

Why is shorter better? They got an extra UFA at under 3M during his prime age. Unless you think this year was a mirage (which not many are suggesting).

I actually think he may end up as a good target for Seattle, unfortunately.

 

[Novacain]

I can see people saying this is too high and that’s fine, but if he plays as well as he did this year it’s a bargain. The thing to remember with Sunny is look at his TOI in the playoffs last year. He was everywhere and was a vital member of this team going forward. A legitimately really solid 3rd line C we have the luxury to play on the 4 and cause nightmare matchups.

 

[Blueston]

Why is shorter better? They got an extra UFA at under 3M during his prime age. Unless you think this year was a mirage (which not many are suggesting).

I actually think he may end up as a good target for Seattle, unfortunately.

Would be nice problem if we have so many good players eligible that we can't protect him.

 

[Alklha]

This is a great deal. I said the other day that his agent would likely be targeting Berglund/Sobotka type money for the UFA years, but it ended up being more like $3.25m.

Even if he is a 20 point player, this is a great deal if the rest of his game sticks. His usage and ice time during the playoffs highlights how significant a player he is.

The term is a risk with the sample size, but the cap hit makes him worth that risk.

 

[Reality Czech]

A steal....excellent job DA

He and Barbie are key. They do so much for this team but don’t live in the linelight.

No doubt. Championship teams need high end talent but every great team I can think of also had very effective bottom six role players. These guys can be our Kris Draper and Kirk Maltby from those wings teams that burned us so many times.

 

[GoldenSeal]

Army just keeps committing grand theft, I love it! Sunny and Binny are for real and this will look like an absolute bargain as we go.

 

[Majorityof1]

Its a bite higher than I thought ($2.5M was my guess) which was already a bit higher than I wanted. While I think Sunny has the skill to be a 30 point player, I am always leery of a single season career high/break-out year. The good thing about this contract is that Sunny does so much else other than offense, that it won't be a crippler even if he doesn't put up 30 points regularly. Its a sweet spot with term as it has some length if he breaks out further to lock him down cheaply, but not too long to be a burden or extend into an age where he will decline. Overall, a bit pricey but not a bad contract at all, especially with the rising cap and the comparables that @Brian39 pointed out.

It leaves us tight to the cap with $5.77M for Eddy and Barbashev (sending down Pouliot and Schmaltz adds $1.4M to Cap Friendly's current number). Eddy at $3M and Barby at $2M is reasonable and slides us under. But will they be reasonable?

 

[Klank Loves You]

Does anyeone remember when Sunny was pulling 2nd line duty? Dude is a defensive stud. My only worry is the amount of big hits he took. How long until that catches up with him?

 

[ManyIdeas]

Does anyeone remember when Sunny was pulling 2nd line duty? Dude is a defensive stud. My only worry is the amount of big hits he took. How long until that catches up with him?

probably after 4 years from now

 

[Em etah Eh]

Its a bite higher than I thought ($2.5M was my guess) which was already a bit higher than I wanted. While I think Sunny has the skill to be a 30 point player, I am always leery of a single season career high/break-out year. The good thing about this contract is that Sunny does so much else other than offense, that it won't be a crippler even if he doesn't put up 30 points regularly. Its a sweet spot with term as it has some length if he breaks out further to lock him down cheaply, but not too long to be a burden or extend into an age where he will decline. Overall, a bit pricey but not a bad contract at all, especially with the rising cap and the comparables that @Brian39 pointed out.

It leaves us tight to the cap with $5.77M for Eddy and Barbashev (sending down Pouliot and Schmaltz adds $1.4M to Cap Friendly's current number). Eddy at $3M and Barby at $2M is reasonable and slides us under. But will they be reasonable?

I wouldn't be surprised to see Barbashev closer to the 1M Labanc deal since he's not eligible for arbitration. All depends on the term of course.

 

[BlueDream]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Barbashev closer to the 1M Labanc deal since he's not eligible for arbitration. All depends on the term of course.

I think Labanc was an anomaly so they can fit in Thornton. Barbashev can easily get more than that if he uses literally every other league comparable aside from Labanc.

 

[i aint Dunn yet]

 

[Brian39]

I think Labanc was an anomaly so they can fit in Thornton. Barbashev can easily get more than that if he uses literally every other league comparable aside from Labanc.

Uses them to who?

The brutal thing about not having arbitration rights is that it doesn't matter how "correct" you are. His agent can spend 2 hours pointing to 100 different NHL comparables in Army's office and then Army can say, "OK. My offer is still the same. We need that space to fit in Eddy, so even if his on-ice play deserves a bigger raise, this is what we can afford to give. Just like the Sharks." And then Barby is in the exact same spot he was before using all those comparables. He can either take the offer or commit to leaving the NHL and not getting a better NHL offer for the next 4 years.

The Sharks were able to get Lebanc on that 'anomaly' contract in order to fit Thornton specifically because Lebanc didn't have the arbitration rights to effectively point to other comparables. At the end of the day, every dime Barby gets above $1 mil is the result of the team not wanting to hurt the relationship with him and/or spending more AAV to purchase more than 1 year and prevent him from getting a 200% or higher raise next summer.

 

[BlueOil]

rewatching round 1, game 2 right now

sunny can shut it down and score some, can't wait to see if he keeps developing. already happy with what he brings.

 

[Robb_K]

Good contract for The Blues. Sundqvist will only get better.

 

[Ranksu]

Where do you guys evalute Sundqvist's ceiling is highest?

Listening ROR latest interview. He was first used as PK'er and shutdown role vs best players, before he get chance develope his offensive game. (playtime)

Could Sundqvist develope as highest as top6 forward. 2 center (shutdown)?

 

[EastonBlues22]

Where do you guys evalute Sundqvist's ceiling is highest?

Listening ROR latest interview. He was first used as PK'er and shutdown role vs best players, before he get chance develope his offensive game. (playtime)

Could Sundqvist develope as highest as top6 forward. 2 center (shutdown)?

I think it's extremely unlikely.

I'll be thrilled if he can cement himself as a third line quality center moving forward.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

That was an outstanding interview. Those two were so respectful.

Thanks for posting.

 

[DatDude44]

If you know hockey or coach the game at a high level, then you understand why this is a great contract to an extremely important player to this team. Sunny plays a "winning" brand of hockey and despite him not being the most skilled or talented. He does alot to help this team win. Fantastic on the Forecheck, protecting pucks, blindouts to D(Possesing and creating opportunities to the net), he's unbelievable in our own zone and along the wall, I actually clipped his shifts from game 1 against wpg to show a kid on my junior team to help him with his positioning as he transitions to being a center. Sunny is also so heavy on the puck and skates through checks even to make the smallest of plays (winning a battle to just chip a puck out, or going through the D as the F1 on the F/C to create space for F2 to get the puck etc... great defensive stick as well, blocks shots and is easily our best PK fwd.


luv this deal and luv him.

 

[Mike Liut]

Does Sunny get protected next year?

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Does Sunny get protected next year?

What's Fabbri's status?

 

[Mike Liut]

What's Fabbri's status?

Is Fabbri ahead of Sanford, Blais and Kyrou this year? I’m not even sure yet.

 

[BlueDream]

Does Sunny get protected next year?

Let’s keep in mind, expansion is TWO years away.