Confirmed with Link: Sam Girard signs 7-year deal

[Richard88]

$5m per is a bit much for him now, but I'm completely okay with this deal. He's locked up long-term and it should prove to at most be market value down the line... but if he solidifies into a #3 or better this will be below market.

His new contract only kicks in next summer, so he's still going to be paid only $728k this season.

Also, he's already a #3 or better.

 

[Richard88]

I guess they learned their lesson after not locking up Barrie long term while he was still cheap.

It's a good contract but I'm not huge on giving Girard 7 years when the Avs have Makar, Byram, and Timmins coming up.

Makar won't be up until 2021, which just happens to be when the Calvert ($2.85m) and Cole ($4.25m) contracts expire.

Byram is still 3 years away, and Timmins isn't even a guarantee to play in the NHL due to his health.

In any case, in the 'worst case' scenario where you need to pay other guys for performing well Girard's contract will still be very tradeable, particularly with the cap likely going up. Whatever way you look at it it's an awesome deal.

 

[avsfan09]

You and your facts, psh! Why don't you go find a new team to root for if all you're going to do is hate.

Well opinions are hardly fact.

 

[Balthazar]

Nathan MacKinnon - Teammates - On Ice - Natural Stat Trick

596 minutes with Barrie... 573 with Girard.

Thanks but that's only 5 vs 5 and the 1st line was always on the ice. That's not saying much and not really what I was talking about.

It's interesting though that most of Girard's starts with Mack were in neutral zone. A good chunk of these were likely against the other team's top line at the beginning of periods. That's more what I'm talking about, quality of opposition and tougher matchups.

 

[avsfan09]

This is a really warped way to look at it, but fine, let's play this game with your conditions...

5M or Under:
Morgan Rielly
Josh Manson
John Klingberg
Roman Josi
Mattias Ekholm
Noah Hanifin
Brett Pesce
Josh Morrissey
Michael Mattheson
Shayne Ghostisbehere
Damon Severson
Travis Sanheim
Adam Larsson

6M or Under:
Seth Jones
Jacob Slavin
Hampus Lindholm
Colton Parayko
Dougie Hamilton
Shea Theodore
Jared Spurgeon
Esa Lindell
Matt Dumba
Nick Leddy
Nate Schmidt
Dmitri Orlov


...want me to keep going?

Matheson and Sanheim seem highly debatable. I'm also not sure Hannifin is any better.

 

[Foppa2118]

How often do you sign a 21 year old, a year away from RFA, to a seven year deal, and the first year isn't a bit higher than it would have been if he signed a one year deal? That's the only way to get these deals done.

This is an awesome deal for the perfect kind of safe player to prognosticate. Just like Landy was, and Mikko is now, though it sounds like Mikko wants a shorter term. So happy the Avs realized this, and Girard was on board with it too.

 

[Balthazar]

How often do you sign a 21 year old, a year away from RFA, to a seven year deal, and the first year isn't a bit higher than it would have been if he signed a one year deal? That's the only way to get these deals done.

The thing is, we don't even know yet if he's going to be overpaid for the 1st year because he's still playing on his ELC next year. It's entirely possible that he starts his 7-year contract as a defenseman that's worth 5M.

It's such a fantastic deal for the team that I wonder why Brisson agreed to it (no signing bonus, nothing?). I'm pretty sure a bunch of agents out there would have convinced their client to refuse that.

 

[henchman21]

I'm also not sure Hannifin is any better.

I know we get tied to our own... but Hanifin is a good chunk better. He produces more offense, plays more roles, and does so with tougher minutes (last year while carrying a worse corpse than EJ). That is by no means saying Girard is bad (he certainly isn't), but Hanifin is better.

 

[Balthazar]

I know we get tied to our own... but Hanifin is a good chunk better. He produces more offense, plays more roles, and does so with tougher minutes (last year while carrying a worse corpse than EJ). That is by no means saying Girard is bad (he certainly isn't), but Hanifin is better.

That's the stats I want!

 

[henchman21]

The thing is, we don't even know yet if he's going to be overpaid for the 1st year because he's still playing on his ELC next year. It's entirely possible that he starts his 7-year contract as a defenseman that's worth 5M.

It's such a fantastic deal for the team that I wonder why Brisson agreed to it (no signing bonus, nothing?). I'm pretty sure a bunch of agents out there would have convinced their client to refuse that.

$5m a year for a defensemen that hasn't touched 5g or 30 points yet is pretty rich in today's RFA defensemen market. They negotiated up a good chunk and the Avs gave in there. Obviously there is projection involved here and the Avs are expecting Theodore like jump.

 

[henchman21]

That's the stats I want!

Natural Stat Trick

 

[Ivan13]

He also had heavy minutes with the top line, which should skew in his favor. Girard is a good puck mover and limits his shots against, but he isn't great at generating shots. That is why he isn't a great advanced stat guy... and why when he was paired with a great shot generator like Barrie, the pairing had fantastic advanced numbers.

He needs to learn to take the smart and simple play rather than a flashy one. Sure it looks nice to us fans, but if it doesn’t lead to anything it means jack in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Foppa2118]

Both are really about the same last season... Girard 5v5 is a shade under 50

Samuel Girard - Teammates - On Ice - Natural Stat Trick

(the Barrie numbers should point to Bednar going all in on Girard-Makar as a pairing... get over the stigma)

A Girard - Makar pairing is way different than a Girard - Barie pairing.

Makar has much better awareness, much better passing to avoid turnovers, picks his spots much better, has better wheels to get back into the D zone after pinching or if his partner loses a battle or gets caught out of position, and Makar will likely be better defensively. Maybe even as soon as next season.

Barrie didn't play enough with Girard to draw a meaningful conclusion from, and 81.63% of their starts together were in the offensive zone.

 

[avsfan09]

I know we get tied to our own... but Hanifin is a good chunk better. He produces more offense, plays more roles, and does so with tougher minutes (last year while carrying a worse corpse than EJ). That is by no means saying Girard is bad (he certainly isn't), but Hanifin is better.

I'd argue Hannifin is worse defensively but each their own. It's not like Hannifin vastly outproduced Girard either. There isn't really enough separation to definitively say Hannifin is better imo. So Hannifin scored six more points. If that's all the difference than I think we are just choosing favorites.

 

[henchman21]

He needs to learn to take the smart and simple play rather than a flashy one. Sure it looks nice to us fans, but if it doesn’t lead to anything it means jack in the grand scheme of things.

100% agree... sometimes the simple play ends up creating more too.

I'd argue Hannifin is worse defensively but each their own. It's not like Hannifin vastly outproduced Girard either. There isn't really enough separation to definitively say Hannifin is better imo. So Hannifin scored six more points. If that's all the difference than I think we are just choosing favorites.

Hanifin isn't getting as much PP time (75 less minutes... Girard had 165 total). 5v5 he produced 7 more points in less minutes while be ~5% less offensive zone start slanted.

 

[avsfan09]

100% agree... sometimes the simple play ends up creating more too.



Hanifin isn't getting as much PP time (75 less minutes... Girard had 165 total). 5v5 he produced 7 more points in less minutes while be ~5% less offensive zone start slanted.

Is he better defensively though? Is he as reliable with the puck? I'm not sure it's as simple as production.

 

[henchman21]

Is he better defensively though? Is he as reliable with the puck? I'm not sure it's as simple as production.

Yeah he is... pretty much every metric he's been better than Girard, and eye test too. He isn't nearly as flashy as Girard, but few are.

 

[The Abusement Park]

The thing is, we don't even know yet if he's going to be overpaid for the 1st year because he's still playing on his ELC next year. It's entirely possible that he starts his 7-year contract as a defenseman that's worth 5M.

It's such a fantastic deal for the team that I wonder why Brisson agreed to it (no signing bonus, nothing?). I'm pretty sure a bunch of agents out there would have convinced their client to refuse that.

I mean maybe Girard was totally fine with it. I mean the final decision for a contract would end with the player I would assume.

 

[avsfan09]

Yeah he is... pretty much every metric he's been better than Girard, and eye test too. He isn't nearly as flashy as Girard, but few are.

I guess we disagree. If there is a gap I just think it's smaller and much more open to interpretation than you're eluding to. Just out of curiosity, I know you're involved in hockey in some aspects. Are you involved in the NDTP?

 

[henchman21]

I guess we disagree. If there is a gap I just think it's smaller and much more open to interpretation than you're eluding to. Just out of curiosity, I know you're involved in hockey in some aspects. Are you involved in the NDTP?

I really don't see how you'd think there isn't a gap unless you're just being biased as an Avs' fan. Girard is a damn good defensemen, he just isn't to the level of Hanifin right now. And no, I'm not involved in any way with the USNDTP....

 

[BleedWell]

I guess we disagree. If there is a gap I just think it's smaller and much more open to interpretation than you're eluding to. Just out of curiosity, I know you're involved in hockey in some aspects. Are you involved in the NDTP?

He was back in the 90's. Now he just hangs out here.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

What a deal. I think Girard will be a great player. Easily worth 5 mil. Will be bargain in 6 months.

 

[CB Joe]

There is no "lesson" to be learned. Based on what's been out there, they tried to lock Tyson in long-term, he refused and opted for 2- and 4-year bridge deals that took him to UFA.

Doesn't want a long term contract? I find that hard to believe. I think it's more likely the Avs lowballed him.

 

[BleedWell]

Doesn't want a long term contract? I find that hard to believe. I think it's more likely the Avs lowballed him.

Just like with Mikko last summer.

 

[Pokecheque]

Doesn't want a long term contract? I find that hard to believe. I think it's more likely the Avs lowballed him.

You must not be paying attention, it's not like this is classified information, and there have been plenty of players who opted for a bridge deal so they could cash in later. The case study was P.K. Subban, who cashed in so well that a lot of clubs veered away from even offering "prove it" contracts as a result. Barrie is opting for a big payday on July 1, 2020, and this is consistent with how he's negotiated in the past. Don't know why you find that so hard to believe.