LeBrun: Teams contacting Aho's camp, only interested in signing with Carolina (initial ask is 9.5M)

[DaveG]

What is wrong with Aho's camp initially asking for $9.5M/5Y? I would give that to him.

You're not wrong on that. As I said in the thread that was utter BS the distance has always been a discussion on term, not money. Best guess: 9.5x7 is what ends up being the deal

 

[JoemAvs]

Yeah right now it looks like great value, but can it be called a steal when similar aged forwards a'la Mackinnon/Barkov/Scheifele/Pasta are in the 6M range?

Rants at 10M would be seen in a similar way in few years time when he's in his early prime, same goes for Aho.

I have my doubts tbh. I think the new CBA will shake things up by quite a bit. Atleast it will slow growth and I fully expect contracts to get limited to 5-6 years length as part of the negotiations which should drive the AAV down on these young guys with RFA years. I am also honestly not sure how much the cap will rise in the future. I am not really up to date when it comes to viewing numbers and general fan interest but I am not sure the NHLs next TV contract will bring in the kind of windfall some people are expecting in times of cord cutting and Netflix. As someone that follows soccer quite a bit and also has read about ESPN struggling after signing that gigantic NBA deal, I am not sure that there can be endless inflation for somewhat of a niche sport like hockey.

Good point about Mac/Barkov by the way.

Looks like there is a world pre-McDavid and post-McDavid when it comes to RFAs...
Dubas only made it worse I guess given that he gave up term AND money while Chia only compromied on the AAV.

 

[Roboturner913]

WHAT??? You mean to tell me all this speculation was for nothing?

Say it ain't so!!!

 

[Roboturner913]

What is wrong with Aho's camp initially asking for $9.5M/5Y? I would give that to him.

He wants to hit UFA at the minimum age. Canes want to buy a couple of UFA years.

 

[Mitchy]

Very fair ask from the Aho camp. He's already a franchise C and will get only better. I get the Canes wanting more term though.

Also, lol at blaming Dubas for this type of ask. These same posters were gleefully proclaiming how every other GM and agent/player would ignore those contracts and sign their players to steals.

Get used to the new NHL. These young guys know that RFAs have been underpaid long enough and provide much more value over the duration of their contracts than UFAs. Shorter term in line with the US TV deal also seems to be a big thing.

 

[deckercky]

I guess I should say 5 years at such a high AAV. MacKinnon, Barkov, Monahan, Gaudreau, Pasta, Tank, Larkin, etc etc all signed for 5-6 years but at a much more reasonable AAV. Matthews is good, but he's nowhere near as good as what he's being paid. Dubas ****ed up the market for sure.

Weren't Stamkos and Doughty's second contracts high salary 5 year terms?

 

[Whileee]

9.5 x 5 is a very fair ask from Aho with where the market is now. What's the issue from Carolina? Just sign that deal. Most of these young RFA players want 5-6 years instead of 7-8

Why would a team want to pay 9.5M for 5 years instead of two bridge years and two arbitration contract years at much less than 9.5M AAV?

 

[93gilmour93]

Why would a team want to pay 9.5M for 5 years instead of two bridge years and two arbitration contract years at much less than 9.5M AAV?

Because that's not how the RFA world works anymore for the top guys

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Why all the drama this is good news for the canes. Just pay him 9M AAV for as many years as you can get him to sign. Problem solved.

It’s not drama, none of the high profile RFAs have signed. Aho is no different.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Who are these teams? Do we know? Is it mentioned?

We know exactly whom is contacting UFA players, but for RFA's we get "teams contacting ____".

Why is this?

 

[StreetHawk]

He wants to hit UFA at the minimum age. Canes want to buy a couple of UFA years.

When skinner signs for $9 mill per as a ufa now what is the price of aho’s ufa years in 4 years time?

That’s how I would be breaking it up if I was his agent. 4 rfa years and anything over that will cost huge. Aho is better than skinner now and will be worth his contract throughout the entire term whereas skinner is highly likely to drop off in the fina 2-3 years.

 

[LakeLivin]

Doesn't really matter what Aho thinks right now. Since the Canes are only offering $6m x 8 (I know 'cause I read it in another thread), he'll bail on the Canes when _(insert your favorite team here) offersheets him at $9.5 x 5. YOU get an Aho, YOU get an Aho, everybody gets an Aho!!

 

[Roboturner913]

Why all the drama this is good news for the canes. Just pay him 9M AAV for as many years as you can get him to sign. Problem solved.

The only "drama" is from irresponsible rumormongers, delusional Sunbelt team haters and their various slackjaw hangers-on having fever dreams about signing Aho to an offer sheet and "owning the Canes." While also trying to perpetuate the myth that Dundon is a "cheapskate" even though he just paid $4 million for a draft pick and god knows how much for a Jumbotron that's basically the size of two decent houses.

 

[Roboturner913]

Why would a team want to pay 9.5M for 5 years instead of two bridge years and two arbitration contract years at much less than 9.5M AAV?

They could do that, I suppose, but Sebastian is the golden boy, the face of the franchise, the future captain, etc. When this guy skates his hair blows in the wind just so and it makes all the ladies and 40-year-old men swoon. He's funny, smart, handsome and hell of a good player. This is a player you want to lock up long term and not have to worry about contract negotiations as long as you don't have to.

 

[Sheva7]

I'd give him 84 million without even blinking.

 

[McXLNC97]

Man how dumb is Aho's camp. Even if you are interested in only staying with Carolina, don't go out and tell the whole world that during your contract negotiation.

 

[robertocarlos]

He should take the $88 million and be happy.

 

[McPhatty00]

Sounds like the company line. The gap between 6-9.5 is pretty big. Somebody get some!

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

The dudes a beast.

Pay the man his money CAR.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Man how dumb is Aho's camp. Even if you are interested in only staying with Carolina, don't go out and tell the whole world that during your contract negotiation.

You don’t think the Canes already knows this?

Ahos camp is playing it just like every other high profile RFA is playing it. Waiting it out to see what other RFAs sign for to set the market.

 

[gach]

What is wrong with Aho's camp initially asking for $9.5M/5Y? I would give that to him.

I would give it to him also but for sure it would be someone else's money that paid him

 

[BlueBaron]

Who are these teams? Do we know? Is it mentioned?

We know exactly whom is contacting UFA players, but for RFA's we get "teams contacting ____".

Why is this?

I think agents are making mischief. They want some offer sheets but not many good teams can do it.

The system is flawed anyway. It amazes me people think any GM would easily overpay a player plus throw away those picks. I think there is a lot of wishful thinking going around.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Sounds like the company line. The gap between 6-9.5 is pretty big. Somebody get some!

Hasn’t it been shown a number of times that 6 was an offer before the season started?

 

[Djp]

Why would a team want to pay 9.5M for 5 years instead of two bridge years and two arbitration contract years at much less than 9.5M AAV?

A few issues....

1 a team can file arbitration only 1 time. And the player can still get offer sheeted. If player files arbitration, he can’t get offer sheeted.

Them being far apart promoted offer sheets to get higher salary than rely on arbitration.

A bridge deal for someone good is $2.5M-$3.5M. Thry can get $4.2Zm offer sheet at lityke risk to signing team costing only a 2nd fir players who’s trade value us likely more than that.

 

[Moosetache]

Gonna be interesting what the older players say about all the money now going to the RFA's.....guys who waited to hit UFA at 30-31 are going to pay the price literally for the lack of money in the market place