Classic example of paying for potential instead of performance. If he ends up a 70 point player, s'all good. If he fails to get 50 points again next year...yikes.

One this is for sure, Sam Reinhart is going to be holding up this deal next off season as the starting point for his negotiations.

Who wants to take on the task of explaining to Tanner the difference between the RFA and UFA player market as well as availability of such players to various teams? Anyone?
- MJL

RFA doesnt mean S*&t in todays NHL.

Seeing what players are getting today coming off entry level deals is ridiculous.
Gm's are caving left right and center.

nylander cap hit is 6.96, so 7, call it 7

nylander cap hit is 6.96, so 7, call it 7
- Ross77

7

7
- Garnie

RFA doesnt mean S*&t in todays NHL.

Seeing what players are getting today coming off entry level deals is ridiculous.
Gm's are caving left right and center.
- classic321

if Kevin Hayes was an RFA, not a UFA, he never would have gotten 7 million a year

Tanner comparing the Keller deal to Hayes deal is such an eyeroll

if Kevin Hayes was an RFA, not a UFA, he never would have gotten 7 million a year

Tanner comparing the Keller deal to Hayes deal is such an eyeroll
- jimbro83

Silly Flyers, they should have signed Keller instead. Chayka is so much better than Fletcher.

I don't really give a rat's ass about my credibility, but what you're doing is making a very bad mistake that several people make.
- James_Tanner

Obviously.

When you look at wins or goals at the end of the year, does it matter if they were scored by rookies, Free agents or RFAs?

No it does not.

This makes NO sense whatsoever.

You can think of the NHL as a game of salary cap moves where hockey is then played to determine if those moves are right.

This explains much about the comments you come up with.

Getting value on players is the #1 priority of any GM, and whether you get that value from a restricted free agent or an unrestricted one, it doesn't matter.

Yes, it does matter. When getting value from signing an RFA, the GM doesn't have to compete against 30 other offers. Should be much easier to do.

If the Coyotes and Flyers each pay the same price for a player, how those players came to that price is irrelevant. The Coyotes are going now have an advantage over the Flyers as each team fills out the rest of it's roster.

Maybe, but they will still have to sign players who "are good defensively, drive play and make their teammates better."
Maybe those are the reasons that Hayes and Nelson got their money? Plus, I don't know if you know this, but as UFA's they get to look at competing offers from different teams. Neat, eh?

Time out. You believe that elite players have the most value. Bc you think the NHL is like the NBA even though that was proven wrong in a few excellent pieces in the Atheletic over the summer. But still, if Keller is elite and Marner is better consistently, drives play and makes his teammates better already then he is probably worth even more than $4.5 million a year according to your logic.

- Ross77

It's such a nice #.

Here's a definitive reply to how you overvalue OEL:
"Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s value here sticks out like a sore thumb. Just 0.8 wins and second pairing caliber for a 28-year-old making $8.25 million for the next season is far from appealing and what looks to be the biggest issue here in terms of cost-benefit. By any other name that would be a fair assessment, but Ekman-Larsson’s comes attached with a high pedigree and a strong reputation, one that’s difficult to shake despite his uneven play over the last few seasons, causing such a low algorithmic opinion. It’s not 2015 anymore, the last season where he played like a legitimate No. 1." Dom L. The Atheletic

Who wants to take on the task of explaining to Tanner the difference between the RFA and UFA player market as well as availability of such players to various teams? Anyone?
- MJL

can't be bothered anymore

I hate to think what the Hawks are going to have to pay DeBrincat next year.

Yes he played on Kane's line his rookie year but last year he got stuck playing with some
cast off from the Coyotes and had a better year.


Also hate to see what Strome gets.

can't be bothered anymore
- Aetherial

Time out. You believe that elite players have the most value. Bc you think the NHL is like the NBA even though that was proven wrong in a few excellent pieces in the Atheletic over the summer. But still, if Keller is elite and Marner is better consistently, drives play and makes his teammates better already then he is probably worth even more than $4.5 million a year according to your logic.
- BluemanGuruu

The range between elite players is huge there is a 3x wider gap between the best and worst 1st line player than there is between the best non 1st liner and the worst player in the league

if Kevin Hayes was an RFA, not a UFA, he never would have gotten 7 million a year

Tanner comparing the Keller deal to Hayes deal is such an eyeroll
- jimbro83

The only way your point makes any sense is if it was mandatory to buy ufas.

Since it isnt, and you can avoid them, it is entirely fair to compare how teams spend their money.

The only way your point makes any sense is if it was mandatory to buy ufas.

Since it isnt, and you can avoid them, it is entirely fair to compare how teams spend their money.
- James_Tanner

lol

supply and demand doesn't work in a free market, but only in a mandatory one.

i think i've heard it all now.

Yeah Arizona is a staple of a successful organization.
- RogerRoeper

Not at all, but avoiding the RFA holdout headache is a smart move. Dubas didn’t do himself any favors with getting to this point twice. I’m hoping Yzerman can figure out our guys before Darren Farris strikes again.

The only way your point makes any sense is if it was mandatory to buy ufas.

Since it isnt, and you can avoid them, it is entirely fair to compare how teams spend their money.
- James_Tanner

It's not mandatory to pay a RFA player! So that comment is really asinine. So is comparing a RFA signing to a UFA signing.

If you want to compare teams and how they spend their money then do it logically. Compare how both teams handle the same kind of player.

It's not mandatory to pay a RFA player! So that comment is really asinine. So is comparing a RFA signing to a UFA signing.

If you want to compare teams and how they spend their money then do it logically. Compare how both teams handle the same kind of player.
- MJL

it is essentially mandatory in ontario to rent your water heater.

typically, people compare the price of buying a dishwasher to the rental cost of water heaters; in order to know if they are getting a good deal on the washer.

The Coyotes are going now have an advantage over the Flyers as each team fills out the rest of it's roster.

Jimmy help me understand what you mean by that comment. What advantages do they have

The only way your point makes any sense is if it was mandatory to buy ufas.

Since it isnt, and you can avoid them, it is entirely fair to compare how teams spend their money.
- James_Tanner

It is not mandatory to buy UFA's. But, I guess it isn't mandatory to try to compete either.
It's amazing really. I would bet that 95% of the people posting here would agree that the Keller contract is pretty benign, all things considered. But, you surround it so much bullpoop and stupidity that the comments go off the rails. If it were by design, I would say kudos. But, I have switched to the opinion that you just don't know what you're talking about and you're an insufferable know it all.

- Tumbleweed

Tanner never set foot in the economics building of his university.

If you want to explain simple concepts to him, put it in iambic pentameter.

The range between elite players is huge there is a 3x wider gap between the best and worst 1st line player than there is between the best non 1st liner and the worst player in the league
- James_Tanner

Firstly, this is all kinds of dumb.
Secondly, prove it.
Thirdly, we are have a discussion about Clayton Keller. This has absolutely nothing to do with elite players.

If a similar player on a team you dont cheer for got this contract, you would blast the GM as a fool. But because you cheer for the yotes, its a good contract.

He is terrible - like really terrible - defensively, and doesn't grade out well by advanced stats (which you love to use). This deal seems unnecessary and they should've waited to see how he would perform with a little more talent (Kessel) before signing him to a giant contract