Someone was going to pay him that money. The question will always be: how many guys like that can you have on the same team and still be competitive?

Hopefully for the Oilers the cap has another bump of at least the same degree next year.

When is the CBA up again?
- Chunk

How competitive would they be without that guy in the line up though.

While Kane and Toews got most of the press, Hossa was truly our best player. Edmonton doesn't have that guy nor do they have "playoff Bickell."
- rpeters01

Keith, for arguments sake, probably the best and more impactful.

Of course over time you sign players, trade players and try to fill in the weaknesses in the lineup. I think some people get stuck on "Building via the draft" as if every player on the team must be drafted. The idea is to get foundation to build on as well as additional assets to build your team via trade, etc..

That chart also doesn't take into account the changes to the landscape of the league which affect the make up of teams. When the salary cap started and the few years it took for its effects to actually start to change the make up of more teams. The changes to frontloaded contracts, contract limits, the expansion drafts, and the flat cap caused by pandemic.

The pattern that stands out the most are the teams that won over the last several years had their top couple forwards and their #1 D drafted in house. Those are also the teams that you see winning multiple times, vs the teams that were one and done.
- breadbag

Crosby, Toews and Kopitar - all dominating centers. The Lightning are a bit different in that regard. Point is a very good player but I wouldn't put him in that category.

As stacked as the Hawk prospect pool is, Montreal, SanJose and Anaheim all boast lots of talent and like Chicago there’s a good balance between positions, skill, size, speed and compete. In a few years I think those three teams and Chicago will be the top teams.
- paulr

None has a Bedard though.

Dach, Newhook, Suzuki, Slafkovsky, Caufield, Guhle, Hutson and Arber Xhekaj are the young guys on the current Hab roster. Add in prospects Owen Beck, Joshua Roy, Florian Xhekaj, David Reinbacher, Ivan Demidov and Michael Hage. The Habs sure look promising to me. Utah and Columbus have traditionally managed to (frank) everything up but under new management and ownership maybe that all changes?
- paulr

I think Montreal looks more like the Wings than anything else. Maybe Slafkovsky turns into a dominating player but as it stands a few very good guys some pretty decent guys and Caufield is a nice player but I don't think they have anyone in that superstar category.

Columbus should be interesting if they can get a competent coach and stay relatively healthy. Fantilli should be a guy they can build around.

Keith, for arguments sake, probably the best and more impactful.
- fattybeef

There’s no argument from me. Keith was the most important contributor to the ‘10, ‘13, and ‘15 Cup runs.

There’s no argument from me. Keith was the most important contributor to the ‘10, ‘13, and ‘15 Cup runs.
- DarthKane

When looking at this debate, you probably could pick 6 or 7 guys that you could say, without them, the Hawks wouldn't have won 3 cups.

A debate that can never be proven, but i think its true, and just goes to show how difficult it really is to A. win a cup, and B. build a cup winner.

Not going to defend Stan and I'm happy with the current direction, but everyone who just dismisses his accomplishments in winning 3 cups as the GM are mistaken.

You can certainly point out post 2015 and the terrible job he did, and that is deserved, though I'll always maintain that Stan left to his own accord would have continued down the rebuild path, and he was forced by McD to switch gears.

Did McD know the Beach stuff was going to hit and wanted a winning team at the time to distract from it, knowing that if they had a rebuilding season or two like we've had now it would all come crashing down???

Interesting that everyone who was suspended has now been reinstated, except 1..............

How competitive would they be without that guy in the line up though.
- fattybeef

If you simply remove him from the lineup, sure it's a problem. I guess it all depends on what you replace him with. I you can replace him with a guy like B. Tkachuk and Kempe (I'm literally just pulling two guys that make around $13M combined), I think that would be pretty damn competitive and a bit deeper.

If you simply remove him from the lineup, sure it's a problem. I guess it all depends on what you replace him with. I you can replace him with a guy like B. Tkachuk and Kempe (I'm literally just pulling two guys that make around $13M combined), I think that would be pretty damn competitive and a bit deeper.
- Chunk

But how much more would Tkaczuk's AAV have to be if he was signing in a state/province that has taxes?

But how much more would Tkaczuk's AAV have to be if he was signing in a state/province that has taxes?
- LAHawk

Does Ottawa not have taxes? Not really the point. I was just picking two guys that were already signed to deals that added up to $13M.

If you simply remove him from the lineup, sure it's a problem. I guess it all depends on what you replace him with. I you can replace him with a guy like B. Tkachuk and Kempe (I'm literally just pulling two guys that make around $13M combined), I think that would be pretty damn competitive and a bit deeper.
- Chunk

I thought you were talking Matt not Brady

But how much more would Tkaczuk's AAV have to be if he was signing in a state/province that has taxes?
- LAHawk

4.95% in Illinois
So am extra 4 million over 8 years?
So does Brady go to tax free state when his deal is done with Ottawa?
I thought guys only want to play for a chance to win a cup?

4.95% in Illinois
So am extra 4 million over 8 years?
So does Brady go to tax free state when his deal is done with Ottawa?
I thought guys only want to play for a chance to win a cup?
- BetweenTheDots

Actually I would stay in Canada. Players get paid in US dollars, Brady's $6.5 mil salary is really $8.97m today in Canadian dollars.

If you simply remove him from the lineup, sure it's a problem. I guess it all depends on what you replace him with. I you can replace him with a guy like B. Tkachuk and Kempe (I'm literally just pulling two guys that make around $13M combined), I think that would be pretty damn competitive and a bit deeper.
- Chunk

I think an interesting argument would be if Brady was with the Oilers and playing with McDavid and on that power play and stuff. Would he be putting up 100 point seasons that would necessitate +10 million per year?

He also plays wing not center so there's an up-charge there and that affords the Oilers less options to tinker with those top two lines and play match ups.

The Penguins had a lot of success having two guys that were 1a and 1b at center but could play together and dominate a power play or a few shifts. They also didn't get trapped by a Nurse type contract.

The German would also be the number one center on pretty much every NHL team except for the Avs or maybe Florida with Barkov since he's just so good at everything and there is a lot of value there.

I think the Oilers, not dissimilar to the Leafs, have most of their issues stem from the blue line. Bouchard and Eklhom have made a tremendous difference but that second pairing is kind of a black hole. Though if the German and McDavid were less beat up in the final it probably goes a different way.

I think the Leafs (frank)ed up with the Tanev deal because that doesn't solve their problem of being able to move the puck from D to O. Nor did it add a big shot or dangerous shot from the point. Toronto will probably be a disappointing playoff team again next year because of that.

Part of the reason the Hawks could be so interesting is that they have (including Jones) guys on the blue line who can make a very good first pass and that should be able to dangerously advance the puck forward - especially if Korchinski and big Arty hit anywhere near their potential.

When looking at this debate, you probably could pick 6 or 7 guys that you could say, without them, the Hawks wouldn't have won 3 cups.

A debate that can never be proven, but i think its true, and just goes to show how difficult it really is to A. win a cup, and B. build a cup winner.

Not going to defend Stan and I'm happy with the current direction, but everyone who just dismisses his accomplishments in winning 3 cups as the GM are mistaken.

You can certainly point out post 2015 and the terrible job he did, and that is deserved, though I'll always maintain that Stan left to his own accord would have continued down the rebuild path, and he was forced by McD to switch gears.

Did McD know the Beach stuff was going to hit and wanted a winning team at the time to distract from it, knowing that if they had a rebuilding season or two like we've had now it would all come crashing down???

Interesting that everyone who was suspended has now been reinstated, except 1..............
- vabeachbear

You’re right, there could be a list of several players we could say this about. But Keith is at the top of that list.

Guys like Crawford and Hjalmarsson are grossly underrated for their contributions too.

Actually I would stay in Canada. Players get paid in US dollars, Brady's $6.5 mil salary is really $8.97m today in Canadian dollars.
- LAHawk

But doesn't Canada tax up to 50% plus or minus? I was going by salary cap it says Brady is just north of $8 mil per.

Every time I've gone to Canada i find the cost of things relative to the American dollar, but i think our Canadian friends could give us better insight.

I think an interesting argument would be if Brady was with the Oilers and playing with McDavid and on that power play and stuff. Would he be putting up 100 point seasons that would necessitate +10 million per year?

He also plays wing not center so there's an up-charge there and that affords the Oilers less options to tinker with those top two lines and play match ups.

The Penguins had a lot of success having two guys that were 1a and 1b at center but could play together and dominate a power play or a few shifts. They also didn't get trapped by a Nurse type contract.

The German would also be the number one center on pretty much every NHL team except for the Avs or maybe Florida with Barkov since he's just so good at everything and there is a lot of value there.

I think the Oilers, not dissimilar to the Leafs, have most of their issues stem from the blue line. Bouchard and Eklhom have made a tremendous difference but that second pairing is kind of a black hole. Though if the German and McDavid were less beat up in the final it probably goes a different way.

I think the Leafs (frank)ed up with the Tanev deal because that doesn't solve their problem of being able to move the puck from D to O. Nor did it add a big shot or dangerous shot from the point. Toronto will probably be a disappointing playoff team again next year because of that.

Part of the reason the Hawks could be so interesting is that they have (including Jones) guys on the blue line who can make a very good first pass and that should be able to dangerously advance the puck forward - especially if Korchinski and big Arty hit anywhere near their potential.
- fattybeef

I think the Pens GM felt like you do by trading for Karlsson. It backfired. I think Tanev is a bad signing cause he's old, 5 years ago it would of been a good signing.

It's a bonus if a defender can be dangerous offensively, one of my favorite defenders during the cup years was Rozy, for a big strong man he had soft hands and could feather pucks to teammates to exit the zone. I do agree with you about how we could be dangerous I'll even add, Vlasic, KK and Levshunov all have the skating ability to be an option of exiting the zone adds another dimension that will make it difficult on opponents. Then you draft forwards with excellent speed to stretch the defense, i have to admit I'm very enthusiastic of what's going on in Chicago.

But doesn't Canada tax up to 50% plus or minus? I was going by salary cap it says Brady is just north of $8 mil per.

Every time I've gone to Canada i find the cost of things relative to the American dollar, but i think our Canadian friends could give us better insight.
- BetweenTheDots

He would be paying 37% in Federal tax no matter what state he resides in.

Also what franchise would he be able to maximize his sponsorship money.

I think an interesting argument would be if Brady was with the Oilers and playing with McDavid and on that power play and stuff. Would he be putting up 100 point seasons that would necessitate +10 million per year?

He also plays wing not center so there's an up-charge there and that affords the Oilers less options to tinker with those top two lines and play match ups.

The Penguins had a lot of success having two guys that were 1a and 1b at center but could play together and dominate a power play or a few shifts. They also didn't get trapped by a Nurse type contract.

The German would also be the number one center on pretty much every NHL team except for the Avs or maybe Florida with Barkov since he's just so good at everything and there is a lot of value there.

I think the Oilers, not dissimilar to the Leafs, have most of their issues stem from the blue line. Bouchard and Eklhom have made a tremendous difference but that second pairing is kind of a black hole. Though if the German and McDavid were less beat up in the final it probably goes a different way.

I think the Leafs (frank)ed up with the Tanev deal because that doesn't solve their problem of being able to move the puck from D to O. Nor did it add a big shot or dangerous shot from the point. Toronto will probably be a disappointing playoff team again next year because of that.

Part of the reason the Hawks could be so interesting is that they have (including Jones) guys on the blue line who can make a very good first pass and that should be able to dangerously advance the puck forward - especially if Korchinski and big Arty hit anywhere near their potential.
- fattybeef

All good points, especially the one about Brady's production if playing with McDavid, and Nurse's contract. I'm just a big proponent of needing depth, and it appears that EDM could stand to improve there. I also think they could use some better 200' play from a good portion of their forward group, and using $13M on two upper tier forwards instead of one scoring stud would help them get to their goal better.

There’s no argument from me. Keith was the most important contributor to the ‘10, ‘13, and ‘15 Cup runs.
- DarthKane

I think he should have won Conn Smythe the year Kane won it.

Actually I would stay in Canada. Players get paid in US dollars, Brady's $6.5 mil salary is really $8.97m today in Canadian dollars.
- LAHawk

Yeah but everything costs more in Canada it comes out the same plus more income tax.

Yeah but everything costs more in Canada it comes out the same plus more income tax.
- rpeters01

You also have to remember that 6% of the salary is taken off the top for escrow, which I think the players debt was finally be paid off last year, and all the escrow was returned to the players.

None has a Bedard though.
- fattybeef

San Jose will have the Celebrini plus ? One two punch assuming they play on separate lines. Presently two rookies who need to mature is Celebrini and W Smith

When looking at this debate, you probably could pick 6 or 7 guys that you could say, without them, the Hawks wouldn't have won 3 cups.

A debate that can never be proven, but i think its true, and just goes to show how difficult it really is to A. win a cup, and B. build a cup winner.

Not going to defend Stan and I'm happy with the current direction, but everyone who just dismisses his accomplishments in winning 3 cups as the GM are mistaken.

You can certainly point out post 2015 and the terrible job he did, and that is deserved, though I'll always maintain that Stan left to his own accord would have continued down the rebuild path, and he was forced by McD to switch gears.

Did McD know the Beach stuff was going to hit and wanted a winning team at the time to distract from it, knowing that if they had a rebuilding season or two like we've had now it would all come crashing down???

Interesting that everyone who was suspended has now been reinstated, except 1..............
- vabeachbear

Outstanding post.

Kinda funny when you look elsewhere for news:

Contract negotiations between the Edmonton Oilers and Leon Draisaitl coming
Ryan Rishaug: It is sounding like the Edmonton Oilers and Leon Draisaitl have been in touch about a possible contract extension but there haven’t been actual negotiations just yet. Those are expected to start soon. As of yesterday, they are not close to being done.