https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/32-thoughts-canucks-islanders-make-interesting-gambles-in-horvat-trade/
“11. I wouldn’t say New Jersey is the team to beat on Timo Meier, but it’s clear teams know the Devils are very much in it. The biggest balancing act for them might be their salary structure. It sounds like they prefer to have no forwards above Jack Hughes’ $8M AAV — or at least not blowing that out of the water. That’s not only a consideration for Meier, but also Jesper Bratt.”
by Soco_Amaretto_Lime
15 Comments
Makes sense. No reason to blow the bank on forwards. If Bratt wants more than 8 he could leave
Is it a lock that Fitz is only in if he can re-sign him?
I would say the most fascinating thing to me is Friedman now saying, “I wouldn’t say New Jersey is the team to beat…” Friedman and Marek have previously said that NJ was the team to beat. Wonder what’s being heard in order to change that wording.
Both 8X8.5mil. Max.
Jack took a team friendly deal, also during flat cap.
It is going up and salaries with it. 9 mill or 9.5 likely isn’t off the table.
Glad extension is the focus. No extension no trade imo keep the assets to use or in another trsde
Side note: there are only 4 teams currently paying 3 forwards 8M+
Toronto – Tavares, Marner, Matthews
Tampa – Kucherov, Point, Stamkos
Dallas – Seguin, Benn, Hintz (next year)
Nashville – Forsberg, Duchene, Johansen
If I were the agent for either Bratt or Meier I am laughing in Fitzgerald’s face at anything under $8 AAV. I get why he is doing it and it would be absolutely incredible if he pulled it off. But if I am their agent Jack’s contract is the floor not the ceiling.
Funny, I was called every name in the book, for *daring* to suggest, that NJ wouldn’t want anyone making a significant amount higher than what Hughes as getting. Regardless of whether or not (he did) Hughes took a “team friendly” deal, it’s not a good look to have less productive members making significantly more than Hughes. Some were suggesting (demanding) Bratt be paid TWELVE.MILLION.DOLLARS. Now, how patently *stupid*, would that look? It’s 7-8.5 / 6-8 years for Jesper, or out he goes.
Oh Jesper I respect you but please take 8m a year. You will be comfortable even in the jersey tax bracket.
I think this statement that Hughes is the max contact is silly considering Dougie makes more but not only that, we were going to pay Gaudreau over 9m. To think that we wouldn’t pay someone the market value because Jack is below market value is just a silly take.
Bratt isn’t getting over 8 mil. He is great, but doesn’t show up for stretches. It’s a contract year I am not completely impressed.
Timo, give him anything under 8.75
We cannot lose Bratt because of Hughes’s contract. They’re two completely different situations at the time of signing. If we don’t get Timo and lose Bratt, this teams going to struggle heavily due to having no real wingers
Players are going to have to be reasonable if they want to be on good competitive teams for long periods of time. Hopefully we can get a good mix of that on this team and not end up like Toronto.
So we saying Bratt is equivalent to Meier? Don’t get me wrong, I am aboard the Bratt hype train. However, mentally that don’t sound right. Bratt on pace for 40+ goals? He certainly has his streaks
Players want to win AND get paid. The money they make playing is often put towards the rest of their lives, so it’s a little silly to blame any of them for not wanting to take half a million AAV off their contract compared to their market value. I don’t think Bratt deserves more than 8 mil, but that is due to his frequent disappearances, not because I don’t want him making more than Hughes. When he’s on his game he’s lights out, when he isn’t he is either invisible on the ice or turning the puck over with terrible plays. Point totals are a very useful measuring stick, but there is a lot more that goes into what makes a player worth a top contract.