Pens sign Staal to a 4 year deal!!!

[maudineormsby]

The money is supposedly.. 3.5, 3.5, 4.5, 4.5. = 16 mil.

That makes me feel a little better...

why?

salary cap-wise it's inconsequential and best case is a front-loaded deal because it makes him more tradeable late in the contract

Actually, that entire post was hinged on the Hossa gag. I'm pretty sure, in fact, that I would have been ok with Staal getting 5mm a year. I like the kid, he'll be huge down the road (and in Japan).

[Stan Potash]

that is a lot of money

[Number Nine]

Too much for a 3rd line center

This is the key problem with the signing. Staal is luxury as a #3 center that we cant afford.

[Henry Hank]

It's a fair deal. If anyone doesn't understand how contracts work in the NHL for young players these days, I don't know what to say. Staal will have a pretty impressive resume compared to about 99% of players his age when this season is up. The sky is the limit for him. Like the Whitney deal, this has potential for great bargain even if the cap hit is a little high initially. I was thinking it'd be something like $3.5 million per on a two year deal or $5 million per on a longer term deal, but this is obviously in the middle. This, by the way, will take him to UFA. He's going to be a very young UFA. I think this also eliminates him as a trade target. The only reason to think about it was the threat of losing him to an offer sheet.

I like that Shero is taking care of his RFAs now. He'll have a much better picture of what the team's cap situation will look like going into the deadline and of course free agency, so he can act on deals without having to worry about these variables. I think Goligoski's the only prominent RFA left.

[Kicksave]

I hate the title of '3rd line center'. The kid is playing over 20 minutes a game.

[maudineormsby]

Interesting quote from the TRIB:

"Jordan made no secret he wanted to remain a Penguins," Krepelka said. "The reason this didn't get done in the summer was he wanted to see where he fit. Now, Jordan has no complaints how he's being used. Once that became clear, that he would be used as more than just a No. 3 center, we wanted to get the deal done."

[Pitts]

According to TSN, it was worth $16 million over four years:

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=262415&lid= ... Story_main

I have been a supporter of Staal and I'm disappointed he got $4 million. He hasn't earned it yet. I figured in the $3m or $3.5m (tops) range.

If you're paying him that kind of money, forget this 3rd line center crap and put him on Sid's wing (live or die).

He's putting up similar numbers to Dustin Brown, Nathan Horton, etc. -- it is right on the money.

[Mongoose87]

I can't wait to see what kovymann says about this.

He only comes out at night.

That's actually kind of true.

[shmenguin]

I think Goligoski's the only prominent RFA left.

i wonder if he'd try to get letang tied up a year early.

[darkstar57]

To those who think this makes Staal more tradeable, please point to one time in any major professional sport that someone was re-signed ni midseason to a lengthy deal and then dealt before the season ended? One. Any. One.

The NBA's CBA allows sign-and-trade, so this happens with some frequency in that league. I dont know about NHL CBA nor can I recall it happening in recent past. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign_and_trade

Thats the NBA CBA, but the NBA also has caps on different years of experience etc..., it makes it easier for the NBA to do this because the team that is trading for the player in the sign and trade would most likely have paid him that money anyway. The sign and trade just assure they will land the player they want. Sort of like Tampa dealing us picks to secure malone's and roberts rights. Also most sign and trades occur to a player that is in the last year of the deal and the current team knows they have know choice of landing that player or its an older player and the team is rewarding him.

[The U]

Anyone in favor of this extension better never show their faces in the ACQUIRE A WINGER!!! threads. If you're paying 4 million to a 3rd liner, you can't afford to bring in line 1 wingers. Real line 1 wingers...not Satan-clones. I like Staal but not at 4 mil. I can think of about 15 other 3rd line centers we could sign for about 1 million-2 million who would bring the same stuff as Staal would to the team.

I don't think Staal's speed, hitting, mean streak, play-making, or goal scoring will improve. He's a defensive center right now and I don't see that changing. Those types of guys can be grabbed each and every offseason for a fraction of the cost.

[Henry Hank]

Yeah, I bet Letang will get a new contract this summer, but that's going to be one of those last order of business things that doesn't get done until all the other signings and moves are made.

[Mang-nang]

It's a fair deal. If anyone doesn't understand how contracts work in the NHL for young players these days, I don't know what to say. Staal will have a pretty impressive resume compared to about 99% of players his age when this season is up. The sky is the limit for him. Like the Whitney deal, this has potential for great bargain even if the cap hit is a little high initially.

Great post. This is exactly how second contracts for RFAs work.

[Bob McKenzie]

I hate the title of '3rd line center'. The kid is playing over 20 minutes a game.

But he still is the 3rd line center. It is what it is regardless of his ice time.

What are other teams paying their 3rd line centers?

[Kicksave]

Interesting quote from the TRIB:

"Jordan made no secret he wanted to remain a Penguins," Krepelka said. "The reason this didn't get done in the summer was he wanted to see where he fit. Now, Jordan has no complaints how he's being used. Once that became clear, that he would be used as more than just a No. 3 center, we wanted to get the deal done."

Nice. I'm glad I picked Staal in pick-a-pen. Dude is going to go off tonight with the new contract.

[Pitts]

Too much for a 3rd line center

This is the key problem with the signing. Staal is luxury as a #3 center that we cant afford.

As has been said before -- he IS NOT just a 3rd line center. He's your top PK man, he get PP time - blah, blah, blah -- over 20 mins. a night.

[darkstar57]

Too much for a 3rd line center

This is the key problem with the signing. Staal is luxury as a #3 center that we cant afford.

mayeb shero knows something you don't, like Staal a number #1 winger for Crosby!!!!

[AlexPKeaton]

Anyone in favor of this extension better never show their faces in the ACQUIRE A WINGER!!! threads. If you're paying 4 million to a 3rd liner, you can't afford to bring in line 1 wingers. Real line 1 wingers...not Satan-clones. I like Staal but not at 4 mil. I can think of about 15 other 3rd line centers we could sign for about 1 million-2 million who would bring the same stuff as Staal would to the team.

I don't think Staal's speed, hitting, mean streak, play-making, or goal scoring will improve. He's a defensive center right now and I don't see that changing. Those types of guys can be grabbed each and every offseason for a fraction of the cost.

I completely agree with this. Signing staal means 3rd line wingers playing on the top 2 lines from now until he is traded.

[steelhammer]

Anyone in favor of this extension better never show their faces in the ACQUIRE A WINGER!!! threads. If you're paying 4 million to a 3rd liner, you can't afford to bring in line 1 wingers. Real line 1 wingers...not Satan-clones. I like Staal but not at 4 mil. I can think of about 15 other 3rd line centers we could sign for about 1 million-2 million who would bring the same stuff as Staal would to the team.

I don't think Staal's speed, hitting, mean streak, play-making, or goal scoring will improve. He's a defensive center right now and I don't see that changing. Those types of guys can be grabbed each and every offseason for a fraction of the cost.

i'm too depressed to come up up with an original post, but i agree strongly with this one.

[Newf]

No matter how old he is he does not warrant a 4 year 16 million dollar contract with the way he is currently playing/did play so far in three seasons.[/quote]

I would disagree. It is how the NHL player salary landscape currently works. Maybe half of a young players second contract is based on performance alone (and not JUST numbers), and the other half is based on POTENTIAL [/quote]

Yeah this contact is definitely based more on potential than actual numbers... Hopefully Staal can work on his strength and hands to become the power forward Shero and company thinks he can become. Myself, I am not so optimistic with Staal. Watching him over his junior career (while watching one of my buddies play with Peterborough) I just didn't see anything special from him then, which is why I am still not convinced Staal is worthy of such a hefty contract.

[Liverlips]

To those who think this makes Staal more tradeable, please point to one time in any major professional sport that someone was re-signed ni midseason to a lengthy deal and then dealt before the season ended? One. Any. One.

The NBA's CBA allows sign-and-trade, so this happens with some frequency in that league. I dont know about NHL CBA nor can I recall it happening in recent past. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign_and_trade

Thats the NBA CBA, but the NBA also has caps on different years of experience etc..., it makes it easier for the NBA to do this because the team that is trading for the player in the sign and trade would most likely have paid him that money anyway. The sign and trade just assure they will land the player they want. Sort of like Tampa dealing us picks to secure malone's and roberts rights. Also most sign and trades occur to a player that is in the last year of the deal and the current team knows they have know choice of landing that player or its an older player and the team is rewarding him.

Yah, I know. He asked for "any major professional sport" and that's all I knew about. Looks like the Pens will continue to be deep @ center.

[Number Nine]

I hate the title of '3rd line center'. The kid is playing over 20 minutes a game.

But he still is the 3rd line center. It is what it is regardless of his ice time.

What are other teams paying their 3rd line centers?

The current best 3rd line center in the league, John Madden is making less than $3 million.

[Kicksave]

I hate the title of '3rd line center'. The kid is playing over 20 minutes a game.

But he still is the 3rd line center. It is what it is regardless of his ice time.

What are other teams paying their 3rd line centers?

No. It's not. But if you aren't able to comprehend this, that's okay too.

[MicP]

Interesting quote from the TRIB:

"Jordan made no secret he wanted to remain a Penguins," Krepelka said. "The reason this didn't get done in the summer was he wanted to see where he fit. Now, Jordan has no complaints how he's being used. Once that became clear, that he would be used as more than just a No. 3 center, we wanted to get the deal done."

Nice. I'm glad I picked Staal in pick-a-pen. Dude is going to go off tonight with the new contract.

yep - just like Talbot.

[maudineormsby]

Anyone in favor of this extension better never show their faces in the ACQUIRE A WINGER!!! threads. If you're paying 4 million to a 3rd liner, you can't afford to bring in line 1 wingers. Real line 1 wingers...not Satan-clones. I like Staal but not at 4 mil. I can think of about 15 other 3rd line centers we could sign for about 1 million-2 million who would bring the same stuff as Staal would to the team.

I don't think Staal's speed, hitting, mean streak, play-making, or goal scoring will improve. He's a defensive center right now and I don't see that changing. Those types of guys can be grabbed each and every offseason for a fraction of the cost.

Oh gosh I would GLADLY never show my face in those threads... Geez talk about rediculous and unfounded ideas that will NEVER happen.

I just got a free pass. WOO! Go Staal!