Pens sign Staal to a 4 year deal!!!

[SaijinSatch]

zehr gut

[Matthew Monstar]

4 million? i'll flip out.

[MrBrightside]

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.

[shmenguin]

Someone on hfboards says a TSN text message said 4 years, 16 million.

Uggg.

i was going to say the same thing, but i spell ugh with an "h"

[Member]

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

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

[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.

I said the same thing in my post before, plus why would a team spend its energy and resources trying to sign a guy to a long term contract they where just going to trade. You don't negotiate with guys mid season unless you want them

[Mongoose87]

I guess he's playing a top line wing, cause at that money, we won't have space for any next year.

[Jesse]

The dude is 20. That's all I'm saying.

[columbia]

And a lot of people thought $10M/3 year would be overpaying.

[SoupOrSam]

If that is the case there is def a trade in Staal's future imo. I just cannot see justifying $4m in a 3rd line center...even if it is a first round draft pick. Money has to be spread to the wings. We can always fill the 3rd and 4th line season after season with signings imo. Nothing against Staal. I just think this is insurance for RFA status.

4 years not 4 mil atm. I don't think the $ has been released yet.

Wow. I guess I just fell victim to the thing I hate most. not reading someone else's post. Sorry for that crowd!

I stand by my original comments in this case then.

[AlexPKeaton]

I guess it is 3rd liners for life for Sid and Geno.

[wallflower]

The dude is 20. That's all I'm saying.

This will be used against you. For some reason, pointing out his age makes some people freak out.

[Matthew Monstar]

The dude consisently loses battles and doesnt make plays happen.

[Newf]

Staal is being overpaid at 4 Mil a year... hopefully he plays into his contract amount..

[SLF66]

Too many years, too much money.

[SoupOrSam]

I don't know about the rest of you but:

I just saved a bunch of money on Staal insurance by switching to Geico!

[shmenguin]

i guess shero was banking on someone giving him an offer sheet in the offseason, because that's a lot of money to give him today.

[Mang-nang]

The dude is 20. That's all I'm saying.

Exactly.

[Defence21]

The dude is 20. That's all I'm saying.

I posted this in a comment over at FF:

PLAYER A
Season 1, age 18: 82 GP, 13 G, 15 A, 28 Pts, -19
Season 2, age 19: 80 GP, 25 G, 42 A, 67 Pts, -25
Season 3, age 20: 68 GP, 23 G, 28 A, 51 Pts, -26
First 29-goal season: year 5, age 22

PLAYER B
Season 1, age 18: 55 GP, 3 G, 4 A, 7 Pts, -6
Season 2, age 19: 81 GP, 16 G, 25 A, 41 Pts, +3
Season 3, age 20: 81 GP, 23 G, 37 A, 60 Pts, -5
First 29-goal season: year 4, age 21

STAAL
Season 1, age 18: 81 GP, 29 G, 13 A, 42 Pts, +16
Season 2, age 19: 82 GP, 12 G, 16 A, 28 Pts, -5
Season 3, age 20: 41 GP, 11 G, 10 A, 21 Pts, -5

Player A is Vinny Lecavalier. Player B is Joe Thornton. Is Staal really that far off?

It's kind of ridiculous when people look at a 20-year-old and act as if he is a finished product. 95% of players his age are, at the very best, in their first year of professional hockey. Many others are still in college or juniors. Staal already has a 29-goal season under his belt. And, before anyone discounts it -- IT HAPPENED. It proves he can...he just needs to develop into that type of player consistently.

EDIT:

To do some math:

Lecavalier had 146 points and was -70 in his first three seasons

Thornton had 108 points and was -8 in his first three seasons.

So far, Staal has amassed 91 points and is +6 in his first 2 1/2 seasons, with 41 more games to go.

[wm0712]

staal would've gotten more than that in an offer sheet

[AlexPKeaton]

The dude is a 20 goal scorer. That's all I'm saying.

Fix'd.

[Mongoose87]

He's making more money than James Harrison!

[Newf]

The dude is 20. That's all I'm saying.

Exactly.

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.

[Number Nine]

Please god let this be a sign and trade move. Or this is gross overpayment.

[Paekman]

Really, this is a tough call for RS. Obviously, when Staal is "on" (Detroit game), he's great and worth every penny. When he's not (most of the time), he's not even worth a 7 figure salary.

I guess Ray is banking on either a trade (this DOES make him more tradeable, IMO) or that he's going to blossom into a top 6 winger that can score 30-40 goals a season in another year or so.