Pens sign Staal to a 4 year deal!!!

[Pitts]

At least Brian Burke can not steal him from us. Now, he will actually have to give up something of real value!

[Matthew Monstar]

So lets delay winning a cup and having an immediate change at success because young staal is only 20. He set the tone for himself during his rookie year. Last year was a bum year.....He is not confident with the puck, Clueless what to do and his faceoff skills dont impress me.

Maybe 16 million will make him play like he cares.

[DocEmrick]

Why, God? Why?

[wm0712]

he's on pace to match his career high in points, and he'll only get better... i think in 2 years (if he's still here) this will be a good deal for the pens

[darkstar57]

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

Are you kidding me, have you been watching the last couple of offseasons. Someone would have thrown a 5-7 year deal at him worth at least 5 million a year, maybe more.

[Kicksave]

Jordan Staal will never be the type of player that Vinny Lecavalier or Joe Thornton.

However, he could definitely turn into a Keith Primeau type player.

[Doogs]

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

[littlemoonboot]

Well then. That settles that.

[Kicksave]

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

[shmenguin]

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.

i dunno...those numbers look pretty far off. and i wouldn't even use those guys as a comparison. apples and oranges style-wise.

[maudineormsby]

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

That makes me feel a little better... but we've got a LOT of money tied into a few players now...

No room for Hossa this offseason now...

[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

[Pitts]

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

That would put him in line with the Dustin Brown's, Nathan Horton's of the NHL, so I would believe that.

[Matthew Monstar]

he's on pace to match his career high in points, and he'll only get better... i think in 2 years (if he's still here) this will be a good deal for the pens

Too bad most of his points came in like 2-3 games.

Its the consistency that makes me puke at the signing RIGHT now

Sidney needs a real winger and with Fedotenko and Dupuis hurt.... I just dont know whats going on with management anymore.

[shmenguin]

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

[wm0712]

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

Are you kidding me, have you been watching the last couple of offseasons. Someone would have thrown a 5-7 year deal at him worth at least 5 million a year, maybe more.

did you even read what i wrote?

[Kicksave]

Bring it, Staal haters.

[The U]

Jordan Staal will never be the type of player that Vinny Lecavalier or Joe Thornton.

However, he could definitely turn into a Keith Primeau type player.

you mean Wayne Primeau

[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.

i dunno...those numbers look pretty far off. and i wouldn't even use those guys as a comparison. apples and oranges style-wise.

Really? Do the 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.

And the idea is to show that those guys took time to develop. Staal is more of a power forward, a type of player that takes even longer to develop. It's absolutely 100% ridiculous the way people act as if Staal has plateaued and is what he will be next year or three years down the line.

[superconan]

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

Does it matter that I would take Staal over Thornton now in the play-offs?

[stopper40]

Too much for a 3rd line center

[Pitts]

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

He only comes out at night.

[Mang-nang]

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.

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

[Mad City Mike]

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

Wow, that's just what I would have guessed. A $4 mil a year cap hit through 2013. Coincidentally or not, that is the exact same cap hit as Nathan Horton. But can it be coincidence that they signed him right after they played Florida??? I think not. Let the rumors begin anew.

[Bob McKenzie]

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).