NHL 2017 -Official Discussion Thread

[Smitty-48]

I'm not going to laugh, because the Leafs could have these sorts of problems soon. Plus Toews and Kane were both asking $12 million so they actually took hometown discounts.

Well the Blackawks should have asked that they take a bigger cut, a la Crosby and to a lesser degree Malkin. Do they want to keep winning, or do they want to get paid? It's their choice and they choose to get paid instead of going the Crosby route, but if they took $8.75 million each, that would save the Blackhawks $3.5 million in cap space.

Crosby only took that contract because it could be spread out of over 12 years, if not, he wouldn't have taken 8.7, he's really a 12, on an 8 year contract, Crosby woundn't take that discount, he would have been the same, 10+, even with the discount.

[StCapps]

Crosby only took that contract because it could be spread out of over 12 years, if not, he wouldn't have taken 8.7, he's really a 12, on an 8 year contract, Crosby woundn't take that discount, he would have been the same, 10+, even with the discount.

My point is when guys who should be making $12 million a year takes $8.75 million instead, it helps out the salary cap situation something fierce, and if you want to keep winning with talent surrounding you, then you aren't going to be doing it making $12 million a year, in the NHL, over the long haul. Tom Brady and Lebraun James take a pay cut too to keep more talent around them, and there isn't even a cap in basketball. Crosby knows what's he's doing, Kane and Toews should taken less if they really cared about winning more long term, and if they wanted to get paid they should have signed a bigger contract, they tried to have their cake and eat it too, and now Chicago is suffering for it.

[Smitty-48]

Toews and Kane, less so.

What, with their three Stanley Cups? These are good problems to have, if you're a Leaf fan.

[StCapps]

Toews and Kane, less so.

What, with their three Stanley Cups? These are good problems to have, if you're a Leaf fan.

Well they won't be winning many more with those two contracts on the books. If they wanted to keep winning cups at the rate they were, they should taken a pay cut like Tom Brady, Lebraun James or Sidney Crosby. If they don't care about winning anymore, than they should have asked for more money and just left the team, instead of trying to have their cake and eating it too.

[Smitty-48]

Toews and Kane, less so.

What, with their three Stanley Cups? These are good problems to have, if you're a Leaf fan.

Well they won't be winning many more with those two contracts on the books. If they wanted to keep winning cups at the rate they were, they should taken a pay cut like Tom Brady, Lebraun James or Sidney Crosby. If they don't care about winning anymore, than they should have asked for more money and just left the team, instead of trying to have their cake and eating it too.

3 Stanley Cups in the cap era is a dynasty, even in the pre-cap era, three Stanley Cups is a dynasty, I don't think Toews and Kane have any regrets, and $3.4 million in cap room isn't making or breaking the Hawks, don't be silly, that's one middling player. The only really bad contract they have is Seabrook.

[StCapps]

3 Stanley Cups in the cap era is a dynasty, even in the pre-cap era, three Stanley Cups is a dynasty, I don't think Toews and Kane have any regrets, and $3.4 million in cap room isn't making or breaking the Hawks, don't be silly, that's one middling player.

That's the difference between resigning someone like Panarin and being forced to trade them. If they keep losing the Artemi Panarin type players off the team, it's hard to keep winning cups. Crosby took a discount, it's paying off. Tom Brady took a discount, it's paying off. Lebraun James took a discount, it's paying off. Don't sleep on freeing up a few million in cap space, it's often the difference between winning and losing in sports. When other teams have to pay more for their stars, and your stars are making less, it's hard for other teams to keep up when start with less cap space and have less top end talent to work with, you are starting in the hole.

[Smitty-48]

I think Panarin for Saad is a good trade, they have too much Panarin and not enough Saad, when you already have Kane, you don't need the Bread Man, he was fun while he lasted, but if he must have $7 million or whatever, that's time to move on, if it was the Leafs and had to move on from Nylander, I would say do it, Panarin was a found wallet anyways.

Pittsburg's possession stats are dropping like a stone, they got lucky this year, I don't think they'll be back anyways, unless they move Kessel and restock as well.

The problem in Chicago is Seabrook, they have Keith, Pittsburg has Letang, but Pittsburg is not overpaying their 2D, but on the other hand, Pittsburg wont keep winning with that D, they'll have to upgrade.

[StCapps]

I think Panarin for Saad is a good trade, they have too much Panarin and not enough Saad, when you already have Kane, you don't need the Bread Man, he was fun while he lasted, but if he must have $7 million or whatever, that's time to move on, if it was the Leafs and had to move on from Nylander, I would say do it, Panarin was a found wallet anyways.

Pittsburg's possession stats are dropping like a stone, they got lucky this year, I don't think they'll be back anyways, unless they move Kessel and restock as well.

Even when your stars take discounts, there is still no guarantee you'll be back in the salary cap era of the NHL, but when two of your stars are hogging a good chunk of the team's salary cap, turns out it's even harder. That's my point. If y'all want to pay Matthews and Marner $10 million a piece down the road, you'll see what I'm talking about.

[Smitty-48]

Even when your stars take discounts it's no guarantee you'll be back, but when two of your stars are hogging a good chunk of the team's salary cap, it's even harder. That's my point.

Again, $4 million in cap room is not making or breaking Chicago, "Toews and Kane's fault"; fake news, no collusion, he's a leaker.

[StCapps]

Again, $4 million in cap room is not making or breaking Chicago, Toews and Kanes fault; fake news, no collusion, he's a leaker.

Well they won back in the day when they didn't have so much tied up in Toews and Kane, and now that they have, they aren't winning at the same rate and have had to trade away big parts of team to free up a little cap room, you really think that is a coincidence? It shouldn't be a shock that it was easier for Chicago to have success before Toews and Kane signed those huge contracts. I'm not saying it's their fault, but come on, get with reality. If you pay Matthews and Marner $10 million a piece down the road, then you'll see what I'm talking about first hand, it is clearly of benefit to have star players who aren't making what they are actually worth.