Pens-Malkin Agree on 8 Year Contract Extension

[jstewismybastardson]

^and stay healthy

 

[Jims_Doors]

Mike Prisuta‏@DVEMike[ame="[MEDIA=twitter]345208737633558530[/MEDIA]"]6m[/ame]
Ray Shero appreciated Evgeni Malkin wanting to re-sign with Pens. "The first question I always ask is, 'Do you want to be here?'" Shero said

Shero said today he hasn't asked that first question of Kris Letang yet. As a result "it's hard for me to know what Kris's intentions are."

Shero on Letang: "I never want to say a player can't be traded." He also said Letang is "a very good defenseman, and they're hard to find."

 

[PenVolution]

Aka he's gone.

 

[Jims_Doors]

Mike Prisuta‏@DVEMike[ame="[MEDIA=twitter]345211067946901504[/MEDIA]"]4m[/ame]
Shero said Sidney Crosby was "in the loop, for sure," regarding Malkin's contract and that Crosby is "thrilled" with Malkin's deal.



So much for Tony Amonte's idiotic theory he gave about Sid a week or so ago.

"I think he is so jealous of Evgeni Malkin winning that trophy [as the playoff MVP] a few years ago. I'm telling you – he wants it all. He thinks he is an elite player, in the same conversation with Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, Joe Sakic and these guys, and to do that, you need to win a Conn Smythe, you have to have that on your resume if you want to be talked about the way those guys are. I think it eats him up that they won that Cup and he didn't get the Conn Smythe."

 

[dash]

Have you seen Tony Amonte lately? He's blowing up like Brett Hull.

 

[evolver115]

Interesting to note that there are only three players on the Penguins roster signed beyond the 2015 season(Malkin, Crosby, Neal). With Crosby and Malkin combining for 28% of the current cap hit per season, Shero has left himself a ton of space in a couple more seasons to work around the two centers' contracts.

I'm really interested to see what happens with Letang. I've read that Tanger and his agent have plans to discuss contract options with Shero in the immediate future now that Malkin is out of the way.

Malkin left as much as 3 million per season on the table that he technically could have asked for under the current CBA to stay in Pittsburgh, long term. He did take advantage of the extra eighth season only available to a player who re-signs with his current team, though.

I'm thrilled he is staying. Recent playoff failures aside.. it is nice to know that Sid and Geno will be on the same team for a good long while.

 

[elocomotive]

Congrats to Malkin on his 2.45 billion ruble deal!

Price seems about right to me. The only thing that is a little odd is that he plays on the same team as Crosby and makes nearly 30 million more rubles per year.

 

[forty_three]

Still feels to me in a league with such parity that you wouldn't want to dedicate +/- 30% of your outlay to just two players.

That said, if you are going to do it that way, there aren't many better choices to do it for. I am still of the opinion, and the playoffs did not change this, that Malkin is just as valuable (perhaps slightly moreso given injury history) than Sid.

Wonder if there's a precedent out there. Who ties up the most salary for their top two contracts? Minnesota, you would think is up there. NYR until Richards is bought out, perhaps.

 

[evolver115]

Still feels to me in a league with such parity that you wouldn't want to dedicate +/- 30% of your outlay to just two players.

That said, if you are going to do it that way, there aren't many better choices to do it for. I am still of the opinion, and the playoffs did not change this, that Malkin is just as valuable (perhaps slightly moreso given injury history) than Sid.

Wonder if there's a precedent out there. Who ties up the most salary for their top two contracts? Minnesota, you would think is up there. NYR until Richards is bought out, perhaps.

Getzlaf and Perry are both on the books for 8ish per season. That's got to be near the top. Backstrom and OV are probably near or in the top five. Lecavalier and Stamkos, too

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Getzlaf and Perry are both on the books for 8ish per season. That's got to be near the top. Backstrom and OV are probably near or in the top five. Lecavalier and Stamkos, too

yup ... if you look at it as a % of outlay and not as a % of cap ceiling ... ducks (as of today) will be spending 29.7% on 2 players next season

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

I'm not surprised. It's not like Malkin was going to sign for less than the 8.7 he made this season. The Penguins obviously feel C is the most important position on their roster. I tend to agree. There are plenty of teams who don't even have a #1 center. The Penguins have two of them. How they fill out their roster is Shero's problem. He's got three big time forwards to build around though & there are plenty of players who would be more than happy to play with the likes of Crosby & Malkin that's for sure.

As for Letang, he's probably gone. I don't know how they would be able to sign him for 7M per & fill the rest of their roster after next season.

 

[flyersfan4706]

So has #LetangWatch officially started?

 

[elocomotive]

The process of having two centers (or any player) at $8-9 million per year totally works if they make the other two $2 million players on their line play like they are $4 million players. And Crosby and Malkin generally do.

1 Cup, 1 trip to the Cup Finals, 1 trip to the Conference finals shows, and consistant finishes near the top of the conference and making the playoffs shows that formula is working pretty well.

Hell, I'd love to see those results. It's clearly working.

 

[Darkstone42]

The process of having two centers (or any player) at $8-9 million per year totally works if they make the other two $2 million players on their line play like they are $4 million players. And Crosby and Malkin generally do.

1 Cup, 1 trip to the Cup Finals, 1 trip to the Conference finals shows, and consistant finishes near the top of the conference and making the playoffs shows that formula is working pretty well.

Hell, I'd love to see those results. It's clearly working.

They should have shown better in the conference finals this year and in each of the last three playoff years, but it's clear that the formula for the core is effective since they continue to find themselves in a position of contention.

 

[HockeyDoug]

Neal should go before Letang. Malkin's hit is fair given the market. Pittsburgh's blueline has been full of stone-handed plodders for years. Bylsma (not a fan) has his guys on the back end play to contact because they aren't very good for too much else beyond Letang. Martin is a solid stay at home type. Letang has to be kept for Pit to be a contender. I don't see a good return coming for MAF given the implosion and goalie market in a shrinking cap year, better to hope for a successful lobotomy and go with him moving forward.

Neal carries solid value and could land a quality top 3 dman+ with a decent set of hands and/or wheels. Don't move Letang. The young dmen in the system have a bunch of growing pains to go through, can't risk rushing them in my opinion.

 

[thedddd]

I have no issue with those two as their top contracts.

Not the only team in this situation and a few more will be doing the same shortly:
Sedins in Vancouver
Kane/Toews in Chicago

The you have the Wild, Caps and Ducks already are.

 

[dash]

Lots of speculating that Iggy's negotiating rights will be moved by the Penguins for a draft pick...

 

[thedddd]

Lots of speculating that Iggy's negotiating rights will be moved by the Penguins for a draft pick...

Not surprised. Wonder what team would be a taker?

 

[mattola]

Lots of speculating that Iggy's negotiating rights will be moved by the Penguins for a draft pick...

i wonder what his true $$ value is now.

 

[esls79]

Not surprised. Wonder what team would be a taker?

Mr. Shero, I have a Mr. Feaster on the line for you...