CaptSMRT wrote:

Taravenko.jpg

Battra wrote:

CaptSMRT wrote:"How do you pay Tarasenko 6 when Stastny is making 7?" - Tarasenko's agent

Stastny is a UFA and Tarasenko is an RFA.

Won't his agent use the average salary of the team as a starting point for negotiations? I am not an agent.

Oh, I'm just answering the way the Blues would.

I'd imagine there probably will be a bridge deal the more I think about this.

Tarasenko won't get the top dollar contract as an RFA.

The Blues don't wanna pay top dollar until they have to.

I'm gonna say $6MM for 3 years then the biggin'.

You don't think a team would be willing to part with the compensation to sign Tarasenko for 8 million?

CaptSMRT wrote:You don't think a team would be willing to part with the compensation to sign Tarasenko for 8 million?

I don't think so, but crazier things have happened.

Battra wrote:

CaptSMRT wrote:You don't think a team would be willing to part with the compensation to sign Tarasenko for 8 million?

I don't think so, but crazier things have happened.

I could totally see someone trying, but part of me doubts Tarasenko puts us on the spot like that. Maybe I'm being naive.

ledzeppelinfan1 wrote:

Battra wrote:

CaptSMRT wrote:You don't think a team would be willing to part with the compensation to sign Tarasenko for 8 million?

I don't think so, but crazier things have happened.

I could totally see someone trying, but part of me doubts Tarasenko puts us on the spot like that. Maybe I'm being naive.

Backes did.

Garth Butcher report to the dressing room.

Any team will know the Blues will be forced to match it so unless they have designs on another player the Blues need to re-sign, I can't see any team signing Vlad to an RFA contract.

Someone mentioned Malkin in the conversation and referred to him as a 75 point player. He's much more than that. Easily a point-per-game player and typically more than that. He's making 9.5 million, and rightfully so. One of the best players in the NHL (top 5).

I don't think the Blues will have to pay Tarasenko more than $8 million a year (for now).

Also, I agree with some that he may go for a bridge deal in the hopes of banking an even bigger contract in just a few years.

No matter how you slice it, the Blues must lock up Tarasenko and Schwartz for many years to come.

The team pretty much has to pay whatever it takes to keep him. He's the first true superstar caliber forward the team has had in far too long. He's not quite on the same level as Malkin and Stamkos, but he's world class.

At first, I didn't see a bridge deal as a possibility. But now that the Canadian dollar has tanked (pun completely accidental) a bit I can see both sides thinking a bridge deal could be the best route. Maybe the Canadian dollar rebounds and the cap makes that huge jump and then the Blues have room to pay everyone. If the Canadian dollar stays weak there are going to be teams that are in a world of hurt, like Chicago.

I just think a bridge deal makes the most sense with the cap being so closely tied to the Canadian dollar due to that outrageous TV contract. We may be getting to the point where success in the NHL has as much to do with working contracts in a manner that allows teams to stay under the cap as it does anything else. If a team can stay cap responsible while keeping some skill players they are going to be successful. Again, if the Canadian dollar has a strong rebound then my theory goes right out the fuckin window.

CaptSMRT wrote:

Taravenko.jpg

Battra wrote:

CaptSMRT wrote:"How do you pay Tarasenko 6 when Stastny is making 7?" - Tarasenko's agent

Stastny is a UFA and Tarasenko is an RFA.

Won't his agent use the average salary of the team as a starting point for negotiations? I am not an agent.

He can, but UFAs and RFAs typically have a different degree of leverage. Stastny was free to go out and sign with anybody. Tarasenko doesn't have quite the same luxury. He can get offers from other teams, but those offers will in all likelihood be matched by the Blues. If the Blues let him go then they'll get a hefty package of draft picks in return, which few teams can afford to do in today's NHL. It makes the chances of Tarasenko getting an offer sheet slim. They do happen, but rarely.

When Tarasenko is in his late 20s he'll get to do what Stastny did, and wherever he signs he'll be able to rake it in. Right now he's tied to the Blues.

I think he'll get a deal that matches or is slightly larger than Petro's 6.5M per year. Petro is the most important defenseman on the team. Tarasenko will be the most important forward. Both are signing as RFAs. It makes sense to have them get comparable deals. Schwartz will likely be offered something similar next year.

he doesn't strike me as a cocky guy who's going to over-value himself or be unreasonable. that being said, he can write his own check here and i'll be happy. he's proven he can come back from a pretty major injury and be successful as well.

Put me in the 6/$38MM camp. What he brings to this team can't be replaced. With that being said, he absolutely can get better, and has not been as defensively responsible the past few months as he was the first half of the year (I know that is nitpicking - but want to stay partial, as he has been my favorite Blue since they drafted him). He is an RFA. It's a bit different than Petro, b/c we didn't use a top 5 pick on him, IMO, but he will defintiely get close to Petro money. With Liut being his agent, and having ties to STL, I don't see them being completely money hungry, but, IMO, they'll settle on somewhere between 5.75 and 7 MM per year, depending on the term.