I think the biggest problem was that Dubas and all didn't think that Johnsson would translate his phenominal AHL offense to the NHL in 1 year and that Kapanen would go from 1 goal in 16-17 and 7 goals in 17-18 to a projected 25 goals this season. I think last season these 2 guys were probably penciled in at $1.2 - $1.5 MIL for their next contracts.

i still believe Nylander was a pre-made setup, which allowed TML to give him money he wanted but with higher pay-check this year cause it was affordable. By holdout he was losing 20k per day, which in two months resulted in 1,2M deficit on his account. Distract that from 10,27M and you get 2M surplus to spread over 6 years on top of 6,9M contract which makes him 6 x 7,2M, so as @palhal said 700k above what he should get based on his previous two seasons production and being compared to Pasternak. In my books not such a tragedy in overpayment. Proly that cost TML the resigning of P.Lindholm at 1,5M next year.

Different story is with Matthews tho, where 5 year contract should net him 10,034M or 11,634M should be 7 years one in hands of a good negotiator.

So my grades for Dubarelli till now would be :

Tavares - signing ..................................................................................................... ( A ) i think that was a sure shot for years but still ok
Nylander - signing................................................................................................... ( B+ ) explained above
Muzzin - trade ........................................................................................................ ( B+ ) we could hunt someone younger with longer term like Manson or Pesce for additional 2x 2nd
Matthews - signing .................................................................................................( C- ) avalanche of overpayment dragged by this one
Gardiner - not trading him at TDL to VAN for Stecher ( just example)............( C ) you dont let ppl like JvR and Gardiner walk

i still believe Nylander was a pre-made setup, which allowed TML to give him money he wanted but with higher pay-check this year cause it was affordable. By holdout he was losing 20k per day, which in two months resulted in 1,2M deficit on his account. Distract that from 10,27M and you get 2M surplus to spread over 6 years on top of 6,9M contract which makes him 6 x 7,2M, so as @palhal said 700k above what he should get based on his previous two seasons production and being compared to Pasternak ( i was giving him 7x 6,8M in my simulations ). In my books not such a tragedy in overpayment. Proly that cost TML the resigning of P.Lindholm at 1,5M next year.

Different story is with Matthews tho, where 5 year contract should net him 10,034M or 11,634M should be 7 years one in hands of a good negotiator.

So my grades for Dubarelli till now would be :

Tavares - signing ..................................................................................................... ( A ) i think that was a sure shot for years but still ok
Nylander - signing................................................................................................... ( B+ ) explained above
Muzzin - trade ........................................................................................................ ( B+ ) we could hunt someone younger with longer term like Manson or Pesce for additional 2x 2nd
Matthews - signing .................................................................................................( C- ) avalanche of overpayment dragged by this one
Gardiner - not trading him at TDL to VAN for Stecher ( just example)............( C ) you dont let ppl like JvR and Gardiner walk

meh. alot of people had Nylander bewteen Ehlers and Pasta and with inflation from the time of when Pasta signed Willy is pretty close to where people thought at 6.9M. Is he palying like a 6.9M guy right now? Not really, he's getting there but he'll need to double down to justify that bet he placed on himself.

Nylander, since returning to form is playing at a 70 point pace right now, and the eye test along with advanced numbers has suggested he has been playing even better than that. If he was overpaid 3 months ago, he is playing up to the contract now.