Just don't get this.

Even though you have a lot of cap space you overpaid for Hayes and Zucc (I don't care what anyone else says) I feel Hayes should be getting $5.8M tops.

Why'd you traded two of three best forwards?

I like the pick hoarding though

Yeah literally makes no sense

It's not like I'm the biggest Hayes fan either, but $5,8M seems like a joke offer to me as an UFA. He's probably going to be TOP3 center available at the free agency, and on top of that he's coming from a 68-point pace season. Generally players with stats like that are never available at the free market.

Just for the sake of comparison, let's look at Stastny's contract. It's the easiest comparison because he ended up as an UFA from the same team and from the same role. He got a $6,5M x 3 contract for a 53-point season, and also he's 7 years older. Hayes is younger and has produced in a much better level - and in a worse team no less, because he has scored the most of that point total in NYR.

If there's going to be a bidding war coming at the free agency, I'm almost certain that Hayes's new contract will be around $7-8M per year.

You're right. But at that bidding war example you gave, no way he deserves that money. Winnipeg would be stupid to let him go. Also, Hayes was on a playoff team each of his first three seasons there. They had a bad year last year, and are going to be .500 this year at best.

Jets might be stupid to let him go, but they might have no other choice. It depends so much on their RFAs and what kind of contracts they demand.

I would over pay for Hayes and Zuccarello just so I wouldn't have to sign a NTC. Id give them 7.5 mil if that's what it took and trade them when needed for assets. They are essentially free assets and they help to hit the cap floor. As for getting rid of Mantha and Athanasiou i feel they wont be 60 point players on the wings; and that they will want NTC's that I'm not willing to give them. So a first and a second it is for a rebuilding team. Hope this clarifies things.

Habs will take mantha for that